Mama Foundation for the Arts' ALIVE! Now Playing

The Mama Foundation for the Arts announces their musical production, ALIVE!, a musical celebration of a generation featuring a full company of performers who are age 55 and over; at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 W. 127 St.). ALIVE! Is playing in repertoire with the Harlem Musical Theatre Series.

Conceived and written by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, and directed by Mr. Wydro. "Real people, telling real stories!" The cast of ALIVE! is comprised of everyday, "ordinary" citizens from all walks of life; people with amazing talent, who never realized their desire to perform live. Each cast member now taking center stage, proves that it's never too late to live a dream. ALIVE! features a unique blend of gospel, jazz, R&B and pop music - songs that served as a soundtrack for this generation. Through the music, and through authentic stories and testimonies, the ALIVE! cast tell how it used to be, and how life could be going forward . . . at any age. They are ALIVE! . . . and kickin.'

The cast of ALIVE! features Num H.S. Amun'Tehu, Deborah Bingham, Donna Love Brown, Matthew Brown, Matthew Burke, Robin Campos, Robin Crudup, Gladys DeJesus Mitchell, Darlene Eklou, Phyllis Harris, Theo Harris, Gloria Jones, Susie Jones, Sharon Patrick, Roberta Ross, Ricardo Vega, Renee Walker, Pamela White, and Hugh Wright. ALIVE! has music direction by Greg Kelly and musical staging/choreography by Elijah Ahmad Lewis.

Proceeds from the production benefit The Mama Foundation for the Arts, a cultural space in Harlem with a mission to present, preserve, and promote the history and fundamentals of gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues music for current and future generations, as well as to provide quality training and employment in the performing arts to both youths and adults. A non-profit 501(C)3, the Mama Foundation for the Arts was founded in 1998 by Vy Higginsen, inspired by the worldwide success of her musical, Mama, I Want To Sing. Through the Foundation's School of Gospel, Jazz and R&B and its Gospel for Teens program, instruction in these musical art forms has been offered to young people between the ages of 13 and 19 at no cost since 2006. The Gospel for Teens program has serviced hundreds of students in the past seven years, providing desperately needed support to musically gifted children and replacing arts programs taken out of many inner city schools.

The show runs Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. - March 22; April 5, 12, and 26; May 3, 10 and 31; and June 7 and 14. And Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. - March 15; April 19; May 3 and June 14.

Tickets for ALIVE! are available by calling the Mama Foundation for the Arts at 212-280-1045 or through SmartTix.com (212-868-4444). Special rates for groups and parties are also available. For more information, visit www.mamafoundation.org.

Directions to The Dempsey Theater via Public Transit: - Subway: Number 2 or 3 express trains to 125th St or A,B,C,D trains at 125th Street and Lenox Ave; walk two blocks north, turn left on 127th St. - Bus: M2, M3, M7 Buses to 127th St.

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