The University of Michigan presents “Love, Life & Loss,” a 30-minute long music documentary featuring the U-M Men’s Glee Club performing “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed,” a choral work based on the dying words of seven unarmed black men, and “Glory” from the film “Selma.”

“Love, Life & Loss” will be shown at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, at the Michigan Theater. 

Produced by Michigan Media, the short film follows the journey of the members of the Glee Club and its conductor, Eugene Rogers, as they collaborate with composer Joel Thompson to bring this challenging work addressing issues of race and social justice to life for the very first time.

Freyja Harris, chief diversity and inclusion officer at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, will provide opening remarks.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A that will be moderated by Naomi André, U-M associate professor in women’s studies and Afroamerican and African studies, and associate director for faculty at the Residential College.

Panelists include:

• Kenneth Chamberlain Jr.: Son of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., who was shot by police in 2011 and whose last words—”Officers, why do you have your guns out?”—are memorialized in the song “Seven Last Words of the Unarmed.”
• Julian Goods: U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance student and Men’s Glee Club member who participated in learning, performing and filming the works presented in “Love, Life & Loss.”
• Ashley Lucas: Director of the U-M Prison Creative Arts Program and associate professor of theatre and drama at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance and the Residential College.
• Margo Schlanger: U-M professor of law and leading authority on civil rights issues and civil and criminal detention. Her teaching and research deal with civil rights, prison reform and surveillance.  

*Though not participating on the panel, Eugene Rogers, director of the Men’s Glee Club, associate director of choirs and professor at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance, will be in the audience to answer any specific questions.

The event is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to RSVP online at this link:  myumi.ch/abWPx.

This event is sponsored by the Michigan Men’s Glee Club, U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance, U-M Office of the Vice President for Communications, U-M Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and U-M Arts & Culture.