New Federal Theatre to Present 'In Search of My Father...'

Woodie King Jr.'s New Federal Theatre will present the New York City premiere of W. Allen Taylor's, IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER…WALKIN' TALKIN' BILL HAWKINS, a one-man journey of self-discovery, June 5, 2008 through June 29, 2008 at Henry Street Settlement's Abrons Arts Center. The production will have its official opening on Wednesday, June 11, 2008.

The critically acclaimed one-man show explores W. Allen Taylor's adventurous search for information about the father he never knew, Bill Hawkins, Cleveland's first Black radio DJ who was not married to Taylor's mother and whose identity was kept from Taylor throughout his childhood.

During his time on the air, Bill Hawkins was one of Cleveland's highest rated DJs for stations such as WHK, WJW, WDOK, and WSRS (which later became WJMO). He often broadcasted from the front window of his record shop, located on 105th St. near Cedar Avenue. A former Pullman porter in the early forties, Hawkins played the best of jazz, R&B, and gospel music on his popular programs and interviewed many musical celebrities that included Dinah Washington, The Dominos and Charles Brown. Hawkins was praised for being widely imitated and in fluential on a generation of DJs, including Cleveland's rock and roll "Moondog" Alan Freed.

W. Allen Taylor theatre career began in 1979 and includes performances in many regional theatres around the country as well as in NYC, with such critically acclaimed off-Broadway theatres as the Negro Ensemble Company and La Mama E.T.C. He has also been seen on Broadway in August Wilson's Seven Guitars and has appeared on Network television and in feature films. Mr. Taylor has co-produced off-off Broadway where he co-founded the O'lac Repertory Ensemble with Akua Henderson-Brown,  a NY-based Audelco Award nominated theatre company that was dedicated to producing original plays by African-American playwrights. Mr. Taylor received his MFA from the American Conservatory Theatre and currently teaches theatre and directing at the College of Marin.

Ellen Sebastian Chang is a director, writer and a creative consultant. She has been fortunate to work with some of the most interesting artists and projects in the Bay Area and beyond. She recently returned from the East Coast tour of Kaly Yuga: The Age of Chaos, her 2006 collaboration with Gamelan Sekar Jaya and Indonesian poet Goenewan Mohammed. Other highlights include: self/the remix written and performed by Robert Karimi at Jumpstart Theater, San Antonio, Texas; Dante's Divine Comedy with youth poets for the Youth Speaks Living Word Festival. Ms Sebastian Chang was co-founder and Artistic Director of LIFE ON WATER, a national and internationally known presenting and producing organization at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center from 1986 through 1995.

Performances of IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER…WALKIN' TALKIN' BILL HAWKINS are Wednesdays – Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and can be ordered by calling 212-279-4200 or at www.ticketcentral.org TDF vouchers are accepted Wed-Fri. One per customer.

Henry Street Settlement's Abrons Arts Center / Recital Hall is located at 466 Grand St (Bet. Pitt & Willett St). "F" Train to Delancey Street: "M" And "J" Train to Essex Street: "M14A" Bus to Pitt Street.

Need more Off-Off-Broadway Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...