Evento

Go Tell It!

Shortly before Christmas day in 1854, Harriet Tubman discovered that her brothers, enslaved in Maryland, were to be sold at auction on December 26th. She knew this was her last chance to help them escape before the stakes became too high. With a steely determination, she went back to Maryland, to the plantation where she had once been enslaved. On December 29th, she, her brothers and several others walked safely into William Still's Anti-Slavery office in Philadelphia. Knowing that the punishment for getting caught could be death, just how did they escape? Before modern methods of communication, how did Harriet inform her brothers of her secret plans?

Go Tell It! tells both the story of this harrowing escape and a larger one as well; that of communication along the Underground Railroad through song. Come witness how the coded messages in African American Spirituals were used to communicate escape plans.

Join the Go Tell It! cast on a magical journey through time. Told through Spirituals, the Blues, lyrical and traditional West African dance and drumming, meet the people who had the courage and faith to trust Harriet Tubman to guide them safely to the Promised Land. Witness a story of unshakable faith, unwavering determination, and an uncompromising commitment to freedom, and leave feeling inspired and uplifted!

ABOUT THE WRITER/DIRECTOR!

Mrs. Taiwo Kujichagulia-Seitu is a coloratura soprano, dancer and griot (historian, storyteller, entertainer, musician, praise singer). Functionally using the arts to tell the history of African Americans, Taiwo weaves inspiring and uplifting tales for audiences of all ages utilizing a combination of Spirituals, Gospel, Praise Dance and traditional West African dance and drumming. Taiwo's current project entitled "Go Tell It!" premieres in December 2012 and tells the story of Harriet Tubman's first escape with passengers on Underground Railroad. Told through music and dance, "Go Tell It!" will debut original arrangements of many well-known and loved Spirituals. Honored by the Friends of Negro Spirituals as a Negro Spirituals Heritage Keeper, in addition to arranging Spirituals, Taiwo lectures on their development, correct historical context and the coding found within. Taiwo has a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance, a Master of Business Administration in marketing and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer of Oakland, CA based Lyric Dance and Vocal Ensemble.