Tonya Pinkins Set for Harlem9's 4th Annual 48 HOURS IN HARLEM This August

Harlem9 presents the Obie Award Winning "48 HOURS IN HARLEM" -- a twist on the traditional 24-hour play festival. This event marks the 4th year of the collaborative Harlem9, bringing together 6 playwrights, 6 directors, and 18 actors to re-conceive classic plays from the African Diaspora over the course of one weekend in Harlem. 48 HOURS IN HARLEM culminates in a final presentation on Sunday, August 17, 2014.

This one night only performance is at 7pm at National Black Theatre. Participating artists' details are below. Tickets are now on sale: $25 in advance by calling 1-800-838-3006 or by visiting www.brownpapertickets.com. A LIMITED number of Cash Only Tickets will also be available at the door for $30. National Black Theatre is located at 2031 5th Avenue @125th Street.

The 6 playwrights -- Lucy Judith Adong, Jesse Cameron Alick, J. Holtham, Nikkole Salter* (In the Continuum), James Scruggs, and Pia Wilson -- will each be re-conceiving from one of the following plays: Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry, Blues for Mr. Charlie by James Baldwin, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange, Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage, Color Struck by Zora Neale Hurston, and Blue by Charles Randolph Wright. Directors Carl Cofield*, marcus d. harvey*, Patricia R. Floyd, Tonya Pinkins*(Holler If Ya Hear Me), Fredi Walker-Browne*, and Bil Tsega Wright will each direct one of the new 10-minute plays.

Araba Brown, Toccarra Cash*, Patrice Johnson Chevannes*, Bridgit Antoinette Evans*, Christian Felix*, Anthony Gaskins*, Zainab Jah*, Danny Johnson*, Ezra Knight*, Simone Leanora Mack*, Jamil A.C. Mangan, Larry Powell*, Donnell Smith, Sally A. Stewart*, Bernard J. Tarver*, Keona Welch*, Yaegel Welch, and C. Kelly Wright* will perform the new work.

Harlem9 is an arts organization comprised of 6 producing entities that have come together in Harlem to explore the past, present and future of black culture and celebrate the rich history of storytelling within the African Diaspora. Garlia Cornelia Jones-Ly, Bryan E. Glover, E. Michael Lockley, Jonathan McCrory, and Liberation Theatre Company (Sandra A. Daley-Sharif and Spencer Scott Barros) are the producers that comprise Harlem9. For more information, visit www.harlem9.org.

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