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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>CLEVELAND - April 22, 2010</span></b><b><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE</span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Contact:
Vivian Wilson, <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Resource
Development & Marketing Director <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>216.795.7070<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> </span><strong><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>R. Joyce Whitley 18th Annual Festival of
Plays</span></strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Features Six Promising Playwrights</span></strong><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Beginning
Thursday, May 6</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>,
2010, the <strong>Performing Arts Theatre of Karamu House, Inc</strong>. proudly
presents six staged readings of works by local and out of
state playwrights through its <strong>18th Annual R. Joyce Whitley
Festival of Plays</strong>. The readings will take place <strong>
Thursday, Friday and Saturday May 6 through May 8, 2010</strong>.
Two scripts will be read nightly, <strong>beginning at 6:30 p.m.</strong></span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>Selection Process</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Named for the late R. Joyce
Whitley, a nationally respected urban planner and arts patron, ArenaFest
invites emerging and established playwrights to submit new works, focusing on
African-American and multi-cultural experiences, for staged readings and
critiques. Scripts were solicited through general and targeted
press releases to news and theatre trade papers and organizations.
Selected scripts provide playwrights an opportunity to hear their works read in
a theatre setting, followed by brief discussions with the audience.</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Read, reviewed and ranked by
a highly credible committee of theatre and literary academics and
professionals, this year's selections range in scope from realism to the
abstract, focusing on current social issues including cancer survivors,
cross-cultural and religious conflicts, falsely accused prisoners, child
abduction, mixed-racial and same-sex marriage, and the struggles and
perils of life in low income communities. The selections
are: <em><b>Gone Astray </b></em><strong>by Jennie Staniloff-Redling of
Suffern, New York; </strong><em><b>Even The Blind Can See </b></em><strong>by
Vickie L. Williams of Cleveland, Ohio; </strong><em><b>The Kings </b></em><strong>by
Brian Walker of Louisville, Kentucky; </strong><em><b>A Boys Deliverance </b></em><strong>by
Jonathan Jackson of Cleveland, Ohio; </strong><em><b>Roses In The Water </b></em><strong>by
La'Chris Jordan of Kingston, Washington, and </strong><em><b>The Bald
Headed Divas </b></em><strong>by Sharon Jefferson of Cleveland, Ohio. </strong>
A synopsis and reading schedule of each follows.</span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>2010 Selection
Committee</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>When invited by Karamu
Artistic Director <strong>Terrence Spivey</strong> to head up the 2010
Whitley ArenaFest, <strong>Mittie Imani Jordan</strong> came full circle with
her professional relationship with Karamu. Ms. Jordan, President of
Restoration Source, Inc. which owns and operates Deuteronomy 8:3
Cafe Books & Music, established "readers theatre" in
1980 while serving as Performing Arts Assistant to the Artistic Director, the
late Mike Malone. After receiving requests for summer
internships from two undergraduates majoring in theatre at Dillard
University and Smith College, Mittie tossed the concept of "readers
theatre" as an intern coordinated project to Mr. Malone and then
Executive Director, Lois McGuire. Ironically, she obtained housing for
one of the students with her cousin-in-law, R. Joyce Whitley. In
fact, it was Ms. Jordan who introduced Joyce to the Brown University Rites
and Reasons Program where she subsequently wrote <em>Dreams of Callahan </em>while
serving as a Rockefeller Fellow in Humanities. </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Choosing to expand the review
process to include area readers from the academic and professional theatre
community, Ms. Jordan assembled an impressive selection committee
beginning with Karamu's former executive director, <strong>Lois McGuire</strong>,
a former Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities at Central State
University. Ms. McGuire was joined on the committee by: <strong>Charles
Smith</strong>, Ohio University Presidential Research Scholar in Arts &
Humanities, and the Head of Professional Playwriting Program at the
College of Fine Arts; <strong>Marilyn Sanders Mobley, PhD</strong>, Case
Western Reserve University Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity &
Equal Opportunity, and Professor of English; <strong>Norman Jordan</strong>,<strong>
MFA</strong>, President of the African Heritage Family Tree Museum (WV), <em>Affrilachian</em>
Poet/Playwright and former Karamu playwright-in-residence; <strong>Gillian
Johns, PhD</strong>, Oberlin College Associate Professor in the Department
of English; and <strong>Michael Oatman</strong>,
current playwright-in-residence at Karamu. To keep the readings and
selections "blind" (void of playwright information), Ms. Jordan and
Mr. Spivey deferred from script rankings. </span><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>R. Joyce Whitley</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Karamu Friend and former Board of
Trustee member, Rosara Joyce Whitley was Vice President and Principal in Charge
of Programming, Planning and Space Utilization Studies with Whitley, Whitley,
Inc. Architects and Planners, a Cleveland-based firm established by
her brothers William and James. Highly regarded in her
field, Joyce taught urban planning at the University of Chicago, served
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the
Carter administration, and was a State Department delegate to
International Conferences in Iran and South Africa. </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The daughter of Moses and Beatrice
Whitley, a community theatre group director and radio
personality, Joyce was surrounded by theatre growing up in Rochester, New
York. As a child, she wrote and rehearsed plays with neighborhood
children on her parent's back porch. As a young adult, she was
greatly influenced by her sister Gloria, a regular at Karamu who
performed with a world tour of <em>Porgy & Bess</em>. As a
theatre novice, Joyce brought energy and enthusiasm to all projects with which
she was associated. She was an active participant in Karamu's new
playwright workshop, and was preparing a submission for the first annual
festival just prior to her passing in 1992. Karamu honored her generous
contributions in time, talent and funds with naming the festival of plays
in her memory.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>The 18th
Annual R. Joyce Whitley ArenaFest is free and open to the public. Doors
open at 6:15 p.m. Seating is limited. Donations are accepted.
For additional information call the box office at 216.795.7077. </span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Celebrating
a 95 year rich history of cultural and fine arts education, exhibition and
performance, Karamu House is located at 2335 East 89 Street at
Quincy Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. </span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='color:black'>*********************</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span
style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>Karamu House, Inc.</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span
style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>18th Annual R. Joyce Whitley ArenaFest </span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span
style='font-size:18.0pt;color:black'>Script Synopsis & Reading Schedule</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Thursday,
May 6, 2010</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>6:30 p.m.</span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'> Roses In The Water </span></b></em><strong><span
style='color:black'>by LaChris Jordan, directed by Adrienne Gosselin</span></strong><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Life in new Orleans' Desire
Housing Projects isn't easy for Clarice, a young African-American woman soon to
be married. The dead-end job, the drive by shootings, and the constant
struggle to pay the rent have all take their toll on her family, and she wants
out. When the family is hit by a financial crisis that further impact
their living conditions, Clarice enlists in the United States Navy, seeing no
other viable options for a resolve. But will life in the military be any
safer than life in the projects? And will her engagement to the man she
left behind, hold up under the stress.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>8:30 p.m. </span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'>Even The Blind Can See</span></b></em><strong><span
style='color:black'> by Vickie L. Williams, directed by Kenny Parker</span></strong><span
style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>A young African-American man
wrongfully accused of raping and robbing a white cancer patient is sentenced to
thirteen years in the state penitentiary. Eight years into his sentence,
he could have been released into a sexual offenders program. Not wanting
to be labeled for the rest of his life, he opts to stay in prison until the state
recognizes his innocence. This script was read in the 15th Annual Whitley
ArenaFest. The playwright re-worked the script based on reader, director
and audience critiques.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Friday,
May 7, 2010</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>6:30 p.m. </span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'>The Bald Headed Divas</span></b></em><strong><span
style='color:black'> by Sharon Jefferson, directed by Laticia Wilson</span></strong><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Three breast cancer patients of
different ages and social backgrounds meet while undergoing
chemo-therapy. They form an informal support group called The
Bald-Headed Divas. During their time together, they share their
hopes and dreams, suffer each others setbacks, and stand by one
another as they weave through all the facets of their lives
effected while living on C.P - Cancer Patient - time. </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>8:30 p.m. </span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'>The Kings </span></b></em><strong><span style='color:black'>by
Brian Walker directed by Sharron Foxx</span></strong><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The Kings are your not-so-average,
mid-western, inter-racial, multi-cultural Christian evangelical family trying
to make sense of the world around them. It's Thanksgiving, and the family
anxiously awaits the arrival of an estranged son who comes home to tell his
parents that he's fallen in love and plans to marry after graduating
college. His mother can not wait to see her son, but given a previous
holiday family blowup, his father looks forward to the visit with
skepticism. The racially mixed-marriage couple who met while active in
the Civil Rights Movement of the 50's are not prepared to handle the bombshell
their son drops on them during his visit.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Saturday,
May 8, 2010</span></strong><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>6:30 p.m. </span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'>A Boys Deliverance </span></b></em><strong><span
style='color:black'>written and directed by Jonathan Jackson</span></strong><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The story follows Mike, a 19 year
old African-American man living in the Glenville area of Cleveland, Ohio.
He is trying to find himself in life while stumbling along "the road less
traveled" with a lot of twists, turns and distractions. Plagued by
tragedy and motivated by money, he has to choose between continuing following
the path of everything he's ever know, or leaving it to follow a path of which
he knows nothing about. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='color:black'>8:15 p.m. </span></strong><em><b><span
style='color:black'>Gone Astray </span></b></em><strong><span style='color:
black'>by Jennie Staniloff-Redding, directed by Mittie Imani Jordan</span></strong><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>A white mother steeped in Roman
Catholic rituals has for nine years insisted that her abducted child is still
alive. Since her daughter's disappearance, she has frozen herself, her
husband and their mentally handicapped son in a changeless state. Now, with
the missing girl's 20th birthday approaching, a supposed psychic, a young woman
of Native and African American origins appears at the family's doorstep, and is
persuaded to recover the lost child. Soon, racial and cultural beliefs
clash as questions are raised about God, ghosts and the rituals we hope will
protect us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>All readings are free and open to
the public. For additional information call the box office at
216.795-7077</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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