CALLING ALL DANCERS & OTHERS---- Auditions for Ramp to Paradise 2At The Kumble Theater (LIU Brooklyn Campus)Tues, October 2nd & Wed, October 3rd, 2012

                             

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THELMA HILL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
PRESENTS
A RAMP TO PARADISE 2

HOLDING AUDITIONS AND CASTING
ALL ROLES FOR PRODUCTION OF
A RAMP TO PARADISE 2
In Tribute to THE PARADISE GARAGE

Walter Rutledge
choreographer/director
Alex Smith, Jr.
Executive Producer

 

OCTOBER 2nd & 3rd, 2012
5PM- 8PM
at the
KUMBLE THEATER
(Long Island University

Downtown Brooklyn Campus)
 

WE ARE CASTING ALL ROLES

FOR THIS NEW MULTI MEDIA DANCE/THEATRE PRODUCTION

OF THE LEGENDARY UNDERGROUND DANCE CLUB

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Trained dancers (ballet, modern, jazz, pointe and partnering)
"Old Way" Vogue Artists
Couples who Hustle
TS Girls who walk runway and face
Boyz with Bodies
And a Grace Jones impersonator

All are welcome to audition.

Dancers, please come ready to dance.

All others come prepared to show your talent.

For more info contact
Walter Rutledge at 917 744 2601 or
 walt_rutledge[at]yahoo.com

New Film On ADODI Filmed Partially in Philadelphia, PA (On Saturday, September 8th, 2012) As Filmmaker ROD PATRICK RISBROOK Visits... by Tracy Gibson

New Film On ADODI Filmed Partially

in Philadelphia, PA

As Filmmaker ROD PATRICK RISBROOK Visits...

 by Brother Tracy Gibson

(A Guest Nubian Knight's Perspective)

A dozen courageous Black Same Gender Loving men came together at the Songhai City Cultural Center at 3117 West Master Street {The heart of North Philadelphia}, to pay homage to Brother Rod Patrick Risbrook's new documentary: "ADODI - 25 Years And Beyond: Claiming the Legacy, Continuing the Legend...'' The film is set to be released in August of 2013.

The film tells the story of ADODI --a support group for Black men who are Same Gender Loving and who refuse to be stereotyped, categorized and put down, but who insist on being treated--and treat each other--with dignity, respect, LOVE, kindness and as men of Tomorrow today. Men who are and will lead our people in a positive direction and men who take responsibility for their sexual activities and actions, deciding to act as responsible adults--not immature children.

ADODI was founded in May of 1986 by Creative Arts Therapist Clifford Rawlins, also an artist, who opened his home to create a warm and loving atmosphere each week on Sundays, that helped nurture and educate literally hundreds of Brothers through the beginning stages of the AIDS / HIV Crisis. Clifford held us spell-bound during those heady early days as we were surrounded by his fantastically gifted art work, the art work of other Black artists and luscious jazz music as we learned survival tactics, and techniques to help us build vital self-esteem that would carry most of us on into another millennium and another generation. Many more of us would have perished if it had not been for ADODI.

A brief trailer of Brother Risbrook's film was shown at this recent gathering of men and the courageous attending Brothers took the time to talk about the up-coming National election and how they think President Barack Obama will fair; the history of the Black man and the Black woman in business; The history of the Black church movement in Philadelphia; the expectations of Blacks in the Arts and film; the potential of this particular film and how it was conceived; the vast potential for a new Black Renaissance that will not only lift Black people locally, but lift our hearts and spirits as a Black Diaspora internationally. There was also talk of the White Male's penis envy of Black men.

The event was sponsored by the Black Millionaires Network and offered a chance for the filmmaker, a good Brother from Brooklyn, New York, to discuss his film {which is still in production}, and meet with some of the people that are part of the heart of its' creation--The ADODI Brothers themselves. {Earlier in the day, three ADODI Brothers, including myself, were interviewed on film as part of the production}.... The Brothers who attended this event had the courage to not be defined by there own fears nor by their supposed oppression, nor by the exclusivity, marginalization, discrimination and homophobic attitudes we often face from our own Black community and even our own Black families and Black churches. We had the courage to move forward and attend an event in the heart of North Philadelphia which is stereotyped as a violent, miseducated and oppressed neighborhood when in fact while there may be some aspects of North Philadelphia that are like that, there are and always have been Brothers and Sisters in North Philadelphia who have struggled for decades to improve the schools, improve living standards and improve the lives of Black North Philadelphia residents.

There were 38 empty seats at this event, but they were filled by our Ancestor's strong forthright, forward-moving and supportive spirits as the night went on and everyone enjoyed each other's company and the delicious vegetarian food prepared by Sister Atiya Ola, who catered the event and who owns a vegetarian restaurant at 4505 Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia...

When the film is released, this writer plans to help the producers and director get it seen widely throughout the country because the story of ADODI is close to my heart and it is a story that needs to be told.

SPECIAL THANKS

To Ado Ernest Duncan

For Taking The Photos
& Shooting The Video Interview

CHILDREN OF KILLERS by Katori HallAt The Castillo Theatre In New York City September 21st - Ocotber 28th, 2012 (Limited Engagement)

                         

Official Website: http://www.castillo.org/show-children-of-killers/

Castillo Theatre Presents The U.S. Premiere Of

CHILDREN OF KILLERS

by Katori Hall

Author of the Olivier Award-Winning Play THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Directed by Emily Mendelsohn

September 21 - October 28th, 2012

Synopsis:

Set 15 years after the Rwandan genocide, Children of Killers follows a group of teenage friends as many of their fathers are being released from prison where they have been serving time for their roles in the mass killings of their Tutsi neighbors. How are these innocents — young people who don’t even remember their fathers — going to live with their brutal legacy; is it possible to move beyond it, or will they be shaped by their tragic heritage?

"With its dedication to fierce, thought-provoking political theatre that forces audiences to look into the mirror and question and confront themselves, I knew this would be the perfect home for the first American incarnation of the play." - Katori Hall

Read more at: Off-Broadway World.com
   
Featuring:
Raphael Agbune, LaTonia Antoinette, Edgar Cancinos, Kimarra Cannonier, Franceli Chapman, Suzanne Darrell, Khadim Diop, Sidiki Fofana, Naja Jack, Rain Jack, Lorenzo Jackson, Lauryn Simone Jones, Melech Meir, Niara Nyabingi, Andrea Rachel, Mariel Reyes, Starshima Trent, Terrell Wheeler

Get your tickets online today at  www.castillo.org or call our box office at 212-941-1234
 

For group rates contact Gail Peck at 212-356-8449 or gpeck@allstars.org

Castillo Theatre

543 West 42nd Street

(between 10th & 11th Avenues)

New York, NY 10036

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PRESS RELEASE

The Castillo Theatre is opening its 29th season with the American premiere of Children of Killers by award-wining playwright, Katori Hall. Ms. Hall comes to Castillo fresh from the London and Broadway triumphs of The Mountaintop, her play about the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and from the premiere at the Signature Theatre of Hurt Village, a play set in the projects of her hometown of Memphis. The Mountaintop won the Olivier Award for best play in 2010. Hurt Village won the 2011 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Ms. Hall is pleased that Children of Killers is being presented to Castillo’s diverse audience, and has said, “With its dedication to fierce, thought-provoking political theatre that forces audiences to look into the mirror and question and confront themselves, I knew this would be the perfect home for the first American incarnation of the play.” The production is directed by Emily Mendelsohn.

Set 15 years after the Rwandan genocide, Children of Killers follows a group of teenage friends as many of their fathers are being released from prison where they have been serving time for their roles in the mass killings of their Tutsi neighbors. How are these innocents — young people who don’t even remember their fathers — going to live with their brutal legacy; is it possible to move beyond it, or will they be shaped by their tragic heritage?

Originally commissioned by the National Theatre in London, Children of Killers was inspired by a trip to Rwanda in 2009 when Hall attended a genocide studies conference and spoke with victims and perpetrators of the genocide. The play was developed in part through a workshop conducted by Ms. Hall and National Theatre director, Anthony Banks with students in Castillo’s youth theatre program, Youth Onstage!, in the summer of 2010. It has received eight productions in Britain and 40 productions in Portugal.

Located at the All Stars Project’s performing arts and youth development center on West 42nd Street, the Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director; Diane Stiles, managing director) brings experimental political theatre, dealing with contemporary and historical social issues, to the heart of New York’s commercial theatre district for a diverse audience drawn from the many communities that make up NYC. Since 1983, Castillo has staged well over 100 productions — from multicultural and avant-garde plays, to musicals and improvisational
comedy.

Children of Killers is being presented in conjunction with Performing the World 2012, an international cross-disciplinary, experiential conference being held at the All Stars Project, October 4-7. Children of Killers opens on September 21 and runs through October 28th.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street (between 10th & 11th Avenues). Tickets are $35 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Group rates are available. Tickets can be purchased through the Castillo Box Office at 212-941-1234 or www.castillo.org.

Playwright Katori Hall is available for interviews.

Contact Gail Peck at 212-356-8449 or 917-371-5008; or via email: gpeck@allstars.org.