Denison’s production of “The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God”

Date of Event: February 28, 2013

Posted: February 18, 2013

GRANVILLE, Ohio—Denison University Theatre will present “The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God,” written by Djanet Sears, at 8 p.m. from Thursday, Feb. 28, through Saturday, March 2; and Tuesday, March 5, through Thursday, March 7; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in the Burke Black Box Theatre (240 West Broadway). Ticket prices are $8 for general admission, $5 for senior citizens, and $4 for students. For more information, visit www.denison.edu and for reservations, contact the box office at 740-587-6527.

The play reveals an epic story of remarkable love, incredible heists, an extraordinary dying wish and communities that know pride and keep faith. Rainey Baldwin-Johnson struggles to heal from the death of her young daughter while also dealing with the disintegration of her marriage and the aggravation of her elderly father’s eccentric crusade. Award-winning Canadian playwright Djanet Sears has set this moving, poetic, and ultimately life-affirming drama in present-day Negro Creek, a 200-year-old black community in Western Ontario. Supporting the action of the play is a “chorus of souls,” ancestral beings who provide a window into African tradition and beliefs. Denison’s production will make use of three-quarter round staging to better involve the audience in the multidimensional reality of Sears’ play.

Rainey is played by sophomore Lauren Adejumo from Chicago; her husband Michael by junior Kym Littlefield from Columbus, Ohio; and her father Abendigo by sophomore Merlin Bell from Swansea, Ill. The quartet of Abendigo’s elderly co-conspirators is played by seniors Gabriel Cunine and Brittane Maddox, both from Chicago; and first-year students Aaron Robertson from Williamsville, N.Y.; and Dyamone Hopkins from Oak Lawn, Ill. The Ancestors are embodied by junior Autumn Stiles from Jersey City, N.J.; sophomore Quaanzale Thompson from Chelsea, Mass.; and first-year students Imani Abernathy from Chicago, Martha Gutierrez from Pharr, Texas; Graciella Maiolatesi from Amherst, Mass.; and Rian Matthews from Washington. Hailey Bruce from St. Joseph, Minn.; and Unita Upshaw from Calumet City, Ill.; complete the acting ensemble. Stage manager is sophomore Jaime Weinfeld from Navarre, Ohio, and assistant stage manager is junior Devin Daro from Wickliffe, Ohio.

Co-directors for the production are Cheryl McFarren, assistant professor of theatre and Stafford C. Berry, Jr., assistant professor of dance. The costume designer is Jessica Pitcairn, a member of the Denison class of 2003 and an adjunct professor of theatre. Scenery and lighting designer is Vail Artist-in-Residence Elizabeth Droessler of Raleigh, N. C. and properties artisan is Vail Artist-in Residence Lori Worthman of Lakewood, Colo.

Calendar Listing:

CALENDAR LISTING: Granville – Denison University Theatre presents “The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God,” at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, through Saturday, March 2; and Tuesday, March 5, through Thursday, March 7; and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, in the Burke Black Box Theatre (240 West Broadway). Ticket prices are general admission $8, senior citizens $5, and students $4. Subscriptions are available by calling the Department of Theatre at 740-587-6231 or visiting www.denison.edu.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name: Ginny Sharkey
Position Title: Media Relations
Primary Email: sharkeyv@denison.edu
Business Phone: (740) 587-6266

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