Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical’s Richard Allen and Taran Gray

Richard Allen and Taran Gray are the creative masterminds behind FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical.

The groundbreaking piece of art tells the true story of the college-age activists who boldly challenge the legality and optics of the Jim Crow Laws in 1961 by riding buses in mixed groups through the South; a soaring portrait of the fearless voices who used nonviolent direct action to initiate change.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with creators Richard Allen and Taran Gray about FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical.

PC: How did you both discover your passion for the arts?
Richard: For me, it’s always been there since the days of Star Search.

Taran: My dad has been a theater professional since before I was born. A lot of the adults in my life when I was growing up danced, acted, and sang on stage. That definitely gave me the confidence and passion to explore that world myself.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your careers?
Richard: Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee’s School Daze have been the biggest influences on me artistically.

Taran: I’d say that Richard has been one of the biggest influences. He has a drive that’s unbeatable. It’s infectious and pushes me to keep up.

PC: You’ve both had a lot of success throughout your careers. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Richard: I think for us, it was the transition from being performing artists to being composers and writers. It was a new point of view and flexing of different muscles.

Taran: The moment that stands out for me is when John Lewis came to see FREEDOM RIDERS at the New York Musical Festival. At the end of the night, I escorted him out of the theater and went to shake his hand. He instead reached in and gave me a hug and told me how accurate the show was. That’s unbeatable assurance.

PC: Tell us about FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical and the inspiration behind it.
Richard: The inspiration behind it was just wanting to tell this very important and magical story.

Taran: This is one of only a few moments in American history where everyone came together to create social change. Any moments from our history that show that level of cooperation and movement need to be at the forefront of our knowledge.

PC: The musical premiered five years ago and has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Richard: I’d like to say the hope it provides. With so much division happening, this story tells us that we can come together to make life better for others.

Taran: The songs are not easy to sing, so it takes an extremely talented vocalist to deliver and interpret them correctly. I think the audience picks up on that and appreciates our vocalists for that.

PC: It was recently released as an album. What has this milestone meant to each of you?
Richard: Honestly, I’m still trying to take it all in.

Taran: Our biggest goal with FREEDOM RIDERS has always been to make it accessible to everyone. Finally having an album means that people don’t need to just have clips of our work or be in a theater to enjoy it. They can now experience the full show through the soundtrack.

PC: What do you hope listeners take away after they hear it?
Richard: I hope they feel good and just want to sing their hearts out.

Taran: The original freedom riders sang songs in real life to gain courage and boldness while they were met with opposition. I hope our music is a continuation of that and becomes a tool for the listener to also gain courage and boldness in the fight for social equality.

Make sure to follow Richard (Twitter/Instagram) and Taran (Twitter/Instagram).