Lia Chang: Woodie King, Jr.’s New Federal Theatre Presents Month Long Reading Series of Great Black Plays and Playwrights

New Federal Theatre producer Woodie King, Jr. Photo by Lia Chang

In June, Woodie King, Jr.’s New Federal Theatre is presenting a month-long reading series of great Black plays by great Black playwrights, running every Friday through Monday, at the Castillo Theatre and the National Black Theatre in New York. This ground breaking series features many of Black theatre’s most popular and poignant dramas, which have gone on to acclaimed success on other stages and won numerous awards.

Two Pulitzer Prize winning plays, Topdog/UnderDog (2002), an allegory by Suzan Lori Parks about competing brothers and No Place to Be Somebody (1970), by Charles Gordone, are on the series bill.

The first weekend features Ntozake Shange’s phenomenal choreopoem, For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. This play went on to Broadway, garnered many awards and was adapted into a film. The award-winning actress from the original and Broadway productions, Trezana Beverly, will direct the reading. Also running the first weekend is James deJongh’s Do Lord Remember Me, a musical extravaganza chronicling 400 years of trials and tribulations endured by African-American slaves. This reading will be directed by Reggie Life.

Other plays that will be read are: A Recent Killing by Amiri Baraka, Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage, In the Wine Time by Ed Bullins, The Amen Corner by James Baldwin, Black Girl by j.e. Franklin, Flyin’ West by Pearl Cleage and Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Lonne Elder. Some of the other renowned playwrights represented in the varied and diverse line up are Phillip Hayes Dean, Richard Wesley, Bill Harris, Alice Childress, Wesley Brown, and Laurence Holder. Directors participating in the series include TalvinWilks, Clinton Turner Davis, Dean Irby, Elizabeth Van Dyke, Nathan George, Marjorie Moon, and Reggie Life. The plays will be read by illustrious casts of actors.

Half of the readings will take place Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Castillo Theatre, located at 543 West 42nd Street. The other half will be read at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays and at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at National Black Theatre located at 2031 Fifth Avenue. The readings will be held throughout the month of June, 2010.

Tickets are available at www.theatremania.com (866-811-4111)
Each Play Reading $10.00/New Federal Theatre Members admitted Free by presenting their membership card.
For further information call: 212-353-1176 or visit the New Federal Theatre Website for a complete schedule.

This Series is funded in part by New York State Council on the Arts; NYC Department of Cultural Affairs/New York City Council Committee, James Van Bramer. Chairman; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Lucille Lortel Foundation; Shubert Foundation; Louis & Anne Abrons Foundation; Newmans Own Foundation; and contributions from other corporations, foundations and individuals.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachang@hotmail.com.

Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

As a photographer and videographer, Lia collaborates with artists, organizations and companies in establishing their documentary photo archive and social media presence. She has been documenting her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism since making her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Juicy Buns at Ollie’s
The Dish on Susur Lee and Shang
A night out with Gordana Rashovich, Flora Goforth in The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
André De Shields Set for World Premiere of Charles Smith’s The Gospel According to James at Indiana Rep, 3/22-4/10
Photos: A.B. Cruz III and Lillian Kimura Receive 2011 AALDEF Justice in Action Awards
Photos of Lion Dancers in Los Angeles Chinatown
Photos: Chinese New Year Festival at The Huntington in San Marino
Andy Warhol, Romare Bearden, Alexander Calder, Lia Chang in Art & Healing Exhibit at Snug Harbor on SI
My Empire State Building at Dusk on view in HHC’s “Art and Healing-Healthy for the Holidays” Art Exhibit
STORIES FROM CHINESE AMERICA: The Arthur Dong Collection, Vol. 2 as 4 disc DVD Box Set
<Lunch at The Modern, A Stroll Through The Conservatory Garden in Central Park
Cherry Blossoms, Magnolias, Tulips and Narcissus at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Spring in New York is a Veritable Color Riot
Sloan Robinson in Bananas: A Theatre Cabaret Based on the Life of Josephine Baker at The Schomburg
Vanessa Rubin in Yesterdays: An Evening with Billie Holiday at National Black Theatre
Elizabeth Van Dyke Stars in Love to All, Lorraine at Dwyer Cultural Center
The River Crosses Rivers Opening Night Photos
New Federal Theatre founder and director Woodie King receives award for community service in communications arts from Howard University’s John H. Johnson School of Communications
Andre De Shields receives Living Legend Award at the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival
Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau
Dionne Warwick and Woodie King Jr. honored by AMAS Musical Theatre in New York
Celebrating Woodie King
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Lia Chang Multimedia: The River Crosses Rivers Opening Night Photos

Venida Evans, Vinie Burrow, Leslie Uggams, Carmen Delavallade and Elain Graham celebrate at THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS opening night party on October 8, 2009 in the lobby of the Castillo Theatre in New York. © Lia Chang

Women are currently reigning supreme at the Castillo Theatre in New York, where Woodie King Jr.’s NEW FEDERAL THEATRE in association with Castillo Theatre has re-opened THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS, a festival of seven short one-act plays by women of color, originally produced in the Going To The River run at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in September.

THE KITCHEN playwright Naveen Bahar Choudhury with her castmembers Seril James, Sakina Jaffrey, Andrew Guilarte and Yasmin Kazi at THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS opening night party on October 8, 2009 in the lobby of the Castillo Theatre in New York. © Lia Chang

The plays:
THE KITCHEN (or 9 1/2 minutes of sub-continental absurdity), by Naveen Bahar Choudhury, directed by Jamie Richards, starring
Andrew Guilarte, Sakina Jaffrey, Seril James and Yasmin Kazi.
THE STEP-MOTHER by Ruby Dee, directed by Chuck Patterson, starring Carmen Delavallade and Mary Hodges.

Miss Ruby Dee, actress and playwright with Elizabeth Van Dyke, producing artistic director and co-founder of Going to the River © Lia Chang

BANANA BEER BATH by Lynn Nottage, directed by Talvin Wilks starring Elain Graham.
RALLY by Bridgette Wimberly, directed by Clinton Turner Davis, starring Venida Evans and Erin Weems.
HOT METHUSELAH by J.e Franklin, directed by Imani, starring Vinie Burrow, Norman Matlock and John Rankin.
JESSE by P.J. Gibson, directed by Lydia Fort, starring Christopher Burris and Maya Lynne Robinson.
HIS DADDY by Cori Thomas, directed by Stephen Fried, starring John Matthew Montelongo and David Lindsay Smiling.

Playwrights Cori Thomas, Bridgette Wimberly, P.J. Gibson and Naveen Bahar Choudhury at the THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS opening night party on October 8, 2009 in the lobby of the Castillo Theatre in New York. © Lia Chang

THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS performances run through November 1st at Castillo Theatre and are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7PM and Sunday at 3PM; Saturday Matinees at 2pm on October 24 and October 31; (No performance on October 23rd.) Castillo Theatre is located at 543 W. 42nd St. (between 10th & 11th Ave) in New York.

General Admission is $25. For Tickets go online at www.Theatermania.com or call 866-811-4111. For more information call New Federal Theatre at 212-353-1176 or go online at www.newfederaltheatre.org.

Nathan Purdee and New Federal Theatre's Woodie King, Jr. at THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS opening night party on October 8, 2009 in the lobby of the Castillo Theatre in New York. © Lia Chang

THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS was originally produced by Ensemble Studio Theatre, William Carden (Artistic Director) & Paul Alexander Slee (Executive Director), and GOING TO THE RIVER Elizabeth Van Dyke, co-founder& Producing Artistic Director and Jamie Richards, Executive Director.
Check out the slideshow of the THE RIVER CROSSES RIVERS opening night party on October 8, 2009 in the lobby of the Castillo Theatre.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.

Lia Chang Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

As a photographer and videographer, Lia collaborates with artists, organizations and companies in establishing their documentary photo archive and social media presence. She has been documenting her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism since making her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
A night out with Gordana Rashovich, Flora Goforth in The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
André De Shields Set for World Premiere of Charles Smith’s The Gospel According to James at Indiana Rep, 3/22-4/10
Photos:The Working Theater’s Off-Broadway production of HONEY BROWN EYES by Stefanie Zadravec at The Clurman
Lia Chang Photo Slideshows of Productions in the Working Theater’s 25th Anniversary Season
Multimedia: Photos of Ed Cardona, Jr.’s American Jornalero at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre
Multimedia: Photos of André De Shields in Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory: From Douglass to Deliverance
Photos: A.B. Cruz III and Lillian Kimura Receive 2011 AALDEF Justice in Action Awards
Andy Warhol, Romare Bearden, Alexander Calder, Lia Chang in Art & Healing Exhibit at Snug Harbor on SI
Sloan Robinson in Bananas: A Theatre Cabaret Based on the Life of Josephine Baker at The Schomburg
Elizabeth Van Dyke Stars in Love to All, Lorraine at Dwyer Cultural Center
New Federal Theatre founder and director Woodie King receives award for community service in communications arts from Howard University’s John H. Johnson School of Communications
Andre De Shields receives Living Legend Award at the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival
Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau
Dionne Warwick and Woodie King Jr. honored by AMAS Musical Theatre in New York
Celebrating Woodie King
Juicy Buns at Ollie’s
The Dish on Susur Lee and Shang
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Lia Chang: Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau

Marie Laveau playwright Derek Walcott, director Clinton Turner Davis and New Federal Theatre producer Woodie King Jr. in the Castillo Theatre after the reading of Marie Laveau on June 28, 2009. (Photo by Lia Chang)

On the last Sunday afternoon in June, Woodie King’s New Federal Theatre presented Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau, with music by Hair composer Galt MacDermot and musical arrangement by Chapman Roberts, as the final play in the Gurfein Foundation/Ntozake Shange Play Reading Series at Castillo Theatre in New York.

(front row l-r) Marie Laveau director Clinton Turner Davis with his cast Gerard Catus, Stu Richel, Martin Shakar, Teresa Lasley, DeWanda Wise, Marie Thomas, DK Dyson, John Danelle, Trezana Beverly and Lia Chang (back row l-r) Hunter Canning, Tom Brangle, Harrison Lee, Steve Greenstein, Arthur Bartow, Brandon Dirden

Walcott’s musical comedy, which has elements of French farce, tells the fascinating story of New Orleans madame and Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, who attempts to wrest control of her brothel away from its white financier, and in the process unleashes a racial and religious storm that threatens to consume the city.

Woodie King Jr. assembled a cast featuring Marie Thomas as Marie Laveau, Arthur Bartow, Trazana Beverly, Tom Brangle, Gerard Catus, Hunter Canning, John Danelle, Brandon Dirden, DK Dyson, Steve Greenstein, Teresa Lasley, Harrison Lee, Mizan Nunes, Stu Richel, Martin Shakar, DeWanda Wise and myself.

Over a tight two day rehearsal period, director Clinton Turner Davis expertly navigated us through the poetic rhythms of the script and we were lucky to have playwright Derek Walcott, who had flown in from his home in St. Lucia, in the house. Just hours before our 3pm show on Sunday, Chapman Roberts infused the text with blues, jazz, the call and response of a church congregation and African drum rhythms, adding yet another dimension to our performances.

(l-r)Marie Laveau playwright Derek Walcott, Sigrid Nama, New Federal Theatre producer Woodie King Jr., Kathy, Jim and Kody Gurfein of the Gurfein Foundation at the reception for Marie Laveau at Castillo Theatre on June 28, 2009 in New York. (Photo by Lia Chang)

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachang@hotmail.com.

Lia Chang Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

As a photographer and videographer, Lia collaborates with artists, organizations and companies in establishing their documentary photo archive and social media presence. She has been documenting her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism since making her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
A night out with Gordana Rashovich, Flora Goforth in The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
André De Shields Set for World Premiere of Charles Smith’s The Gospel According to James at Indiana Rep, 3/22-4/10
Photos: A.B. Cruz III and Lillian Kimura Receive 2011 AALDEF Justice in Action Awards
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Lia Chang: New Federal Theatre Presents Reading of Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau on June 28 in New York

Lia Chang

I’m delighted to be working again with Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre, acting in the Gurfein Foundation/Ntozake Shange Play Reading Series final play of the season, Derek Walcott’s fascinating play Marie Laveau, featuring music by Hair composer Galt MacDermot, on Sunday, June 28th at 3pm, at Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd St. (btwn 10th and 11th Aves) in New York.

In Walcott’s Marie Laveau, New Orleans madame and Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau attempts to wrest control of her brothel away from its white financier, unleashing a racial and religious storm that threatens to consume the city. With his customary feel for character and language, Derek Walcott expertly navigates the territory between two very different New Orleans—one Christian and the other animist.

Clinton Turner Davis directs a stellar cast featuring Marie Thomas as Marie Laveau, Arthur Bartow, Trazana Beverly, Tom Brangle, Gerard Catus, Hunter Canning, John Danelle, Brandon Dirden, DK Dyson, Steve Greenstein, Teresa Lasley, Harrison Lee, Mizan Nunes, Stu Richel, Martin Shakar, DeWanda Wise. Chapman Roberts is the musical arranger.

(l-r) The cast of A TUNE BEYOND US or WHAT A REVOLTIN' DEVELOPMENT THIS IS! Arik Luck, Robert Paul Abelson, Edward Pomerantz, Sandra Kazan, Michael Citriniti and Lia Chang with New Federal Theatre producer Woodie King Jr.

In February, I had a blast in a reading of Ed Pomerantz’s A Tune Beyond Us , presented by Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre, as part of the Gurfein Foundation/Ntozake Shange Play Reading Series. Shontina

(l-r) Andre De Shields, Kathy and Jim Gurfein of the Gurfein Foundation, at the reading of Edward Pomerantz's A TUNE BEYOND US or WHAT A REVOLTIN' DEVELOPMENT THIS IS! on February 15, 2009 at the Theatre at St. Clement's in New York. Photo by Lia Chang

Vernon’s A Lovely Malfunction; Levy Lee Simon’s Smell The Power; Josh Kashinsky’s Heel In The Sand, Cori Thomas’s Pa’s Hat and Liberian Liberation were among the other plays showcased. Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau is the final play in the series this season.

Playwright Derek Walcott is the recipient of the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature, and was born in Castries, Saint Lucia, the West Indies on January 23, 1930. At fourteen years of age, he published his first poem, “1944″ in The Voice of St. Lucia, which consisted of 44 lines of blank verse. Walcott attended the University of the West Indies, on a Colonial Development and Welfare scholarship,

Nobel Laureate poet Derek Walcott (Photo by Lia Chang)

and in 1951 published the volume Poems. In 1957, he was awarded a fellowship by the Rockefeller Foundation to study the American theater. Walcott founded the Trinidad Theater Workshop, and has written several plays which have been produced throughout the United States, including The Odyssey: A Stage Version (1992); The Isle is Full of Noises (1982); Remembrance and Pantomime (1980); The Joker of Seville and O Babylon! (1978); Dream on Monkey Mountain and Other Plays (1970); Three Plays: The Last Carnival; Beef, No Chicken; and A Branch of the Blue Nile (1969). His play Dream on Monkey Mountain won the Obie Award for distinguished foreign play of 1971. He founded Boston Playwrights’ Theatre at Boston University in 1981. Walcott’s honors include a MacArthur Foundation “genius” award, a Royal Society of Literature Award, and, in 1988, the Queen’s Medal for Poetry. An honorary member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, the playwright currently divides his time between his home in St. Lucia and New York City.

Woodie King Jr. (Photo by Lia Chang)

Woodie King Jr. is the Founder and Producing Director of New Federal Theatre. Woodie King Jr’s New Federal Theatre has presented over 200 productions in its 39-year history. Mr. King has produced and directed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in Regional theatres, and in universities across the United States. He co-produced For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf (first produced by NFT and Joseph Papp’s Public Theatre), What The Wine Sellers Buy, Reggae and The Taking of Miss Janie (Drama Critics Circle Award).

To reserve tickets for Marie Laveau, call 212/353-1176. For more information, please visit www.newfederaltheatre.org.
Related Articles:
Photo Call: Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe
André De Shields Stars in Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe
Impressionism Ends Broadway Run
Andre De Shields in Impressionism
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister Plays has World Premiere at McCarter Theatre
Eisa Davis’ Angela’s Mixtape New Georges and Hip Hop Theatre Festival at the Ohio
Eisa Davis Tells Story of Activist Angela Davis in Angela’s Mixtape
Dionne Warwick and Woodie King Jr. honored by AMAS Musical Theatre in New York
Zooman and The Sign Opening Night Party
Charles Fuller’s Zooman and The Sign at Signature Theatre through 4/26
Celebrating Woodie King
Classical Theatre of Harlem and Harlem Stage Presents Three Sisters
A Tune Beyond Us or What a Revoltin’ Development This is
Andre De Shields and Reg E. Cathey Star in Cato at The Flea