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Author: Fanshen

Maya Lilly and Her New Theatre Company

Maya Lilly is an actress, playwright – and now the Artistic Director and Founder of the Act Out theatre company, bringing performances of thought-provoking and socially-relevant plays to young audiences across the country. I had the chance to see her show Mixed in Los Angeles (twice!), and if it plays in your area I highly recommend you see it. Take a look at their website www.ActOutPlay.com and the variety of theater experiences they are offering. Let us know if you’ve had the chance to see any of their shows; we’d love to hear what you think. We hope seeing them will motivate you to tell your story!

 

Miss Manners on How To Respond to ‘Is That Your Child’?

For the most part I find it a pleasure living the mixed experience. I know the ‘What Are You’ question annoys some – and with good reason (I’m asked only because of my light skin, and the privilege that comes with that); but I often look at it as an opening for continued conversation (and occasional ‘schooling’) on the history of ‘race’ and racism. But THESE kinds of questions, I cannot tolerate. Here’s a great response from Miss Manners. How would you respond?

Miss Manners responds when a man is asked, “Where did you get your daughter?’

If you’re looking for more resources on this topic, check out our post on Becky Sarah’s book Grandmothering, which includes an entire chapter dedicated to families with mixed children. We also really like the podcast Is That Your Child – check out these resources when you have the chance!

 

http://www.journalnow.com/home_food/advice/article_102b269e-5624-11e3-a2da-001a4bcf6878.html

MXRS Episode 2 Yvonne Huff – Actress, Theatre Producer, Mom

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Yvonne Huff can currently be seen on TV in NCIS: Los Angeles and Rake. She is also co-starring in Wendy Graf’s new play, Closely Related Keys (see our REVIEW). She was cast in the play a little over a week before the show opened. She talks about her process preparing the role of Neyla, a woman with an Iraqi mother and an African American father, and we discuss the responsibilities of writing from an experience that is not our own.

You can follow Yvonne’s blog here: Word To Ya Mutha
And learn more about her and her husband, Jason Delane’s, theatre company here: Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble

Theatre Review: Closely Related Keys

Closely Related Keys_6Complications and celebrations of the Mixed Experience are in abundance in playwright Wendy Graf’s new play Closely Related Keys. The opening scene features Julia (played with endless energy by Diarra Kilpatrick) mid-orgasm with her boyfriend Ron (Ted Mattison). Julia is African American, Ted is not. Later we meet Julia’s father, Charlie (played by Brent Jennings), who informs Julia that she has a half sister, Neyla – who is Iraqi. Neyla (the impressive Yvonne Huff) needs a place to stay while in New York for an audition at Juilliard, and Charlie announces to Julia – at the worst time possible in her life – that Neyla will stay with her. The playwright is a white Jewish woman, and the director, Shirley Jo Finney, is African American.

Though the opening sex scene feels somewhat gratuitous, what follows is a balanced and provoking representation of cultures, races and intimate relationships colliding and evolving. Graf is not afraid to tackle race, privilege and stereotypes head-on. And while Graf may not have direct experience living within the cultures she represents, her play displays research and caring for those cultures, and for our contemporary struggle with judgement of those we don’t understand (you can hear more about this HERE in my podcast interview with Yvonne Huff). Through light, witty moments, well-developed characters, and touching monologues by Kilpatrick and Huff, Closely Related Keys leaves the audience cautiously hopeful for the future.

find out more about Yvonne Huff’s theatre company here: Lower Depth Ensemble
follow actress Diarra Kilpatrick on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/DiarraOni
follow actor Ted Mattison here: https://twitter.com/tedmattison

Fri, Feb 28 – Sun, Mar 30
Thursday, Friday and Saturday @ 8pm
Sundays @ 4pm

Show Calendar

BUY TICKETS
Previews: $15
General Admission: $25
Saturdays: $30
Opening night: $30 (with opening night party)

Special Show Info
Running time: 120 minutes.
There will be an intermission.

Lounge Theatre 1
6201 Santa Monica Blvd
Los angeles, CA  90038
Street Parking
Area Map

Reservations
(323) 960-7774

Cast: Diarra Kilpatrick, Yvonne Huff, Brent Jennings, Ted Mattison, Adam Meir
Director: Shirley Jo Finney
Playwright: Wendy Graf
Set & projection designer: Hana Sooyeon Kim
Lighting designer: Donny Jackson
Music & sound designer: Peter Bayne
Costume designer: Naila Aladdin Sanders
Producer: Racquel Lehrman
Associate producer: Victoria Watson
Presented by Hatikva Productions

Storytelling Website: Narrative.ly

We love the concept behind the website Narrative.ly (voted by TIME magazine one of the 50 best websites of 2013). Take a look, and get motivated to share your own story. Then click our ‘PROMOTE YOUR STORY‘ link and tell us more about you – or perhaps you’d like to become a Guest Blogger for Mixed Roots Stories?

Here’s a little more about Narrative.ly from their About page:

Narratively slows down the news cycle. We avoid the breaking news and the next big headline, instead focusing exclusively on untold, human-interest stories—the rich, intricate narratives that get at the heart of what a place and its people are all about. 

Each week, we explore a different theme and publish a series of stories—just one a day—told in the most appropriate medium for each piece. We might feature a longform article on a Monday, followed by an animated documentary on Tuesday, then a photo essay, an audio piece or a short documentary film. Every story gets the space and time it needs to have an impact—an approach we call “slow storytelling” or “slow journalism.” (Stay up to date on our latest stories by signing up for our weekly and weekender emails.)

Our community of writers, editors, photographers, filmmakers, illustrators, and designers have worked extensively for top media outlets like the New York Times, New York magazine, CNN, NPR, MediaStorm, the New Yorker and the BBC, among other innovative and experimental publications. And we’ve subsequently gotten press from leading outlets like Forbes, PBS, Yahoo! Finance and others.

http://narrative.ly/

Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis

I’ve always wanted to see a show at the Mixed Blood Theatre – whose mission is to invite the global village into its audience and onto its stage for provocative, inclusive, predictably unpredictable and award-winning theater.

Perusing their website, I just noticed that they are currently showing The Sun Serpent, by José Cruz Gonzalez (he was my nurturing and motivating playwriting teacher when I wrote One Drop of Love at Cal State LA). The play runs through March 22, 2014.

Here’s a little more information on the theater from their About page:

With programming in its historic firehouse in Minneapolis, in satellite venues throughout the Upper Midwest, and in the national workplace, Mixed Blood leads audiences to a much larger world, using relevant and entertaining theater to spawn a ripple effect of social change. Winner of numerous awards for its human rights and artistic accomplishments, Mixed Blood pays positive attention to differences and champions access. The company annually serves 75,000 people through its mainstage season of new plays, a regional tour of 5–7 shows, and a series of customized productions addressing workplace inclusion. In 2011, Mixed Blood launched Radical Hospitality, providing no-cost access to mainstage productions.

 

Velina Hasu Houston’s “Cinnamon Girl” Opens 3/15/14

We are enamored by the plays of Velina Hasu Houston – whose work consistently addresses the mixed experience in new and exciting ways, and whose characters are sensitively portrayed with depth and caring. We can’t wait to see her new play Cinnamon Girl.

Let us know if you go, and if you’d like to add a review to our site. More info on show dates and times here: Cinnamon Girl – a new play by Velina Hasu Houston

Here’s more on Velina Hasu Houston: Official Website and an informative Wikipedia page

Paul Robeson Theatre Festival Taking Submissions – until 3/15/14

The deadline has been extended! They are looking for 20 minute plays that address Robeson’s passions: dignity, intelligence, artistry, scholarship in law and music, social consciousness in the arts, his creativity, values, his fierce resistance to inequality and defense of freedom for all, his recognition of the brotherhood of man, his constant struggle against the status quo, all that he stood for, and the price he eventually paid is the stuff of dramatic tension, and it leaves ample room for a myriad of theatrical scenarios. Please note the play need not be about Paul per se but simply inspired by and reflect some of the above mentioned attributes his life and career contained (from the Robey Theatre Company website). Keep us posted if your piece is accepted – we will help promote it! Click here for more info: Paul Robeson Theatre Festival