Événement

Sittin-'In Musical

In light of the Ferguson and Staten Island civil unrest, Sittin'-In brings a message to perpetuate peace and justice.

This true story was written by Germantown's own Community Activist and Founder of the Kama-Sahlor Group for Cultural Performing Arts, Lisa Y. Hopkins who was determined to share her mother's story.

The 'Bennett Belle' side of the story has never been revealed in a manner that is thought provoking and emotionally infuriated towards inequality. As Ingrid Wynn enrolls at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, she refuses to accept the Jim Crow laws that lead to a life threatening act of courage. It was the Bennett Belles that first thought of protesting against FW Woolworth's who refused to serve Blacks at their 'All White' lunch counters.

Dr. Willa B. Player, President of Bennett at that time advised the students to wait until after the 1959 winter school break to exercise their rights and to gain protection and support from other institutions. So, four male freshmen students known as the A&T Four of North Carolina Technical and Agricultural University's Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeal, David Richmond and Ezell Blair Jr. are outraged with Jim Crow and make plans to orchestrate America's first civil right's movement known as 'The Sit-ins.'

'Sittin'-In' has received grant awards for professional script writing development from the Pa Council on the Arts, the Philadelphia Cultural Fund through Councilwoman Cindy Bass, the Theodore Morrow Memorial Fund and funds from the First United Methodist Church of Germantown.

This production is under the artistic direction of Nakia Dillard, a native Philadelphian, actor, writer and Founder of Aikan Entertainment who has theater and television credits with: The Wire, House of Cards with Kevin Spacey and affiliations with actor and director Bill Duke and Sylvester Stallone.

Joyce Drayton, owner of the Georgia Gregory Interdenominational School of Music and song writer of' I've been Washed in the Blood' recorded in 2001 from ECDC Records which will be performed in one of the scenes by an ensemble of voices from various churches throughout the city.

Choreographer J. Craig Bogan-El specializes in African dance and drumming will provide an explosive Liberian dance piece to depict the Liberian culture accustomed to Ingrid's biological upbringing Kama-Sahlor will also feature J. Eric Churn, a hip/hop and modern choreographer to design dances for the Philadelphia's American Bandstand scene along with some other surprises.

Sittin'-In production takes place at the luxurious Salvation Army Kroc Center located at 4200 Wissahickon Avenue with a panel of distinguished clergy, local politicians, community and national activist to engage in an audience talk back regarding racial profiling