Monday, July 26, 2010

 

Chakula Cha Jua Theater Company Returns with Ritual Murder

Ritual Murder:  A one act play dealing with the agonizing problem of black-on-black violence

WHO: Chakula cha Jua Theater Company

WHAT: RITUAL MURDER, written by Tom Dent and directed by Chakula cha Jua.

WHEN: July 30, 31, and Aug. 1, 6, 7 and 8…Fridays and Saturdays at 8:pm, with a Sunday Matinee at 3:pm.

WHERE: Ashé Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans

COST: $10 in advance from Ashé or $15 at door.

Chakula cha Jua Theater Company returns with RITUAL MURDER, its first major production since Hurricane Katrina. Featured in the cast are: Harold X. Evans, Linda M. Merritt, Andrea El-Mansura, Beverly Frank, Bobby R. Toomer, Jr., Christopher M. Williams, Jason Mitchell, Ceth R. Watson and Brian Foy, Jr.
RITUAL MURDER deals with the agonizing theme of black-on black violence. The story revolves around Joe Brown, Jr., a 19 year old black youth who murders his best friend, James Roberts, on a Saturday night “for no apparent reason.” A narrator is used in the style of a television documentary to interview the people who knew Joe Brown Jr., to determine why this murder happened? By the end of the play we learn that there are reasons for the murder. Reasons which are “personal and common.” Although Joe Brown Jr., and James Roberts never truly understand what happened to them, audiences will be astonished to learn the real reasons behind the murder as RITUAL MURDER examines and analyzes this agonizing problem which continues to plague us to this day.

When RITUAL MURDER made its debut at Ethiopian Theater in 1976, reviewer Akinshiju Chinua Ola stated in PEACE Magazine, “. . . its strength lies primarily in the substantial timeliness of the material." Truer words were never spoken. RITUAL MURDER was first written in 1968 while author Tom Dent worked as an associate director for the historic Free Southern Theater. The play never received a production until 1976 when Chakula Cha Jua directed it for Ethiopian Theater. Through Chakula Cha Jua, the play has been performed continuously under the banner of several theatrical groups, including: Ethiopian Theater, The Congo Square Theater, The Act One Players and finally the Chakula Cha Jua Theater Company. The play has been performed consistently for the last thirty years, but mainly for special interest groups. With the problem of black-on-black violence growing even more intense today, the time could not be more appropriate for a run of this probing drama which speaks so eloquently to this issue.

About the Company
Returning with it first production since Hurricane Katrina, Chakula cha Jua Theater Company is New Orleans’ second oldest Black community theater company (after Ethiopian Theater). The company was formed in 1985 to provide an outlet for local actors, playwrights and directors in the Black Arts community. Its goals are to present the works of African American playwrights as they reflect the experiences of Black people in America and throughout the world. Chakula Cha Jua, the company's founder and Artistic Director has been an active participant in the Black Arts Movement for more than thirty years. Under his direction the company has presented a variety of new and exciting works for both adults and children. The company has performed for public libraries, community centers, churches, lounges, prisons and in more than one hundred schools in New Orleans and throughout the Southern Region. The Chakula Cha Jua Theater Company was a regular fixture in The Alliance for Community Theaters' Annual New Orleans Black Theater Festival. Mr. Cha Jua was recipient of the Alliance's "Best Director” award in 1990 while the company was bestowed the award for "Best Production" in 1993. In 1991, Chakula Cha Jua Theater Company was one of the few theater groups from the South represented at the National Black Theater Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Chakula cha Jua’s Theater Company’s new web site is currently under development. Send all inquires to Chakula@juno.com.

About the Playwright
Tom Dent (1932-1998) poet, essayist, oral historian, dramatist and cultural activist was born in Flint Goodridge Hospital in New Orleans on March 20, 1932. In the early 1960s, he was a member of New York's legendary Umbra Workshop and won attention in literary circles as the editor of Umbre magazine. In 1965, Dent returned to New Orleans, to become an associate director of the Free Southern Theater. In 1973 he founded the Congo Square Writer's Union which enabled a number of New Orleans writers to develop their talents. Dent's reputation as a poet, essayist, oral historian, and playwright grew rapidly in the 1980s. Dent's poems, reviews, and essays have appeared frequently in such journal as Freedomways, Southern Exposure, Black American Literature Forum, and Calliloo. His poetry is included in the anthologies Schwarzer Orpheus, New Negro Poets: USA, and New Black Voices. Dent co edited the book The Free Southern Theater by The Free Southern Theater, (1969) with Gil Moses and Richard Schechner. His two collections of poetry are Magnolia Street, (privately printed) and Blue Lights and River Songs (Lotus Press). Tom Dent also worked as Executive Director of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. In 1996 Tom’s book Southern Journey was published. The book was Tom’s findings resulting from revisiting towns and cities which were major sites of Civil Rights activities in the south.

About the Director
New Orleans native Chakula cha Jua is Executive Artistic Director of the Chakula cha Jua Theater Company which he established in 1985. He has been acting, playwriting and directing for more than thirty years. He served as a staff member for the historic Free Southern Theater for six years, (1971-1976) where he wrote, directed and performed in several memorable productions. For Ethiopian Theater he first directed Tom Dent’s probing drama Ritual Murder, (1978) which his company continues to perform to this day. He has directed for a wide assortment of theaters, colleges and community organizations, including the ACT One Players, Congo Square Writer’s Union, CAST, Xavier, Dillard and Southern University and his own Chakula cha Jua Theater Company. As playwright he has written several plays for adults and children including the anti-drug play The Ladder which was published in the literary journal The African American Review, (1993). In 1981 Chakula became actively involved with the Alliance for Community Theaters, Inc., (ACT I) and served two terms as president of the organization. It was under his administration the group began the Annual New Orleans Black Theater Festival. Mr. cha Jua has received several awards and honors through the years including the Alliance for Community Theater’s Best Director, (1990) and Best Production, (1993) Awards; The Robert Costley Award, (1988); The Mayor’s Arts Award, (1991); The Contemporary Arts Center’s Beaux Arts Award, (1992); The Delta Sigma Theta “Artie” Award, (1993); The Danny Barker Estate “Keeping The History Alive” Award, (2003); and most recently, The Asante Award, (2009). Currently retired from the Orleans Parish School System, Chakula continues to work today with adults and children instilling in them a deep appreciation for the performing arts.

Contact:
Chakula cha Jua
PO Box 15008
New Orleans, LA 70175
504-241-0311, Fax: 504-241-0311
E-Mail: Chakula@juno.com

Or

Ashé Cultural Arts Center:
1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans, LA
504-569-9070

Sunday, July 18, 2010

 

CALL FOR DANCERS AND ACTORS

Ashé Cultural Arts Center will hold Open Call Auditions for actors and dancers on July 25, 2010 from 3:30-7:00 p.m. at its center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard.

ACTORS NEEDED FOR THE PRODUCTIONS:  Male and Female African American Actors ages 20-70, Male and Female Caucasian Actors ages 20-70, Male and Female Latino Actors ages 20-25, Male Asian Actors ages 15-25.  Sides will be provided.
DANCERS: Looking for dancers that have training and experience in styles of African and modern, and are able to pick up choreography fast. Please arrive ready to dance. The audition will incorporate dance combinations from the show.

Rehearsals for both productions will start immediately. There are several paid performances scheduled for both The 13 Lessons and The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth for the fall and winter seasons, which may necessitate some travel. There is also an opportunity to become a part of a strong emerging company. Participants are asked to bring a resume and a headshot to the audition.

ABOUT THE SHOWS
THE ORIGIN OF LIFE ON EARTH: AN AFRICAN CREATION MYTH
Ashé's Big Easy award-winning production of The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth is an original dance/theater adaptation of the book of the same name written by Dr. David Anderson. The production is directed by Dollie Rivas and choreographed by Michelle Gibson, with original music by Lloyd Daly. The script for the play was written by Chakula cha Jua.

THE 13 LESSONS
Peering into the World of Adult Literacy, The 13 Lessons is a theatrical work aimed at providing critical data on issues regarding adult literacy. This original work was commissioned by the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy. The production will be directed by John Grimsley, and features original music by Lloyd Daly. It was written by Lenwood Sloan.

For more information, call (504) 239-0126 or (504) 569-9070.

 

African Ancestry, Inc. Kicks Off 14-City Tour at Ashé Cultural Arts Center

AFRICAN ANCESTRY, INC. in partnership with ASHÉ CULTURAL ARTS CENTER invites you to the AfricanAncestry.com Kickoff Event for its 14-CITY "We Are Africa" 2010 Road Tour--New Orleans to New England.  The event takes place at Ashé Cultural Arts Center on August 1, 2010, 5:00-7:00 p.m.  Gina Paige, president of African Ancestry, Inc., will give a special presentation.
New Orleans' own Hal Clark of WYLD-FM98 has volunteered to be tested, and will discover his connections to the Mother Land at the event.

Come out and join others who want to find their roots.  Celebrate our historical, cultural and genetic connections to Africa.
_______________________
You've seen the technology on PBS' African American Lives. Now join the thousands of everyday people and celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee, and Isaiah Washington who have found their roots!


With African Ancestry, people of African descent can finally trace their ancestry back to a specific country in Africa and often to a specific African ethnic group over 500 years ago. Plus, your results apply to everyone in your family who shares that lineage!

To take your test at the event, refrain from consuming any of the following 4 hours prior to test taking: toothpaste, mouthwash, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol or nicotine. You may eat.

The special African Ancestry Test Kit Tour Price is only $225, the lowest price ever offered. So you save $125. But you could be one of the lucky ones who will win one of two kits that will be given away in a free drawing.

To sign up for the free Ancestral Test Kit drawing prior to the event, send your name and contact information to violatjohnson@gmail.com. Use African Ancestry Test Kit in the subject line. You must be present to win.

For more information, call (504) 813-9008, or visit http://www.ashecac.org/.

OVERVIEW
This summer the African Ancestry team will embark on a multi-city grass-roots tour to motivate people of African descent to Trace their DNA and Find their Roots! In just 7 years, African Ancestry has already helped over 20,000 African Americans discover their ancestral origins. We’ve witnessed the impact that being armed with this information has had on each of our consumers and their respective families and we’ve decided that this summer, we need to test 20,000 more! It’s ambitious but it is absolutely necessary. African Americans need to have this information and they need to know about African Ancestry because we are the ONLY company that can provide this information for people of African descent.

Unfortunately, our pockets aren’t deep enough to allow us to afford a national advertising campaign so, like our ancestors, we’ve decided to take the mountain to Mohammed. In August of 2010, African Ancestry is going to hit the road. We’ll travel from New Orleans to New England, stopping in cities of all sizes along the way and mobilizing the troops in venues from barber shops to cultural centers in an effort to make sure that as many African Americans as possible have the opportunity to find out where they are from!

BACKGROUND
Genealogy and ancestry tracing are among today’s hottest topics. People across the globe have become more interested in discovering more about both their genealogy and their ancestry than ever before.

Witness the proliferation of ancestry tracing companies and you’ll get a feel for the economics of this movement. New multi-million dollar companies like Ancestry.com, Myheritage.com, Familytreedna.com and genealogy.com have been launched to support the demand for this information. And, even seasoned companies like National Geographic now offer ancestry tracing services.

Interest is high and growing; genealogy is North America’s fastest growing hobby.
• Many sources and surveys proclaim that it has surpassed quilting, stamp collecting andeven gardening in popularity.
• The latest Maritz Research poll (2000) found that 60% of the American population is interested in their family history (+15% from 1996).
• The online genealogy industry is worth well over $200 million annually.
_________________________
ABOUT AFRICAN ANCESTRY, INC.


Founded in 2003 by Ms. Gina Paige and Dr. Rick Kittles to enable people of African descent to trace their ancestry to a country of origin and, in most cases, an ethnic group.

African Ancestry is the ONLY company that can provide this level of detail because it has the largest database of African lineages in the world. African Ancestry has been featured in NBC’s, “Who Do You Think You Are?” and PBS’ “African American Lives I and II” as well as in several special segments on programs such as Good Morning America, The Judge Hatchett Show, My Black is Beautiful (BET), and 60 Minutes. Other media coverage includes The NY Times, The Washington Post, Playboy Magazine, and USA Today to name a few. African Ancestry has partnered with organizations like; The Tom Joyner Morning Show, The 100 Black Men of America, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, United Healthcare, The National Black Arts Festival and McDonalds.

Lastly, African Ancestry has an unparalleled roster of notables to whom they have provide their ancestral origins, including but not limited to; Dr. Dorothy Height, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, Whoopi Goldberg, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Emmitt Smith, and Spike Lee.

Markets and Schedule
Sunday, 8/1 - New Orleans, LA
Monday, 8/2 - Jackson, MS
Tuesday, 8/3 - Huntsville, AL
Wednesday, 8/4 - Nashville, TN
Thursday, 8/5 - Charlotte, NC
Saturday, 8/7 - Raleigh, NC
Sunday, 8/8 - Richmond, VA
Wednesday, 8/11 - Washington, DC
Thursday, 8/12 - Baltimore, MD
Friday, 8/13 – Philadelphia, PA
Saturday, 8/14 – Jersey City, NJ
Sunday, 8/15 – Brooklyn, NY
Monday, 8/16 – Hartford, CT
Thursday, 8/19 – Boston, MA

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

 

A COMMUNITY SINGS WITH MICHAELA HARRISON

July 29, 2010

Ashé Cultural Arts Center at 6:00 p.m.
FREE



You are invited to sing your heart out at this sing-along. Led by songbird Michaela Harrison, you will take a walk down memory lane with some old time favorites. You are also invited to send your special requests and lyrics to Michaela at piscesluvpwr@yahoo.com so that others can join in on the songs you love to sing. We're always looking for new songs to learn and share, so make your voice heard at this fun event. For more information, call (504) 569-9070.

 

OPEN AUDITIONS FOR ACTORS AND DANCERS

Looking for Dancers and Actors for Award Winning Theatrical Productions Produced by Ashé Cultural Arts Center.

WHAT: Open Call Auditions
WHEN: July 25, 2010
TIME:   3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Ashé Cultural Arts Center
NEEDED: Experienced Male and Female Dancers, 20 years old and over and Male and Female Actors

ACTORS: Sides will be provided

DANCERS: Looking for dancers that have training and experience in styles of African and modern, and are able to pick up choreography fast. Please arrive ready to dance. The audition will incorporate dance combinations from the show.

Please bring your resume and a headshot to the audition.

Rehearsals for both productions will start immediately. There are several paid performances scheduled for both The 13 Lessons and The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth for the fall and winter seasons, which may necessitate some travel. There is also an opportunity to become a part of a strong emerging company.

ABOUT THE SHOWS--
THE ORIGIN OF LIFE ON EARTH: AN AFRICAN CREATION MYTH
Ashé’s Big Easy award-winning production of The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth is an original dance/theater adaptation of the book of the same name written by Dr. David Anderson, directed by Dollie Rivas and choreographed by Michelle Gibson, with original music by Lloyd Daly. The script for the play was written by Chakula cha Jua.

THE 13 LESSONS
Peering into the World of Adult Literacy, The 13 Lessons is a theatrical work aimed at providing critical data on issues regarding adult literacy. This original work was commissioned by the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy. Directed by John Grimsley, with original music by Lloyd Daly; written by Lenwood Sloan.

For more information, call (504) 239-0126 or (504) 569-9070.

 

New Orleans CeaseFire

July 14, 2010
Ashé Cultural Arts Center at 6:00 p.m.
The CeaseFire method has achieved 41-73% drops in shootings and killings. Join us to learn about the CeaseFire method. Call (504) 558-9944 for more information

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