PlayCo and The Africa Center To Present A Reading And Discussion Of Workshop 71's SURVIVAL

PlayCo and The Africa Center, in association with National Black Theatre, join forces with South African theatre artists Keenan Tyler Oliphant and Joanna Ruth Evans for a reading and intergenerational discussion of the politically searing and comically irreverent 1976 play by Workshop 71, Survival.

The event rekindles conversation around this pivotal protest work, celebrates the 30th anniversary of the end of Apartheid in South Africa, and honors the remarkable lives and artistic contributions of two of the devised play's creators, Fana Kekana and Seth Sibanda, who are participating in both the reading and conversation.

This timely revisitation of Survival takes place July 29, 6:30-9:30pm, at The Africa Center (1280 5th Avenue).

Directed in this reading by Oliphant (reteaming with PlayCo following his direction of Ebru Nihan Celkan's Will You Come With Me?) and Evans, Survival captures the carceral nature of life in Apartheid South Africa and taps into the collective spirit of survival shared among the oppressed. The meta-theatrical prison play was devised by Workshop 71, the first interracial theatre company in South Africa, and was created in a highly physical, experimental style under conditions of radical uncertainty and repression. It launched shortly before, and toured amid,  the 1976 Soweto student uprising, which spread throughout the country and was met with violent police repression, triggering international outrage.

The play's success in South Africa led to severe backlash and Soweto performances were ultimately shut down by the army. During an explosive California tour in 1977 the actors experienced government surveillance and the play was banned in South Africa. They ultimately remained in the US in exile. It was revived by New Federal Theatre in 1990 at Riverside Church in Harlem, with one of its performances—a week into its run—occuring the night of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.

Performers in this reading, bringing this vital play to a new generation of theater-goers, include Fana Kekana (Broadway: Asinamali!, Riverdance) and Seth Sibanda (Broadway: The Song of Jacob Zulu; West End: Poppie Nongena), as well as David Glover (Off-Broadway: The Wanderer, In the Penal Colony), Namisa Mdlalose (The Full Monty, The Color Purple), and jazz vocalist Vuyo Sotashe.

The post-show conversation convenes a cross-section of the artists, South African community leaders, and the audience to explore the interconnections between South Africa and the U.S., the radical 1970s, and the troubled present. Facilitated by Jonathan McCrory, National Black Theatre's Executive Artistic Director, the discussion will see participants engaging in After Words, a rapid-fire conversation uplifting subjects and themes in the piece that speak to our society today. After Words will build into a larger group conversation grounded by a panel discussion.

The schedule of the evening is as follows:

6:30PM: Check-in and hospitality with viewing of TAC exhibit Except this time nothing returns from the ashes & archival footage and photos of SURVIVAL.

7:00PM: Reading of SURVIVAL

8:30PM: Conversation facilitated by NBT's Executive Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory.

Admission is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and RSVPs are encouraged at playco.org. Unclaimed RSVPs will be released to the waiting list at 6:40PM on the day of the event.

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