AUDITION:: DANCING TO A WHITE BOY SONG

AUDITION NOTICE   dancing to a white boy song

A cross-disciplinary project co-created by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, Meryem Alaoui and Motion.  Directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu

Presented at Toronto Summerworks Theatre Festival, Aug 4-14 2011

http://www.summerworks.ca/2011/festival-theatre.php

AUDITION: FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 11-2 PM         AUDITION: MONDAY, MAY 1, 11-2 PM

3 Performers needed

1. Male, Black/African background. 25-45
2. Female, Black/African background. 25-45
3. Female, Black/African background. 20-30

Performers will be required to play a wide range of ages and accents and ethnic backgrounds,

Performers should be comfortable working in an experimental rehearsal model and play development process.

Performers should be comfortable performing poetry and movement based work.

Audition Requirements:

Please prepare two contrasting monologues  (2 min max each) that show your ability to play characters of different ages. The key contrasting ages we are looking at are mid teens (14-17) and mid 40s.

Monologues from plays about Africa, or by Black/African playwrights are encouraged.

You will be also be asked to do some movement based work at the audition.

You may also be asked to do a cold read of a poetry piece.

To book an audition, email headshot and bio/resume to mumbi@ifttheatre.com

Project Premise: A cross-disciplinary theatrical project exploring the metaphor of what it means to ‘dance to the beat of the other’. The project is inspired by personal stories and research on the psychology of the African immigrant in Canada.

Story: Carol Muthoni Maina, a fourteen year old girl is desperate to fit into a new school and a foreign culture and yet she longs for the freedom to be just who she is. Frightened of her own uniqueness and individuality, she goes into a desperate mission to change everything she can about herself.

Moan

A misty morning became the darkest of days ;

arresting the light ;

raindrops and sorrow

bleeding black into the night.

My-Ku

by Miss Cola

I’ve been to a place
A dark place that worried me
It had me bounded

Silence not a sound
It escaped my mouth never
Until I found peace

Writing is my joy
Loving smiling expressing
Being free from life

Telephone Booth

by Ashley Dyette

Speak Millions To Me

Cream, Black, Gold, Dreads

Fair Skinned

Telephone Booth

Realness……

Staring Wit Determination

With Struggle

With Heart, With Mission

Rectangles, Squares

Blues, Whites

Open Mouth, Big Thick Lips

Facial Hair…. Dem Tattoos “Soooooo Sexy”….

Moisturized Lips

Shiny Chain…. “Ballin”

Graffiti…..

In The Mist

Into The Night Air…. The Night Sky…..

Woolen Vest

Fall Time, Struggle Time…

Hungry Time, Get My Money Time

Hood Time

Night Time, Right Time….

Wanting More, Yearning For More….

Eyes Glaring

Murda Man Flocka

Mad At All This Government Shit

Coming for these Niggaz Tonight….

Angry Searching For

More….

Yup’ik consciousness

By : Whitney

I sew this parka for the third time,

needle warms against my hand
I sew the dried meat that hangs
from the roof with twine,
enough to last for three days.
I sew the rope through the sled
to keep it from blowing in the blizzard.

Before I sew the parka,
I comb the dirt from the fur
so my thread will not tangle.
Before I sew the meat on twine
I press the seal flesh between heavy stones
so it stretches flat and there’s no water left.
Before I sew the rope to the sled
I feed the dogs and bring them inside
rub their bellies and keep them calm.
They get frightened when the blizzard comes.

During storms I sew and hem
holes and patches for myself.
Embroider patterns of our tribe
I sew stories in my mind, then
recite them to the walls and
change the endings so they flow just right.
I sew up my thoughts of loneliness
thoughts of freezing to death without
anyone to notice, my body missing
until the winter months life and I thaw out.

Sewing is survival.

The AMY Project 2011 presents “Check Out”

Friday April 8th – 8pm
Saturday April 9th – 2pm
Saturday April 9th – 8pm

$15 in advance or ‘pay what you can’ at the door

A woman lines up at the return counter to get a refund for ‘the perfect dad’ product; a customer goes shopping for words and discovers that “pressure” and “can’t” are the only ones she seems to be able to afford; a BFF doll stands on a shelf selling herself to passersby. CHECK OUT chronicles a full day of operations at The More Frills Super Mega Ultimate Extreme Shopping Centre Place. This multi-disciplinary performance piece takes a playful look at the things we value and asks us how much we are willing to pay.

 

The AMY Project 2011 ensemble:

WomenwithWordz very own Nicola Bennett (MissCola)

with Emma Eichman, Tharnya Gengathata, Funmilola Lawson, Mercedes Morris, Noelle-Najmaah Nedrick, Grace Phan, Sukey Richards, Shannon Saikkonen, Ana Maria Higuera Tirado

Co-Directed by: Claire Calnan & Lisa Codrington

 

To get tickets call the Theatre Passe Muraille Box Office at 416.504.7529 or go online to artsboxoffice.ca

Roof & Ground

by Rochelle

I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

I WILL BE HERE WHEN YOU’RE GONE

I WILL BE HERE WHEN YOU GET BACK

I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU

 

THE ONLY TIME YOU NOTICE OR TAKE A GOOD

LOOK AT ME IS WHEN EVER YOU’RE LAYING ON

YOU’RE BACK THEN YOU RELAIZIE.

I WAS THERE ALONG .

 

THE CEILING

 

YOU STEP ON ME YOU KICK ME

SCUFF ME SOMETIME YOU PUNCH ME , PUT

SO MUCH PRESSURE ON ME YOU DONT EVEN KNOW IF

I COULD HANDLE IT THEN YOU TURN AROUND

AND CLEAN ME UP LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED

 

I’M THE GROUND

 

glass box

by Makida Jones

The silence some say is good for you
Begin alone some say is relaxing
but if that’s the case
why am i anxious, always
and never feel so good

As if i’m standing in the middle of somewhere
thousands of people surround me
yet still by myself
and despite the fact that the people swarm frantically
and acknowledge me with their hellos
I’m still alone

I’m in a glass box
although i can see everything
I’m isolated
I try to break out
it just won’t break
The glass is too thick
I can’t climb out
I’m locked in

Outside this box
what’s really out there?
Do i really wanna know for myself,
or am I just curious to hear the stories?
No & No
those are the answers
You see inside this glass box
Im safe
although its not healthy
I’m safe
Safe from the unknown whether good or bad
Even though i’m isolated, I’m okay!
….
Am i really okay though ?
Damn, it’s really hard to be in love alone.