[NEohioPAL] PRESS RELEASE: Karamu "Classics in the Lot" presents JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA

[Fred Sternfeld via NEohioPAL]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, July 30, 2015

KARAMU HOUSE CLASSICS IN THE LOT “JULIUS CAESAR – SET IN AFRICA”
(CLEVELAND, OHIO) – Celebrating 100 years, the historic Karamu House
presents its 2nd Annual “Classics in the Lot” series with the AUDELCO Award
winning JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA on August 1 – 2, August 8 – 9, and
August 15 - 16, 2015. Saturday show times are 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM and
Sunday show times are at 3:00 PM.

Based on the work by William Shakespeare, the Karamu House Production
JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA is adapted by Rome Neal, Audelco award winner
and the Artistic Theatre Director of the Nuyorican Poets Café theatre
program in New York City. This production is directed by Fred Sternfeld, a
nationally renowned award winning director who has received over 100 awards
and member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

The play is set in Mali, Africa in the 13th century. The show is filled
with African drummers and dancers appearing with authentic Nigerian attire
and accents revealing an all too familiar Shakespearean storyline with an
African backdrop to a new setting.

"In a clever, urban twist to Shakespeare in the park, Karamu Theatre
Artistic Director Terrence Spivey has launched "Classics in the Lot," a
summer production staged alfresco in the Karamu House Outdoor Amphitheatre
at 2355 East 89th St., Cleveland. Audience members are encouraged to bring
their own folding chairs" - [Andrea Simakis, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July
2014]

Classics in the Lot first premiered in the summer 2014 with ROMEO AND
JULIET: AN AFRICAN LOVE STORY adapted and directed by Michael Oatman.
Bringing back the classics to Karamu with colored blind casting is in honor
of the historical theatre's first Shakespeare play TAMING OF THE SHREW
which was staged in 1946.

In addition to Fred Sternfeld, the production team includes Prophet Seay as
the Set Designer, Miguel Osborne as the Costume Designer, Talise Campbell
as Choreographer and Lisa Langford serves as the Dialect Coach.

Specific details for this event follow:

What: Classics in the Lot – JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA

When: Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, 2015 Saturday and Sunday, August
8 and 9, 2015 Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16, 2015 Saturday
Performances – 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM Sundays Performances – 3:00 PM Bring
Your Own Chair and Coolers – This is an outside production. In the event
there is rain, the production will be held in the Jelliffe Theatre.

Where: Karamu House Amphitheatre, 2355 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH
44106 Tickets: Tickets are still available. $15 (rain or shine). Tickets
can be purchased at the box office gate.

Who:

Production Staff
Director - Fred Sternfeld*
Set Designer - Prophet Seay
Costume Designer - Miguel Osborne
Properties - Richard Morris, Jr.
Choreographer - Talise Campbell
Dialect Coach - Lisa Langford
Stage Manager - Andre Brown
Assistant Stage Manager - Danie Nicole

Karamu House 2355 East 89th Street Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Office – 216-795-7070
Box office – 216-795-7077
www.karamuhouse.org

Cast of Characters
Julius Caesar - Stephen Hood
Calpurnia, Caesar's wife - Kristi Little^
Marcus Brutus - Greg White
Portia, Brutus' wife - India Burton
Caius Cassius - Jimmie Woody
Marcus Antonius - Robert Grant III
Casca - Nathan Lilly
Lucius - Michael Swain
Metellus Cimber, Cobbler - Prophet Seay
Cinna - Corin B. Self
Flavius, Caesar's Servant - Kym Williams
Decius Brutus - Miguel D. Osborne
Marullus, Cicero - Luther Robinson^
Marcus Lepidus - John Sturdivant
Soothsayer - Keeya Chapman-Langford
Octavius Caesar, Popilius Laena - Derick Mayes, Jr.
Drummers - Assane Mbaye, Durotimi Troy

Malian Ensemble
Chennelle Bryant-Harris, India Burton, Keeya Chapman-Langford, Erin Dorsey,
Jessica Fain, Nathan Lilly, Kristi Little, Kennetha Martin, Derick Mayes
Jr., Cassandra Miller, Miguel Osborne, Geoffrey Peak, Luther Robinson,
Roberta Robinson, Prophet Seay, Corin B. Self, Johnny Sturdivant, Michael
Swain, Phillia Thomas, Michelle Wilkerson-Guerry, Kym Williams

(^) Member SAG/AFTRA – Screen Actor’s Guild/American Federation of
Television and Radio Artists
(*) Member SDC – Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

Other: For more information about the theater or the production call
216-795-7070 or visit www.KaramuHouse.org

About Director Fred Sternfeld:
Fred Sternfeld is an award-winning stage director, with more than 100 shows
to his credit. Fred is widely represented on Northeast Ohio stages through
diverse projects, garnering numerous honors and awards. For Karamu, Fred
has previously directed YELLOWMAN, THE BLUEST EYE and THE TIME OF YOUR
LIFE. For more information about Fred, visit www.fredsternfeld.com.

About Karamu House:
Karamu House, located in Cleveland, Ohio is a nonprofit organization
established in 1915 and is the oldest African American arts and education
organization in the United States and kicked off its Centennial celebration
in June of 2014. On June 13, 2015 Karamu House officially celebrated its
first 100 years in grand style at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its mission
is to strengthen community through quality arts education programming with
an emphasis on African-American culture. Our vision is to be a premier
African American performing arts and community educational center. Today
Karamu House boasts two theatres: the 200-seat Jelliffe Theatre and
the100-seat Arena Theatre, and is a respected training ground and place to
especially showcase the talents of African American Artists. Under Artistic
Director, Mr. Terrence Spivey, Karamu House recently won the 2013 Vivian
Robinson/AUDELCO Award for Repertory Company of the Year in New York City.
This year, Karamu was given a proclamation by Mayor Jackson for outstanding
achievement locally and nationally. The Karamu Preschool for the Arts is a
modern arts-focused educational facility with an atmosphere that encourages
experimentation, exploration, investigation and play with materials in a
challenging and supportive environment. With its one-of-a-kind arts
education program, Karamu House has helped to educate generations of
aspiring youth and artists to achieve their dreams. # # #





-- 
Fred Sternfeld
http://www.fredsternfeld.com
216-360-0718-home
216-496-6087-cell
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