Displaying items by tag: Langston Hughes

The Driehaus Museum and the African American Museum of Performing Arts (AAMPA) announce the casting for A Nativity Tribute, an adaptation of Langston Hughes' gospel song-play, Black Nativity. Co-directed by AAMPA Executive Director TaRon Patton and Kelvin Rolston, Jr., with choreography by Dereque Whiturs and music by composer Jaret Landon, the joyful production recreates the biblical narrative of Christ using song and dance to embody the struggles of Mary and Joseph. Featuring students from local dance companies and some of Chicago's most prolific gospel voices, A Nativity Tribute uplifts the contributions of Black artists to Chicago arts and culture and celebrates the legacy of Black excellence in Chicago. There will be two performances only of A Nativity Tribute inside the historic Murphy Auditorium at the Driehaus Museum, 50 East Erie Street:  Wednesday and Thursday, December 4-5, at 7pm.  Tickets, priced at $50, are on sale now at driehausmuseum.org.

The cast for A Nativity Tribute features Kelvin Roston, Jr. as Gabriel, Jon Pierce as Michael, Levi Stewart as Haniel, Kalind Haynes as Raphael, Rashawn Thompson as Jermiel, Candace Edwards as Ariel, Quiana McNary as Uriel, Shantina Lowe as Sariphena, and Robin DaSilva as Raquel.

Executive Director of the Driehaus Museum Lisa Key says, "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the African American Museum of Performing Arts for two special performances of gospel music celebrating the holiday season, when the Museum truly sparkles. AAMPA's meaningful production A Nativity Tribute will touch audiences across Chicago and is exactly the type of programming we hoped for with our expanded museum campus and the magical space of the Murphy Auditorium. We are honored to be long-term partners with AAMPA while they are building their new home."

Patton adds: "I am so excited to present this Chicago holiday favorite again at The Driehaus Museum.  Now it's more important than ever that arts institution begin to create these types of partnerships to ensure our survival in this season of uncertainty for arts and culture."

A Nativity Tribute builds on the history of Black Nativity in Chicago, a holiday favorite that has been performed since 2003 by Congo Square Theater at venues including the Goodman Theatre, the DuSable Museum of African American History, and University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts. The production has reached nearly 52, 000 patrons and employed over 623 artists, designers, and dancers of color in its 20+ year history.

ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

TaRon Patton is the Executive Director of the African American Museum of the Performing Arts (AAMPA), an Illinois nonprofit. She served as the executive director of Congo Square Theatre (CST) for four years and has performed at many professional venues including Goodman Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre. Patton is also the CEO of the production company GLP PRODUCTIONS, INC. As a producer, Patton's credits include Some Sort of Saint (Definition Theater), The Billboard (Northwestern Abbott Theater), N (Greenhouse Theatre), Misty Tanner (Q& A Productions). Patton's directing credits include Some Sort of Saint (Definition Theater), The Billboard (Northwestern Abbott Theater), N (Greenhouse Theatre), Saturday Night, Sunday Morning (Steppenwolf Garage Rep), Bullrusher (Congo Square Theatre), Nativity Tribute (Congo Square Theatre). Acting credits include Your Honor Mayor Byrne (Lookingglass Theater), Meet Vera Stark (Goodman Theatre), Hot L Baltimore (Steppenwolf); The Bluest Eye (Steppenwolf and New Victory), King Hedley II (Congo Square Theatre Company), and Joe Turner's Come and Gone (Goodman Theatre). Patton's television credits include The Chi, Empire, Chicago PD, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and A Different World.

Kelvin Rolston, Jr. (Gabriel) is an actor/singer/musician/writer. He is the playwright and performer of Twisted Melodies, a one person show that looks at mental illness through the eyes of late great soul singer and musician, Donny Hathaway. It returns to Chicago in July of 2025 at Northlight Theatre in Skokie IL, directed by Ron OJ Parson and Alexis J Roston. Rolston recently closed East Texas Hot Links at Court Theater Chicago. Some favorite credits include: The Gospel at Colonus (Oedipus), Oedipus Rex (Oedipus), King Hedley II (King Hedley), Five Guys Named Moe (Four-Eyed Moe), Fences (Trinity Repertory Company); Clue (Mercury Theater); The Color Purple (MSMT); The Wiz (Fulton Theatre). Chicagoland: Congo Square, Paramount, Marriott, Goodman, ITC, eta, Writers, Black Ensemble, TimeLine, Northlight, and Steppenwolf. Rolston's television credits include: Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., South Side. Film: Get a Job, Princess Cyd, Breathing Room. Rolston has received awards from the Jeff Awards, four BTA Awards, three Black Excellence Awards, NAMI Award.

ABOUT THE CAST

Robin DaSilva (Raquel) is a multi-award winning actor and singer whose regional credits include Mercury Theater Chicago (Women Of Soul), Porchlight Music Theater (Ain't Misbehavin), Theater at the Center (A Christmas Memory), Theo Ubique (Smokey Joe's Café), NIETF Foundation (Ragtime), Penumbra Theater (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), Mixed Blood Theater (A... My Name Is Alice), Black Ensemble Theatre (Feel Good Music Review, Holiday Extravaganza, The Other Cinderella, Women of Soul, and Mahalia Jackson: Moving Through the Light). For her role in Mahalia, she won the 2019 Joseph Jefferson and the BTAA Awards for Performer in A Revue. As a vocal arranger, she has arranged for many churches, recording artists, commercials, TV shows and musical theater productions. TV credits include T-Mobile's Home for the Holidays Surprise and HBO's Southside. 

Candace Edwards (Ariel) is thrilled to return to A Nativity Tribute after a six-year hiatus. An accomplished performer with over 15 years in stage, film, and television, she brings a deep connection to the music and message of this powerful production. Outside of her work on stage, Edwards is a dedicated flight attendant for United Airlines, a Community Educator with the Alzheimer's Association, and an active member of her church.

Kalinda Haynes (Raphael) KALIND is a name synonymous with soul-stirring melodies and an unwavering commitment to music.  He has toured in Italy, Mexico, the West Indies, and France, on the legendary Apollo stage.  He was selected as one of 20 contestants on BET's acclaimed show, Sunday Best, Season 2. As a top 10 finalist, his memorable performances and unwavering faith left a lasting impression, earning him a place as one of the show's All Stars, returning to the show in Season 8. Haynes believes that his purpose in life is to minister God's Word through song.  

Shantina Lynet Lowe (Sariphena) is a versatile 29-year-old singer, songwriter, performer, arranger, actress, musical director, vocal coach, and public speaking coach. She is a full-time music teacher and choir director and holds BA in Theater Performance and Film. Lowe has participated in over 10 live theatre productions and 50+ shows in Chicago as a solo artist. She performs with her family group, The Lowe Family, and her sister group, The Lowe Sisters, known for their viral video "What Drawers Should I Wear Today?" which has millions of views online. In 2016, she released her first EP, #Stuvibes, followed by two more albums and several singles. She has also collaborated with artists like Kanye West, Carrie Underwood, and performed at the 2023 Grammy Awards with Lizzo. Lowe aims to inspire creatives to share their art confidently and leave a unique mark on the world.

Qiana C. McNary (Uriel) is an actor in Chicago with credits including The Other Cinderella (The Queen), A Taste of Soul (Chef Qiana; Jeff Nominated), The Real Housewives of Motown (Cliniece Stubbs), Crowns (Mabel), Hairspray (Motormouth), The Little Mermaid (Ursula), Caroline or Change (Caroline) and Sister Act (Deloris). OPERA: Fannie Lou Hamer (Fannie), Harriet Tubman (Rittia), Madam Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San), Saul and the Witch of Endor (The Witch). On regional stages, McNary has performed inGhost the Musical (Louise/Oda Mae U/S) and Ain't Misbehavin' (Armelia). She also sings with her band, The McNary Experience.

Jon Pierce (Michael) is a recording artist, author, and activist. Pierce is deeply embedded in Chicago's diverse soul and theatre scenes, and has toured and performed throughout Germany, Japan, and the UK. His latest project is his EP Sonic Journey, a vibrant and up-tempo dance collection produced by Chicago-based Shawn Hibbler. He is also the author of the affirmation series Say It Until You Mean It, a collection of thoughts and affirmations.

Levi Stewart (Haniel) is a Chicago actor, singer, and songwriter. Has had the privilege of performing in shows like the Black Renaissance, Sanctify, A Piece of My Soul, The Last Dancer Standing, and numerous appearances in the Black Nativity with Congo Square Theater. 

Rashawn Thompson (Jermiel) Born and raised in Chicago, Thompson is a member of The Black Ensemble Theater, where he has become a standout in Chicago's theater scene. Thompson has performed in The Teddy Pendergrass Story, which earned him a Black Theater Alliance Award (BTAA) for his portrayal of the legendary R&B singer. He starred as Marvin Gaye in The Marvin Gaye Story, a role that earned him a Jeff Award nomination. Thompson was featured in a Super Bowl commercial with Jennifer Hudson. He has also performed at the National Black Theatre Festival and had the honor of singing for icons like Teddy Pendergrass, Dionne Warwick, Angela Bassett, and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Jaret Landon (Music Director) is a composer/arranger and music educator. He has composed and arranged music for film, musicals, and recorded albums. Theater credits include: Nativity and Sanctified  (Congo Square Theatre); Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill and Ain't Misbehavin (Porchlight Music Theatre); The Gospel of Lovingkindness (Victory Gardens Theatre); Crowns (Goodman Theatre); Gem of The Ocean (Court Theater); Jabari Dreams of Freedom (Chicago Children's Theater); The Christians (Steppenwolf Theater); Black Odyssey (Denver Theatre Center, Denver CO.); First Wives Club (Pre-Broadway). Landon was also Assistant Orchestrator for American Idol seasons 14 and 15.  

Dereque Whiturs (Choreographer) is a native of Dallas, Texas, who has trained with Alvin Ailey, Ulysses Dove Donald McKayle, Donald Byrd, Talley Beatty, and George Faison. He was a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey for 13 years and performed as Joseph in Mike Malone's Black Nativity and Congo Square for more than 10 years.  He was a principal dancer with Deeply Rooted Dance Company and currently teaches at Deeply Rooted Dance Company and is an instructor at Chicago High School for the Arts. Whiturs has extensive experience in dance education from Dallas to Europe. 

TICKET INFORMATION
A Nativity Tribute takes place at the Driehaus Museum, 50 East Erie, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, December 4-5, 2024, 7-8:30pm. Tickets are $50 (general admission) and $35 for students with ID. Tickets are on sale now HERE.

ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF PERFORMING ARTS
The African American Museum of Performing Arts (AAMPA) was founded in 2019 by award-winning television and stage actor and director Harry J. Lennix and TaRon Patton. AAMPA's mission is to study, memorialize, and present works that celebrate the contributions of Black performance to arts and culture from the perspective of African American performing artists globally. AAMPA's ultimate objective is to become a nationally recognized center for African American history and tradition within the performing arts. AAMPA was founded in response to a lack of resources for African American artists of all disciplines to gather, to learn from their ancestors and each other, and to amplify their significant contributions to the performing arts in an environment that centers African American voices. AAMPA's partnership with the Driehaus Museum began in December 2023 when the organizations produced a Kwanzaa Celebration, followed by a one-woman show entitled Tammy McCann Presents: Mahalia Jackson at Carnegie Hall. 

ABOUT THE DRIEHAUS MUSEUM
The Driehaus Museum engages and inspires the global community through exploration and ongoing conversations in art, architecture, and design of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are presented in an immersive experience within the restored Nickerson Mansion, completed in 1883, at the height of the Gilded Age, and the Murphy Auditorium, built in 1926. The Museum's collection reflects and is inspired by the collecting interests, vision, and focus of its founder, the late Richard H. Driehaus. For more information, visit driehausmuseum.org and connect with the Museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

With MY BROTHER LANGSTON, Black Ensemble Theatre continues its 2022 Season of Excellence: The Season of Healings. This third of four world premiere musicals showcase the power of music to heal. Jackie Taylor, BET’s Founder & CEO, says: “… through these outstanding plays, the spirit of the music, the hope and faith experienced through our stories—we proclaim that Black Ensemble Theater is in the healing business!"

Playwright and director Rueben D. Echoles says of Langston Hughes: “I am honored and grateful to pay tribute to the legacy of such a brilliant and prolific writer”. In My Brother Langston Echoles tells Langston’s life story through his poetry and the evocative music of the age. “T’ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do”, “Take the A Train”, “In my Solitude” and of course “God Bless the Child” are only a few of the songs performed. Poems include Countee Cullen’s “I Have a Rendezvous with Death”, “In the Morning” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and “I Sing the Body Electric” by Langston’s idol Walt Whitman. All the rest are by Langston, including gems like “Dreams”, “The Negro Mother”, “Harlem”, and (my personal favorite) “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. 

Chris Taylor plays Langston, with an ensemble of four portraying the key figures in his life and serving as a Greek chorus. Reneisha Jenkins as Lady Day singing “God Bless the Child” gave me chills, and she is equally brilliant as both Langston’s disinterested mother and devoted grandmother. Nolan Robinson plays Langston’s brother Gwyn, and Andre Teamer is Countee Cullen. De’Jah Jervai completes the quartet, and together they use dance and music to make pure magic.

Langston Hughes, born 1901, was one of the earliest innovators of jazz poetry, and a leader of the Harlem Renaissance.  His writing – prose, poetry, plays – expresses the racial pride and commitment to activism imbued in him by his grandmother. From 1942 to 1962 he wrote a weekly column for The Chicago Defender promoting the emergent civil rights movement.

The use of ‘Brother’ in the title both evokes the racially definitive use of the term, and acknowledges Langston’s close relationship with his half-brother Gwyn. The brothers initially appear quite unequal: Langston is the idolized Big Brother that Gwyn boasts of. But later, as Gwyn consoles a deeply-discouraged Langston, their connection equalizes.

Langston finds his spiritual home in Harlem. He moves to New York to attend Colombia – grudgingly financed by his father – but the bigoted campus is a non-starter against the Cotton Club. There Langston hears Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald… and meets fellow poet Countee Cullen. Biographers may waffle over Langston’s sexuality, but not Echoles! Langston’s relationship with Countee Cullen unmistakably blends Eros and Agape, and Langston is crushed when he returns from a year’s absence to find Countee married. Clearly, both his race and his queerness are intolerable to America’s white supremacy.

I have to say that the best parts were when Langston himself speaks. His poetry is magnificent, and is presented very well, particularly “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”. The music is superbly performed as well by the ensemble. 

The production depends on the musicians: Oscar Brown Jr (guitar), Myron Cherry (drums), Mark Miller (bass), and bandleader Adam Sherrod on keys. Robert Reddrick is musical director, and adroitly intertwines the Jazz Age music and jazz poetry.

Playwright Rueben D Echoles is director, choreographer, and costumes, supported by Pamela Avery as Assistant Director, Jessica Moore as Stage Manager, and Producing Managing Director/Equioty Stage Manager Daryl Brooks. My Brother Langston is a multimedia production utilizing the talents of a full team of designers: DJ Douglas (sound), Denise Karczweski (lighting), Sydney Lynne (set), and Dre Robinson (projection).

My Brother Langston is deeply satisfying on many levels. As they say, “It’s Almost Like Coming to Church”!

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