Here are a few pictures from a Black Theatre Workshop production yesterday night. It was my first time of visiting the theatre here on campus, and that is a shame. Back in the University at home, the theatre was a mainstay of campus life socialization, along with a few other stimulating endeavours, and there was always a production or more every week. I can’t say the same for my University here, so I immediately jumped at the wonderful chance to reconnect with the stage. And it was worth every second of it.

The theme of the event is “The Journey to Freedom” and it featured about twenty pieces with an intermission of fifteen minutes in-between. There was a poetry recitation, storytelling, drama skits, dance, choreography, oration and singing. Held at the Metcalf Theatre (named after a demised theatre patron and former budget director of the University), each piece enacted on stage told stories of the journeys of the Africans from slavery to freedom. Ones that stood out were a recitation of Daniel Beaty’s poem “Knock Knock” by student actor Curtis Lewis, and a scene from A Raisin in the Sun by three other actors.

Other pieces were “Freedom means to me” written by Cassaundra Sampson, “Celia” written by Edwidge Danticat, “Let it Be” written by The Beatles, “Old People” by Greg Fenner, “The Talking Eggs” by Robert D. San Souci, “The Lady in Orange” by Ntozake Shange, “Consideration before Annihilation” by Unknown, “Last of a Dying Breed” by Greg Fenner, “If We Faint Not” by Ricky Dillard, “Escape” by Curtis Lewis, “Exodus by Jereme Dyson”, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke. and “A Brand New Day” by Luther Vandross.

The show will run for three days, ending on Sunday night. Needless to say, the performances moved beyond words could capture, except of course that word was “Catharsis.”