Harlem Stage Spring 2022 Season Brochure

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SPRING 2022 SEASON

Diverse Artists. Transformative Art.

FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR & CEO Photo Credit: Marc Millman Cover Photo Credit: Therese Öhrvall

It is hard to accept the adage that out of crises comes opportunity—opportunity to engender change, not to go back—certainly NOT to “normal” but to find the way forward. Finding that way requires belief and adaptability. At Harlem Stage we have been blessed with good health and the determination to proceed.

That determination requires support—generous help from our friends and strangers. This is neither manifest destiny nor a solo enterprise. Ours is a group enterprise built on shared belief— and what a group we have, from our remarkable staff, to our increasingly engaged and active board, to the visionary risk taking artists with whom we work, to our strong and growing community and the funders who have enabled us to move from surviving to thriving. And what a blessing to have formalized a 30-year artistic relationship with Carl Hancock Rux who is joining as our Associate Artistic Director. We are forever grateful.

We are also grateful to reconnect to organizations from which we have been separated for too long. I am thinking of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI), who many years ago introduced us to the incredible Pedrito Martinez and his music connecting us to the spiritual and the secular, sending us dancing with the Gods. We are together again for two nights in February. In March Maimouna Youssef, aka Mumu Fresh, will return to heal and challenge expectations as part of our long-standing collaboration with Carnegie Hall and as part of the free education programs with our Harlem schools. After the COVID pause we will be able to check out, live, a new group of E-Movers. In May we will go south with Gerald Clayton and his exceptional excavation of the “Piedmont Blues.” In June we will continue to explore the ever changing landscape of the global diaspora with Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité and the WaterWorks commissioned biographical hip hop exploration of his Afro Swedish identity.

Review the brochure and you will find a rich and diverse group of artists of color that we have commissioned and are presenting, so please join us in a journey of discovery—both live and on screen. If you don’t know the artists that we are presenting join us because you will be transported and transformed. We sold out last season almost as soon as it was announced so don’t wait!

With fond appreciation,

Pat Cruz Artistic Director & CEO

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CARL HANCOCK RUX

Associate Artistic Director/ Curator-in-Residence

“As a Harlem native, it is truly an honor to be named Associate Artistic Director of Harlem Stage, one of the very first institutions to present my work as early as 1990. With the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, this is a full-circle opportunity to bring my curatorial vision to the Harlem Stage Gatehouse, under the tutelage of an esteemed arts administrator such as Pat Cruz, whom I count as a dear friend, colleague, and mentor.”

Carl Hancock Rux

“

His work is vitally important for the preservation of our dramatic culture; the culture of Harlem, of African Americans who have contributed so much to the art and culture of a people whose struggle for equality in all phases of American history, remains strong.”

Madubuko A. Diakité, Human rights lawyer, Documentary filmmaker & Father of WaterWorks artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité

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ABOUT US

Harlem Stage is the performing arts center that bridges Harlem’s cultural legacy to contemporary artists of color and dares to provide the artistic freedom that gives birth to new ideas.

For nearly 40 years Harlem Stage has stood proudly at the intersection of art and social justice with a singular mission to perpetuate and celebrate the unique and diverse artistic legacy of Harlem and the indelible impression it has made on American culture. We provide opportunity, commissioning, and support for artists of color, make performances easily accessible to all audiences, and introduce children to the rich diversity, excitement, and inspiration of the performing arts.

We fulfill our mission through commissioning, incubating, and presenting innovative and vital work that responds to the historical and contemporary conditions that shape our lives and the communities we serve.

With a long-standing tradition of supporting artists and organizations around the corner and across the globe, Harlem Stage boasts such legendary artists as Harry Belafonte, Max Roach, Sekou Sundiata, Abbey Lincoln,

Sonia Sanchez, Eddie Palmieri, Maya Angelou, and Tito Puente, as well as contemporary artists like Maimouna Youssef aka Mumu Fresh, Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, Tamar-kali, Vijay Iyer, Mike Ladd, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jason Moran, José James, Craig Harris, Nona Hendryx, Bill T. Jones, and more. Our education programs serve over 2,300 New York City school children each year.

The New York Times has hailed Harlem Stage as “an invaluable incubator of talent” and we have been recognized as an organization still unafraid to take risks. Our investment in this visionary talent is often rewarded in the early stages of many artists’ careers and we proudly celebrate their increasing success.

Five members of our artist family have joined the ranks of MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship awardees: Kyle Abraham (2013), Vijay Iyer (2013), Jason Moran (2010), Bill T. Jones (1994), and Cecil Taylor (1991).

Harlem Stage is a winner of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ William Dawson Award for Programming Excellence and Sustained Achievement in Programming.

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CALENDAR JANUARY 22–31

CRAIG HARRIS’ NOCTURNAL NUBIAN BALL FOR CONSCIENTIOUS BALLERS AND CULTURAL SHOT CALLERS DIGITAL STREAM

JANUARY 29

UPTOWN NIGHTS: IMMANUEL WILKINS, THE 7TH HAND ALBUM RELEASE SHOW

FEBRUARY 5–14

UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL: NATU CAMARA DIGITAL STREAM

FEBRUARY 11–12

UPTOWN NIGHTS: PEDRITO MARTINEZ RUMBA CON FUNDAMENTO

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FEBRUARY 19–28

CARNEGIE HALL AFROFUTURISM FESTIVAL ENCORE SCREENING CRAIG HARRIS’ NOCTURNAL NUBIAN BALL FOR CONSCIENTIOUS BALLERS AND CULTURAL SHOT CALLERS DIGITAL STREAM

MARCH 12

UPTOWN NIGHTS: CARLA COOK QUARTET

MARCH 19

CARNEGIE HALL CITYWIDE CONCERT MUMU FRESH

MARCH 23

REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES/ EN EL TIEMPO DE LAS MARIPOSAS

MARCH 26–APRIL 4 UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL: MATTHEW WHITAKER DIGITAL STREAM

APRIL 15–16, 21–23 E-MOVES

APRIL 30

UPTOWN NIGHTS: QUEEN ESTHER

MAY 7–16

UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL: VUYO SOTASHE & CHRIS PATTISHALL DIGITAL STREAM

MAY 19–20

GERALD CLAYTON & THE ASSEMBLY FT. RENÉ MARIE PIEDMONT BLUES: A SEARCH FOR SALVATION

JUNE 6–11

JASON ‘TIMBUKTU’ DIAKITÉ’S A DROP OF MIDNIGHT

JUNE 18–27

MUSIC FROM THE SOLE PARTIDO DIGITAL STREAM

*Note: All in-person presentations subject to change as COVID-19 conditions evolve.

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SAT, JAN 22, 7:30PM—MON, JAN 31, 5PM | FREE

CRAIG HARRIS’ NOCTURNAL NUBIAN BALL FOR CONSCIENTIOUS BALLERS AND CULTURAL SHOT CALLERS DIGITAL STREAM In August 2021, Harlem Stage, in partnership with Bryant Park, Jazzmobile, and NYC Parks, presented two free outdoor concerts at Bryant Park and Marcus Garvey Park featuring trombonist and composer Craig Harris, his band Nation of Imagination, and the legendary Marshall Allen. Allen, who is 97 years old and an original member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, dazzled audiences uptown and downtown with his unique style. The concerts not only culminated Harlem Stage’s WaterWorkscommissioned Afrofuturism series that spanned multiple years and venues throughout the city in celebration of Sun Ra’s legacy, but heralded Harlem Stage’s much anticipated return to live performances.

Harlem Stage is pleased to offer two windows to watch the full Nubian Ball performance from Bryant Park online—from January 22-31 and an 7

encore online presentation from February 19-28, the latter a part of Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival.

Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball (for Conscientious Ballers & Cultural Shot Callers) feat. Marshall Allen & Nation of Imagination was commissioned by Harlem Stage through its WaterWorks program and supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Ford Foundation, and The Leonard & Robert Weintraub Family Fund. The digital presentation of Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball is supported in part by Bank of America and WarnerMedia.

GET TICKETS

SAT, FEB 19, 7:30PM—MON, FEB 28, 5PM | FREE CARNEGIE HALL AFROFUTURISM FESTIVAL

CRAIG HARRIS’ NOCTURNAL NUBIAN BALL FOR CONSCIENTIOUS BALLERS AND CULTURAL SHOT CALLERS ENCORE DIGITAL STREAM Harlem Stage is thrilled to partner with Carnegie Hall for their citywide Afrofuturism festival, FebruaryMarch 2022. We will present an encore digital presentation of Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball for Conscientious Ballers and Cultural Shot Callers, the culmination of our own WaterWorks-commissioned multi-year, citywide celebration of Afrofuturism and one of its pioneers, Sun Ra.

Support for Afrofuturism is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation and Bank of America. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Support for the visual arts components of the Afrofuturism festival has been provided by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation.

This video will stream from Saturday, February 19 at 7:30PM EST until Monday, February 28 at 5PM EST. Note: You will not be able to purchase this title after 12PM EST on February 28.

GET TICKETS

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Photo Credit: Marc Millman

UPTOWN NIGHTS SPRING 2022

CARLA COOK IMMANUEL WILKINS

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Join us for more Uptown Nights!

Our monthly music series continues and features saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins, world-renowned Cuban percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martinez

(co-presented with the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute), singer, songwriter, and actor Queen Esther, and GRAMMY nominated songstress Carla Cook.

QUEEN ESTHER

PEDRITO MARTINEZ

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SAT, JAN 29 | 7:30PM | $35/25 HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

UPTOWN NIGHTS

IMMANUEL WILKINS THE 7TH HAND ALBUM RELEASE SHOW

Philadelphia area-born alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Immanuel Wilkins is on a mission—to create music that has a profound spiritual and emotional impact. From a young age, he was immersed in the music of his church and took up training opportunities at the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts and Jazz House Kids, ultimately studying at The Juilliard School. Wilkins has performed with artists including Jason Moran, Gerald Clayton, Lalah Hathaway, Solange Knowles, Bob Dylan, and Wynton Marsalis. Wilkins formed his quartet, The Immanuel 11

Photo Credit: Rog Walker

Wilkins Quartet, with longtime musical peers: pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Daryl Johns, and drummer Kweku Sumbry. His debut recording, Omega, released on Blue Note, presented a “poignant audio portrait of the Black experience in America at a pivotal moment in time” (NPR). Join us at Harlem Stage for an evening of soulful connections celebrating the release of his second Blue Note release, The 7th Hand.

GET TICKETS

SAT, FEB 5, 7:30PM—MON, FEB 14, 5PM | $10 UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL

NATU CAMARA DIGITAL STREAM In October 2021 Harlem Stage presented artist and activist Natu Camara as part of our Uptown Nights series. Camara electrified the audience with her powerful mix of West African soul, rock, and pop.

Now you can experience the energy and power of an artist described as a mix of Nina Simone, Tracy Chapman, Miriam Makeba, and Tina Turner!

This video will stream from Saturday, February 5 at 7:30PM EST until Monday, February 14 at 5PM EST. Note: You will not be able to purchase this title after 12PM EST on February 14.

GET TICKETS 12

Photo Credit: Marc Millman

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Photo Credit: Danny Clinch

FRI, FEB 11–SAT FEB 12 | 7:30PM | $35/25 HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

HARLEM STAGE & THE CARIBBEAN CULTURAL CENTER AFRICAN DIASPORA INSTITUTE (CCCADI) PRESENT

UPTOWN NIGHTS

PEDRITO MARTINEZ RUMBA CON FUNDAMENTO In this special uptown collaboration, Harlem Stage and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) unite to present worldrenowned Cuban percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martinez, in a special program that celebrates Martinez’s musical path from Afro-Cuban rumba to high-energy timba.

With roots planted in the rumba tradition, Martinez grew up in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Havana, where he would sit for hours, intently watching the aging “rumberos” in the park across from his house, while they played this African-derived, folkloric tradition combining percussion, song, and dance. Since then, Martinez has

evolved into a distinctive and inventive musician whose “intention [is] to mine Afro-Cuban folkloric roots in the service of innovative musical ends” (The Wall Street Journal). The ensemble features musicians from throughout Latin America, with Martinez on percussion and lead vocals, Issac Delgado, Jr. on keyboard, Sebastian Natal on bass, Manuel Marquez on percussion, and Xito Lovell on trombone. Join us at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse to experience Martinez’s new work, Rumba Con Fundamento.

GET TICKETS

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SAT, MAR 12 | 7:30PM | $35/25 HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

UPTOWN NIGHTS

CARLA COOK QUARTET Detroit-born, New York-based vocalist Carla Cook is known to sing in a hefty, bluesy timbre, reaching crystal clear high notes—she does it all with an acute sense of rhythm and timing. The New Yorker calls Cook a “vivacious genre-fluid singer who can take on an Ellingtonpenned jewel as easily as she can ‘Scarborough Fair’ or ‘Watermelon Man.’” Her GRAMMY-nominated debut album, It’s All About Love, and widespread critical acclaim for her two subsequent recordings, Dem Bones and Simply Natural, solidified her reputation as a singer-songwriter.

Cook has worked with artists

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including Jimmy Heath, Fred Wesley, Steve Wilson, and Regina Carter, and most recently appeared in Craig Harris’ Harlem Stagecommissioned Nocturnal Nubian Ball.

Join us at the Gatehouse for a night of soulful reconnection featuring Cook and her Quartet, who will perform a mixed bag of straightahead jazz, original works, and feel-good music.

GET TICKETS

Photo Credit: Andrew Lepley

SAT, MAR 19 | 7:30PM | FREE CARNEGIE HALL CITYWIDE CONCERT

MUMU FRESH In a special collaboration, Harlem Stage and Carnegie Hall co-present Maimouna Youssef a.k.a. Mumu Fresh as part of Carnegie Hall Citywide. Back at the Gatehouse by popular demand, and following a weeklong educational residency with Harlem Stage’s partner schools, Youssef performs with her band, pulling from her rich body of work and latest album, Queen of Culture. Youssef’s lyrical prowess—coupled with her commitment to activism and social justice—has taken her around the globe as a musician, thought leader, and educator. “Mumu Fresh is an artist that any fan of gospel, jazz, soul, and hip-hop needs to know” (NPR). Come ready for an evening of transformation and celebration!

Presented in collaboration with Carnegie Hall.

Lead support for Carnegie Hall Citywide is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation.

Mumu Fresh’s educational residency, Sacred Sonic Power, is supported in part by grants from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc. and the Davis/ Dauray Family Fund.

GET TICKETS

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Photo Credit: Robert Adam Mayer

WED, MAR 23 | 7:30PM | FREE HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL

IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES/ EN EL TIEMPO DE LAS MARIPOSAS Repertorio Español was founded in 1968 by Artistic Director René Buch and Producer Gilberto Zaldívar.

Becoming one of the most successful Off-Broadway theaters, the Company was created with the mission of producing Spanish-language theater from Latin America and Spain, and plays written by Latinx artists. In this special collaboration, Harlem Stage and Repertorio Español co-present In the Time of the Butterflies/ En El Tiempo de las Mariposas, a fictionalized account of the story of the courageous Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic, based on Julia Álvarez’s popular novel.

The sisters inspired resistance cells throughout the country against the dictatorial regime of General Rafael Leónidas Trujillo—the regime brutally murdered the “butterflies,” their secret code name, in 1960.

Playwright Caridad Svich and director José Zayas deliver a

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warm and dramatic production in which the martyred butterflies come to life, all in the intimate setting of the Harlem Stage Gatehouse.

RUN TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes.

No intermission.

Performed in Spanish with English supertitles.

This program is supported, in part by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the New York City Council, The Office of New York City Council Member Mark Levine, and the Cultural Immigrant Initiative.

GET TICKETS

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Photo Credit: Michael Palma Mir

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Photo Credit: Paula Lobo

SAT, MAR 26, 7:30PM—MON, APR 4, 5PM | $10 UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL

MATTHEW WHITAKER DIGITAL STREAM In the fall of 2021 jazz phenom This video will stream from Saturday, Matthew Whitaker returned to March 26 at 7:30PM EDT until Harlem Stage to launch his Monday, April 4 at 5PM EDT. album, Connections. He was Note: You will not be able to honored with the Harlem Stage purchase this title after 12PM EDT Emerging Artist Award in 2018 and on April 4. his homecoming concert is one for the record books! It includes a special short film presentation GET TICKETS and features a variety of talented musicians that join Whitaker on stage.

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HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

E-MOVES For over 20 years, Harlem Stage’s signature dance series, E-Moves, has brought together phenomenal choreographers, artists, musicians, and dancers of color to showcase their rhythmic visions and pull audiences into a grand celebration of movement and message. This year’s program sheds light on new and original works of thoughtful artistic expression. Join us for an evening showcasing emerging, evolving, and established choreographers, including Dormeshia, Leslie Cuyjet, Sydnie L. Mosley, Vinson Fraley, and Du’Bois A’Keen.

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E-Moves is supported by the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation and the Harkness Foundation for Dance.

Support for the creation and development of Sydnie L. Mosley’s ‘PURPLE: A Ritual In Nine Spells’ has been provided by Harlem Stage through its WaterWorks Emerging Artists program and is supported by the Jerome Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Mertz-Gilmore Foundation and their Late Stage Stipend grant.

Harlem Stage is grateful to Chelsea Factory for generously providing development and rehearsal space for E-Moves.

FRI, APR 15–SAT, APR 16 | 7:30PM | $35/25 FEATURING Dormeshia, Leslie Cuyjet, Sydnie L. Mosley & Du’Bois A’Keen

GET TICKETS

THU, APR 21–SAT, APR 23 | 7:30PM | $35/25 FEATURING Dormeshia, Leslie Cuyjet, Sydnie L. Mosley & Vinson Fraley

GET TICKETS 22

Photo Credit: Shocphoto

SAT, APR 30 | 7:30PM | $35/25 HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

UPTOWN NIGHTS

QUEEN ESTHER

Raised in Atlanta and based in Harlem, Queen Esther’s work is rooted in Charleston, South Carolina’s culturally rich and enigmatic Lowcountry, a region with African traditions and Black folkways that span centuries. Her talents as a vocalist, lyricist, songwriter, actor, and solo performer are all on display on her new album, Gild The Black Lily.

Queen Esther’s presence and performances exude the Blackness that raised her, moving steadily from The Old West and the foundations of the Black church to heartbreak, with soulful declarations and country-rock reworked into Black country soul 23

Photo Credit: Steven Rosen

and back again. Join us at Harlem Stage, where Queen Esther will reveal and illuminate the many facets of the Black sonic experience, presenting new music delving into Black Americana, original songs of protest cultivated through the pandemic, and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” re-imagined by way of the iconic vocal guitar duo, Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass.

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SAT, MAY 7, 7:30PM—MON, MAY 16, 5PM | $10 UPTOWN NIGHTS DIGITAL

VUYO SOTASHE & CHRIS PATTISHALL DIGITAL STREAM In November 2021 Harlem Stage presented two exceptional jazz artists as part of our Uptown Nights series. South African vocalist Vuyo Sotashe and GRAMMY-nominated pianist Chris Pattishall came together at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse in a special duo presentation. Enjoy this riveting display of artistry and music with songs that range from the Great American Songbook to African Xhosa hymns and more.

This video will stream from Saturday, May 7 at 7:30PM EDT until Monday, May 16 at 5PM EDT. Note: You will not be able to purchase this title after 12PM EDT on May 16.

GET TICKETS

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Photo Credit: Wil Pierce (Vuyo Sotashe), Ebru Yildiz (Chris Pattishall)

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Photo Credit: Timothy Duffy

THU, MAY 19–FRI, MAY 20 | 7:30PM | $35/$25 HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

GERALD CLAYTON & THE ASSEMBLY FEATURING RENÉ MARIE PIEDMONT BLUES: A SEARCH FOR SALVATION Harlem Stage is proud to present six-time GRAMMY-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton and his multidisciplinary project, Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation. A live concert presentation directed by Christopher McElroen, Classical Theatre of Harlem co-founder and director of Sekou Sundiata’s Harlem Stage co-commissioned 51st (dream) State, Piedmont Blues explores the essence and impact of the Piedmont blues musical style, defined by ragtime rhythms, fingerpicking guitar, and understated vocals twinned with searing lyrics, made famous by artists including Blind Boy Fuller, Reverend Gary Davis, Elizabeth Cotten, and Etta Baker. This music served as a salve for the suffering that African Americans endured throughout the Southeast during Jim Crow.

Piedmont Blues features Clayton’s ninepiece jazz ensemble, The Assembly, featuring GRAMMY-nominated vocalist René Marie and tap dancer Maurice Chestnut.

Entwined throughout the live concert is an assemblage of projected film, new and archival photography, and folklore underscoring the verdant cultural landscape of the Piedmont region. The performance features footage of recently departed Piedmont blues elders with whom Clayton spent time as he created the project, including John Dee Holeman, Algia Mae Hinton, and Boo Hanks.

Performing as a bandleader for the first time at Harlem Stage, Clayton and his urgent artistic statement are not to be missed.

Duke Performances / Duke University is the lead commissioner of Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation; co-commissioners include the Modlin Center for the Arts at University of Richmond, the Savannah Music Festival, and Strathmore. Critical support for Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation has been provided by the Music Maker Relief Foundation—a nonprofit based in Hillsborough, NC—founded to preserve the musical traditions of the South by directly supporting musicians, ensuring that their voices will not be silenced by poverty and time. Select photos in Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation

by Tim Duffy, Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Made possible, in part, with an award from the National Endowment for the Arts; a grant from the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; and grants from New Music USA. Special thanks to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University, and the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for serving as research sites for Piedmont Blues: A Search for Salvation.

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MON, JUNE 6 | 7PM HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE

HARLEM STAGE ANNUAL GALA

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Photo Credit: Marc Millman

This year’s Annual Gala, co-chaired by award-winning actors and Harlem Stage board members Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy, will feature the Opening Night of world-renowned hip-hop artist and best-selling author Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité’s A Drop of Midnight.

The evening will begin at the iconic Harlem Stage Gatehouse for a limited audience and will be live streamed to a designated site in Harlem, culminating in an exclusive cocktail party. Commissioned

through our WaterWorks program in 2019, A Drop of Midnight, a compelling multi-disciplinary theater performance, was adapted from Diakité’s 2016 bestselling memoir of the same name.

The evening will also feature an awards ceremony and special guests. To find out more information about sponsorship, purchasing a ticket, or making a donation, contact jmarrero@harlemstage.org

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TUE, JUN 7—SAT, JUN 11 | 7:30PM | $50/$25 SAT, JUN 11 | 2PM | $50/$25

JASON ‘TIMBUKTU’ DIAKITÉ’S

A DROP OF MIDNIGHT In this highly anticipated production, Harlem Stage-commissioned WaterWorks artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité performs the U.S. premiere of his autobiographical theater project, A Drop of Midnight. Directed

by Jonathan McCrory, composed

by Erik Hjärpe, and accompanied by live band, The Rakiem Walker Project, A Drop of Midnight, adapted from Diakité’s memoir of the same name, follows the chart-topping Swedish hip-hop artist born to interracial American parents in Sweden, growing up in the frail cultural and racial divide. Timbuktu takes us on a journey through his ancestors’ origins as slaves in the antebellum South, his parents’ struggles as an interracial couple, and his connection to hip-hop that helped him build a strong Black identity in Sweden. Family, belonging, and migration are explored through music, text, and visuals to weave a compelling story that journeys across continents and musical genres. Join us in the intimate setting of the Gatehouse for this presentation that is sure to move audiences.

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Photo Credit: Therese Öhrvall

Support for A Drop of Midnight, part of Harlem Stage’s WaterWorks Established Artists commissioning program, is provided by The Ford Foundation, Black Seed, Bloomberg Foundation, Mosaic and Network Fund, The Leonard & Robert Weintraub Family Fund, WarnerMedia, The Hearst Foundation, and The National Endowment for the Arts.

With special support for A Drop of Midnight from Embassy of Sweden, Consulate General of Sweden, Swedish Arts Council, and the AmericanScandinavian Foundation.

GET TICKETS

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SAT, JUN 18, 7:30PM—MON, JUN 27, 5PM | $10

MUSIC FROM THE SOLE PARTIDO DIGITAL STREAM Music From The Sole is a spectacular live music and dance company led

by Afro-Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and multiinstrumentalist and composer Gregory Richardson. Partido, performed at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse in the fall of 2021, is inspired by Sandoval’s experience as an artist and immigrant in the United States and features a group of talented tap dancers and a four-piece band. Created in collaboration with Richardson, Partido explores the convergence of percussive dance and live music with contemporary African-American and Afro-Brazilian culture and hopes to convey tap’s essence as a crossing point for Black dance and music, especially in Harlem—a central place in tap history.

This video will stream from Saturday, June 18 at 7:30PM EDT until Monday, June 27 at 5PM EDT Note: You will not be able to purchase this title after 12PM EDT on June 27.

Co-presented by Harlem Stage and City College Center for the Arts.

Music From The Sole gratefully acknowledges support for the creation of Partido from The Yard, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, and CUNY Dance Initiative. Music commissioned by the Charles and Joan Gross Family Foundation.

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Photo Credit: Marc Millman

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THE HARLEM STAGE FAMILY OF SUPPORTERS THE ANDREW W.

MELLON FOUNDATION

The SHS Foundation

American Express

American Express

JoAnn Chase Company

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Mailing List Management • Mailing List Brokerage

Other significant institutional support provided by New York Community Trust, The Black Seed, the Leonard & Robert Weintraub Fund, and WarnerMedia.

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THE HARLEM STAGE FAMILY OF SUPPORTERS Harlem Stage deeply appreciates the many individuals and institutions that provide their generous support, making our programs possible. We are pleased to recognize the following contributors for their donation of $1,000 or more: ENDOWMENT Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Leonard and Sophie Davis Estate Rockefeller Brothers Fund PUBLIC SOURCES New York City Department of Cultural Affairs New York State Council on the Arts National Endowment for the Arts Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone FOUNDATIONS Altman Foundation American-Scandinavian Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc. The Black Seed Bloomberg Philanthropies Booth Ferris Foundation The BWF Foundation Inc. Capozzalo Heil Giving Fund Cheswatyr Foundation Citi Foundation Columbia Community Service Joseph and Joan Cullman Foundation for the Arts Davis/Dauray Family Fund Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Embassy of Sweden Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation Francena T. Harrison Foundation The Ford Foundation The Howard Gilman Foundation The Harkness Foundation for Dance Hearst Foundation

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Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund Jerome Foundation Lambent Foundation/Tides Foundation The Leonard & Robert Weintraub Family Fund Lucille Lortel Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Mertz Gilmore Foundation Metzger-Price Fund Mosaic Network and Fund New Music USA New York Community Trust NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund Rockefeller Brothers Fund Stavros Niarchos Foundation May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation The Scherman Foundation, Inc. SHS Foundation The Shubert Foundation, Inc. The Ted Snowdon Foundation The David and Sylvia Teitelbaum Fund, Inc. WarnerMedia CORPORATIONS American Express BET Networks Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aid Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund Consolidated Edison Company JoAnn Chase Company JPMorgan Chase Local One IATSE Theatrical Stage Employees Manhattan Beer Distributors Paradigm Talent Agency Paula Cooper Gallery SESAC, Inc.

Simon Says Entertainment Vision Marketing, Inc. WABC-TV West Harlem Development Corporation Wonderland Ultra

Glenn Ligon Carey Lovelace Allison and Howard Lutnick Mickey Lyons Marilu Marshall Edward McBrien Sherman and Chris Meloni Marti Noxon Ryan Scott Oliver Daniel Oliverio Estelle Parsons and Peter Zimroth Marguerite Pitts Maxine and John Potts Judith Rubin LaChanze Sapp-Gooding* L. Josh Schmell Robyn L. Stein David Stone Elizabeth Streb and Laura Flanders Jordan Thaler Mark Thomas* Jennifer and Derek Trulson Tamara Tunie* Reginald Van Lee and Corey L. McCathern Fran and Barry Weissler Katy and Greg Williamson Carol Wood Moore Michael A. Young*

INDIVIDUALS Tracy L. Austin Rosemarie and Burnside Anderson Neal Baer* Catherine Baker-Pitts Stefany* and Simon Bergson Angela Glover Blackwell* and Fred Blackwell Jamila and Alvin Bragg Bill Bragin Jamie Cannon* Patty and Bill Cannon Kathleen and Henry Chalfant JoAnn K. Chase* Kinshasha Holman Conwill Caroline and Paul Cronson Patricia Cruz* Hugh Dancy* and Claire Danes* Wendy Davies Angelina Fiordellisi and Matt Williams Trevor Gale* Stuart Gelwarg and Karen Lipkind Myrna and Freddie Gershon Gail Gregg Agnes Gund *Board Members Michael Haggen Maya L. Harris and Tony West As of December 15, 2021, list in formation.

William Holtzman and Sylvia Shepard Donations under $1,000 are greatly John Josephson and Carolina Zapf appreciated, but not acknowledged publicly.

Jenette Kahn* and Al Williams If your name has been omitted or misprinted, Michael Kenny please accept our apologies and contact Steven Kirkpatrick Associate Director of Development, Shante Brad Learmonth and John Gilman Skyers at sskyers@harlemstage.org Steve Levine Marcia and Maurice Lyons Courtney F. Lee-Mitchell* and Marcus Mitchell

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Courtney F. Lee-Mitchell, President Jamie Cannon, Vice President Michael Young, Secretary Mark Thomas, Treasurer Neal Baer Stefany Bergson Angela Glover Blackwell

JoAnn K. Chase Patricia Cruz Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes Trevor Gale Jenette Kahn LaChanze Sapp-Gooding Tamara Tunie

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Patricia Cruz, Artistic Director & CEO MANAGEMENT Eric Oberstein, Managing Director DEVELOPMENT Shamar Hill, Director of Development Shanté Skyers, Associate Director of Development Julia Marrero, Development Associate PROGRAMMING Carl Hancock Rux, Associate Artistic Director/Curator-in-Residence Yunie Mojica, Programming Manager MARKETING Deirdre May, Senior Director of Digital Content and Marketing Andre Padayhag, Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer BOX OFFICE Daniel Im, Box Office Manager PRODUCTION Amanda K. Ringger, Director of Production

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OPERATIONS Rodney Bissessar, Director of Operations Lamont Askins, Operations Associate Acey Anderson Sr., Maintenance ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE NCheng LLC, Accountants/Advisors Michelle Blankenship, Principal Aaron Lam, Supervising Senior

Accountant CONSULTANTS Aon/Albert G. Ruben Company (NY) Claudia Kaufman, Insurance Digital Video Services—BriGuel Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, P.C. —Lisa Davis Itelagen, IT Consultant Lutz & Carr/Chris Bellando, Accountants Madison Consulting Group, —Matt Laurence Manchester Benefits—Greg Martin Marc Millman Photography Digital Video Services —Jess Medenbach PR Canvas Public Relations & Marketing RL Stein Group—Robyn L. Stein Development Consultant The Whelan Group Incorporated —Charles Whelan

Marshall Allen at the Bryant Park performance of Craig Harris’ Nocturnal Nubian Ball for Conscientious Ballers and Cultural Shot Callers. Photo Credit: Marc Millman

ABOUT THE DESIGN During quarantine, art and artists proved essential to overcoming the challenges of isolation and the unknown.

Prior to the global pandemic, the team at Harlem Stage was working hard to prepare for our WaterWorks-commissioned production of Jason ‘Timbuktu’ Diakité’s A Drop of Midnight. We were disappointed to postpone the premiere, but our global responsibility to protect ourselves and each other came first. Grateful to have the opportunity to present to a live audiences once again following safety protocols, we wanted to highlight Jason’s return to Harlem. I designed the cover inspired by photography by Therese Öhrvall, paintings by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas, and Harlem Stage’s brand colors.

Andre Padayhag, 36 Marketing Manager & Graphic Designer

HARLEM STAGE GATEHOUSE 150 Convent Ave. (at 135th Street) New York, NY 10031

BUY TICKETS Website: harlemstage.org Phone: 212.281.9240

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