Join us at the Rio Theatre as we raise a glass and toast the late, great, Toni Morrison, with a screening of the 2019 documentary TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM for a final, encore screening on Saturday, September 7.

TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM offers an artful and intimate meditation on the life and works of the legendary storyteller and Nobel prize-winner. From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own literature. Inspired to write because no one took a “little black girl” seriously, Morrison reflects on her lifelong deconstruction of the master narrative. Woven together with a rich collection of art, history, literature and personality, the film includes discussions about her many critically acclaimed works, including novels “The Bluest Eye,” “Sula” and “Song of Solomon,” her role as an editor of iconic African-American literature and her time teaching at Princeton University.

In addition to Ms. Morrison, the film features interviews with Hilton Als, Angela Davis, Fran Lebowitz, Walter Mosley, Sonia Sanchez and Oprah Winfrey, who turned Morrison’s novel “Beloved” into a feature film. Using Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ elegant portrait-style interviews, the doc includes original music by Kathryn Bostic, a specially created opening sequence by artist Mickalene Thomas, and evocative works by other contemporary African-American artists including Kara Walker, Rashid Johnson and Kerry James Marshall.

"When it's over, you feel like a beloved friend has left the room." (Seattle Times)

"As with Morrison's books, 'The Pieces I Am' invites multiple, maybe even piecemeal, encores, because few writers wield the capacity to leave their readers with an evolving parting message with each subsequent reread." (The Globe and Mail)

Saturday, September 7
Doors 12:30 pm | Movie 1:00 pm
Advance tickets $10.50 | $12.50 at the door

*Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK! Please redeem at the door.
**Minors welcome in the balcony. must be 19+ w/ID for bar service and main floor seating.

TONI MORRISON: THE PIECES I AM (Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, 2019 / 119 mins / PG) This artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller examines her life, her works, and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career. Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics, and colleagues on an exploration of race, history, America, and the human condition.