Africana Studies / Rites and Reason Theatre
2024-2025 Season
Upcoming Workshops and Performances
Hero
In a small, traditional South African town where gender norms are strictly adhered to, Vuyo and their choir-mates find themselves at the center of an unspoken pact.
Back for a second residency with the Department of Africana Studies/Rites and Reason Theatre, Hero is a tale of courage, unity, and the extraordinary power of music to challenge societal norms.
Directed by Shariffa Ali, the Department’s Guest Director-in-Residence.
January 24+25, 2025 | 7pm
Save the Date!
Mourning on the Weekend, Written and Performed by Vatic Kuumba, March 2025
The Black Lavender Experience: Theatre and Conversation Sparked by Queer Artists of Color, Directed by Shariffa Ali, April 2025
Past Events
Kinesthetic Exploration for Theatre Making and Community Building: A Workshop with Shariffa Ali, Guest Director in Residence
Join us for an immersive workshop that bridges the power of movement with the art of theatre-making, designed to cultivate creativity, collaboration, and community. Drawing from training in South African theatre practices and principles of grassroots organizing, this workshop invites participants of all backgrounds and experience levels to explore the dynamic relationship between body, space, and storytelling.
September 19, 2024 | 5:30pm
Free and open to the public ages 6+
Sweet Chariot: A play in development at the Department of Africana Studies/Rites and Reason Theatre
Written by Eric Lockley and Directed by Shariffa Ali, Sweet Chariot is a play in development at Rites and Reason Theatre.
In this Afrofuturist epic, a disconnected father and heroic daughter become caught up in a cosmic journey to discover salvation in a mythic place called Home.
Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 7pm and Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 2pm.
This performance is free and open to the public. Reservations are required.
Acting Against Apartheid: Lessons from the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement, a workshop with Shariffa Ali
This one-time intergenerational workshop delves into the powerful role that protest theatre played in the South African Anti-Apartheid movement. Participants will explore the historical context that led to the rise of Apartheid and the subsequent mass resistance against this system of racial segregation. Through a mix of discussion and hands-on activities, participants will examine how the performing arts became a formidable tool for dismantling oppression.
November 7, 2024 | 5:30pm