THE W. KAMAU BELL CURVE Extends Through At PS 122

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL RUN at the 7th Annual soloNOVA Arts Festival, the premier festival for solo performers in New York City, W. Kamau Bell's critically acclaimed solo show, The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour, has been extended by two weeks. "We scouted a lot more heavily this year," says soloNOVA artistic director Jennifer Conley Darling. "We saw every solo show in the Fringe Festival, as well as the Frigid Festival... Partnering with other festivals has been key to identifying the best of the best. I knew immediately I wanted Kamau in the festival. His intelligence, humor, and timing far surpass a lot of comics out there. I see racism every day, all over the world, and to be able to talk about it with a humorous lens is key to continuing the fight against it."

"W. Kamau Bell is the most important guy doing comedy right now. Do yourself a favor and go see him. He's got the most astute, hilarious and completely righteous material going and he's going to be a legend in his own lifetime like Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce. Think Bill Hicks but slightly taller." - Margaret Cho

Just like skinny jeans, superhero movies, and celebrity weight loss, racism continues to make a comeback. In 2007, The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About An Hour opened big and came out swinging against big targets. Back in 2007, it was celebrity racism that was all the rage, but three short years later, amazingly, America has elected the first black president...of the Republican National Committee!!! Oh, and we also elected the first black president of the United States of America, Barack Hussein Obama. This MUST mean racism is over. Right? We're officially in Post-Racial America... Right? Right? WRONG! Racism has redoubled - no, re-quadrupled - its efforts because now that a black man - or a half black/half white man if we want to split not so nappy hairs - is leading the free world, the stakes have gotten much higher, especially for the really racist racists. While the economy fails, racism is thriving. Whether it's Rush Limbaugh's & Glenn Beck's daily treason, OR tea parties that look like casual Fridays at Ku Klux Klan rallies, OR the state of Texas deciding that the only good history book is a WHITES ONLY history book, OR the state of Arizona saying, "Good point, Texas! But how do you propose that we get rid of all these Mexicans?", OR the continued broadcast of BET, OR Tyler Perry... being Tyler Perry, OR the one-two-three cinematic punch of The Blindside, Avatar, and Precious, racism hasn't run this rampant since Martin Luther King, Jr. had that dream. Meanwhile the 2010 Census STILL wants to know how many "negroes" are out there. And all the while black people wonder, "Did we get a black president OR a president who is black?"

W. Kamau Bell is here to make (non)sense of all of it all. The Curve is a comedic exploration of the current state of America's racism, combined with a little (unknown) history, a little Powerpoint, and a whole bunch of Kamau. And because racism is always attacking in new ways and from new angles, Kamau attacks back by constantly adding new material. The Curve is a seamless mix of stand-up comedy, video and audio clips, personal stories and solo theatrical performance.

The Curve enjoyed a three month run in San Francisco (SF Weekly and 7x7 Magazine named Kamau, "Comedian of the Year!"), and has been well-received all over the country, including Oakland, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and The New York International Fringe Theater Festival. It is a favorite at colleges and universities, including Stanford University, Cal State East Bay, Deanza Community College, and Menlo College. Kamau is thrilled to be a part of the terraNOVA Collective's 7th Annual soloNOVA Festival and to have his show extended by two weeks. "I literally couldn't be more honored that soloNOVA gave me the chance to continue doing my show in New York. And performing in a legendary space like PS 122 --- the early home of such greats as Eric Bogosian, John Leguizamo, Karen Finley, Spalding Gray, and Eddie Izzard --- would be completely overwhelming if it wasn't also so inspiring. I am extremely proud to be even a small link in that heavy chain."

WHO
The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour
Written and Performed by W. Kamau Bell
Directed by Paul Stein
Presented by the SoloNova Festival

WHEN
EXTENSION DATES
May 26, 27 & June 2, 3 @ 8PM
May 30 & June 4 @ 6PM

WHERE
Performance Space 122 Downstairs
150 1st Ave at 9th Street, NYC

TICKETS
$20 General Admission
$15 Student/Senior
Bring a friend of a different race get in 2for1
http://terranovacollective.org/SoloArtsFestival.php

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!