Category
Ritual denotes an action or series of actions that are performed to have an effect – to alter the weather, say, or move a person from one phase of life to another in a transitional rite of passage.
Documentary of the 2009 Bagamoyo Festival.
Since 1981, I have been conducting research on black women behind the scenes in the
American theatre. As a black female lighting designer, I am aware of our
invisibility within the larger American theatre and have made an effort to expose
these women to a wider audience. I have interviewed numerous black women who have
made significant contributions to American theatre. These women include designers,
producers, directors, playwrights, artistic directors, and other individuals working
behind the scenes. Dr. Teer (1937-2008) was a professional actress, director,
producer, and visionary. Born in the predominantly black city of East St. Louis,
Illinois, Teer was surrounded by a family of community activists, entrepreneurs,
artists, and educators. Her family and community environment shaped her future in
the arts. Considered a genius, she graduated from the University of Illinois at the
age of 19. Having had a professional career both in dance and acting on Broadway,
off-Broadway, film, and television, she became disillusioned with the roles
available for black women. As an entrepreneur, Dr. Teer founded the National Black
Theatre (NBT) in 1968, making it the first revenue-generating black theatre complex
in the U.S. She believed it vital that NBT be situated in Harlem, where it would
serve and empower the black community. Dr. Teer began to develop her own acting
methods, breaking from traditional western styles. She called her theatre a temple
and her actors liberators. She broke the fourth wall to include the audience. She
created NBT as a cultural institution – a place where one could be educated and
entertained simultaneously. She travelled to Africa and brought back many aspects of
the culture to incorporate into her productions. Dr. Teer was indeed a pioneer. In
2016, NBT celebrated 48 years as an institution.
From Starting to Cut the Wood translates the sounds of manual labor into
dance.
Since 1981, I have been conducting research on black women behind the scenes in the
American theatre. As a black female lighting designer, I am aware of our
invisibility within the larger American theatre and have made an effort to expose
these women to a wider audience. I have interviewed numerous black women who have
made significant contributions to the American theatre. These women include
designers, producers, directors, playwrights, artistic directors, and other
individuals working behind the scenes. This is a rare interview I conducted with
Glenda Dickerson (1945-2012) during a rehearsal of her adaptation of The Trojan
Women, performed with an all-black cast during January 1983. This interview
is very dear to me as Dickerson was a mentor. I followed her career with various
interviews, tapings at conferences, and the publication of one of her plays. Glenda
Dickerson was a director, folklorist, actress, adapter/conceiver, and educator. With
a career of nearly 40 years she was known for her unique adaptations of Greek
classics, African American folktales, the feminist theatre approach, and ensemble
work. She was the second black woman to direct on Broadway with the 1980 musical
Reggae. Her work has also been presented nationally and
internationally. In the commercial arena she was constantly presented with racial
and gender challenges. After working in mainstream theatre for many years, Dickerson
chose to focus her talents on educational and community-oriented theatre. She also
began to concentrate on feminist/womanist theatre. She taught at Howard University,
Spelman, Rutgers, and the University of Michigan. Only in recent years is her work
finally gaining recognition, but as with many other black women, Dickerson’s
contributions are largely unknown.
In between researches stillness and transition, focusing on the moments,
during which nothing seems to happen, but without which, nothing can
happen.
MaKuYa Festival is an art festival which highlights the traditions and cultural
aspects of a three tribes consortium.
The film is a documentary about the life of a female shaman Kim Keum-hwa, who was shunned for being possessed by spirits as a girl and oppressed for following superstitions as an adult. It depicts how she grows to be a great shaman who embraces the pain of all people, and how she comes to be honoured as a national treasure of Korea because of her outstanding artistic talents throughout Korea’s tumultuous history. The film is based on the autobiography “Bidankkob Neom-Se” by Kim Keum-hwa.
Siddi theatre performers and sisters, Geeta and Girija Siddi, performing in a
two-week festival, Telling Our Stories of Home: Exploring and Celebrating
Changing African & African Diaspora Communities.
A film made by Rekha Tandon’s company, Dance Routes, that begins with a description of Odissi’s background as a temple dance tradition, and an account of its basic form and ornamentation.
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Practitioner
Eugenio Barba created Odin Teatret in Norway in 1964, having worked with Jerzy Grotowski for three years in Poland. Now based in Denmark, its members come from a dozen countries and three continents.
Category
Solo performance in a contemporary context usually involves the creation of a performance or piece of theatre which involves only one actor or performer, often playing many different roles.