Sunday, December 16, 2012

BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT LANGSTON HUGHES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER




2013 BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT LANGSTON HUGHES PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

LANGSTON BIRTHDAY BASH
             
February 1st, 2013 @ 8 pm

Start Black History Month by celebrating our namesake Langston Hughes, born February 1st, 1902.   Put on your dancing shoes.  Dance to the sounds of Motown sung by our own Lady of Soul, Josephine Howell.  Dress up or down, just come.
Advance tickets $15 at Brown Paper Tickets or $20 at the door

CALL MR. ROBESON

February 8th and 9th, 2013 @ 8 pm

Nigerian writer, performer Tayo Aluko’s, one person show about Paul Robeson takes us on a roller coaster journey through Robeson's remarkable and eventful life, and highlights how his radical activism caused him to be disowned and disremembered, even by the leaders and descendants of the civil rights movement.   The play features fiery oratory and some of his most famous songs, including a dramatic rendition of Ol' Man River.
Advance tickets $20 at Brown Paper tickets $25 at the door

From Africa to the White House: a journey of Resistance, Triumph and Spirituals

February 10th 2013, @ 7PM

Nigerian writer, performer Tayo Aluko’s has created an illuminating musically illustrated talk exploring African pre-slavery history, Africans' resistance to white domination over the centuries, and their eventual triumph (symbolically at least) with the election and inauguration of Barack Obama to the Presidency of the United States.
Advance Tickets $10 at Brown Paper Tickets. $15 at door

CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE ENSEMBLE    

February 15th School matinee 10:30 am 
February 16th Performance 8:00pm
February 17th Master Workshop 11-2 pm 

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center presents world renowned Cleo Parker Robinson’ Dance ensemble’s 2012 world premiere of FUSION, choreographed by Haitian choreographer Jeanguy Saintus.  Mr. Saintus piece expresses the rich fusion of Caribbean culture and the contemporary life of his country through the body, Haitian traditional dance, classical, modern and contemporary technique.
Advance tickets $25 Brown Paper tickets.  $30.00 at the door

HARRIET RETURNS

February 28th School matinee 10:30 am
March 1st, 2nd Performance 8:00 pm

Karen Meadow’s one woman tour de force on the life of Harriet Tubman has been performed successfully throughout the United States and abroad.  The play propels you into Harriet’s life and the strength, healing, and mysticism of her spirit guides “voices,” that Harriet Tubman lived with after a horrendous beating during her life as a slave.  Harriet’s Return is an official member of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program.
Advance tickets $20 Brown Paper tickets.  $25 at the door

FOR INFORMATION:

Call Alfred Love at 206-684-4758 or e-mail to alfred.love@seattle.gov






Friday, December 7, 2012

Roles of race ... and gender within works of art

Seattle Art Museum presents:
Dr. Deborah Willis
Friday, December 14, 2012
7:00pm - 8:00pm




Dr. Deborah Willis, Chair and Professor of Photography and Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, speaks on the roles of race, representation and gender within works of art. Named among the 100 Most Important People in Photography by American Photography Magazine, Dr. Willis talks about works featured in Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris.


Members: $5.00
Adults: $10.00
Students: $8.00
Seniors: $8.00

Tickets may be purchased online, at the Ticketing Desk at any of SAM's three sites or over the phone with a credit card by calling the Box Office at (206) 654-3121

Saturday, November 17, 2012

DARK DIVAS 3rd ANNUAL HOLIDAY SOIRÉE - Saturday December 1, 2012

Nu Black Arts West Theatre has been offering free academic and performing arts classes to members of our community for the past 17 years. The academic classes were added within the past two years due to the elimination of Seattle Public Summer School programs. We have seen success with our programs because of donations and fund raisiers. Our annual Dark Divas Holiday Soiree and our performances at the Triple Door have made it possible to raise the needed funds to make these events possible. Following is the announcement, please help us continue our efforts to help strengthen our communities.

NU BLACK ARTS WEST THEATRE
PRESENTS
DARK DIVAS 3rd ANNUAL HOLIDAY SOIRÉE
Saturday December 1, 2012


Happy Holidays "Dark Divas" are celebrating early and we invite you our friends and family to our Holiday Soirée. This will be an evening of holiday magic, good music and great company. We'll dance the night away with Catherina Brown and the Styles of Steppin Performers, Special guest appearance ... 
by Josie Howell, Adrain Sims, Afua Ndiaye, Danny Walsh and a host of other great talents. 

Special guests bring a host of musical selections that will warm the heart. Songs like: This Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, White Christmas.... Please come and enjoy this evenings live performances. Let's parlay at the Hiawatha Arts Space 843 Hiawatha pl so. at 8:00p.m. Suggested donation is $20.00 at the door. 

Tickets also available at Brown Paper Tickets. Donations are for our intercity youth scholarships program. Please RSVP soon            206-329-3328      

BYOB the food will be, fantastic! Catering by Bridgette Washington Fun! Prizes! And a best dressed prize winning contest!!!!!!!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Sharon N. Williams Joins the CD Forum Family

Received Friday, November 16, 2012

Sharon N. Williams Joins the CD Forum Family

After a long search and many quality applicants, we are thrilled to announce Sharon N. Williams is joining CD Forum as the new managing director. Sharon will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the organization as well as major components of grants management, development and community engagement. She begins her new position on January 7, 2013. 

Sharon Williams
  
"Sharon brings substantial management skills from both the business and arts worlds," said board president, Mark Griffin. "When combined with her genuine passion for the arts, Sharon really embodies the values CD Forum embraces in presenting and producing dynamic performing arts and humanities programs."

Sharon is the founder of the Mahogany Project, a local theater and film production company, and holds both a Masters in Business Administration and a Masters of Fine Arts.

Join us in welcoming Sharon N. Williams to the CD Forum family and her new leadership role.

Monday, November 12, 2012

WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL





This is what we need to say:


Dear Council member ( Enter Name),

I am writing in regards to The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.
I am asking as a citizen and a voter of the City of Seattle that as you deliberate on the 2013 budget, you:

1.  Support full funding for The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) in the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs (OACA).


2.  Not support another study or support a stakeholder's group to advise on, review or oversee the operations of Langston Hughes.  The leadership at Langston Hughes is unparalleled in their qualifications to execute the mission of the LHPAC to the benefit of this TOTAL community. 


3.  The admissions tax funding is the correct funding source for LHPAC and should be continued.

Send each council member their own message.  Send to:



Council President Sally Clark             206-684-8802      
sally.clark@seattle.gov

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw             206-684-8801      
sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov

Councilmember Tim Burgess             206-684-8806      
tim.burgess@seattle.gov

Councilmember Richard Conlin             206-684-8805      
richard.conlin@seattle.gov

Councilmember Jean Godden             206-684-8807      
jean.godden@seattle.gov

Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell             206-684-8804      
bruce.harrell@seattle.gov

Councilmember Nick Licata             206-684-8803      
nick.licata@seattle.gov

Councilmember Mike O’Brien             206-684-8800      
mike.obrien@seattle.gov

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen             206-684-8808      
tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov


When I am asked why, I say the following.  I am tired of my culture and my art not being included, respected or treated as an equal as any culture's art.  Further, I am highly incensed that the comments and actions from key staff, as reported by the Seattle Times, seemed to go out of their way to imply that my art is NOT AS GOOD AS THEIR ART! 

The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (LHPAC) is more than just a physical facility. To a large number of us, it is a symbol that represents the spirituality and culture of a people that called the Central Area home for decades.

The Central Area became the center for art, commerce, education and religion for many of us who lived and still live here. The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center building is one of the last remaining structures in this community that represents the cultural aspirations of many people who were the heart and soul of Seattle itself. The building is also a symbol to those who deeply feel the need to fight for the preservation for that which is left of the physical presence of the history and art of the Central Area Community. It is hoped that the City Council also understands this and realizes the importance of this great facility and the significance the LHPAC vision and mission have to the Seattle community as a whole.