Photo Flash: W.E.B. DU BOIS: A MAN FOR ALL TIMES at FringeNYC

W. E. B. DU BOIS: A Man for All Times, written and directed by Alexa Kelly (using many of Du Bois own words), featuring Brian Richardson, with costumes by Terry Leong (Conan O'Brian Show), lighting by Joyce Liao (Pan Asian Rep. Theatre for the New City, Abingdon Theatre, 59E59), sound by Louis Lopardi (Fresh Fruit Festival NYC, Boston Conservatory), and sets by Ruben Arana Downs (Faculty-SUNY, FAMU), will perform in the NY International Fringe Festival. BroadwayWorld has a look at Richardson onstage below!

An emotion packed play about the life and times of Civil Rights Activist --William Edward Berghardt Du Bois, (1868-1963). With this riveting drama we are transported into Du Bois' private and political world. An inspirational journey through almost one hundred years in this great man's life. An experience both humorous, touching and enlightening. William Edward Berghardt Du Bois, a black American born three years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, just after the Civil War, broke all boundaries: he was the first black student to graduate from Harvard, the first black Sociologist, he studied in Europe, ran for senator, co-founded the NAACP, participated in the founding of the United Nations, fought tirelessly for Civil Rights for all people, and anti-lynching laws. He lived to see segregation declared unconstitutional. He died in Africa -- on the eve of DR. Martin Luther King's March on Washington. Dr. Du Bois believed in women's rights, and the right for all people to have work, free education and medical coverage. Indeed if it were not for McCarthy having accused Du Bois of being a Communist, in the McCarthy witch hunts, the name of Dr. Du Bois would be as famous in America as that of DR. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said of his mentor "History cannot ignore W.E.B. DU BOIS". Du Bois life was an epic saga of love and loss which gives a moving dimension to the story of this outsized, impressive public man.

This show has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe--21 shows. The Victoria and Albert Museum, London--20 shows. Toured Holland and performed for Queen Beatrix; The Du Bois Library, Amherst, U- Mass. Mahaiwe Theatre, Great Barrington MA, and at Colleges and Libraries across the country.

The critically acclaimed actor, Brian Richardson plays Dr. Du Bois and the many other characters in the show.

Venue #12: Underground (64 E 4th Street, NYC 10003). Opened Saturday, August 13th @ 9 pm. Final shows: Monday 22nd @ 4:45 pm, Wednesday 24th @ 9:30 pm. NO LATE SEATING. For tickets and more information, visit pulseensembletheatre.org/w-e-b-du-bois.

Photo Credit: Linda Grove