GRIOTWORKS

PRESS RELEASE 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Jos Duncan 

Email: Askjoslyn@hotmail.com

Email: WriteJos@gmail.com 

Futuristic Multimedia Show Explores Afrocentric Values During Kwanzaa 

VILLAGE: An Afro Futuristic Fable is a collaborative performance of storytelling, poetry, African dance, music, and media, which explores our need for community values by taking us on a journey into the future at a time where everyone on Earth is left with nothing. The over arching idea is that if all of the systems we currently rely on, economic, political, technological or other fail us, core communal values or “village” values provide the tools for survival, endurance and progress.  While the show is not a Kwanzaa tale of any sort, it does interweave Afrocentric values of unity, purpose, collective economics, faith etc. into its story. 

The show was created by storyteller Jos Duncan of GRIOTWORKS, in response to dialogue in the Philadelphia African Cultural Arts community about the shift in values and priorities over generations.   She states, “the ‘occupy’ movement also inspired the creation of the show because more people are realizing the social systems in place are flawed.  If they fail, what will we have left?  This was a question I wanted to explore in the African American community because our community has always dealt with this.  My thought was the best way to explore the results of the here and now are to look at it all from a future perspective.”

The show is being presented by the Community Education Center in collaboration with GRIOTWORKS and features vignettes of traditional storytelling, West African dance, live drumming, and vocals.   The cast is a conglomerate of artist to include Jos Duncan as a storyteller, choreography and dance by Cachet Ivey and Ama Schley (both of Kulu Mele African Dance Ensemble), vocals by Erika Hicks (toured with singers Bilal & Jaguar Wright) and several talented others (Peaches Jones, Crystal Gatling, Tekeytha Fullwood, Sarai Abdul-Malik, Omar Harrison, Chuck Grieb, Jabar Smith and Barbara Duncan).  There will also be short films and media, including New World Water by Jonifin Benjamin of Outbreak Creative Group, featured as a part of the multi-media fable.

VILLAGE: An Afro Futuristic Fable in Stories, Dance, Music and Media is running at the Community Education Center (CEC) Monday through Friday, December 26th-30th, the entire week between Christmas and New Years (Kwanzaa Week). Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 the week of the show.

Tickets can be purchased at:

Community Education Center

3500 Lancaster Avenue

(215) 387-1911

Oxsun Meji Hair Salon

1010 East Passyunk Avenue

(215) 893-9133

online at:

http://griotworks.eventbrite.com/

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VILLAGE: An Afro Futuristic Fable, is a multi-media performance featuring Storytelling, African Dance, Music and Media.  The concept/tag line for the show is as follows:
“It’s the year 2059.  The Earth has been destroyed.  The people have been shut out-  And left with NOTHING. In order to go forward, we must go back.”

The show aims to explore the need for revisiting traditional and cultural “village” values by taking us on a leap into the future where the dissipation of those values has led our world down a destructive path.
 
We are seeking audio and visual media that can assist with taking audiences on this journey.  The media can range from extremely abstract and experimental to short scenes of audio or visual dialogue or interactions between actors.  All pieces should be 2-5 minutes.

Some ideas for themes of the pieces are as follows:

Global destruction
Global warming
Black outs
Scientific re-evaluations/theories
Big Bang
Space Ships
Planets
Stars
Terrorism
War
Individualisms
Ego
Hate
Nature/Natural Resources (proper use or destructive use)
Healing
Community
Family
Village
Desperate need for Change
Love
Peace

Accepted submissions will be screened as a part of the production and woven into the storyline of the show.  All media makers will receive a per screening honorarium unless otherwise negotiated.   

Submissions, links and inquiries should be sent to GRIOTWORKS@gmail.com