The world premiere of Carolyn German's Signs of a New Day: The Z. Alexander Looby Story, running January 22 through February 6, kicks off the 2010 season for Amun Ra Theatre. After an exciting 2009 season, ART announced its upcoming season under the banner "The Future Is Now" during a festive luncheon held at the ART Playhouse in North Nashville.
"The 2010 The Future Is Now Season will feature a sampling of both world and local premieres, as well as enough stock theatrical classics to satisfy theater-going audiences' desire for diversity and depth, with productions that range from the historic to the absurdist, tragic and comic," said Kea Everett, public relations director for the company.
"2009's theme, Step Into The Future, was very much about establishing a brand reputation for us," explained ART's artistic director Jeff Obafemi carr. "We're confident now that when you come to an ART production, you have a unique experience from the front to the back door. We've taken into account the thousands of people who have seen our productions over the course of '09 and things they've responded to well - both artistic and aesthetic - and crafted a schedule of offerings we believe will continue to influence Nashville's cultural landscape in a profound way. We want the city to see that much of the future of great theater is happening right now, in North Nashville."
The season opens with Signs of a New Day: The Z. Alexander Looby Story, January 22-February 6. Written and directed by award-winning playwright, Carolyn German, the play is based on the life and accomplishments of acclaimed civil rights attorney Zephaniah Alexander Looby.
The new season continues with The Bluest Eye, premiering February 25- March 14. Written by Toni Morrison and adapted by Lydia Diamond. Morrison's first novel, The Bluest Eye takes the events in the life of Claudia MacTreer in fall of 1940. The story is told in 1941, the year the marigolds didn't bloom. Claudia believes the marigolds didn't bloom because of the life and tragic events of her best friend, Pecola Breedlove. All Pecola ever wanted was blue eyes. This play explores the themes of beauty, perception and self-worth.
The season continues with highly anticipated Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog, April, 2010. Written by Suzan-Lori Parks and starring Jeff Obafemi carr and NFL star-turned-actor Eddie George, the play is a darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity. The play tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers whose names were given to them as a joke, foretelling a lifetime of sibling rivalry and resentment. Haunted by the past of abandonment and struggles, the brothers are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future.
Following Topdog/Underdog is Waiting for Godot, April 22- May 9, written by Samuel Beckett. This play challenges the human emotion of patience. Vladimir and Estragon meet near a tree and soon discover they are both waiting on the same person, Godot. Visitors come and go, but still no Godot. This classic piece of drama, the first of the Absurdist tradition, raises questions of the essential meaning of life and human purpose.
Next on the slate comes the American theatre classic, The Colored Museum, by George C. Wolfe, June 17 - July 4. This stinging, poignant and funny look into different aspects of the African-American experience has thrilled audiences for decades, prompting its production several years ago as a well-received PBS Special. The black box theater will come to life with such "Exhibits" as "Miss Roj," "Cookin' With Aunt Ethel," and the legendary "Permutations."
A highly-anticipated World Premiere brings in the fall with carr's original play, Route 66: Finding Nat King Cole, October 1- 31. This one man show, which has been in the works for more than four years, details the life and struggles of Nat King Cole. Following the success of his first one man show, How Blak Kin Eye Bee, carr is poised to explore the unknown territory of the life of this entertainment icon, who was crowned a "King" at 17 years old, and went on to become as much a star as he was a personal enigma.
The season concludes with Amun Ra Theatre's annual holiday tradition, Black Nativity, a rousing re-telling of the birth of Christ through gospel music. ART is currently in negotiations for broadcasting an original production to a national audience.
