KARAMU PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE
2008/09 Theatre Season of
“A L’il Night Music and a Whole Lotta BLUES!”
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (Musical-Ohio Premiere)
Book & Lyrics by Tony Kushner; Music by Jeanine Tesori
In Collaboration with Dobama Theatre
September 19 – October 12, 2008 (Jelliffe)
Director: Sarah May
Infused with blues, spirituals, and gospel music, Caroline, or Change, is a powerful story by Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (Angels in America). It revisits the early 1960’s, a period of sweeping change in race relations as it affected two families: a Southern Jewish family, and the family of their strong and proud African-American maid, Caroline. The little boy Noah worships Caroline, a strong and proud African-American domestic worker, as a surrogate mother figure. Noah and Caroline’s tentative and touching relationship is at the heart of this powerful story. This play was nominated for several Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2004.
WAITIN’ 2 END HELL (Comedy-Drama-Midwest Premiere)
By William a. Parker
October 24 – November 16, 2008 (Arena)
Director: Terrence Spivey
Dante and Diane Jones have been married for twelve years. What does Diane really want? The play raises issues about relationships, family values, and divorce problems in our community. This comic family drama was an Off-Broadway hit first produced by Woodie King Jr. It plays on the title of Terry McMillan’s “Waiting to Exhale.”
BLACK NATIVITY (Musical)
By Langston Hughes
December 5 – December 28, 2008 (Jelliffe)
Director/Choreographer: Terence Greene
Karamu alum Langston Hughes annual foot stomping, hand clapping, shouting for joy classic hits the stage once again for the Christmas holidays. This colorful pageantry brings a new meaning to the birth of Christ and the spirit of Christmas every year. “Come All Ye Faithful” to witness this spiritual, gospel stirring classic.
A HOUSE WITH NO WALLS (Drama-Midwest Premiere)
January 23 – February 15, 2009 (Arena)
Director: Terrence Spivey
Following the extraordinary success of Permanent Collection and bee-luther-hatchee,
A House With No Walls represents the final part of Thomas Gibbons’ “race trilogy” at Karamu. The play, inspired by real life events in Philadelphia, dramatizes the conflict between a conservative African-American academic and an ultra-liberal, Afro-centric political activist as they battle over a proposed site for a new American Liberty Museum, which happens to be on the grounds of George Washington’s Philadelphia home and slave quarters. The play is a volatile exploration of whether or not African Americans should embrace the legacy of slavery as their primary cultural identity or discard this mantle of “victim hood.”
17TH Annual R. Joyce Whitley ARENAFEST - Festival of New Works
March 30 – April 10, 2009
THE BOW-WOW CLUB (Comedy Drama-Midwest Premiere-Women’s Month)
By Levy Simon
March 13 – April 12, 2009 (Jelliffe)
Director: TBA
The recipient of the Lorraine Hansberry Award, The Bow Wow Club is a serious comedy about friendship, love, responsibility, and survival. Five teenage friends reunite after twenty years to reconnect emotionally and through discovery, revelation, and realities, they are forced to choose between their stunning and fundamental differences and the undeniable power of their lifelong bond.
LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL (Musical Drama-Ohio Premiere)
By Lanine Roberston
April 24 – May 24, 2009 (Arena)
Director: TBA
The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of Billie Holiday’s last performances, given four months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the lady and her music.
GHOSTLIGHT SERIES
Ghostlight Series is a new step-by-step program to enhance the development for African American playwrights and their plays through workshops on the mainstage season. There is also a year round reading series presenting solicited or unsolicited works.
BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur (Drama-World Premiere Workshop Production) by Playwright in residence Mike Oatman
June 4 – June 16, 2009 A Special Two Week Engagement (Arena Theatre-
Director: Hassan Rogers
BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur is a powerful new work by local playwright Mike Oatman, about the late rapper/actor. From a Las Vegas Penthouse, an isolated Tupac Shakur, two days before his death, attempts to arrange a meeting with rival rap superstar Biggie Smalls.
IT AIN’T NOTHING BUT THE BLUES (Musical Revue)
Based on an original idea by Ron Taylor
June 19 – July 12, 2009 (Jelliffe)
Director: Terrence Spivey
Co-authored by Karamu Alum, Charles “Mississippi” Bevels, this is a not-to-be missed, foot stomping, finger snapping, and hand clapping sizzling revue of the blues and blues infused songs that changed the way the world hears the human heartbeat with ravishing songs that trace the evolution of the blues from Africa to Mississippi to Memphis to Chicago.
Mainstage Curtain Times
Thursday thru Saturday @ 8:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday Matinees @ 3:00 pm
Ticket Prices
Mainstage
Musicals
Preview Nights $15.00
Thursday @ 8:00 pm; Friday and Saturday Matinees @ 3:00 pm = $25.00
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm = $30.00
Comedys and Dramas
Preview Nights $10.00
Thursday @ 8:00 pm; Friday and Saturday Matinees @ 3:00 pm = $20.00
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm = $25.00
A Special Two Week Engagement of
BEFORE I DIE: The War Against Tupac Shakur -
Previews $8.00; Thurs; Sat & Sun 3:00 pm Matinees $15.00;
Fridays & Saturdays @ 8:00 pm $20.00
2008/09 YOUTH THEATRE SERIES
SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE! (Musical Comedy)
Based on an idea by David McCall
Book by Scott Ferguson
September 27 – October 12, 2008 (Arena Theatre)
Tom, a school teacher, nervous about his first day of teaching, tries to relax by watching TV. Suddenly, the Schoolhouse Rock bunch appear in his rec room and proceed to show him how to win his students over with imagination and music, using beloved Schoolhouse Rock songs that cover a variety of subjects including math, science, history and grammar.
ISHMAEL’S BOOKER T. PROJECT (Historical Drama)
By j e Franklin
November 15 – November 30, 2008
Fifteen-year-old Ishmael becomes a school drop-out and emphatically refuses to go back. Then one of his former teachers persuades him to do an independent project within his community. This project includes a report on Booker T. Washington’s autobiography Up From Slavery. Although he tackles the project half-heartedly, he is brought in touch with a grumpy but good-natured elder, who reluctantly mentors him, shepherds him through his pain and helps him find courage.
FOOT SOLDIERS FOR FREEDOM (Historical Drama)
By Nicole C. Kearney
February 8 – February 22, 2009
In May 1963, thousands of Black youth took action by marching in non-violent protest against the segregation laws in Birmingham, Alabama. In retaliation, Bull Connor, Commissioner of Public Safety, ordered the police force and the fire department to turn
attack dogs and fire hoses (with the strength to peel bark off trees) on the children, as the world watched in shock. However, this violence did not deter the children. They continued to be foot soldiers for freedom, placing themselves on the front lines. Their courage and persistence changed the course of history as the Birmingham children’s march succeeded in ending segregation in Birmingham.
2008/09 YOUNG ADULT CLASSIC SERIES
"The Government Inspector" (Comedy)
May 9 – May 24, 2009
Considered one of the greatest Russian classics, The Inspector-General has been translated all over the world and to the big screen starring Danny Kaye. It is the tale of a young civil servant who finds himself stranded in a small town, mistaken for an influential government inspector. The Young Adult Series brings this classic satire to the Karamu stage with an all-teen cast, for the entire family to enjoy.
Youth and Young Adult Performances (Saturdays and Sundays @ 1:00 pm only)
For additional information please contact our box office at 216-795-7077.
Or visit our website at www.karamu.com
Terrence Spivey
Artistic Director
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