Victoria Theatre Presents African American Arts Festival

Victoria Theatre Association is proud to present the KeyBank African-American Arts Festival, showcasing the depth and breadth of arts experiences emanating from the African-American community.
 
Thanks to the generous support of KeyBank, this is the fourth year Victoria Theatre Association has hosted this inspirational festival, and the lineup keeps getting better! The year-long festival consists of everything from a journey through the Underground Railroad, to an opportunity to sit down with a basketball legend, to the spectacular phenomenon that is Disney's The Lion King
 
Gershwin's® PORGY & BESS^TM - a production of Dayton Opera
October 23, 29 & 31, 2010 
Dayton Opera opens its 50th Anniversary Season with George Gershwin's Great American Opera! With beloved music like "Summertime," "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin," "It Ain't Necessarily So" and "Bess You Is My Woman Now," the residents of Catfish Row in 1920's Charleston, SC, will vividly come to life on the stage of the Schuster Center. This production will bring together a broad-based community-wide collaboration including DCDC, Central State and Wilberforce Universities and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor Neal Gittleman. Visit www.daytonopera.org for more information.
DRUMLine LIVE - November 10, 2010 at 8pm
 
Inspired by the hit 2002 movie Drumline, DRUMLine Live is one show that can out stomp STOMP and out blast Blast! Based on the Historically Black College and University marching band tradition, this show features riveting rhythms, bold beats and ear-grabbing energy. The show is composed of 40 college-age performers, selected from numerous highly distinguished band programs. DRUMLine Live features original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of hit songs ranging from Duke Ellington to Kanye West to Andre 3000.
 
3 MO' DIVAS - January 16, 2011 at 7:30pm
 
Marion J. Caffey's 3 Mo' Divas is an exciting musical journey celebrating the amazing versatility of the female voice! The theatrically staged concert is a magnificently entertaining evening performed by some of the most phenomenal talent the world has to offer. It follows the great success of Broadway writer/director Marion J. Caffey's international hit Three Mo' Tenors. An excellent and spectacular concert for the entire family, 3 Mo' Divas is guaranteed to have audiences standing and cheering for Mo'!
 
 
VISUAL VOICES: Dayton Skyscrapers 2011- February 1 - 28, 2011
 
These skyscrapers are not buildings; rather, they are women and men that stand tall as role models in the Dayton African-American community. This skyscraper theme has been so popular in the past, we have brought it back for the 2011, celebrating a new list of local skyscrapers through art. Curated by Willis "Bing" Davis, Visual Voices is presented in partnership with EbonNia Gallery and will feature the work of over a dozen local African-American artists.
 
KAREEM ABDUL JABAR -  March 14, 2011 - 4:00pm film screening, 7:30pm lecture
(a part of the University of Dayton Diversity Series)
 
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is considered by many fans and sportswriters to be the greatest basketball player of all time. The 7-foot-2 Hall of Fame center dominated the NBA for 20 years, first with the Milwaukee Bucks then with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2008 he was chosen "The Greatest Player in College Basketball History" by ESPN. Kareem also authored six bestselling history books intended to popularize the contributions of African-Americans to American culture and history: Black Profiles in Courage: A Legacy of African-American Achievement; Brothers in Arms: The Epic Story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes; A Season on the Reservation; and the current New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller, On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance. There will also be a special screening of Mr. Abul-Jabar's feature-length documentary film, On the Shoulders of Giants: The Story of the Greatest Basketball Team You Never Heard Of, scheduled for the public premiere in September 2011. Tickets go on sale January 20, 2011.
 
CHEAPER TO KEEP HER - March 1, 2011 at 8pm
 
When a married couple is ready to call it quits, they always want different things. Raymond Mays (Brian McKnight) wants a divorce and Morgan Mays (Vivica A. Fox) wants alimony. When the fed-up judge bangs her gavel, she decides Morgan doesn't deserve half... she deserves it all. Morgan gets everything-the house, Raymond's retirement, and some would say even his self-esteem, leaving him with nothing but the thought "it would have been cheaper to keep her." Raymond has two options to prevent him from paying alimony: kill Morgan or get her married off to someone else. As ex-husband and ex-love face off with each other, broken hearts will get revenge and hearts and marital matrimony will collide only to discover if it's easier to love her as his wife
 
FREEDOM TRAIN -April 4, 2011
(a part of the Physicians for Kids Discovery Series)
 
Explore the rich history and the life-saving stories of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman, the intrepid conductor of the Underground Railroad, comes to life in an extraordinary production with traditional music of the period. Come journey with runaway slaves as they forge the treacherous path to freedom. This is one of our biggest hits and Physicians for Kids Discovery Series' long-standing tradition.
 
 
DISNEY'S THE LION KING -June 14 - July 10, 2011
(a part of the Miami Valley & Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series)
Experience the phenomenon of Disney's The Lion King.  Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images for this show you'll remember forever.  Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pride Lands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice's Oscar®-winning song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life."  Let your imagination run wild at the Tony Award®-winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls "a landmark event in entertainment." For more information, go to www.victoriatheatre.com.
 
Ticket prices for the KeyBank African-American Arts Festival vary depending on the production and are subject to availability.  All programming is subject to change
 
For more information and ticket prices, visit http://www.victoriatheatre.com/KeyBank-African-American-Arts