White's History of Minstrelsy, The Dance, Wins NAACP Award

Playwright Jason Christophe White is the 2007 winner of the Best Playwright Award (Local) by the NAACP for The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy. The Dance was also nominated for 2 other NAACP Theater Awards, Best Ensemble and Best Director.

He was awarded in a ceremony that took place last night - February 19, 2007 in Los Angeles.

"InThaCut Inc. is presenting the NY Premiere of the satire The Dance: The History Of American Minstrelsy, which opens this Thursday, February 22, and runs through March 3. The Dance is a two-man show written by Jason Christophe White, and co-directed and performed by Jason Christophe White and Aaron White. The Dance enlightens audiences about the fascinating history of American minstrelsy from the perspective of two African-American performers in blackface makeup who challenge the audience to reflect on the deep entrenchment of racial stereotypes in our culture. It's a minstrel show that takes you through the history of minstrelsy using past and present day images and a text developed from six years of research, as well as an arsenal of props taken from two suitcases. Blackface was an important performance tradition in American theater for over 100 years. White performers used burnt cork and later greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their lips. Stereotypes embodied in the stock characters of blackface minstrelsy played a significant role in proliferating racist images and attitudes," state press notes.

Performances take place at the Richmond Shepard Theatre – 309 East 26th Street between 2nd & 1st Avenues in NYC in a Limited Engagement from February 22, 2007 – March 3, 2007. Performances run every day at 7pm except Sun. 2/25 at 3pm. A Q&A will follow each performance. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for teens (12-17) and can be purchased by calling 212-868-4444 or visiting www.smarttix.com. For more information on the show visit www.SeeTheDance.com. Running time is 1 hour. 

Photo by Tatiana Elkhouri - Aaron White and Jason Christophe White