From Russia, With Love

"It's a lot of very intense stuff," Moore continues, "but there's a surprising amount of humor and passion. There's something so profoundly, well, mighty about these human beings, that they could find joy and humor in addition to the huge amount of suffering. I would have thrown myself into the river. The strength of these people, their courage, is incredible."

And their stories have meaning no matter what the color of a listener's skin. "I'm not black," says Moore, "but this is my history, too, because this country was built on the backs of slavery. We can't pretend we're not standing on the shoulders of those who came before us."

Five actors, including Winston, are flying in to join five Stories on Stage regulars, as well as singers from Denver's Spiritual Project and musicians directed by the Boulder Philharmonic concertmaster. Performances are at 2 and 7 p.m. today at the Stage Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets are $20 each; for information, call 303-494-0523. -- Shara Rutberg