[NEohioPAL]Emmett Till Justice Campaign attending World Premier of "The Little Boy That Shook Up The World: The Emmett Till Story" by Nicole C. Kearney Cooper on Feb. 5th at Karamu (OH)

Mon Jan 31 11:49:45 PST 2005

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- January 28, 2005

Karamu House Performing Arts Youth Theatre Presents
The Little Boy Who Shook Up The World: The Emmett Till Story
                Black History Month

Karamu House's Youth Theatre presents the World Premier of The Little =
Boy
Who Shook Up The World:The Emmett Till Story, Saturdays and Sundays =
February
5th, 6th,12th,13th,19th, 20th, 2005 with performances in the Jelliffe
Theatre starting at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $6.00 each and can be =
obtained
from Karamu House's box office Monday-Friday located at 2355 East 89th
Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

The opening show on Saturday, February 5, 2005, has been sold out thanks =
to
the sponsorship of Continental Airlines, SBC-Ohio and the City Of =
Cleveland.
No tickets are available for purchase for the February 5th performance.  =
The
show will be preceded by a reception at 1 o'clock.  Following the play,
there will be a Q & A session with Nicole C. Kearney Cooper, the =
playwright;
Alvin Sykes and Donald Burger of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign, the =
men
who spearheaded the drive to get the state of Mississippi and =
Washington,
D.C, to revisit the case. Middle Schools, Professional Organizations,
Churches and African American focused organizations are purchasing =
tickets
and encouraging others to do likewise to help ensure that all six
performances will be sold-out.  This plays message is to important not =
to be
heard.

The Little Boy Who Shook Up The World:The Emmett Till Story directed by =
Kimberly
Brown is based on the events surrounding the death of Emmett Till during =
his
summer visit to Money, Mississippi, in August 1955.  Emmett Till, a =
14-year
old Black boy from Chicago was visiting relatives in Mississippi.  He =
went
into a local market on a dare and what happens next no one truly knows. =
The
white female store clerk alleges Emmett whistled and made improper =
remarks
to her. Her accusation prompts her husband and brother-in-law to kidnap =
and
lynch Emmett.  Emmett's lynching and the subsequent trial thrust the
scrutiny of the nation upon Mississippi. The lynching of Emmett Till =
becomes
a catalyst for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.

"If you have ever seen a picture of Emmett Till's swollen, decomposed =
face,
I'm sure you have not forgotten it.  This tragic murder and the =
nationally
publicized burial photograph set thetage for change in Mississippi.  I =
am so=20
eager to share Emmett Till's story with a generation that, I suspect, =
has forgotten,"=20
says director, Kimberly Brown.

"It's satisfying that this play, which has taken six years to bring to =
the
stage, will have its World Premiere in 2005, to pay tribute to Emmett =
Till
at the 50th anniversary of his murder.  The Emmett Till Story is the =
first
of ten "Movement Plays" I'm writing that cover the years of 1955 through
1968.  The height of the civil rights era where youth were lynched, =
tortured
and murdered as a general practice by those afraid of what integration =
and
equality would bring. Each Movement play is a one-act play that focuses =
on
the actions by or against young people that changed the course of not =
only
their lives, but history.  I applaud the fearlessness, honor the =
memories
and tell the stories of those youth who by intention or misfortune gave =
up
their lives, their innocence, and their safety to pave a path that I and
others now walk and that our children may follow.  It is my hope that =
people
will be engaged enough (by the play) to want to find out more, by =
reading,
watching documentaries, or other materials that tell them more about the
persons, circumstance and the civil rights era of history itself," notes
playwright, Nicole C. Kearney Cooper.

Terrence Spivey, Artistic Director of Karamu House Theatre states, =
"We're
happy to be premiering the first of Nicole's "Movement Play" cycle for =
the
Youth Theatre. This is a profound subject that you read in countless =
books
but is rarely seen or heard from the stage.  It's an educational tool =
that
is still a well kept secret for some school systems across the country =
in
fear of explaining to students about young Emmett's horrific murder. =
Simple,
it's all or nothing. You cannot homogenize it. I am proud of Nicole. Her
passion for the story and daring approach within the text caused me to
select it.  Bringing Kimberly in as director was a great fit. She is
uninhibited as an actress and to see her translate that into the =
director's
chair for this type of play will be rewarding. This generation has the =
right
to know about this young man's story."

The Cast and Crew of The Little Boy Who Shook Up The World: The Emmett =
Till
Story

Emmett Till...                     Chris Webb
Mamie Till Bradley...                Jasmen Woodson
Uncle Mose Wright...                  Marvin L. Mallory
Curtis Jones...          D'wain Barnes
Willie Reed...                     Dontell Carter
Prosecuting Attorney...                 Tim Squirek
J.W. Milam...                     Alex Johnson
                    (3)
Roy Bryant...      Keith Kornajcik
Carolyn Bryant...       Jennifer Marvinney
Neighborhood boys...     Sterling & Wyatt Scruggs
Neighborhood girl/voalist...            Anissa Richardson (vocalist)
Defense Attorney...                David Duffield
Sheriff/Reporter/Understudy...            Derek Koger

Director Kimberly Brown
Makeup Artist Tamiko Jenkins
Costumer Morris Cammon
Set Designer, Sound & Light Technician     Richard H. Morris Jr.

Recommended for persons 15-40 years of age and older. Karamu theater
productions are supported by The George Gund Foundation, Eaton =
Foundation,
The Cleveland Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council.
To schedule an interview with the Director, cast and/or playwright of =
The
Little Boy Who Shook Up The World:The Emmett Till Story, contact Vivian =
C.
Wilson at Karamu House, at vwilson at karamu.com =
<mailto:vwilson at karamu.com> or
(216) 795-7070 x 215.
Contact: Vivian Wilson
Marketing Director
(216) 795-7070 x 215
 vwilson at karamu.com

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<DIV>
<DIV>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- January 28, 2005 Karamu House =
Performing Arts=20
Youth Theatre Presents The Little Boy Who Shook Up The World: The =
Emmett Till=20
Story                 Black =
History=20
Month Karamu House=92s Youth Theatre presents the World Premier =
of The=20
Little Boy Who Shook Up The World:The Emmett Till Story, Saturdays =
and=20
Sundays February 5th, 6th,12th,13th,19th, 20th, 2005 with =
performances in the=20
Jelliffe Theatre starting at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $6.00 each =
and can=20
be obtained from Karamu House=92s box office Monday-Friday located at =
2355 East=20
89th Street, Cleveland, Ohio. The opening show on Saturday, =
February=20
5, 2005, has been sold out thanks to the sponsorship of Continental =
Airlines,=20
SBC-Ohio and the City Of Cleveland. No tickets are available for =
purchase for=20
the February 5th performance.  The show will be preceded by a =
reception=20
at 1 o=92clock.  Following the play, there will be a Q & A =
session=20
with Nicole C. Kearney Cooper, the playwright; Alvin Sykes and Donald =
Burger=20
of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign, the men who spearheaded the =
drive to get=20
the state of Mississippi and Washington, D.C, to revisit the case. =
Middle=20
Schools, Professional Organizations, Churches and African American =
focused=20
organizations are purchasing tickets and encouraging others to do =
likewise to=20
help ensure that all six performances will be sold-out.  This =
plays=20
message is to important not to be heard. The Little Boy Who =
Shook Up=20
The World:The Emmett Till Story directed by Kimberly Brown is based =
on the=20
events surrounding the death of Emmett Till during his summer visit =
to Money,=20
Mississippi, in August 1955.  Emmett Till, a 14-year old Black =
boy from=20
Chicago was visiting relatives in Mississippi.  He went into a =
local=20
market on a dare and what happens next no one truly knows. The white =
female=20
store clerk alleges Emmett whistled and made improper remarks to her. =
Her=20
accusation prompts her husband and brother-in-law to kidnap and lynch =

Emmett.  Emmett=92s lynching and the subsequent trial thrust =
the scrutiny=20
of the nation upon Mississippi. The lynching of Emmett Till becomes a =

catalyst for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.<BR><BR>"If you have =
ever seen=20
a picture of Emmett Till's swollen, decomposed face,<BR>I'm sure you =
have not=20
forgotten it.  This tragic murder and the nationally<BR>publicized =
burial=20
photograph set thetage for change in Mississippi.  I am so </DIV>
<DIV>eager to share Emmett Till's story with a generation that, I =
suspect, has=20
forgotten,=94 </DIV>
<DIV>says director, Kimberly Brown.<BR><BR>=93It=92s satisfying that =
this play,=20
which has taken six years to bring to the<BR>stage, will have its World =
Premiere=20
in 2005, to pay tribute to Emmett Till<BR>at the 50th anniversary of his =

murder.  The Emmett Till Story is the first of ten =93Movement =
Plays=94 I=92m=20
writing that cover the years of 1955 through 1968.  The height =
of the=20
civil rights era where youth were lynched, tortured and murdered as a =
general=20
practice by those afraid of what integration and equality would =
bring. Each=20
Movement play is a one-act play that focuses on the actions by or =
against=20
young people that changed the course of not only their lives, but=20
history.  I applaud the fearlessness, honor the memories and =
tell the=20
stories of those youth who by intention or misfortune gave up their =
lives,=20
their innocence, and their safety to pave a path that I and others =
now walk=20
and that our children may follow.  It is my hope that =
people will be=20
engaged enough (by the play) to want to find out more, by =
reading, watching=20
documentaries, or other materials that tell them more about =
the persons,=20
circumstance and the civil rights era of history itself,=94 =
notes playwright,=20
Nicole C. Kearney Cooper. Terrence Spivey, Artistic Director of =
Karamu=20
House Theatre states, "We're happy to be premiering the first of =
Nicole's=20
"Movement Play" cycle for the Youth Theatre. This is a profound =
subject that=20
you read in countless books but is rarely seen or heard from the =
stage. =20
It's an educational tool that is still a well kept secret for some =
school=20
systems across the country in fear of explaining to students about =
young=20
Emmett's horrific murder. Simple, it's all or nothing. You cannot =
homogenize=20
it. I am proud of Nicole. Her passion for the story and daring =
approach=20
within the text caused me to select it.  Bringing Kimberly in as =

director was a great fit. She is uninhibited as an actress and to see =
her=20
translate that into the director=92s chair for this type of play will =
be=20
rewarding. This generation has the right to know about this young =
man's=20
story."</DIV>
<DIV> The Cast and Crew of The Little Boy Who Shook Up The World: The =
Emmett=20
Till Story Emmett Till...           =
 =20
        Chris Webb Mamie Till Bradley...  =
 =20
            Jasmen Woodson Uncle Mose=20
Wright...                  =
Marvin=20
L. Mallory Curtis=20
Jones...          D'wain=20
Barnes Willie Reed...             =
   =20
    Dontell Carter Prosecuting Attorney...     =
 =20
          Tim Squirek J.W. Milam...   =
 =20
                Alex =
Johnson  =20
                  =
(3) Roy=20
Bryant...      Keith Kornajcik Carolyn=20
Bryant...       Jennifer =
Marvinney Neighborhood=20
boys...     Sterling & Wyatt=20
Scruggs Neighborhood girl/voalist...        =
   =20
Anissa Richardson (vocalist) Defense Attorney...      =
 =20
        David=20
Duffield Sheriff/Reporter/Understudy...        =
 =20
  Derek Koger Director Kimberly Brown Makeup=20
Artist Tamiko Jenkins Costumer Morris Cammon Set =
Designer, Sound=20
& Light Technician     Richard H. Morris =
Jr. Recommended=20
for persons 15-40 years of age and older.  Karamu =
theater productions=20
are supported by The George Gund Foundation, Eaton Foundation, The =
Cleveland=20
Foundation, and the Ohio Arts Council. To schedule an interview with =
the=20
Director, cast and/or playwright of The Little Boy Who Shook Up The =
World:The=20
Emmett Till Story, contact Vivian C. Wilson at Karamu House, at=20
vwilson at karamu.com <mailto:vwilson at karamu.com> or (216) =
795-7070 x=20
215. Contact: Vivian Wilson Marketing Director (216) 795-7070 x =

215<BR> <A title=3Dmailto:vwilson at karamu.com=20
href=3D"mailto:vwilson at karamu.com">vwilson at karamu.com</A><BR><BR><BR></DI=
V></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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