Voices AMPLIFIED! Season Finale - Let America Be America Again by Omaha Performing Arts

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a series on arts and social justice

let america be america again

In partnership with:

View an exhibition of immersive art by students, faculty and alumni from UNO’s School of Communication, Fine Arts and Media in the ConAgra East Lobby.

Actor Raydell Cordell III

June 25 | 7:30 PM Holland Center

Da ron

Aa l rel

inspiration

Titled after Langston Hughes' poem, “Let America Be America Again,” the Voices AMPLIFIED! Season finale event uses this literary work as a backdrop to focus on racial equity, social justice and the arts, with an emphasis on both the Black Lives Matter movement and past reflections throughout history. The poem is divided into four sections: 1

A past reflection on where we have been and what we are feeling

Identity

Despair, pain, want, need

The future we want

Each part provides inspiration for the artists and their original work in poetry, song and dance in response to their personal reflections.

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PREAMBLE

PART III: “FOR ALL WE’VE DREAMED”

“Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson & J. Rosamond Johnson performed by Ananias Montague and the Fellowship Band

Excerpts of Hughes’s poem performed by Dani Cleveland and Justin Payne

PART I: “SEEKING A HOME WHERE HE HIMSELF IS FREE” Excerpt of Hughes’s poem read by Raydell Cordell III “Beautiful” composed by Justin Payne performed by Dani Cleveland “Beautiful” is an original composition by Justin Payne from his production, “Belle Terre the Musical.” The song is about inner beauty. “My Sanctuary” by Devel Crisp performed by Delaney Jackson “My Sanctuary” written by Devel addresses the monotony of life and coming home to a safe space after dealing with the world as Black people know it.

PART II: “I AM” Excerpts of Hughes’s poem read by Delaney Jackson, Daena Schweiger, Gaven Rames and Shae’Kell Butler “I am” by Aaron Derell “I am” choreographed and performed by Aaron Derell is based off positive self-affirmations, such as I am beautiful, I am strong, and I can do anything. The other side of the poem is how America sees Aaron Derell as a Black male. “Blood Roots” by WithLove Felicia, accompaniment Ananias Montague and dancer Lanae Howard “Blood Roots” written and performed by Felicia Webster represents who we are symbolically as a stolen people. Black people nourished and fertilized what this country is today. Our blood runs in the veins of mother nature and what we experience now is a manifestation of our work.

“Our Hope Remains” by Justin Payne Written and performed by Justin Payne, “Our Hope Remains,” is based on current events and life in the past year. “Boys Don’t Cry, Tho” by Devel Crisp performed by Shae’Kell Butler Written by Devel, this poem is about masculinity and the struggles of feeling uncomfortable expressing depression and trauma as a man but learning that it’s an important process of healing.

CONTENT WARNING: Some content contains harmful language such as racial slurs. The language used is reflective of personal and hurtful encounters that the artists experienced. “STuCK” by Aaron Derell and performed with DeAnthony Wood and Shaq Jones This creative piece is based on three elements and Aaron’s Derell’s personal life experience: being emotionally trapped in negative affirmations from other people as a child, meeting and being rejected by his father as an adolescent and as a young adult being caught in the moment and current day social trends.

PART IV: “AND YET I SWEAR THIS OATH” Excerpt of Hughes’s poem read by Raydell Cordell III “Show It” by Ananias Montague performed with the Fellowship Band “Show It” written by Ananias is about love and the responsibility to love everybody. This song speaks to self-worth and the biblical passage in Genesis 1:31, “God created everything and said it was good” (paraphrased).

Let America Be America Again by Langston Hughes

Showcasing literary, musical, dance and theatrical performances reflecting on Black history, inspired by poet Langston Hughes CONTENT WARNING: Some content contains harmful language such as racial slurs. The language used is reflective of personal and hurtful encounters that the artists experienced.

Let America be America again. Let it be the dream it used to be. Let it be the pioneer on the plain Seeking a home where he himself is free. (America never was America to me.) Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. (It never was America to me.) O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But opportunity is real, and life is free, Equality is in the air we breathe. (There’s never been equality for me, Nor freedom in this “homeland of the free.”) Say, who are you that mumbles in the dark? And who are you that draws your veil across the stars? I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart, I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars. I am the red man driven from the land, I am the immigrant clutching the hope I seek— And finding only the same old stupid plan Of dog eat dog, of mighty crush the weak. I am the young man, full of strength and hope, Tangled in that ancient endless chain Of profit, power, gain, of grab the land! Of grab the gold! Of grab the ways of satisfying need! Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one’s own greed!

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LANGSTON HUGHES An American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist. Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harlem Renaissance.

I am the farmer, bondsman to the soil. I am the worker sold to the machine. I am the Negro, servant to you all. I am the people, humble, hungry, mean— Hungry yet today despite the dream. Beaten yet today—O, Pioneers! I am the man who never got ahead, The poorest worker bartered through the years. Yet I’m the one who dreamt our basic dream In the Old World while still a serf of kings, Who dreamt a dream so strong, so brave, so true, That even yet its mighty daring sings In every brick and stone, in every furrow turned That’s made America the land it has become. O, I’m the man who sailed those early seas In search of what I meant to be my home— For I’m the one who left dark Ireland’s shore, And Poland’s plain, and England’s grassy lea, And torn from Black Africa’s strand I came To build a “homeland of the free.” The free? Who said the free? Not me? Surely not me? The millions on relief today? The millions shot down when we strike? The millions who have nothing for our pay? For all the dreams we’ve dreamed And all the songs we’ve sung And all the hopes we’ve held And all the flags we’ve hung, The millions who have nothing for our pay— Except the dream that’s almost dead today.

O, let America be America again— The land that never has been yet— And yet must be—the land where every man is free. The land that’s mine—the poor man’s, Indian’s, Negro’s, ME— Who made America, Whose sweat and blood, whose faith and pain, Whose hand at the foundry, whose plow in the rain, Must bring back our mighty dream again. Sure, call me any ugly name you choose— The steel of freedom does not stain. From those who live like leeches on the people’s lives, We must take back our land again, America! O, yes, I say it plain, America never was America to me, And yet I swear this oath— America will be! Out of the rack and ruin of our gangster death, The rape and rot of graft, and stealth, and lies, We, the people, must redeem The land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain— All, all the stretch of these great green states— And make America again!

Among the most important outcomes of theater is that it teaches empathy, communication skills and self-confidence. Actor Raydell Cordell III

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My Sanctuary by Devel Crisp

my sanctuary

(after glyneisha)

UGH! This world, what a mess? Kick off my shoes. Decompress. Warm biscuit and a three-piece, yes! I’m ready for a little slice of heaven, my sanctuary.

REF-UGE reboots the dead fuse. My honey-comb hideout keeps the bad vibes out. Recollect. Let the soul process. Light a couple candles and reflect for a sec in my...

PALACE. Chilled bubbles in my chalice. Breathing out the toxic that offset my balance. Sunning off the shade. Peeling off the dread. Costs to be a boss. and heavy is the head, but I’m..

HOME. Where I lay my fedora,

Where I lay my halo, Where I lay my horns, Where I lay my Kangol, and my Fifty-nine Fifties. Let the bass up a little, and the world sings with me. AYYE!

Two-step! Move right. Groove left. Swaying to the melody of every epic memory in.. HERE. Give a wink to the mirror. Say, “I am what I am and I LOVE who the hell I be!”

I am the mayor, deputy and the treasurer. The lion The lamb The copywriter and the editor. I DREAM. I give thanks for my dreams! Plot, plan, scheme and believe In my sanctuary.

No fears, nor doubts.

SAFE HAVEN.

MY BIG KID BLANKET FORT!

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NO MONSTERS ALLOWED! I crumple up another empty fruit snack pouch, while I watch the next show and pass out on the couch.

All in the name of a new day.

Because in the morning, when I walk through that door, where my skin is abhorred, and respect is no more, carried deep within my heart, and I hope inside yours, is a place to mute the chaos for a while, your sanctuary.

--developing crisp2021

Blood Roots by WithLove Felicia

birthed from the Mitochondrial gene I stand tall in my Blackness without apology

off key with inharmonic textures of equality off in the far distance

Black like sophistication dignified and royal the power of my honorable ancestors runs deep in my veins keeping me nourished on the truth and fueled by a people who remained resilient under liberty and justice without them

it’s melody doesn’t represent the sound of freedom and justice for all but we listen intently for the change in the chords hoping wishing praying

blood fertilizes her roots as timeless rivers form scarlet waves drenching america in historical atrocities

that false pretenses for freedom fall back in tune to the original melody of the american dream

oppression exhales deeply leaving the air thick and hard to breathe as it metastasized into ugly gospels

but the soundman only checks for us 3/5s of the time

but the music plays on sadly with notes of disillusionment strained sounds

the sounds of Blackness comforts me as the souls of Black folks remain etched in my soul their food of greatness has been served and my prayer is simple

DON’T they KNOW I am America, too

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I am America, too A bright star on Mother Earth destined for greatness fore I come from that which is great and it is my birthright to SHINE I need no one’s approval I am America, too A shape shifter of reality Transformer of power Manifestor of thought I am destined to do the unspeakable to reach the unreachable I didn’t forget the blood, sweat and tears of my people Their roots runs deep in my veins keeping me nourished by the truth fueled by resilience I am America, too I am because We are deep like bass actualized in the womb of BLACKNESS human galaxies

orbiting space and time I’ll never forget our divine beginnings & our magnificent contributions on this oppressive stained land I am America, too My people will not be unremembered Because I will recall the dream In real time As ancestral whispers remind me of my worthiness; the limitlessness of my soul’s infiniteness I am America, too And I will be here UNAPOLOGETICALLY HOLDING SPACE for generations after generations planted firmly from wild seeds who weathered the storm in these American rhythm and blues Because I am America, too without question even with blood roots. © Felicia Webster 2021

I am because God is

Boys Don't Cry, Tho by Devel Crisp

boys don’t cry, tho.

CONTENT WARNING: Some content contains harmful language such as racial slurs. The language used is reflective of personal and hurtful encounters that the artists experienced.

When that pretty little girl yelled ”You ugly!” to my pretty little face, that was the first and last time it hurt. When they called me a nigger. well, that will never not hurt. Every time we'd be out and I was 372% sure that that was his silhouette and that was his walk, only to find in strolling closer, the stranger reveals that he indeed wasn't my father. When Momma would psychotically break and the grievance in her soul rushed over as an avalanche on my young being. Boys don’t cry, tho. Stop being a pansy! When one of my dearest friends sought out revenge

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leaving me in total bewilderment

on whatever I did to hurt him so.

When I was cradling my newborn daughter and simultaneously bawling in the uncertainty on the methods of how I will support her. I mourned at their funeral. and her funeral and a few months later, her sister's funeral. and I cried when I never found the courage to go to his funeral. Boys don’t cry tho. Suck it up, Sissy! My face dampened by the arid disappointment that was reflected back to me in that dingy county jail mirror. A very kind assistant softly sopped up my sobs during the tooth extraction, while I solemnly submitted to how the procedure will forever change the way I smiled.

When I lost that poetry slam bout and we lost that poetry slam. and that one bout, Oh, and that one, too. Boys don't cry, tho. Pull up your panties! When they were streaming down my jaws after our fierce Christmas Eve argument. Barefoot, in below zero wind chills. Ready to leap and let the river push and pull me wherever it deemed. It is absolutely frightening how I can opt to viciously lose control when I feel like I don't have any. . But boys don’t cry, tho. Put some bass in your voice! Boys who don't cry, become men who make others weep for them. I found solace through those tears in that icy ordeal.

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Tears close doors. Tears forgive. Tears cleanse. Tears lubricate the ragged edges of those freshly cracked shells and serve as a sterile salve on elder wounds. Lower your levees, and may a light breeze cool your troubles as they’re melting down your pretty little face.

--developing crisp2021

Featured Artists

Raydell Cordell III actor Cordell is a freelance teaching artist and professional actor in Omaha, NE. He has been in numerous productions throughout the community. Some of his favorite and recent shows include: “The Diary of Anne Frank” at the Rose Theater, “A Very Die Hard Christmas,” and “Red Summer” at Blue Barn Theater, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Nebraska Shakespeare Fall 2018 Education Tour, “Stupid F’in Bird” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” (both productions he received an Omaha Entertainment Award for Best Supporting Actor) at the Omaha Community Playhouse. In addition, Cordell had the privilege to travel to London and participated in workshops with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He currently works for Westside Community Schools at Westgate Elementary.

Dani Cleveland musician Dani Cleveland is a gifted singer/songwriter/actor who hails from Omaha, Nebraska. She loves to be onstage. While patiently waiting for that big break, she continues to hone her craft by doing local singing engagements & local theater productions, including “Caroline or Change” and “The Diary Of Anne Frank.” This spring, you can see her in The Rose Theater production of "Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus." Cleveland has written scripts for Salem Baptist Church, where she serves on the Fine Arts Council & Worship Team. Dani loves photography, painting, crocheting and designing jewelry. She loves creative expression of any kind. She is grateful for the remarkable opportunity to be a part of Voices AMPLIFIED!

Justin Payne musician Payne has performed on stages in Germany, Austria, Italy and China for various collegiate music programs and summer opera programs. He currently teaches music in the Omaha community and is the minister of music at Pleasant Green Baptist Church. Payne sang at the Holland Performing Arts as a tenor soloist with the Voices of Omaha for their Handel’s Messiah Presentation. He also studied voice at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Michigan State University. Payne is also a composer and playwright. His musical theater collaborations include “Heaven Come Home,” a collaboration with Dani Cleveland and Julie Baker, a new musical that answers the question, “If you had ‘One More Day’ with a loved one who has passed on, how would you spend it?” “Little Brown Boy,” another collaboration with Cleveland, is a musical about the effects of gentrification. One of Payne’s newest creations is “Belle Terre the Musical,” a whimsical story that sends an adolescent young woman on a journey to self-discovery with music inspired by the New Orleans brass band style.

Devel Crisp poet Devel (Developing) Crisp is a spoken word artist and actor from Omaha, Nebraska. In 2013, he became a Teaching Artist for the Nebraska Writers Collective, sharing and coaching slam poetry. In 2014, he earned a residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts and competed around the United States as a member of the Omaha Slam Poetry Team. He went on to win an Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award in 2017 for Best Performance Poet.

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Withlove Felicia poet Felicia Webster, artistically known as Withlove Felicia, is a multi-dimensional creative, poet, actor, businesswoman, and educator committed to using the arts to ‘edutain,’ promote social change, express love, empower others and invite healing through authentic connections. Called the “Mother of Spoken Word,” she has given birth to the first spoken word open mics in Omaha and co-created performance/small business showcase spaces in Nebraska and Philadelphia. Holding the title of ‘Best Performance Poet’ for The Omaha Arts & Entertainment Awards for 2020, Webster has numerous community awards under her belt. As a wordsmith and servant of humanity, she is grateful to serve the highest good through the power of the spoken word and utilize her blessings of abundant creativity.

Aaron Derell choreographer Aaron Derell earned his master’s in dance education from NYU. He has danced throughout New York City at Peridance, Broadway Dance Center and the Ailey Extension program. He also performed with MJM Dance, The Kim Elliott Dance Project, APDC-Chimera Concept, BalaSole Dance Company, and worked with local dance teams teaching and choreographing. Since returning to Omaha, Aaron Derell continues to teach classes for all ages at local studios and arts organizations such as I Am Dance Studio, AP’s Legacy Dance Studio and Omaha Performing Arts. He started his own dance business, Love to Groove Movement School, LLC, where Love To Groove Fitness resides and LTG Creative, a content creation service.

Ananias Montague & The Fellowship Band musician Ananias Montague is a follower of Jesus Christ and an accomplished composer, director and teacher of gospel music. He currently serves as the Minister of Music and Fine Arts for the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Ananias has a career in music ministry that now spans over 20 years, four states in the USA and south-central Europe. During this time, he organized and leads a new group of singers known as “The Fellowship Band,” which includes members from various cities throughout the United States. Since 2014 they have performed across the country. In December, Minister Montague and The Fellowship will return to Europe to perform.

Amplifying Black lives, Black stories and Black voices a series on arts and social justice

Voices AMPLIFIED! is: • A thematic series of events that elevate artists from diverse cultures and their work in social justice through live music, dance, spoken word and visual arts • Established in 2020/2021, Voices AMPLIFIED! will focus on amplifying different groups each year

Why this matters: • Emphasizes the local and national role of the arts in social justice and community development • Develops long-lasting regional partnerships with the goal of increasing equitable access to Omaha Performing Arts (O-pa) resources and programs • Positions O-pa to be a significant advocate for artists’ work with marginalized communities

Inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility are woven throughout our efforts at O-pa. Voices AMPLIFIED! is an extension of that work and a long-term initiative to expand our a rtistic, community engagement and education programs. – Gennean Scott, Vice President of Human Capital and Inclusion

• Provides an inclusive role for the community to shape the direction and connections of the series • Aligns with our vision to inspire, engage and connect and reinforces our core values of trust, team, integrity and inclusion

How we do this: • Led by a community committee comprised of artists, educators and O-pa staff • Monthly events include live and online panels, workshops, performances and discussions • Each season culminates with a multidisciplinary feature performance

Who is involved: • Local and national touring artists, community partners, volunteers and social service organizations

The series is made possible through the generous support of Mutual of Omaha and community partnerships.

Learn more at o-pa.org/vamp

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Sankofa Danzafro

Join Us for the Voices AMPLIFIED! 21/22 Season

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We’ll continue to amplify Black and Latinx voices including: Sankofa Danzafro, an AfroColombian dance group and a finale musical theater event featuring Omaha native Ray Mercer and musicians, dancers and visual artists from Omaha, New York and more.

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