Paul Robeson Theatre Festival Opens August 23 At LATC

The Robey Theatre Company, Los Angeles' most-awarded African American theatre company, continues its 25th Anniversary celebration with its presentation of the Third Biennial Paul Robeson Theatre Festival. The Festival is named for its inspiration, the actor-singer-activist-humanitarian Paul Robeson (1898-1976). The Festival is curated by the Company's Artistic Director, Ben Guillory.

Here is a schedule of Festival events:

Friday, August 23, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.: Reception with jazz performed by The Blue Morning Quintet.

7:30 p.m.: Awards presentation acknowledging the achievements of artists and supporters of African American theatre.

8:00 p.m.: Staged reading of a new play developed in the Robey Playwrights Lab by playwrights Oscar Arguello, Melvin Ishmael Johnson, Kurt Maxey and Julie Taiwo Oni: The Queen of Los Angeles. The play chronicles the adventures of a woman with metaphysical powers across a span of 114 years. Performed by actors of The Robey Theatre Company. Directed by Bernadette Speakes.

10:00 p.m.: Another set by The Blue Morning Quintet and a buffet catered by Shabazz Restaurant and Grill.

Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.: Awakening the Past, Present and Future: A Retrospective. featuring highlights of the works presented by Robey Theatre Company over the past 25 years. The show will consist of a mixture of live and taped performances> Works scheduled to be highlighted include:

Souls on Fire by Patrick Sheane Duncan.

Yohen by Philip Kan Gotanda;

For The Love of Freedom (The Haitian Trilogy) by Levy Lee Simon;

The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel by Levy Lee Simon;

Bee-luther-hatchee by Thomas Gibbons;

Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons;

The Emperor's Last Performance by Melvin Ishmael Johnson;

The River Niger by Joseph A. Walker;

Pity the Proud Ones by Kurt Maxey;

Anna Lucasta by Philip Yordan;

Bronzeville by Tim Toyama and Aaron Woolfolk;

Knock Me a Kiss by Charles Smith;

No Place to Be Somebody by Charles Gordone;

Dr. DuBois and Miss Ovington by Clare Coss;

Birdland Blue by Randy Ross Ph.D.

Directors include Ben Guillory, Dwain Perry, Julian White. Actors include J.C. Cadena, Dwain Perry, Michael Ricks, Toyin Moses, Marcus Clark Oliver, Tiffany Coty, Ben Jurand, Larry Powell, Jason Mimms, Ben Guillory and more. Musical accompaniment is provided by Randy Ross Ph.D. and Marion Newton. Griots-presenters Scott St. Patrick Williams and Ebonie Marie will introduce each scene.

Awakening the Past, Present and Future: A Retrospective will also perform on Saturday, August 24 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 25 at 3:00 p.m.

On Sunday, August 25 at 12:30 p.m., there will be a panel discussion on the conversation of the Black Theatre Aesthetic in Los Angeles. The panel discussion is free. However, a reservation is required to info@robeytheatrecompany.org.

The Paul Robeson Theatre Festival for 2019 promises to be an extraordinary weekend of theatre.

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