Stage Door News
Stage Door News
April 18, 2016 Toronto ON… The Watah Theatre is pleased to announce d’bi.young anitafrika’s second instalment in her new triptych – The Orisha Trilogy. Following rave reviews of the premiere play – Esu Crossing The Middle Passage – the second play, She Mami Wata & The Pussy WitchHunt, will be taking Theatre Passé Muraille’s Backspace stage by storm from May 4-22, 2016.
She Mami Wata & The Pussy WitchHunt centres on gender, sexuality, and the erotic through the life of three friends – Nicki, Michael and Kizzy – growing up in present-day Jamaica, who are challenged to re-negotiate their complex relationship under revised 'anti-buggery' laws. Raised in the violence and silence of misogyny and homophobia, Nicki lives on the margins of church, the burlesque-pole and womxn's thighs. As the play unfolds we learn that Nicki is not the only one living on clouds and in shadows. She Mami Wata is anitafrika’s continued exploration of divinity, activism and the Black diaspora through the Yoruba-Ifa Orishas: Ochun (river goddxss of childbirth and erotic love), Yemoja (mother goddxss of the sea), and Oya (goddxss who defends and protects womxn).
Anitafrika is the winner of two Dora awards for Blood.claat. Other awards include: KM Hunter Theatre, Mayor’s Arts, Vital People, Canadian Poet of Honor, Toronto Leadership Lab Fellow and YWCA Woman of Distinction in the Arts. She is an internationally celebrated African-Jamaican dubpoet, playwright-monodramatist, arts-educator, and Artistic Director of The Watah Theatre, whose trans-disciplinary work (dubpoetry, theatre, music, dance, writing, storytelling) explores themes of identity, gender, sexuality, divinity, the erotic, race, class and the human experience. She is the creator of the human development framework – The Sorplusi Method – which has been employed by The Stephen Lewis Foundation, The Banff Centre, U of T, MaRS, Women’s College Hospital and other institutions globally.
Guiding anitafrika through this provocative journey is acclaimed Jamaican director, Owen Blakka Ellis, magical singer-composers Amina Alfred & Tuku (of Esu Crossing The Middle Passage), gifted choreographers Ravyn Wngs (of ILL NANA/DCDC) & Lady Kori (of Brass Vixens Pole Dancing) and the brilliant storyteller Olunike Adeliyi (of Flashpoint) as Assistant Director.
She Mami Wata & The Pussy WitchHunt
Playwright/Performer d’bi.young anitafrika
Director/Dramaturge Owen Blakka Ellis
Assistant Director Wendy Olunike Adeliyi
Composer/Musicians Amina Alfred & Tuku
Choreographers Ravyn Wngs & Lady Kori
Set & Costume by Jenna Mccutcheon
Lighting by Sharmylae Taffe Fletcher
Stage Manager Samson Brown | ASM Shoya Simpson
Producer Brett Haynes | Executive Producer d’bi.young anitafrika
May 4-22, 2016 | Wednesday to Saturday at 7:30 pm | Sunday at 2:00 pm
Theatre Passé Muraille Backspace | 16 Ryerson Ave. T.O. Canada
ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE bit.do/SheMamiWata
2016-04-19
Toronto: "She Mami Watah & The Pussy Witchhunt" by d'bi.young anitafrika runs May 4-22