Loretta Devine, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Rutina Wesley and Jennifer Beals are leading the cast of Radiotopia from PRX’s latest narrative podcast series Red for Revolution, debuting Feb. 4 on Radiotopia Presents.

Radiotopia from PRX exclusively shared with Blavity’s Shadow and Act that Red for Revolution is a Tribeca Festival-winning six-part audio series created, written and directed by writer/filmmaker Jana Naomi Smith about the “intergenerational stories of Black women, queer love and liberation.” The podcast was produced by Liz McBee.

The series also stars Jordan Hull, S. Epatha Merkerson, Renée Wilson (who also serves as executive producer), Danny Glover, Alimi Ballard, Vanessa E. Williams and adrienne maree brown, among others.

The audio series centers around a young woman named Jazmine who is coming to terms with her sexuality. She finds solace in her grandmother, who tells her about queer love in the 1970s. According to the official description:

Jazmine––grappling with her queer identity, first crush, and the delicate task of mending her relationship with her homophobic mother––seeks guidance from her grandmother. Listeners are then transported to 1971 and a love affair between jazz singer Lorraine Giovanni and activist Ella Ali. Two women from vastly different backgrounds with opposing political views embark on a romance defying all conventions.

'Red for Revolution' — Photo: Radiotopia

Smith said in a statement how Red for Revolution is a project that had to find the right time to come to light.

“The first iteration of Red for Revolution was written in 2017. It stayed in the vault for years until I finally found the courage to take a leap of faith and adapt it into an audio format,” she said. “A large beautiful chorus of people came together to bring this show to life. It was truly a labor of love. Our hope is that everyone who listens feels the love we poured into this series over the last two years of production. I also pray each listener is inspired to spread that love—our world needs it now more than ever.”

Wilson also added, “Our story is a powerful one of belief in one’s self, our abilities, collaborative partnership and not giving up. It is about Black women and women working together to create something meaningful about love and liberation.”

Audrey Mardavich, Radiotopia from PRX’s executive producer, also added that the new series continues the podcast channel’s focus on bringing forward-thinking stories to its audience.

“Radiotopia Presents is our home for exemplary, boundary-pushing limited series and we’re pleased to debut Red For Revolution, a gorgeous portrayal of queer love, resilience, and the pursuit of liberation across generations,” she said. “We’re honored to partner with Jana Naomi Smith and Renée Wilson to bring this powerful, heartfelt series to audiences everywhere.”

Red for Revolution will air weekly free on-demand through Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Overcast, Spotify and Pocket Casts.

Vanessa Estelle Williams

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