Contact: Julie
McGarvie, Director of Marketing
651-288-6784 or
Tickets: Penumbra Theatre Box Office at 651-224-3180 or
penumbratheatre.org
Black Nativity: A
Season for Change
A holiday gospel tradition
November 17, 2009; St. Paul, MN: Penumbra Theatre
Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, proudly announces the
opening ofBlack Nativity: A Season for Change, by T. Mychael Rambo and Lou Bellamy, directed by Dominic
Taylor, with musical direction by Sanford Moore on Thursday, December 3, 2009. The production
will run December 3 - December 27,
2009.
For the sixth year in a row, this spectacular holiday
production plays on the Penumbra stage, marking the 22nd year of this
Christmas tradition. This season, we are taken into the Walker family home. The
story follows four family members, representing three generations, as they each
journey away from the expectation and need for material gifts towards the
recognition that a true gift is one that money can't buy--the gift of love. The
Walker family
offers us the spirit of hope and cheer, sharing their gifts to us through song
and dance.
"One of the reasons Black Nativity is so important is that our
hope and our faith are connected to coming together as one. When individuals and
families tie their lives to each other, we are strengthened. Together, we can
weather most any storm. Together, our happiness is more joyful," said Dominic
Taylor, director of the production and Penumbra's associate artistic director.
This powerful gospel journey includes old favorites such
as "No Room at the Inn," "Angels We Have Heard
on High," "Joy to the World," and several songs new to Black Nativity including "The Twelve Days
of Christmas," "The Soulful Noel," and "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus." The
performance features live music by award-winning musicians, original dance
choreographed by the renowned Uri Sands of TU Dance Company, and a stellar
gospel choir ensemble that includes members of Moore by Four and the Grammy Award-winning
Sounds of Blackness.
Featured vocalists include Ginger Commodore, Iman Fears,
Nicole Foster, DeMarcus T. Green, Jackson Hurst, Greta Oglesby, T. Mychael
Rambo, Dennis W. Spears, and Jennifer Whitlock.
Joining the vocal ensemble are TU Dance Company members
Alanna Morris and Marciano Silva dos Santos, with live music by Sanford Moore
and David Hurst on keyboards, Jay Young on bass, and Erick Ballard on drums.
Penumbra takes Radio Golf to the August Wilson Center
For Immediate Release
November 6, 2009
Media Contact: Julie McGarvie, Director of Marketing
651-288-6784
or
Penumbra takes Radio Golf to the August Wilson Center
November 6, 2009; St. Paul, MN: Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, announced today that their production of Radio Golf will travel to The August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh, PA to participate in the "Aunt Ester Cycle." The cycle will run November 10 - 22, 2009.
Penumbra's 2009-2010 season opener, Radio Golf by August Wilson, directed by Lou Bellamy, will be staged in the "Aunt Ester Cycle" on November 14, and November 15, 2009. The cast includes Penumbra Company members, Terry Bellamy, James Craven, Abdul Salaam El Razzac, Austene Van, and Kevin D. West.
"We are honored to participate in the first theatrical endeavor of the new August Wilson Center," said Lou Bellamy, Penumbra artistic director and founder. "What excites me most, is to be able to share our work with other black theater companies and to do his very last play in Pittsburgh for that community--the community where he set the majority of his plays."
Penumbra Elects Five New Members to Board of Directors
For Immediate Release
July 27, 2009
Media Contact: Julie McGarvie, Director
of Marketing
651-288-6784
or
Penumbra Theatre Company
Elects Five New Members to Board of Directors
July 27, 2009; Saint Paul, MN – Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theater, elected five new members to its board of directors.
"Penumbra has worked hard over the last five years to build a strong foundation," said Penumbra Board Chair Phyllis Rawls Goff. "Given these challenging economic times, we are excited by the talents of our new board members and the support that they bring as we continue to build a sustainable organization. Penumbra's future is bold – and together, we will confirm its rightful place in the American theatrical landscape."
Each of the following new board members will serve a three-year term, which commenced on July 1, 2009, and ends June 30, 2012:
Carol Barnett is Vice President of International Marketing in Neuromodulation at Medtronic. Barnett received a B.A. in Economics from Carleton College and a MBA from Harvard Business School. She has served on the boards of Carleton College, Vocalessence, and Ault, Inc.
Tracey Burton is the Director of Diversity for Target Corporation. Burton received a B.A. and J.D. from the University of Iowa. Burton has served on the boards of the Minnesota Legal Aid, Urban Coalition, Minnesota Women Lawyers and Minnesota Black Lawyers Association.
LaShanna Martin is a brand marketing manager in the Our Own Brands division of SuperValu. Martin received a B.S. in Marketing and a B.S. in Business Management from Alabama State University.
Mark McLellan is a Lean Six-Sigma Black-Belt in the 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. McLellan holds a B.A. in Theater, with a Minor in Peace and Justice studies, from the University of St. Thomas; and a MBA from the University of St. Thomas OPUS School of Business, where he currently serves as a Student Advisory Board member.
Jeffrey Saunders is a partner in the corporate group of Dorsey & Whitney, with a focus on advising companies and boards of directors of rapidly growing companies in the healthcare and IT industries. Saunders received a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and a B.A from Gustavus Adolphus College. He has served as a director of several non-profit and for-profit companies.
