Griot Theatre Stages VOICES, Now thru 4/14

Griot Theatre of the West Valley presents Les Wieder's VOICES, directed by Malik B. El-Amin, tonight, March 23 - April 14, 2013. The show is produced by Sabah El-Amin.

Voices explores what happens when Lena, whose Black Nationalist upbringing discourages her from dating a white man, finds herself involved with David - who is white. The situation becomes heated and more complex as she listens to National Archive recordings of emancipated slaves as part of research for her next writing project. Lena's family tradition and these 'voices' collide with her growing feelings for David.

The play runs tonight, March 23 - April 14, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm on the campus of Bethel Encino in Encino, California.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Les Wieder (Playwright) Professor Theatre Arts, Moorpark College (28 years), retired. PLAYWRIGHT: "Sojourner: The Story of Sojourner Truth" (Hudson Theatre); "Elijah", the opera (Libretto) Civic Arts Plaza (Thousand Oaks); "Voices" (Hollywood), "Zamo", Mayfair Theatre, "The Secrets of Harry Lay" (San Diego); DIRECTING: "Sojourner: The Story of Sojourner Truth" (Hudson Theatre); "Elijah"; "The Secrets of Harry Lay" (San Diego); "House Rules" (Hollywood); AWARDS: NAACP Drama Award for Best Ensemble Production, "Sojourner"; NAACP President's Award.

Malik B. El-Amin (Director) MFA in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University. Cincinnati Entertainment Award winner and LA Weekly Theater Award and NAACP Theatre Award nominee for A Lesson Before Dying. Regiona Creditsl: Indiana Repertory Theatre, Penumbra Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Commonwealth Shakespeare Festival, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, and Organic Theatre Company. LA Theatre: Actors Group Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre, Stella Adler Theatre. Directing credits include the short films, The Week and Socialist Poker and the play Julius Caesar and A Woman Called Truth.

Sabah El-Amin (Producer) BFA in Drama from New York University. NAACP Theatre Award Winner for Sojourner. Regional Credits: 45 Bleeker Theatre, Paul Robeson Theatre, P.S. 122, Nyuorican Poets Café, Tupukweli Theatre Company, New Perspectives Theatre Company. LA Theatre: Husdon Theatre, Donald B. Welch Production, The Lounge Theatre. Film: The Bus Stop. TV: Shameless, Southland. Theatre Producing Credits: Julius Caesar - LA, Spilling Black Ink - NY, Tisch Actor's West Monologue Slams 1 & 2 - LA, House Rules - LA, Three Women. Three Ways. - LA, Daheli Live - LA. Film Producing Credit: The Bus Stop.

CAST:

Inda Craig-Galván (Lena) LA credits: The Production Company, Rubicon Theatre Company, Celebration Theatre, Second City Hollywood. Chicago credits: Dog & Pony Theatre Company, Illinois Theatre Center (Black Theatre Alliance Nomination - Best Solo Performance), Circle Theatre (Joseph Jefferson Nomination - Best Actress), Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Chicago Theatre Company (Black Theatre Alliance Award - Best Featured Actress), Steppenwolf Theatre Company. TV: iCarly, Incredible Crew, IL-Informed (Chicago Emmy Nomination - Best Show/Ensemble).

Dave Rosenberg (David) New York Theater: The American Clock HB Playwrights Foundation, The Chekhov Cycle Two River Theater, War in Paramus HB Playwrights Foundation, & Fuddy Meers Gallery Players Film: "A Beautiful Mind", "Maid in Manhattan", "Overnight Sensation", "The Mudball War". Stand-up Comedy: Caroline's on Broadway, New York Comedy Club, Gotham Comedy Club, won "Greatest New Comedian 2011" at Broadway Comedy Club. www.daverosenberg23.com

Danielle Lewis (Val) International: Paul McCartney: Driving The World Tour, UniverSoul Circus. Off-Broadway: Harlem's Night: A Cabaret Story, & Girls of Summer. Regional: Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Louis Reichlin & Dancers, Love Is Dangerous. LA: Aida, Jesus Christ Superstar, & ViVa Las Vegas. TV: "General Hospital", "Two And A Half Men", "Drop Dead Diva", "Boulevard West", "American Dreams". Film: "Unconditional", "Lottery Ticket", "Hit Parade", & "Natural Beauty". BA Communication Studies, UCLA.

RJ Farrington (Voice 1) Feature film "The Possession of Michael King scheduled for release April 2013, and Short Film "A Way with Childish Things" as Officer Matsen. Other projects include TV Show "Will to Live". Stage: Askance, Lobster Man, and 99 Impossible Things. RJ holds a B.S. Degree in Business Administration and occasionally performs Stand-Up Comedy at the COMEDY STORE (Hollywood) and SMILES' NIGHTCLUB in Sherman Oaks. See her website at www.rjfarrington.com

Thomas Silcott (Reverend) MFA in acting from NYU Tisch School of The Arts, BFA in acting from Salem State University. BROADWAY: National Tour and International Tours of BRING IN THE NOISE/BRING IN THE FUNK. REGIONAL: Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta, The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Berkley Repertory in Berkley California. LOS ANGELES: Colony Theatre, Fountain Theatre. FILM: Gods And Generals TV: Girlfriends, Desperate Housewives, The Others.

Sharyn Michele (Voice 2) Graduate, School at Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL; REGIONAL: Congo Square @ Goodman Theatre. LOS ANGELES: Now What Performers, ACME Comedy Hollywood. FILM: RedRum, C'Mon Man.

The production runs tonight, March 23 - April 14 (dark April 5), playing Friday and Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 3pm. Open Captioning available March 30 & April 7. The theatre is equipped with a "Hearing Loop" for hard-of-hearing audience members who wear hearing aids with T-Coils & Cochlear Implants. For tickets, go to www.brownpapertickets.com or call (818) 703-7170.

Performances take place on the campus at Bethel Encino. 17500 Burbank Blvd, Encino, 91316. For more information, visit www.GriotTheatre.org and www.Facebook.com/GriotTheatre.

Griot Theatre was founded in 2011 to create a live, professional, resident theatre for the West San Fernando Valley. Griot (pronounced GREE-oh) is of French origin and is a term used throughout West Africa to describe a story teller who preserves the history and culture of a village or community. These story tellers keep an oral tradition which allows for the histories, myths and culture of a people to be passed on to each new generation. The company's mission is to create a forum for professional theatre artists from under-represented groups - including women, artists of color and artists with physical disabilities - to interpret theatre in new ways with the classics, established plays, and new plays.

In addition, Griot Theatre of the West Valley is intent on making productions accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences with the use of captioning, sign language interpretation and "hearing loop" technology. Julius Caesar was Griot Theatre's 2012 inaugural production. Griot Theatre of the West Valley is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization.

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