[NEohioPAL]PR: Karamu ARENAFEST Festival of New Plays Selections

Thu Jan 19 12:26:52 PST 2006

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Contact:  Theatre Department

Phone (216) 795-7070 x 242

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -Thursday, January 19, 2006

14th Annual R. Joyce Whitley 

ArenaFest Festival of New Plays 

Twenty to twenty-five plays were submitted last summer and fall for
consideration in the 14th Annual R. Joyce Whitley Arenafest Festival of New
Plays for this year. The fest runs April 10, thru April 21, 2006.   The
festival is named in honor of the late R. Joyce Whitley, a major contributor
to Karamu House.  The ArenaFest Festival of New Plays are performed as
staged readings of new and well known playwrights.  

The plays chosen for ArenaFest must focus on themes of the African American
experience. Ten plays are selected out of the works sent in. The two week
festival of stage readings are double billed and are performed,
Mondays-Fridays at 6pm in the Arena Theatre.. Dates and times TBA. Admission
is free. No readings on Good Friday, April 14, 2006. These are the selected
playwrights 

"Face in My Fist!" by Lisa McCree    (Atlanta, GA)

A young boxer tries fighting his way through domestic life 

"a secret n' sugar court" by Cornell Calhoun   (Cleveland, OH)

A ten year old secret is revealed on the day a father is laid to rest

"The Heart of Biddy Mason" books and lyrics by Ted Lange, Music by Gerald
Trottman (Los Angeles, CA)

The Old West and slavery told from a jazzman point of view.

"Cleveland Nights" by Charles D. Newton (Cleveland, OH)

A bar club owner, G.Q.  finds himself squeezed between Elliot Ness and the
mob in 1930's Cleveland.

"All Things Being Equal" by Faye Sholiton  (Cleveland, OH)

Two social studies teachers- one Jewish, one African American- friendship is
tested in an Ohio community, when the board announces that one of the women
will be laid off. 

                                                            (2)

"Losing Mogadishu" by Gregory S. Carr (St. Louis, MO)

The play, set in war-torn Somalia in 1994, involves a relationship between
an African American Marine and a Somali woman. 

"OM! A Street Corner Griot Comedy" by Mwalim *7  (New Bedford, MA)

A young poet. storyteller and professor, who takes us on a trip through

his world, reflecting on the recent events of his life

"The Guest At Central Park West"  by Levy Lee Simon (New York, NY)

A homeless drifter shows up at the Central Park West apartment of African
American Professors  Charles Watts, and his wife professor Nina Odood Watts.

"Hip Hop For Eva" by L. Crawford  (Cleveland, OH)

Teenagers from recreation centers all over Cleveland battle one another

through singing, dancing and rapping. 

"From the Pit to the Palace: The 21st Century Story of Joseph" by Rose M.
Vaugh  (One-Act) (Cleveland, OH)

It is a coming of age play about a young man named Joseph who encounters in
reality what he dreamed about in the past about his troubled family.

                                                                        ~~~

ArenaFest is coordinated by Terrence Spivey, Artistic  Director .

Karamu is located at 2355 East 89th Street, two blocks south of Cleveland
Clinic Hospital, on the corner of East 89th and Quincy.  Karamu is the
oldest African American Cultural Arts Institution in the United States and
is listed in the National Registry of Historic places.  

                                                                        ~~~

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<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dright =
style=3D'margin-left:3.0in;text-align:right;
text-indent:.5in'><b><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Contact:  Theatre =
Department<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dright style=3D'text-align:right'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Phone
(216) 795-7070 x 242<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

<h1><b><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt'>FOR =
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE –Thursday, January 19, =
2006<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D4
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> =
</o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>14<sup>th</=
sup>
Annual R. Joyce Whitley <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>ArenaFest
Festival of New Plays <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal align=3Dcenter style=3D'text-align:center'><b><font =
size=3D3
face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> =
</o:p></span></font></b></p>

Twenty to twenty-five plays were
submitted last summer and fall for consideration in the 14th Annual =
R.
Joyce Whitley Arenafest Festival of New Plays for this year. =
The fest runs April 10, =
thru April
21, 2006.   The festival is named in honor of the late R. =
Joyce
Whitley, a major contributor to Karamu House.  The ArenaFest =
Festival of New
Plays are performed as staged readings of new and well known =
playwrights.  <o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

The plays chosen for ArenaFest must focus on themes =
of the
African American  experience. Ten plays are selected out =
of the
works sent in. The two week festival of stage readings are double billed =
and
are performed, Mondays-Fridays at 6pm in the Arena Theatre.. Dates and =
times
TBA. Admission is free. No readings on Good Friday, April 14, 2006. =
These are the selected playwrights <o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"Face in =
My
Fist!" by Lisa McCree</span></font></b></strong><font color=3Dblack
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:black'> =
   <strong><b><font
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-family:Arial'>(<st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 w:st=3D"on">Atlanta</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">GA</st1:State></st1:place>)</span></font></b></strong><o:p></=
o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>A young boxer tries fighting his =
way
through domestic life <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"a secret =
n' sugar
court" by Cornell Calhoun   (<st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>,
 <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State></st1:place>)</span></font></b></strong><font
color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>A ten year old secret is revealed =
on the
day a father is laid to rest<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"The Heart =
of Biddy
Mason" books and lyrics by Ted Lange, Music by Gerald Trottman =
(<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on">Los Angeles</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">CA</st1:State></st1:place>)</span></font></b></strong><font
color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The Old West and slavery told from =
a
jazzman point of view.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

"<st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>
Nights" by Charles D. Newton (<st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>,
 <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>A bar club owner, G.Q.  finds
himself squeezed between Elliot Ness and the mob in 1930's <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p=
>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"All =
Things Being
Equal" by Faye Sholiton  (<st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>,
 <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State></st1:place>)</span></font></b></strong><font
color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

Two social studies teachers- one =
Jewish,
one African American- friendship is tested in an <st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:State
 w:st=3D"on">Ohio</st1:State></st1:place> community, when the board =
announces
that one of the women will be laid off. <o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>  &nbs=
p;           &nbsp=
;            =
            &=
nbsp;           &n=
bsp;        =
(2)<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></strong></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p=
></span></font></b></strong></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p=
></span></font></b></strong></p>

"Losing =
<st1:City
w:st=3D"on">Mogadishu</st1:City>" by Gregory S. Carr (<st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 w:st=3D"on">St. Louis</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">MO</st1:State></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>

The play, set in war-torn =
<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region =
w:st=3D"on">Somalia</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in 1994, involves a relationship between an African American Marine and =
a
Somali woman. <o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

"<st1:place=
 w:st=3D"on">OM</st1:place>!
A Street Corner Griot Comedy" by Mwalim *7 =
 (<st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 w:st=3D"on">New Bedford</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">MA</st1:State></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>

A young poet. storyteller and =
professor,
who takes us on a trip through<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>his world, reflecting on the =
recent
events of his life<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"The Guest =
At
Central Park West"  by Levy Lee Simon (<st1:place =
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City
 w:st=3D"on">New York</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">NY</st1:State></st1:place>)</span></font></b></strong><font
color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>A homeless drifter shows up at the
Central Park West apartment of African American Professors  Charles =
Watts,
and his wife professor Nina Odood Watts.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>=

"Hip Hop =
For
Eva" by L. Crawford  (<st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>,
 <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Teenagers from recreation centers =
all
over <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City></st1:place>
battle one another<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>through singing, dancing and
rapping. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>  <o:p></o:p></span></fon=
t></p>

"From the =
Pit to
the Palace: The 21st Century Story of Joseph" by Rose M. Vaugh =
 (One-Act) (<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:City w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:City>, <st1:State =
w:st=3D"on">OH</st1:State></st1:place>)<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>It is a coming of age play about a =
young
man named Joseph who encounters in reality what he dreamed about in the =
past
about his troubled family.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>=

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 color=3Dblack face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>     &nbsp=
;            =
            &=
nbsp;           &n=
bsp;           &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;     ~~~<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3D3 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>ArenaFest is coordinated by =
Terrence
Spivey, Artistic  Director .<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal style=3D'margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3D3 =
face=3DArial><span
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <br>
Karamu is located at <st1:Street w:st=3D"on"><st1:address =
w:st=3D"on">2355 East
  89th Street</st1:address></st1:Street>, two blocks south of =
<st1:PlaceName
w:st=3D"on">Cleveland</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName =
w:st=3D"on">Clinic</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">Hospital</st1:PlaceType>, on the corner of =
East 89th
and <st1:place w:st=3D"on"><st1:City =
w:st=3D"on">Quincy</st1:City></st1:place>. 
Karamu is the oldest African American Cultural Arts Institution in the =
<st1:place
w:st=3D"on"><st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">United =
States</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and is listed in the National Registry of Historic =
places.</span></font><font
face=3DArial><span style=3D'font-family:Arial'>  =
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>         =
            &=
nbsp;           &n=
bsp;           &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;           &nbsp=
;  ~~~<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>

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