History of the Word
Featuring poet Saul Williams, “History of the Word” play,
select local spoken word artists, Saturday Feb 16 at Music Hall
Local Auditions Wednesday Jan 30, 7:00 pm in Jazz Cafe
Detroit: Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts presents the ultimate in spoken word events on Saturday, February 16 at 7:00 pm. The evening brings together national artist Saul Williams, touring play History of the Word, and select local high school students for what is sure to be a memorable mélange of ideas and opinions about life today. The event will be hosted by local performers from Mahogany Revue. Local auditions will be held on Wednesday January 30 in the Jazz Café at Music Hall at 7:00 pm, free admission. Tickets for Words and Rhythms of the D on February 16 are $7.00 -$12.00 and on sale now at Ticketmaster and the Music Hall office.
Hailed as "a dreadlocked dervish of words...the Bob Marley of American poets" (Esquire), Saul Williams is a gifted young poet who is opening up this literary art form to a new generation of readers. Like his writing -- a fearless mix of connecting rhythms and vibrant images -- Saul Williams is unstoppable. He received raves for his performance as an imprisoned street poet in the Trimark Pictures release Slam, winner of the Camera d'Or at Cannes and the Grand Jury Prize at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In an age where boundless leaps are being made in communication, Saul Williams is evolutionary proof that age-old concepts can be fused with new precepts and expressed with mind opening precision. Williams channels the voice of the postmodern age, yet allows a wide-ranging stream of consciousness to distort the melody like some sort of lyrical Hendrix.
Williams will share the stage on February 16 with up and coming young talented Detroit area high school poets, making the occasion ripe for collision of student and teacher.
Billed as "a new hip-hop musical, History of the Word traces the lives of six high school students learning to navigate a world filled with dreams, fears and a constant need to be accepted. Their stories, based on the real life experiences of five of the country's most talented spoken word poets, help make the play resemble a hip-hop high school version of A Chorus Line. By exploring the relationship between our history, our lives and our language, History of the Word challenges young people to explore the life-changing decisions they make each day.
Poems authored by metro Detroit students will be included in the February production to accent what each character experiences, as issues of war, body-image, and being an American are addressed in the various scenes of the play. Interested local poets are encouraged to bring their best material to the Music Hall Jazz Café for a Sneak Peek on Wednesday January 30 at 7:00 pm. The Sneak Peek in the Jazz Café fosters a positive environment that enables self-expression through positive creative writing and the element of stage presentation. Students will be selected to star in a segment of the History of the Word show entitled History of the Word: Words and Rhythms of the “D”. Audition pieces should be lass than two minutes in length. This pre-production showcase will also feature three critically acclaimed Detroit based poets: Mike Ellison, Mic Write, and Carmelita Reyes. For additional information on how to be a participant, please contact Alana Wright at 313.887.8524 or alanaw@musichall.org
"[History of the Word] is about empowerment and human potential. You will
leave the theater wanting to work harder to do whatever you do better."
- David Pumo, nytheatre.com
“We are all more alike than different, and each student has a voice that deserves to
be heard” - Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, Conceiver & Director
For additional info, please contact Nancy Schoenheide 248.486.3424 office/ 248.390.7340 office nshow@cablespeed.com
Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison Ave. Detroit 313.887.8500 www.musichall.org
