[NEohioPAL] Karamu 2008/2009 Theatre Season

[Vivian C. Wilson]

KARAMU PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE 

2008/09 Theatre Season of

"A L'il Night Music and a Whole Lotta BLUES!"

 

CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (Musical-Ohio Premiere)

Book & Lyrics by Tony Kushner; Music by Jeanine Tesori

In Collaboration with Dobama Theatre

September 19 - October 12, 2008 (Jelliffe)    

Director: Sarah May

Infused with blues, spirituals, and gospel music,  Caroline, or Change, is a
powerful story by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (Angels in America). It
revisits the early 1960's, a period of sweeping change in race relations as
it affected two families: a Southern Jewish family, and the family of their
strong and proud African-American maid, Caroline. The little boy Noah
worships Caroline, a strong and proud African-American domestic worker, as a
surrogate mother figure. Noah and Caroline's tentative and touching
relationship is at the heart of this powerful story.  This play was
nominated for several Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2004.

 

WAITIN' 2 END HELL (Comedy-Drama-Midwest Premiere)

By William a. Parker

October 24 - November 16, 2008 (Arena)

Director: Terrence Spivey

Dante and Diane Jones have been married for twelve years. What does Diane
really want? The play raises issues about relationships, family values, and
divorce problems in our community.  This comic family drama was an
Off-Broadway hit first produced by Woodie King Jr. It plays on the title of
Terry McMillan's "Waiting to Exhale." 

 

BLACK NATIVITY (Musical)

By Langston Hughes

December 5 - December 28, 2008 (Jelliffe)

Director/Choreographer: Terence Greene

Karamu alum Langston Hughes annual foot stomping, hand clapping, shouting
for joy classic hits the stage once again for the Christmas holidays. This
colorful pageantry brings a new meaning to the birth of Christ and the
spirit of Christmas every year. "Come All Ye Faithful" to witness this
spiritual, gospel stirring classic.

 

A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS (Drama-Midwest Premiere)

January 23 - February 15, 2009 (Arena)

Director: Terrence Spivey

Following the extraordinary success of Permanent Collection and
bee-luther-hatchee, 

A House With No Walls represents the final part of  Thomas Gibbons' "race
trilogy" at Karamu. The play, inspired by real life events in Philadelphia,
dramatizes the conflict between a conservative African-American academic and
an ultra-liberal, Afro-centric political activist as they battle over a
proposed site for a new American Liberty Museum, which happens to be on the
grounds of George Washington's Philadelphia home and slave quarters. The
play is a volatile exploration of whether or not African Americans should
embrace the legacy of slavery as their primary cultural identity or discard
this mantle of "victim hood."

 

17TH Annual R. Joyce Whitley ARENAFEST - Festival of New Works 

   March 30 - April 10, 2009

 

THE BOW-WOW CLUB (Comedy Drama-Midwest Premiere-Women's Month)

By Levy Simon

March 13 - April 12, 2009 (Jelliffe)

Director: TBA 

The recipient of the Lorraine Hansberry Award, The Bow Wow Club is a serious
comedy about friendship, love, responsibility, and survival. Five teenage
friends reunite after twenty years to reconnect emotionally and through
discovery, revelation, and realities, they are forced to choose between
their stunning and fundamental differences and the undeniable power of their
lifelong bond.

 

LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL (Musical Drama-Ohio Premiere)

By Lanine Roberston

April 24 - May 24, 2009  (Arena)

Director: TBA

The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is
about to witness one of Billie Holiday's last performances, given four
months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced
with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of
the lady and her music. 

 

GHOSTLIGHT SERIES

Ghostlight Series is a new step-by-step program to enhance the development
for African American playwrights and their plays through workshops on the
mainstage season. There is also a year round reading series presenting
solicited or unsolicited works. 

BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur (Drama-World Premiere Workshop
Production) by Playwright in residence Mike Oatman

June 4 - June 16, 2009           A Special Two Week Engagement (Arena
Theatre-

Director: Hassan Rogers

 

BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur is a powerful new work by local
playwright Mike Oatman, about the late rapper/actor. From a Las Vegas
Penthouse, an isolated Tupac Shakur, two days before his death, attempts to
arrange a meeting with rival rap superstar Biggie Smalls.

 

IT AIN'T NOTHING BUT THE BLUES (Musical Revue)

Based on an original idea by Ron Taylor

June 19 - July 12, 2009 (Jelliffe)

Director: Terrence Spivey

Co-authored by Karamu Alum, Charles "Mississippi" Bevels, this is a
not-to-be missed, foot stomping, finger snapping, and hand clapping sizzling
revue of the blues and blues infused songs that changed the way the world
hears the human heartbeat with ravishing songs that trace the evolution of
the blues from Africa to Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago. 

 

Mainstage Curtain Times

Thursday thru Saturday @ 8:00 pm

Saturday and Sunday Matinees @ 3:00 pm

 

Ticket Prices

Mainstage

Musicals

Preview Nights $15.00

Thursday @ 8:00 pm; Friday and Saturday Matinees @ 3:00 pm   = $25.00

Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm = $30.00

 

Comedys and Dramas

Preview Nights $10.00

Thursday @ 8:00 pm; Friday and Saturday Matinees @ 3:00 pm   = $20.00

Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm = $25.00

 

A Special Two Week Engagement  of 

BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur - 

   Previews $8.00;  Thurs; Sat & Sun 3:00 pm Matinees $15.00; 

        Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 pm $20.00

             

 

2008/09 YOUTH THEATRE SERIES     

 

SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE! (Musical Comedy)

Based on an idea by David McCall

Book by Scott Ferguson

September 27 - October 12, 2008 (Arena Theatre)

Tom, a school teacher, nervous about his first day of teaching, tries to
relax by watching TV. Suddenly, the Schoolhouse Rock bunch appear in his rec
room and proceed to show him how to win his students over with imagination
and music, using beloved Schoolhouse Rock songs that cover a variety of
subjects including math, science, history and grammar.

 

ISHMAEL'S BOOKER T. PROJECT (Historical Drama)

By j e Franklin

November 15 - November 30, 2008

Fifteen-year-old Ishmael becomes a school drop-out and emphatically refuses
to go back. Then one of his former teachers persuades him to do an
independent project within his community. This project includes a report on
Booker T. Washington's autobiography Up From Slavery. Although he tackles
the project half-heartedly, he is brought in touch with a grumpy but
good-natured elder, who reluctantly mentors him, shepherds him through his
pain and helps him find courage. 

 

FOOT SOLDIERS FOR FREEDOM (Historical Drama)

By Nicole C. Kearney

February 8 - February 22, 2009

In May 1963, thousands of Black youth took action by marching in non-violent
protest against the segregation laws in Birmingham, Alabama. In retaliation,
Bull Connor, Commissioner of Public Safety, ordered the police force and the
fire department to turn 

 

attack dogs and fire hoses (with the strength to peel bark off trees) on the
children, as the world watched in shock. However, this violence did not
deter the children. They continued to be foot soldiers for freedom, placing
themselves on the front lines. Their courage and persistence changed the
course of history as the Birmingham children's march succeeded in ending
segregation in Birmingham. 

 

2008/09 YOUNG ADULT CLASSIC SERIES

THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL (Comedy)

May 9 - May 24, 2009

Considered one of the greatest Russian classics, The Inspector-General has
been translated all over the world and to the big screen starring Danny
Kaye. It is the tale of a young civil servant who finds himself stranded in
a small town, mistaken for an influential government inspector. The Young
Adult Series brings this classic satire to the Karamu stage with an all-teen
cast, for the entire family to enjoy. 

 

Youth and Young Adult Performances (Saturdays and Sundays @ 1:00 pm only)

 

For additional information please contact our box office at 216-795-7077.

Or visit our website at  <http://www.karamu.com/> www.karamu.com

 

Terrence Spivey

Artistic Director

 

 

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