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Harlem sings the songs of its past in this new high energy, high decibel musical revue "Sing Harlem Sing." The show is produced, directed, and narrated by Harlemite Vy Higginsen.

"This particular production really talks about a Harlem radio station a fictional radio station WVHW and this radio station is where the music comes alive," said Higginsen.

The music is Saturday night rock and soul into Sunday morning gospel. "Sing Harlem Sing" was first performed across Japan before coming to the Dempsey Theater on 127th Street. In some ways it's a trip down memory lane for Higginsen who grew up in the neighborhood, went to a nearby school and was a pioneering black female DJ.

"The children especially need to understand where music comes from and that music is still alive and that right now everything is sort of overproduced as far as the music of today and back in the day we had real instruments and real lyrics and real melodies and that's what this show is totally about," said Corey Walker, who plays Chuck Berry in the production.

Dejahnee Richardson says she is proud to take on the role of Gladys Knight.

"She's a black American female raised in the church and presented her gift that God had given her so that everyone all over the nation could understand what she was singing about," said Richardson.

The show is produced by Higginson's Mama Foundation for the Arts which works to restore Harlem as an entertainment capitol and help revitalize the neighborhood. Before the show begins there's even a short performance by the foundation's Gospel for Teens program.

Organizers say they hope the new musical not only introduces audiences to the music of Harlem's past but to the neighborhood of today as well.

"This neighborhood is so hot it's becoming so vibrant and alive with new people and new energy," said Higginsen.