SUPAFRIK is coming to NEW ORLEANS! November 12 – 15

We are taking the SUPAFRIK pop-up back on the road again! In less than two weeks we will be touching down in New Orleans for a 4 day food, fashion, art extravaganza! From November 12 – 15, SUPAFRIK will serve as a space and destination event where creative expressions from all over the African continent and communities in the diaspora will meet the rich and multilayered cultural milieux that New Orleans is world famous for.

We are pulling out all the stops for NOLA! The festivities kick off from 7PM on Thursday with an art exhibit titled “Nesting: The Makings of Home” at The Joan Mitchell Foundation (2275 Bayou Rd) featuring  a selection of works by Shoshanna Weinberger (Newark, New Jersey), Shannon Lewis (Berlin, Germany), Heather Hart(Brooklyn, New York), photographer Patrick Melon (New Orleans) and a performance art piece by Rebecca Mwasse(New Orleans via Zimbabwe) drawn from her latest play Looking At a Broad. Complementary catering will be provided by local Afro-fusion pop-up foodies the Black Swan Food Experience. The SUPAFRIK pop-up shop will also be open for the duration of the four days selling a selection of cutting edge fashion from Osei Duro (Made in Ghana), New Orleans based DopeCiety, a new collection from Chinedesign (Toronto) and top sellers from Blkkangaroo. The shop will also a curated selection of art and art objects from Material Life Nola (including coveted limited edition pieces by Kehinde Wiley and Chris Ofili)

Other events in the line-up include a runway and live-mannequin fashion show, a theatrical production, an art panel discussion on creativity, a movie and an African-themed masquerade ball featuring Grammy-nominated Hot 8 Brass Band (Friday). Not to mention a “Gumbo” party featuring a first time historical collaboration between Toronto and New Orleans DJs connecting the dots by mixing musical flavors from NOLA, Africa and the Caribbean.

It is all as exciting as it sounds. Check back often as we reveal more details over the next few days. We don’t want to overwhelm you with too much goodness at one time!

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MUST SEE: “Better Angels: A Parable”

Masterfully written by Andrea Scott and directed by Nigel Shawn Williams, “Better Angels: A parable” is the must see play of The Summerworks Theatre Festival currently taking place in Toronto

Better Angels is the story of Akosua (impeccably played by Akosua Amo-Adem), a young Ghanaian woman who moves to Toronto to work as a nanny/housekeeper for Leila and Greg. After six months of working, Akosua finds herself trapped in modern day slavery, uncompensated for her work and unable to leave the house.

Summoning the cunning of Anansi, the West African spider god, Akosua turns the tables on her friendly captors as she unravels the web of lies they have woven into the fabric of their lives. Andrea Scott’s gift of writing humorous dialogues that dig into the uncomfortable nuanced dynamics of relationships, race and class, is on full display here at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace.

If you are not familiar with Ms. Scott’s work, this is a good time to get acquainted. Opening night was sold out and there are only a few showings left. Tickets are available at summerworks.ca

Sunday August 9th 12:30 PM
Tuesday August 11th 10:00 PM
Thursday August 13th 5:15 PM
Friday August 14th 7:30 PM
Saturday August 15th 5:15 PM
Sunday August 16th 5:30 PM

Because I Love You/A Quiet Desperation

 

*TORONTO* Because I Love You/A Quiet Desperation is a new project in development from the same company that brought you the hit site-specific play, Nightmare Dream. Because I Love You gives voice to the story of African mother’s encounter with the Western world, both in a historical context and in the modern reality of foreign adoption.

Set inside the St Lawrence Hall, Because I Love You is told through the style of myth, magic, and ritual and a unique blending of text, sound and movement. The piece is the second of ‘The Nightmare Dream Series’, a trilogy of experimental theatre projects exploring the African encounter with the ‘other’.

Exclusive workshop presentation
Today(25.02.14) at 7:30pm inside St Lawrence Hall
157 King St E, Toronto, ON

Tickets: $12 in advance $15 at the door

Presentation will be followed by a talk back and a reception
Bring your dancing shoes!

Please visit www.because-iloveyou.com for more information.

A co-production with Newface Entertainment.