American Blues Theater Launches The Commons Series With UHURU

American Blues Theater launches The Commons, a new, monthly community event initiative, with a reading of Gloria Majule’s Uhuru, directed by Ensemble Member Manny Buckley. Uhuru will be presented in American Blues Theater’s new home, located at 5627 N Lincoln Ave in Chicago, on Monday, January 22 at 7pm.

The Commons community events will take place one Monday per month and will feature readings, intimate concerts, karaoke, open-mic, spoken word, Town Halls, and more.

About Uhuru

Mshale, a Mount Kilimanjaro tour guide, dreams of marrying a white woman and moving to the West. Sprite doesn’t like white people and sets out to decolonize what he deems “his mountain”. Henry and Frannie are white missionaries who claim to be Tanzanian. As the four journey up to the roof of Africa, the looming ghost of colonialism dictates who gets to reach the peak, and who gets left behind.

The cast of Uhuru includes Ian Paul Custer* (Henry), Ajax Dontavius (Sprite), William Anthony Sebastian Rose II* (Mshale), and J.G. Smith* (Frannie).

*Denotes Ensemble member or Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater.

Uhuru runs approximately 80 minutes with no intermission. Following the reading, guests may meet American Blues artists – including visiting playwright Gloria Majule – in the lobby. Tickets are a suggested donation of $15 or pay-what-you-can and are available at www.americanbluestheater.com or by calling (773) 654-3103.

American Blues Theater recently opened its new home, which had its first public performance on December 8, 2023. The building includes two theaters (137-seat proscenium and 40-seat flexible studio); an inviting lobby with box office, bar, and concessions; gendered and all-gendered restrooms; dressing rooms and greenroom; administrative offices; production spaces for scenery, props, and costumes; a small on-site parking lot with ample street parking.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

GLORIA MAJULE (playwright) is from Dodoma, Tanzania presently residing in Seattle, WA. She seeks to tell stories that bring multiple black voices together from across the world and are accessible to black audiences no matter where they are. She writes plays about Africans and the African diaspora. Gloria is an inaugural recipient of Atlantic Theater Company’s Judith Champion Launch Commission and is the 2023 winner of the Leah Prize from the Leah Ryan Fund. Her plays have been developed at Vassar’s Powerhouse Theater, The New Group, Premiere Stages, Great Plains Theater Commons, A is For, Alliance Theater, Westport Country Playhouse and Aye Defy. She graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University with a BA in Performing & Media Arts and Spanish and holds an MFA in Playwriting from Yale School of Drama.

Manny Buckley (director) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. He was recently seen in American Blues sold-out show It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! He is a Chicago based actor, director, and writer. Directing credits include The Bad Seed (Jedlicka Performing Arts); Kingdom, an audio play (Broken Nose Theatre); Origin Story, Mother of Pearl, and The Reapers on Woodbrook Avenue in the Blue Ink Festival (American Blues); multiple short plays in the Ripped: The Living Newspaper and #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence (American Blues); and The One Minute Play Festival. Acting credits include work with Chicago Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, Goodman, Court, Victory Gardens, Chicago Dramatists, Next Theater, House Theatre, Shattered Globe Theater, Cincinnati Children’s Theatre and Studio Theatre. Manny has numerous credits with American Blues Theater, where he is an Ensemble member and turned in his critically-acclaimed, award-winning solo performance in Looking Over the President’s Shoulder and Fences. Film credits: Proven Innocent, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, The US Navy, Northwestern University, and The Onion. He has received nominations for the Joseph Jefferson Award, the Helen Hayes Award and the 3Arts Award; he is the recipient of both a Black Theater Alliance Award and Black Excellence Award.

Ian Paul Custer (Henry) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater. He is a Chicago actor and musician. American Blues credits include: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Jeff Award, Best Ensemble, Best Musical – midsize), The Columnist, Little Shop of Horrors, and It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! (Jeff Nominations for Best Musical/Play of the Year). Chicago credits include Bad Jews (Theatre Wit/Royal George), 33 Variations (Jeff Award– Best Production, midsize), and To Master the Art (TimeLine Theatre), Annie Bosh is Missing (Steppenwolf Theatre), High Holidays (Goodman Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Lyric Opera).  Ian has also had the pleasure of working with Porchlight Music Theatre, Marriott Theatre, A Red Orchid Theatre, MPAACT, Paramount and Court Theatre. Regional credits: Hero: The Musical (Asolo Rep Theatre), Cymbeline (Notre Dame Shakespeare), Romeo and Juliet (Cardinal Stage), Peter Pan (360 Entertainment – London, England). Television credits: Somebody Somewhere, APB, Empire, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD. Ian received his BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

AJAX DONTAVIUS (Sprite) is a Haitian-American actor and excited to be partnering again with the American Blues team, most recently with Fences, Other recent theater credits include: Blues for an Alabama Sky (Remy Bumppo Theatre); Last Night and The Night Before (Steppenwolf Theatre Company); Measure for Measure (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); Middle Passage (Lifeline Theatre). TELEVISION: Chicago Fire (NBC), Chicago P.D (NBC), 61st Street (CW). AWARDS: Black Theater Alliance – Most Promising Actor (Fences). Ajax received his BFA in Acting from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts.

WILLIAM ANTHONY SEBASTIAN ROSE II (Mshale) is a proud Artistic Affiliate of American Blues Theater. Chicago credits include: Tambo in Tambo and Bones (Refracted Theater); Lyons in Fences (American Blues Theater, Jeff Award winner for Production-midsize, Director, and Best Ensemble); Arthur Brooks in Boulevard of Bold Dreams (u/s); David in A Mile in the Dark (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble); giving new life to King Christophe in The Tragedy of King Christophe (BTAA Award winner Best Actor in a Play); John in Labyrinth (Broken Nose Theater, BTAA Nominee Best Actor).

J.G. SMITH (Frannie) is a proud Ensemble member of American Blues Theater where she previously performed in It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!, On Clover Road, Ripped, and virtual readings of The Thanksgiving Play and On the Greenbelt. Theatre: I And You (Peninsula Players); Mother of the Maid (Northlight); Plantation! (Lookingglass); The Art of Sisters (Vision Productions); MARYSHELLEYSHOW (National Tour, Chicago Fringe, The Tank NYC); Peter and the Starcatcher (City Equity Theatre); Alice in Wonderland, As You Like It, King Lear, A Christmas Carol (Alabama Shakespeare); and Censored on Final Approach (The GYM at Judson). Film/TV credits include Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin, MTV’s Short Comings, The Dancing Monkey, Dreaming Grand Avenue, Pry Me Open, and Dorm Therapy. Her original films and performance art have shown at New Orleans’ Hell Yes Film Festival, Williamsburg Circus, Salonathon!, Undiscovered Countries: The Infinite Fest, and TransVisions’ virtual SOFT PALETTE festival.

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