BLACK ODYSSEY

About the Production
Obie-winning playwright Marcus Gardley blends classic mythology, African American history, and modern theatricality to create the poetic black odyssey. This vibrant reimagining of the Odysseus saga is set in modern-day Harlem, telling the epic tale of Ulysses Lincoln, a soldier facing the most daunting of voyages to reunite with his family. While fate may seem in control of Ulysses’ destiny, his ancestors and their buried history will help guide his journey home.

Venue:
Hattiloo Theatre
37 S Cooper, Memphis, TN 38104

Audition:
Saturday, November 9, 2024, 10a – 12p

Callbacks:
Sunday, November 10, 2024, 1 – 3p

Rehearsals:
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 10a – 1p
November 30, 2024 – January 23, 2025
Tuesdays – Thursdays, 6p – 9p
Saturdays, 10a – 2p
Sundays, 1p – 4p

Performances:
January 24 – February 16, 2025
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30p
Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2p

Roles

Ancestors

• DEUS/EATON/SUPER FLY TIRESEAS
  god of gods, god of the sky/a chef/the shagadelic prophet
• PAW SIDIN/NAVAL OFFICER/JOHN SUITOR/OFFICER 1
  god of sea, king of fish/Nella’s love interest
• GREAT AUNT TINA/SCYLLA/CALYPSO
  goddess of war, the sea creature, Ulysses’ grandmother

Mortals

• ULYSSES LINCOLN
  (black, 33) a vet from the Gulf War
• NELLA PELL
  (black, 33) Ulysses’ wife
• MALACHI/POLY’FAMOUS
  (black, 16) their son
• ARTEZ SABINE/ALABAMA SLIM/THE SOUL SIREN/THE ALTER EGO/OFFICER 2
  (black, 49) Grand Marshall of a Second Line
• ALSENDRA SABINE/CIRCE/CARIB’DISS
  (black, 40) his wife
• BENEVOLENCE NAUSICCA SABINE/AFRICAN ANCESTOR
  (black, 10) Their daughter

THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN

About the Production
Dawn breaks in Brooklyn, and seven black men rise to meet the day. One of them, a finance director, leaves his luxurious condo to jog around their rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, just as a grocery-store clerk is starting another soul-crushing shift. At the bus stop, two best friends debate the intricacies of modern dating, while a basketball coach at the youth center grapples with his unrealized potential. At the hospital, a teacher and his father-in-law welcome a new life. And at the barbershop, the whole group meets for cuts and conversation as sparks fly over questions of identity and community. Through the storytelling style of SLAM Narrative, THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN celebrates the hopes, ambitions, joys, and triumphs of black men in a world that often refuses to hear them.

Venue:
Hattiloo Theatre
37 S Cooper, Memphis, TN 38104

Audition:
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 10a – 12p

Callbacks:
Sunday, January 19, 2025, 1 – 3p

Rehearsals:
Saturday, February 1, 2025
February 8 – March 13, 2025
Tuesdays – Thursdays, 6p – 9p
Saturdays, 10a – 2p
Sundays, 1p – 4p

Performances:
March 14 – April 6, 2025
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30p
Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2p

Roles
All of the following characters are to be played by black men:

• LOVE
  18, college student. Poet by trade. Young in every sense of Lowerd. He’s a sneaker head and dresses like the youth of now, he threw about his clothes. Shy in certain situations. Needs to be well versed with the language of poetry.
• LUST
  20, retail worker. Heavy New York accent. Charming and naturally flirtatious. Purehearted. As carefree as he is reckless. His words are unrefined, and he has no filter. He is highly sexual and addicted to women and has enough confidence to go around.
• ANGER
  25, youth coach/part-time barber. A former collegiate basketball player that is an academic in disguise. He carries a chip on his shoulder. Has a rawness to him. Must have the energy of SLAM poetry during poetic scenes.
• DEPRESSION,
  28-30, grocery store clerk. An astute survivor. A true neighborhood guy at heart. Highly intelligent and steady; equally comfortable in multiple different environments, can adapt to his sur roundings, but at times he exposes himself to be socially awkward.
• PASSION
  35, teacher. A scholar from the inner city. A seasoned guy who has seen a lot in his life and is very in tune with the world around him. He has an articulate but edgy presence. He possesses the spirit of ancestral orators. Must be rhythmically inclined and fluent with poetic verse.
• HAPPINESS
  late 30s-early 40s, financial director. An upper-middle- class man originally from the South. A man who happens to be gay, but his sexuality does not rule his life, nor does he wear it on his sleeve. He has a polished look and demeanor with Ivy League schooling. A dressed-down casual Brooks Brothers man. He’s externally unapologetic, but deeply caring internally.
• WISDOM
  60-65, shop owner/entrepreneur. A man of dark complexion, African born. An immigrant to the United States. His accent has weakened over time. Heavy thinking man. Regal postconfident, but equally humble. He has a calm presence and possesses a strength only age can bring.

THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY

About the Production
Set in the heart of Seattle to the rhythms that shaped a generation, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky is inspired by the early life and influences of musical icon Jimi Hendrix. In the early era of rock n roll music, we see a young Black boy conjure his creativity as a budding guitarist. Guided by the spirit of music itself, the Boy learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Although more mythology than biography, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky is a celebration of our muses and the forces that pull us to be who we are. Told with vibrant music and daring imagination, this new family musical inspires us to dream big when it matters most.

Venue:
Hattiloo Theatre
37 S Cooper, Memphis, TN 38104

Audition:
Saturday, February 15, 2025, 10a – 2p

Callbacks:
Sunday, February 16, 2025, 1 – 3p

Rehearsals:
Saturday, March 22, 2025, 10a – 1p
April 5 – May 15, 2025
Tuesdays – Thursdays, 6p – 9p
Saturdays, 10a – 2p
Sundays, 1p – 4p

Performances:
May 16 – June 8, 2025
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30p
Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2p

Roles

• THE BOY —
  African-American. Male.
• J SONIC —
  African-American. Male. A spirit and the bandleader of an acting/singing chorus, and accompanying band.
  THE FEEDBACK: The shape-shifting acting ensemble.
• MEL/NEIGHBOR 1/GRANDPA/MUDDY WATERS
  African-American. Male. The Boy’s father, lean, confident, hard working, not without his demons.
• DONNA/NEIGHBOR 2/GRANDMA
  African-American. Female. The Boy’s mother, a free spirit, adventurous, unable to sit still, not without her demons
• NEWTON/VAUDEVILLE PERFORMER A/KOKO TAYLOR/LOCAL BAND MEMBER
  African-American. Female. Well intentioned nosy neighbor.
• PERSON WITH THE CLIPBOARD/PRODUCER/ARMY RECRUITER 1/LOCAL BAND MEMBER/VOICE
  Male.
• PERSON WITH THE CLIPBOARD 2/VAUDEVILLE PERFORMER B/ARMY RECRUITER 2/MUSIC PROFESSOR DR. MURPHY/VOICE
  White. Female.