VOICE - A Father's Love Letter To His Daughters to be Released in July

The world is not the same as it was when radio host Ismaila Alfa was first commissioned to write a play for Prairie Theatre Exchange. The global pandemic and the murder of George Floyd changed the world. What has not changed is Alfa's need to explain the world to his daughters.

Running digitally "at" PTE June 24th to July 11th, VOICE is a father's attempt to explain the unexplainable.

"This play was inspired by my kids, this past year, and the reckoning around racism and police brutality. I have been alone with my thoughts and worries... A LOT," says Alfa. "VOICE is a culmination of my need to make sense of it all and teach my kids enough that they are able to live a good and safe life."

Last spring, while in Toronto for a job interview and separated from his daughters in Winnipeg, Alfa wrote his first play - a heartfelt, raw blend of powerful prose and poetry with the rhythm of hip hop.

"I'm an artist and a storyteller at heart and I love learning and growing so, the idea of pushing my limits and telling a very personal story on stage using my skill-set as a rapper, singer and journalist for a theatrical production excited me," says Alfa.

The pandemic exposed so many things that to some had been below the surface, but for others, like Alfa, had always been much too obvious. The resulting production is both emotionally honest and ultimately hopeful.

VOICE is PTE's final play of the season, but it will not meet an in-person audience in order to ensure the safety of audiences, artists and volunteers and comply with provincial public health guidelines. However, the production has been filmed to evoke the sense of being in a theatre, while taking advantage of the unique features of filmmaking.

VOICE stars Ismaila Alfa (voice-over), Melissa Langdon and Ray Strachan. The creative team features Directors Cherissa Richards and Thomas Morgan Jones, Beverly Ndukwu (PTE Directing Mentorship), set concept by Cherissa Richards and Thomas Morgan Jones, costume design by Joseph Abetria, lighting design by jaymez, original music by Ismaila Alfa, sound design by Deanna H. Choi, Stage Manager Kathryn Ball and Assistant Stage Manager Katie Schmidt.

The production was filmed by Ice River Films, led by film director Sam Vint with camera-operator/producer Sam Karney and camera-operator/producer/editor Andrew Wiens.

Tickets for the digital-only run of VOICE are on sale now. For ticket information call the PTE Box Office at 204-942-5483, or visit www.pte.mb.ca.

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