Charlotte (NC)—September 23,2014 –On Q Performing Arts, Inc presents its first show of Season 6: Blues People with the acclaimed original work For The Love of Harlem by Jermaine Nakia Lee and directed by Sidney Horton October 8-18 at the Duke Energy Theater, 345 N. College Street in Uptown Charlotte.
For The Love of Harlem (book, lyrics & original songs by Lee with co-composition by Tyrone Jefferson) is the musical sensation profiling the lives of some of the brightest artistic visionaries of the Harlem Renaissance; everyone from Langston Hughes to Alberta Hunter is highlighted in this work. Nestled in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, this movement impacted the entire cultural spectrum: literature, drama, music, visual art and dance. For The Love of Harlem not only celebrates the courage, achievements, frailty and hardships of these creative ones but their profound influence on American culture and how they redefined how the world viewed African-Americans.
Season 6: Blues People is dedicated to and based on the book of the same name by award-winning playwright, novelist, critic and political activist Amiri Baraka. Each production this season, beginning with For The Love of Harlem, is a vivid exploration and reflection of Black people’s journey through America. Just as Baraka once expressed, On Q’s tribute to Blues People, will dig “deeper into the history of the people… The music was the score, the actually expressed creative orchestration, reflection, of Afro-American life… an orchestrated, vocalized, hummed, chanted, blown, beaten, scatted, corollary confirmation of the history… explaining the history as the history was explaining the music; And that both were the expression of and reflections of the people. “
For The Love of Harlem will run Oct. 8-18, excluding Oct. 13 and 14 (Wednesdays and Thursdays, show begins at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m.). The preview performance (also known as “Pay What You Can Night”) is Oct. 8. The official opening night is October 9. Tickets to For The Love of Harlem are available at www.carolinatix.org or by calling 704.372.1000. Individual tickets are $28, Group tickets (10 or more) are $18 and Student tickets are only $10 with valid id. Season passes are also available for purchase.
In addition to For the Love of Harlem, Season 6: Blues People will include three other shows during the 2014-2015 season: Soulful Noel by The On Q Ensemble; Unfinished Women Who Cry In No Man’s Land While A Bird Dies In A Gilded Cage by Aishah Rahman; and Seven Guitars by August Wilson.
Season 6 presenting sponsors include the Knight Foundation, Blumenthal Performing Arts and Johnson C. Smith University; Mert’s Heart & Soul, Morton Malloy Realty, Digital Divas, JSW Media Group, dupp&swat and The Natural Voice are participating sponsors.
About On Q Performing Arts, Inc.
On Q began in 2006 with a mission to produce classic, contemporary and original performance works that reflect the Black experience, especially that of the African American. For additional information about performances and programs visit www.YOUARENOWONQ.com.
