New York’s “The MAAFA Suite...A Healing Journey” is coming to

Cleveland! AUDITIONS for an excerpt of the Regional Premiere of

"The MAAFA Suite…A Healing Journey" by Lakai Worrell Directed by Terrence Spivey

When: Thursday, January 24th @ 7pm-9pm & Saturday, January 26th @ 10am-1pm Where: Olivet Institutional Baptist Church 8712 Quincy Avenue <https://maps.google.com/?q=8712+Quincy+Avenue+%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A+%0D%0A+Cleveland,+OH+44106&entry=gmail&source=g>

<https://maps.google.com/?q=8712+Quincy+Avenue+%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A+%0D%0A+Cleveland,+OH+44106&entry=gmail&source=g>

<https://maps.google.com/?q=8712+Quincy+Avenue+%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A+%0D%0A+Cleveland,+OH+44106&entry=gmail&source=g> Cleveland, OH 44106 <https://maps.google.com/?q=8712+Quincy+Avenue+%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A+%0D%0A+Cleveland,+OH+44106&entry=gmail&source=g>

Performance: Sunday, February 17, 2019 Rehearsals for ‘MAAFA” excerpt will began Wednesday, January 30th. Artists selected will also be part of the 2020 Regional production. Stipends will be provided. *The Play* *The MAAFA Suite: A Healing Journey* is an original, epic theatrical commemoration,which world premiered in 1995 at St. Paul Community Baptist Church in New York City. The play covers a period in World History that African Americans refer to as the MAAFA. MAAFA is a Ki-Swahili word that means great tragedy, calamity, disaster, and refers to the Middle Passage or Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Through drama, song, rhythm, and dance, *The MAAFA Suite* tells a story of Africans confronted with the arrival of white slavers, the voyage of Africans to America, and the complex circumstances under which enslaved Africans were oppressed. The story which transports us from past to present to past, is appropriately described as transformative theatre or sacred psychodrama and is historical theatre at its best. It inspires and uplifts as it reminds us of the resiliency of the human spirit. The play has become a centerpiece for over fifty churches throughout the country commemorating this significant period, which has been taboo in our society. Cleveland's Olivet Institutional Baptist Church under the guidance of Rev. Jawanza Karriem Colvin will present this epic production in February 2020.

*Actors/Singers* *Noomo: *African-American male dancer, 20’s to 30’, An African spirit dancer who glides between the past and present. African Mothers of Royalty: African-American, 30s-40’s, must move well for African celebration Village Elders: African-American male and female actors/singers, 40’s-60’s Initiates: African-American females, 20’s actors/singers, must move well for the African celebration Slave Catchers: White Males, 20’s – 50’s Slave Drivers: White Males, 20’-50’s Massa James: White Male, 40’s-60’s Willie Lynch: White Male, 40’s-60’s

Nia: African-American Female, 10-13 years old or older actress who looks

young. Innocent and thirsty for knowledge of the past and the contemporary world she lives in.

ALL Actors-

Please bring a head shot/resume. Please prepare a two minute dramatic monologue. AFRICAN-AMERICAN Actors- In addition to the monologue, be prepared to move. ALL Singer/Actors- Please prepare a spiritual or gospel song. DANCERS- Seeking African-American male/females with experience in African dance. EVERYONE: Be prepared move. Please come in comfortable clothing. Its a very emotional and physical play. Please come in comfortable clothing. This is a very emotional and intensely physical play.

*THE PLAYWRIGHT *

Lakai Worrell is an East New York, Brooklyn native choreographer, dancer,

actor and best known as Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director of Purelements: An Evolution in Dance, a Brooklyn-based performing arts organization. Over the last 10 years, Worrell, together with Purelements Co-Founder/Co-Executive Director has used dance to address social issues affecting Brooklyn communities and positively impact and empower individuals, with particular emphasis on East New York. With hip-hop as his foundation, the he expanded his dance vocabulary across various disciplines through a mix of studying under professional dancers, training at professional institutions and performing with various dance companies. Worrell has shared stages with several top tier performance artists including Savion Glover, Phyllicia Rashaad, Max Roach, Crystal Waters, Lauryn Hill, Olatunje Babatunje, Cassandra Wilson, Ossie Davis, Justin Emeka, Ashanti and others. Prior to co-launching Purelements, Lakai served as director, principal dancer and a dance instructor at Creative Outlet (CO) Dance Theatre of Brooklyn, NY and played an instrumental role in the development of CO's multifaceted Arts-in-Education program for New York City's Department of Education. Lakai also serves as Director of Dance at St. Paul's Community Baptist Church.

*THE DIRECTOR* Terrence Spivey was recently selected to The HistoryMakers. He is the founding artistic director for Powerful Long Ladder where he premiered James Baldwin’s ‘The Amen Corner’. He is the former artistic director at Karamu House. He has a B.A. Degree in Theatre from Prairie View A&M University in Houston Texas. He moved to New York City where he continued to hone his craft with fame Meisner teacher William Esper. He resided there for 18 years. *D*uring his stay*,* he appeared in numerous plays, soaps and music videos such as Spike Lee’s ‘No One in the World’. Spivey served as entertainment director for the Gold Pen Awards and theatre workshop facilitator for Black Writers Conference. His directorial debut was a solo piece at Crossroads in New Jersey. He later directed “for colored girls...” in East Harlem. In 2002, he became associate director of legendary playwright Je Franklin's Black Girl Ensemble in Harlem. In 2003, he became Karamu House first artistic director in over twenty years. He lined up over seventy plays during his 12 years with numerous partnerships and accolades such as Best Theatre Honcho, NYC AUDELCO Award for Repertory Company of the Year and proclamations from Cleveland Mayor, Frank Jackson, and state representative John Barnes for his for local, regional and national artistic contributions. Spivey was an adjunct for Kent State University’s theatre and dance department, director in residence at the university’s Pan African Studies and artist in residence at Cleveland School of the Arts. He was selected keynote speaker for the United States Institute for Theatre Technology’s 55th annual conference in 2015 in Cincinnati, OH. Since leaving Karamu in 2016, he directed Playwright Local's award winning/nationally acclaimed ‘Objectively/Reasonable: A Community Response to the Shooting of Tamir Rice’, 'Bootycandy’ and 'Neighbors' at convergence-continuum, 'Breath, Boom' at John Carroll University, ‘Peter Lawson Jones’ ‘The Bloodless Jungle’ and August Wilson’s ‘Radio Golf’ at Ensemble Theatre. In 2017, He was voted Cleveland Scene Best Director 2017. In 2018, he directed ‘Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill’ at Akron's Weathervane Playhouse which won the Chanticleer award for Best Play/Best Actress. He is an Alan Schneider Director award nominee.

*MUSICAL SUPERVISOR* Damon H. Dandridge was recently hired as Minister of Worship & Arts at Cleveland's Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. He was the Director of Choral Activities at Cheyney University. He holds the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from The Florida State University and the Bachelor of Music Education degree in Choral Music/Voice from South Carolina State University with additional studies at Boston University. Prof. Dandridge has had the esteemed pleasure of working with some of the most influential African-American composers of our time including Dr. Brazeal W. Dennard, Dr. Roland M. Carter, Dr. André J. Thomas, and the late Mr. Moses G. Hogan. As an artist, Dandridge's choral arrangements have been met with worldwide acclaim. From across the United States to Korea, Australia, and Italy, his pieces have been featured at various all-state festivals and international festivals. Prof. Dandridge is a past-winner of the National Association of Negro Musician's Brantley Choral Arranging competition.

For further information, please contact pllecompany2.0@gmail.com. You may also send head shots in advance before auditions to the email address. Please DO NOT CONTACT THE CHURCH.