SWOPERA: A Spoken Word Opera​ is the next production in ​Carpbetbag Theatre​’s 50th anniversary celebration. ​Swopera ​tells a contemporary story of gentrification, one family's efforts to save their business, Lowell’s Soulfood Cafe, in light of changing community dynamics, and finding unexpected leadership in the youngest member of the family, Lem. The text is delivered in spoken word poetry and rhyme, accompanied by elements of hip-hop and soul.

The event will be held at the Ula Love Doughty Carousel Theatre on University of Tennessee’s Campus on Thursday, April 11th at 7:30pm; Friday, April 12th at 7:30pm; Saturday, April 13th at 7:30pm; and Sunday, April 14th at 4:00pm.

Tickets are $15 in advance; general admission is $20; student/senior/military is $10; groups of 10+ at $10 each. To purchase tickets visit ​bit.ly/2NYHlDc.

Created by the Carpbetbag Theatre Ensemble and emerging community artists, ​Swopera ​is directed by Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz-Sapp of ​Universes universesonstage.com​ and fully supported by the Roy Cockrum Foundation.

Steven Sapp & Mildred Ruiz-Sapp are from Universes which is a national Ensemble Theater Company, of multi-disciplined writers and performers of color, who fuse theater, poetry, dance, jazz, hip hop, politics, down home blues and Spanish boleros to create moving, challenging and entertaining works for the stage. The group breaks the traditional theatrical bounds to create its own brand of theater.

The Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. was founded in 1969 and chartered in 1970. It is a Knoxville-based professional, multi-generational ensemble company dedicated to the production of new works. The theatre works in partnership with community artists, activists, cultural workers, storytellers, and leaders to create original, theatrical works. Our mission is to give artistic voice to the issues and dreams of people who have been silenced by racism, classism, sexism, ageism, homophobia and other forms of oppression.