unapologet >> duke ellington is the start of many great things in city. raymond, you are directing and you've got quite a fuel scheduled for the rest of the season. tell us about that. >> we . we are in the run of "blood of the root" and after that we end our season 16 with a really beautiful piece called "flight of nestra". so lady dane who has written it is resetting that myt in the graveyard of black arts. so it's a really beautiful exploration of the black trans narrative through the lens. >> an ec? >> an epic slam poem. what we do at theater a is we're constantly asking ourselves what is theater and how do we shift it, changeit, introduce new ideas? we've done really interesting work like work becomes flesh which really centers hipho hip hop theater, and this idea of poetry and slam poetry and i thin >> how has it transitioned down through the years? yo were on "h" street before you joined -- you moved yr alliance to the playhouse in anacostia. on "h" stree you did lot of the same kind of work that you're doing in that community, you're doing theame

everyone from duke ellington, to zora neale hurston, to langston hughes, count basie all come there andy there because they could not stay in hotels in denver during that period of history. so, over time, after desegregation, like a lot of the african-american institutions , kind of fell into disrepair and were sold off into different parts. and now we have developed a wonderful program that serves our community in so many different ways. 6000 inner-city kids every summer come to the ranch. we also give to about 200-300 wounded veterans every year. in the winter, though, when the ranch is pretty much shut down, one of the things that we identified -- my wife identified this -- was that there are programs, one is called together we rise that we partner with, that actually handles aging out foster kids. so now we have built at the ranch a 16-bedroom ranch house and we can host up to 30 kids during the holidays. so we hosted them and do all sorts of fun activities. david: you are a big fly fisherman. robert: i love it. david: tell me what the appeal is. because you have a big brain and you

everyone from duke ellington, to zora neale hurston, to langston hughes, count basie all come there andbecause they could not stay in hotels in denver during that period of history. so over time, after desegregation, like a lot of the african-american institutions fell into disrepair and were sold off into different parts. and now we have developed a wonderful program that serves our community in so many different ways. 6000 inner-city kids every summer come to the ranch. we also give to about 200-300 wounded veterans every year. in the winter, though, when the ranch is pretty much shut down, one of the things that we identified -- my wife identified this -- was that there are programs, one is called together we rise that we partner with, that actually handles aging out foster kids. so now we have built at the ranch a 16-bedroom ranch house and we can host up to 30 kids during the holidays. so we hosted them and do all sorts of fun activities. david: you are a big fly fisherman. robert: i love it. david: tell me what the appeal is. because you have a big brain and you're trying to outsm

heart" ♪ don't ruin this on me tell me who and ♪ i'll be thanking them the numbered lovers ♪ of duke ellingtonngs" from ♪ this "paper doll" blow sweet and thick ♪ 'til every thought of "it don't mean a thing" i've got some colour back ♪ she thinks so, too i laugh like me again ♪ she laughs like you i wouldn't know where to ♪ start "sweet music" playing "in the dark" ♪ be still "my foolish heart" don't ruin this on me ♪ i wouldn't know where to start "sweet music" ♪ playing "in the dark" be still "my foolish heart" ♪ don't ruin this on me i wouldn't know where ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ i wouldn't know "the very thought of you" ♪ and "am i blue" "a love supreme" ♪ seems far removed "i get along ♪ without you very well" some other nights the ♪ radio news reader chimes reporting "russian lullabies" ♪ she'll turn to me awake and ask is everything "alright" ♪ i wouldn't know where to start "sweet music" ♪ playing "in the dark" be still "my foolish heart

heart don't ruin this on me ♪ ♪ tell me who and i'll be thanking them the numbered lovers of duke ellingtonll let smoke rings from this paper doll ♪ ♪ blow sweet and thick till every thought of it don't mean a thing ♪ ♪ i've got some color back she thinks so too ♪ ♪ i love like me again she laughs like you ♪ ♪ and i wouldn't know where to start sweet music playing in the dark ♪ ♪ be still my foolish heart don't ruin this on me ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know where to start sweet music playing in the dark ♪ ♪ be still my foolish heart don't ruin this on me ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ ♪ i wouldn't ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know where i wouldn't know where ♪ ♪ i wouldn't know ♪ the very thought of you and am i blue a love supreme seems far removed ♪ ♪ i get along without you very well some other nights ♪ ♪ the radio news reader chimes reporting russian lullabies ♪ ♪ she'll turn to me and ask is everything all right ♪ ♪ and i wouldn't know where to start sweet music playing in the dark ♪ ♪ be still my f