The Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (ARTI) will sponsor “CENTERSTAGE: A Theater Workshop,” from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the IUPUI Student Campus Center, 420 University Blvd. Indianapolis.
“CENTERSTAGE: A Theater Workshop” is designed to attract a broad range of theater enthusiasts, from the novice to those pursuing careers in onstage production.
ARTI manager, Dr. Les Etienne, said the ARTI event heightens the capacity for theater to be an effective means of conveying culture, issues and the complexity of life across the African Diaspora. “This is to support and build on the efforts of those who create important narratives that tell our stories on stage in our own voice. We are uniquely positioned to facilitate merging of various key elements critical to successful theater production.”
The following are workshop sessions offered:
THE SHOW. Playwriting and editing; directing; more effective and forceful acting. Methods for creating strong stories – conveyed with maximum impact on stage.
- THE BUSINESS. Production development and setting timelines, budgeting, auditions, venue/box office concerns, fundraising, grant opportunities and marketing.
- ACTING PLUS. Beyond conventional acting. Theatrical performances related to choreography, musical production and spoken word.
- THE TECH. Exploration of techniques, technology and opportunities in lighting and sound, as well as video technology and special effects.
- THE LOOK. The stage vision that accents the presentation. Artistic direction; set design and construction; props; make up and costuming.
Sessions will run concurrently and will be repeated, allowing each participant to attend either two of the topic areas addressed.
CENTERSTAGE workshops will be led by a panel of experienced theater professionals, educators and practitioners who bring a wealth of diverse knowledge and skills. Presenters will be announced soon! The Workshop will also feature the director of IUPUI’s Applied Theater program Emilio Robles as a session facilitator.
The event is free to the public but preregistration is required. Parking is available in the Vermont Street garage conveniently attached to the campus center. For more information, go to onyxFest.com.
Register for CENTERSTAGE at https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2rH4wtWcXR2MufY.
About A.R.T.I. (Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI):
The Africana Repertory Theatre of IUPUI (ARTI) is a program of study offered by the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI, the School of Education and the IUPUI Office of Community Engagement using a multidisciplinary approach to “edutainment.” ARTI was developed to document and artistically reflect the history, cultural life, and politics of peoples of the African Diaspora. As a public arts initiative, ARTI has a deep commitment to and focuses on artistic and community engagement. The Office of Community Engagement and the Schools of Liberal Arts and Education are supporting this proposal because it advances the idea that learning in the arts is invaluable at all stages of life, and the integration of the arts into the fabric of community life may advance civic engagement while also creating a college and career pathway. Leslie Kenneth Etienne, ARTI manager and acting director of IUPUI Africana Studies, said his group also seeks to increase collaborations with local Black and other minority theatre groups in Indianapolis, launch a black events quarterly periodical and establish an advisory council for Black theater in the Indiana Avenue Cultural District. Along with Etienne, ARTI consists of Khaula Murtadha, associate vice chancellor for community engagement; Regina Turner, associate faculty in communication studies; Vernon A. Williams, communication and community engagement strategist; Susan Kigamwa, assistant director of development for both the School of Architecture and the School of Art at Yale University; and Abdul-Khaliq Murtadha, assistant professor for Department of Theatre and Dance at Auburn University.
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ARTI manager Dr. Les Etienne said the host organization will specifically target former residents of the community in which the play is set, as well as students throughout the region to better acquaint them with a critical part of their heritage and the cultural experience of theater.
“The Price of Progress” is a two-act stage play originally produced to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of IUPUI in 2019. It was conceived by IUPUI Multicultural Center Director Khalilah Shabazz and written by Vernon A. Williams, Communication and Community Engagement Strategist for IUPUI. Several participants in the production were born and raised in the Indiana Avenue/Ransom Place neighborhood.
The production showcases the vivid heritage of an Indianapolis community dubbed “The Harlem of the Midwest,” for its thriving culture of Black-owned businesses, performing arts, educational influence, and a jazz legacy that attracted the most renowned musicians of the 20th Century. “The Price of Progress” also explores the impact of displacement and gentrification in Indianapolis.
The play candidly ascribes perceived and actual complicity on the part of IUPUI but also addresses healing measures assumed by campus leadership in more recent years. “The Price of Progress” celebrates the impactful first 50 years of IUPUI – one of the nation’s leading urban research campuses – chronicled through entertaining drama, comedy, music, dance and historical video.
