Langston Hughes' Black Nativity, a popular sell-out for Seattle's Intiman Theatre, returns for its annual holiday run Nov. 30-Dec. 23. But this year the pageant, which tells the story of Jesus Christ's birth through gospel song, brings along a CD recording. Black Nativity is a mix of Hughes' poetry, gospel songs and the traditional nativity story. Hughes wrote Nativity in 1961 to bring the African-American experience to Christmas celebrations. 2001's production features Reverend Dr. Samuel McKinney, Pastor Partinell Wright, the Total Experience Choir and the Black Nativity choir.

The CD, a release from the Intiman and Starbucks Coffee entitled "The Total Experience Choir Performing Songs Inspired by Intiman Theatre's Stage Production of Black Nativity," is headlined by McKinney and Wright. Songs include "Joy to the World," "Go Tell It on the Mountain," "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful, " "Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody," "Get Away Jordan," "This Little Light of Mine" and "Wonderful," popularized by Same Cooke and the Soul Stirrers.

"The Total Experience Choir Performing Songs Inspired by Intiman Theatre's Stage Production of Black Nativity" is on sale on the web, select Starbucks in Seattle and across the country and at performances of Black Nativity.

For tickets, call the Intiman box office at (206) 269-1900. The Intiman is located at 201 Mercer Street at the Seattle Center and on the web at http://www.intiman.org.

— By Christine Ehren