Image via Black Arts MKE
Harlem Renaissance
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the contributions of African Americans to our society, and Black Arts MKE is doing just that with its new theatrical production, Harlem Renaissance. The play, written by local playwright Malaina Moore, is set inside the legendary Savoy Ballroom in Harlem and brings to life four icons of the era: Ella Fitzgerald, Jacob Lawrence, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. The play showcases swing, jazz, storytelling, art, and scatting, and is designed to transport young audiences to a pinnacle moment in Black history.
The production will host performances every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in February at Wilson Theater inside the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, and is expected to attract more than 2,000 students from all over the city. The goal of the play is to not only educate students about the history of the Harlem Renaissance, but also to inspire and empower them to create works of their own that represent their lives. This is in line with the mission of Black Arts MKE, which is to provide high-quality, transformative programming.
"This year, thanks to the United Performing Arts Fund Bright Minds Fund sponsored by We Energies, we have expanded our Black History Month youth programming from three performances to nine” said Barbara Wanzo, the Executive Director of Black Arts MKE. “We are proud of our ever-growing efforts to provide culturally relevant, multidisciplinary arts programming for local schools."
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In addition to the performance, schools will also receive resources to help them continue learning about the Harlem Renaissance in the classroom. This program is part of Black Arts MKE's year-round youth programming, which is delivered for free to schools in the Milwaukee area.
For more information on Harlem Renaissance, visit the Black Arts MKE website.
