Chromolume Theatre Presents DO LORD REMEMBER ME, 4/19-5/19

Chromolume Theatre has announced a new production of Do Lord Remember Me, a play with music by James de Jongh, directed by Wilson Bell, opening April 19 for a limited engagement through May 19. Do Lord Remember Me was previously presented to great acclaim by Chromolume in 2006, and again in 2007.

The memories of ex-slaves, recorded during interviews in the 1930s, constitute the raw material of Do Lord Remember Me. James de Jongh's source material for the play was a vast archive of interviews conducted by the Works Progress Administration, as part of the Federal Writers' Project, from 1936 to 1938. Former slaves were sought and interviewed; the project lost its funding in 1939, but more than 2,300 oral histories had already been recorded, and are now preserved in the Library of Congress.

The words of black men and women in their 80s and 90s, as they recalled their experiences as slaves, have been adapted and structured by de Jongh to create this play. Do Lord Remember Me is a look into the past through the words of ex-slaves, now dead for more than half a century; it is an exploration of the collective memory of the slavery experience told by some of its survivors. The composite narratives of Do Lord Remember Me tell the story of a people's desire to survive under suppression, become literate, form and preserve families of their own, worship in freedom, and ultimately to deliver themselves from bondage.

The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Alysia Livingston, Charles Mathers, Deborah Sharpe-Taylor, Samuel Simmons, Gregory Thompson, Annzella Victoria, and Virginia Watson. The scenic and sound design is by James Esposito, lighting design is by Anna Martin, costume design is by Darby Gray, and the stage manager is Chad Parker.

Do Lord Remember Me opens on Friday, April 19 at 8pm. The regular performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm, through May 19. Tickets are $25, with discounts for students and seniors ($22) and children ($20), and may be purchased online at www.crtheatre.com, or via telephone at 323-205-1617. Chromolume Theatre at the Attic is located at 5429 W. Washington Boulevard (between the 10 freeway and Hauser Boulevard), in Los Angeles, 90016. Ample street parking is available.

For more information on Do Lord Remember Me or Chromolume Theatre, visit www.crtheatre.com, or call 323-510-2688.