Charles S. Dutton

Monday, October 13, 2008
Rollins Theatre @ The Long Center for the Performing Arts

A graduate of The Yale School of Drama, Charles S. Dutton has a career spanning theater, television and film, and is one of the few actors to earn Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the same role.

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Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

When a great African king desires a wife, the most perfect maidens in the land are invited to meet him. Dallas Children's Theater proudly presents John Steptoe's, MUFARO'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS, a gorgeous Caldecott Award winning Cinderella tale touring throughout the United States from September 2008 through May 2009.

BAM Cafe'

The signature event of the festival, BAM Café is an evening of performances from the entire performing arts pantheon. Spoken Word, Music, Dance, Theatre, Film and more blend together to create one gigantic celebration in honor of our 2008 festival. Featuring talents such as Zell Miller III, Cosmic Intuition, Las Krudas Cubensi, Da-mon Sith, Yake and many more, Bam Café is a grand experience, not to be missed.

Las Krudas Cubensi

Considered to be one of the most important groups to emerge from Cuba's Hip Hop scene, Las Krudas Cubensi, a trio of women rappers, formed in Havana in the year 2000. Since that time, the group, comprised of Wanda, Pasa, and Pelusa Kruda, has been formative in presenting women's voices into the Hip Hop movement in Cuba.

Ya'Ke Smith

Widely regarded as one of this generation's next film directors to watch, Ya'Ke's films have garnered many awards, including a Director's Guild of America Student Film Award, an HBO Short Film Award and been nominated for a Student Academy Award. His films have screened and won awards at many film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival. His films are currently airing on both Showtime and HBO.

Zell Miller, III

Zell Miller, III is an accomplished interdisciplinary theater artist and a noted spoken word performance poet.  His work reflects the ancestor storytelling and carries the rhythm's of a hip-hop version of a Sekou Sundiata, or an Amiri Baraka, says Tongue Magazine. Whether working as an actor, director, playwright or poet, Miller brings great passion and acute insight into the conditions of these turbulent times.

Big Chief Kevin and the Flaming Arrows

Big Chief Kevin Goodman and the Flaming Arrows tribe will entertain. Mardi Gras Indians is a name attached to groups or "tribes" of African American New Orleanians who dress up for Mardi Gras in traditional self designed, and sewn, outfits/Native American ceremonial outfits. The tribes usually march on Mardi Gras, the feast day of St. Joseph and occasionally at the Jazz Fest, New Orleans’ biggest musical festival.

Salute to African American Writers

Saturday, October 4, 2008
TBA 6-10pm

Shia Shabazz

This event offers tribute and pays homage to by inviting, engaging and honoring writers of African American descent. Organized by author, poet and producer Shia Shabazz, the evening features an opportunity to meet and hear readings from noted authors, as well as a silent auction, open mic event and sumptuous dessert buffet.

Black and Latino Playwrights Festival Staged Reading: The Giver by Kim Dunbar

Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Boyd Vance Theatre at the Carver Library
3:00pm

The mission of Texas State University's Black and Latino Playwrights Conference is to study the craft, to nurture the artist, and to celebrate the work. The Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas State University annually sponsors a Black and Latino Playwrights Conference that includes professional guest directors and actors, auditions, 3 - 5 days of open rehearsals, and in-class presentations by professional guest artists, culminating with staged reading performances open to the campus and community. BAM is proud to support this effort by presenting a reading of an exciting new work from the festival.

No Boundaries: Dancing the Visions of Contemporary Black Choreographers

Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Austin Ventures Studio @ Ballet Austin
8:00pm

No Boundaries celebrates the depth and diversity of style and vision in the field of modern dance. Several of the nation's leading contemporary African-American choreographers, including Bebe Miller, Donald McKayle, Reggie Wilson, Andrea Woods, David Roussève, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar set original and historical works on soloist Gesel Mason, for the purposes of this unique project. These artists demonstrate the diversity of work by, for and about African-Americans; their visions push Black Dance in America beyond stereotypes and color boundaries.

Gesel Mason

Gesel Mason is Co-founder and Artistic Director for Mason/Rhynes Productions, and Choreographer and Performer for Gesel Mason Performance Projects. Ms. Mason has performed with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, toured Germany with the Repertory Dance Theatre of Utah, and performed for DanceAfrica America as a member of Umoja, directed by Chuck Davis. She taught and performed in Poland, in 1995 with the Silesian Dance Theatre and again in 1999 with Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, where she worked for four seasons as Performer, Project Director, and Artistic Director/Founder of Teen Exchange.

An Evening of New Dance featuring Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Wideman/Davis Dance

Friday, October 10, 2008
Austin Ventures Studios Theatre
8:00pm

Featuring the freshest feet from the world of dance, audiences will revel in this evening of new pieces. Headliners Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Thaddeus Davis and Tanya Wideman, along with a few new shining stars, present a sublime program. The future of dance is a bright one and An Evening of New Dance showcases that to the fullest.

Dallas Black Dance Theatre

Thaddeus Davis

Born in Montgomery, Ala., Thaddeus Davis studied with Montgomery Civic Ballet and the Carver Creative Performing Arts Center during his formative years. Following highschool he continued his training with Atlanta Dance Theatre and Tuskegee Cultural Arts Center., going on to receive his BFA in dance from Butler University. Has worked with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Fukuoka City Ballet, Atlanta Dance Theatre, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Complexions, Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY (Dance Galaxy), and Donald Byrd/The Group and his residencies include the Julliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Butler University, and Arizona State University. Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch in 2002" , New York Times, Jennifer Dunning has written that Davis has a "gift for unobtrusively imaginative choreography that flows in a seamlessly."

Theatre A Go-Go

Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Off Center
8:00pm

Delta Rhapsody featuring Nadine Mozon, is a sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, but always entertaining and relevant look at life through the eyes one woman who speaks through many different voices. Acclaimed actor and dramatist Nadine Mozon takes us on a journey and invites us to look at life through her own personal lens.

Nadine Mozon

Nadine Mozon is an actor, poet, dramatist and teacher whose original work has been produced for the stage. Such productions include her one-woman show "Confirming the Search: That Girl's Still Here Somewhere," which received an AUDELCO nomination in New York and a Drama-Logue award in Los Angeles, followed by " I.D. Please," a commissioned ensemble theatre piece. She is a contributing writer for RedWall productions. Ms. Mozon's acting credits include regional theatre, television and film. She has been a featured writer / performer and collaborative partner developing new work with dancers, choreographers, and musicians in New York venues ranging from Nuyorican, Poets Café, to Lincoln Center; throughout the U.S. and Bermuda at festivals, and guest artist at colleges and universities. She teaches acting and movement for actors at Texas State University.

Florinda Bryant & Company

America: love out of context, is an experiment in language and rhythm. Born from the speeches of the American fore fathers, members of TAPPCo, The Austin Project Performanc Company dance with the history of our nation while trying to find answers for the present. Audiences are invited on an exploration of American histories that will deconstruct ideas of patiotis, love and survival. Written and performed by Amanda Johnston, Florinda Bryant, Leigh Gaymon-Jones and Kristen Gerherdt, this performance piece fuses poetry, theatre, movement and visual art. The question is raised, what it means to be an American? Our country is in crisis and elections draw near. What role do you play in this American drama? Info: tappco@gmail.com

Viva la Diva!

Sunday, October 12, 2008
King Seabrook Chapel @ Huston Tillotson University
3:00pm

This concert, featuring Othalie Graham, dramatic soprano, Jeanette Blakeney, mezzo-soprano and Judith Skinner, contralto, will feature classical repertory, musical theatre and traditional spirituals. Each of these wonderful performers has received national and international critical acclaim. They have teamed up for a one time only event that is not to be missed!

Othalie Graham, soprano

A native of Ontario, Canada, Othalie Graham burst onto the international scene with her critically acclaimed professional debut singing the role of Turandot in the 2004 Opera Delaware production. A prodigy of renowned soprano Renata Scotto, Ms. Graham continues to amass accolades performing with top opera companies all over the world.

Lori Brown Maribal, mezzo-soprano

In concert halls, opera houses and theatres throughout the United States and abroad, Ms. Mirabal has sung a variety of musical styles and she has worked with such artists as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Hal Prince, Susan Stroman and the late Cab Calloway. Some of her recent roles include: New York City Opera National Tour (Carmen), L Opera de Monte Carlo (Lola, Cavalleria Rusticana), Central City Opera (Tituba/The Crucible), Carnegie Hall New York (Soloist/West Side Story Suite) and in Broadway s Gershwin Theatre (Queenie/Showboat). More recently she covered the role of  Sister Rose in the world premiere of DEAD MAN WALKING at the San Francisco Opera.

Judith Skinner, contralto