[NEohioPAL] The Gret White Hope opens at Karamu on February 18

[Vivian Wilson]

Contact:  Vivian Wilson

Resource Development & Marketing Director

Phone (216) 795-7070 x 215

 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -Thursday, February 11, 2010


 

Karamu House, in collaboration with Ensemble Theatre, Cleveland and
Weathervane Playhouse Akron presents one of the most dynamic plays of the
American stage, The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler opening on Thursday,
February 18 and running thru March 14, 2010 in Karamu's Jelliffe Theatre.


 

Howard Sackler's play The Great White Hope centers around Jack Jefferson, a
fictionalized version of Jack Johnson, the first black world's heavyweight
boxing champion.  Johnson was a proud, articulate man who refused to be less
than he was to please white people. When he married a white woman at the
turn of the century it caused a scandal and led to him being persecuted by
the police and eventually leaving the country. 

 

A cast of 45 fill the Karamu stage featuring Anthony Nickerson-El as Jack
Jefferson, Ursula Cataan as Ellie Bachman, Peter Lawson Jones as Tick and
Skip Colton as Cap'n Dan.   This remarkable cast has been challenged with
the direction of Karamu's Artistic Director, Terrence Spivey as they bring
this play to life.

 

Considered a play of its time (in 1967), The Great White Hope resonated with
the unrest emerging throughout the US because of such explosive events as
the Vietnam War, the stripping of Mohammad Ali's heavyweight title for not
serving in it, and the Watts riots. The Great White Hope dazzled DC
audiences and then went on to Broadway to win the Pulitzer Prize, the Tony
Award, and the New York Drama Critics Award. 

 

Opening night is Thursday, February 18 with a curtain time of  8:00 p.m.
Performances are Thursday thru Saturday at 8:00 pm and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays.
Tickets are $24.00 on Thursday and Sunday and $27.00 on Friday and Saturday.
Group, senior and student discounts are available.  The play has strong
adult language and content.


Karamu House is located at 2355 East 89th Street, Cleveland, Ohio.   Tickets
may be purchased via the Karamu website at  <http://www.karamuhouse.org>
www.karamuhouse.org or via the box office at (216) 795 7077.  Tickets may
also be purchased at the Ensemble Box Office:  216-321-2930 website:
<http://www.ensemble-theatre.com/> www.ensemble-theatre.com.

 

Karamu House Inc. is supported in part by The Cleveland Foundation, The
George Gund Foundation, The Ohio Lottery, the Ohio Arts Council. Karamu
House, Inc. is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through
Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. This production is also funded by the Ohio
Humanities Council.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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