Urban Theatre & Entertainment Festival & Awards
By: Beau Higgins
The 2nd Bi-Annual Urban Theatre & Entertainment Festival/Awards
Coming to Sunny South Florida
July 29-August 2, 2008
"Bridging The Gap & Expanding The Region"
(20 Big Productions)
"Educating Using The Arts"
The 2nd Bi- Annual Urban Theatre & Entertainment Festival/Awards will kick-off with a Celebrity Gala hosted by Melba Moore, and JoMarie Payton. Invited celebrities include Marvin Webster, Gary Guidry, Jecaryous Johnson, Malik Yoba, Ella Joyce, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Obba Babatunde, Dawnn Lewis, Jackee' and many more. The gala is the opening for The 2nd Bi-Annual Urban Theatre & Entertainment Festival/Awards. This 4 day event is being held July 29th-August 2, 2008, with (20) BIG all star theatrical performances; a Market Place for vendors, Workshops, Dance Completion and Poetry Explosion in tri-county areas (Dade, Broward and West Palm Beach.)
UTEF highlights:
UTEF Workshop- Wed and Thursday 10:00am-12:00pm- Will provide business and legal side of entertainment industry with Entertainment Attorney & Industry Icons, Don Mizell, Jonathon Black and Frank Ferguson sharing their expertise. Jeba Media Group will do a workshop on the Art of developing your own audience and interacting with the media in the area of theatre.
UTEF Youth Theatre Productions- (Wed through Fri 1pm to 5pm)
Actress Ella Joyce's rendition of Rosa Parks' life,"A Rose Among Thorns," the story of the mother of the civil rights movement.
Life As A Teenager- Donald Gray's production for teenagers and their parents focusing on HIV/Aids exposure, juvenile detention facilities and more.
Authentic Black Cowboy- Rufus Thomas- the Horse Whisperer as he shares tales with our youth
Demonstration of roping techniques on a nearby ranch.
UTEF Youth Dance & Step Competition - (Sat 12pm to 10pm)
The Best of Both Worlds:
Participating youth from Children Trust funded Programs will receive complementary tickets to the Best of Both Worlds Dance and Step Competition. All others tickets are $20.00. Local and national celebrity judges and renowned and aspiring youth talent will be showcased.
Urban Theatre & Entertainment Fesival Poetry Experience- Wed-Thurs 9am to 12 noon & Fri 10am to 12 noon - The art of spoken word featuring Dream Team Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Cosby show and Malcolm and Eddie,) Helena Lewis, and Weusi Baraka from the NBTF as Celebrity hosts. This event will be at various venues such as the Literary Cafe, The Bohemian Room, and The African Heritage Cultural Arts Center.
Theatrical Productions
You Got Me Bent & Twisted, The Mariah Brown Story, U Got Issues 2, Itiching Ears, A Father's Prayer, I Question America, The Life and Times of Paul Roberson, Look What We Did With Love, Once in a Wife-time. Dates, Times and locations to be announced.
There are sponsorship and vendor opportunities at the Diaspora Vendors Market Place, Thursday 6pm to 11pm, Friday 6pm to 11pm & Saturday 2 to 8pm. For additional information visit www.urbantheaterfestival.com.
FALL IN LOVE TODAY! ADOPT A PET FROM YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER
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HAMLET by William Shakespeare Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center (11/07-11/21) |
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Victor/Victoria Arts Collective Theatre (7/10-7/26) |
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Professor Brian Cox at Mahaffey Theater Mahaffey Theater (11/22-11/22) |
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Island City Stage presents the Tony Award-winning Play Eureka Day Island City Stage (8/20-9/13) |
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Slow Burn Theatre Co: Come From Away - Smart Stage Matinee Series Amaturo Theater at Broward Center (10/22-10/22) |
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Jack Johnson ITHINK Financial Amphitheatre (8/18-8/18) |
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The Addams Family Athens Theatre (9/18-10/11) |
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (2/16-2/21) |
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Salida Main Street Players (7/18-8/02) |
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BOOP!® THE MUSICAL Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (4/06-4/11) |