Eight episodes of Vineyard Theatre’s Lessons In Survival, conceived by Marin Ireland, Peter Mark Kendall, Tyler Thomas, Reggie D. White and directed by Tyler Thomas, begin with the first virtual installment on Tuesday, October 6 at 8:30 PM ET. The series, inspired by the urgency of the current moment, is performed by The Commissary, with Kyle Beltran, Dan Butler, Helen Cespedes, Kalyne Coleman, Crystal Dickinson, Brandon J. Dirden, Ricardy Fabre, Yonatan Gebeyehu, Marin Ireland, Peter Mark Kendall, Nicole Lewis, Sevrin Anne Mason, April Matthis, Nana Mensah, Joe Morton, Deirdre O’Connell, Keith Randolph Smith, Ryan Spahn, Chris Stack, Myra Lucretia Taylor, TL Thompson, Nicole Villamil, Victoria Villier and Reggie D. White.
The Commissary, a multigenerational collective of more than 40 theatre artists who have come together to reinvestigate the words of trailblazing artists and activists who survived and created in times of revolution in our country. Each presentation features historic conversations, interviews and speeches and original broadcasts channeled by the actors. The goal of Lessons in Survival is to seek opportunity for true change that stands before us, including the effects of systemic racism.
The series schedule is as follows:
October 6 at 8:30 pm
EP 1: “Survival Is Not A One Time Decision”
Nina Simone; Lorraine Hansberry (1964); Audre Lorde/Blanche Cook (1982)
Featuring: Nicole Lewis, Kalyne Coleman, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Deirdre O’Connell
October 7 at 8:30 pm
EP 2: “I’m Trying to Make You See Something”
James Baldwin/Dick Cavett/Paul Weiss (1969)
Followed by live tweeting the Vice Presidential debate with The Commissary.
Featuring: Ricardy Fabre, Chris Stack, Dan Butler
Week 2
October 13 at 8:30 pm
EP 3: “When You Say Revolution… What Do You Mean?”
Angela Davis (2008); Georgia Gilmore (1979); Fannie Lou Hamer (1968)
Featuring: Nicole Lewis, Ricardy Fabre, Crystal Dickinson, Helen Cespedes
October 14 at 8:30 pm
EP 4: “The Old Leadership is Dead”
Bayard Rustin (1967)
Featuring: Kyle Beltran, Yonatan Gebeyehu, TL Thompson
Week 3
October 20 at 8:30 pm
EP 5: “Something is Beginning to Crack”
Maya Angelou/Mavis Nicholson (1987); James Baldwin/Mavis Nicholson (1987)
Featuring: Myra Lucretia Taylor, Marin Ireland, Joe Morton, Deirdre O’Connell
October 21 at 8:30 pm
EP 6: “This Country’s My Problem and Your Problem”
Toni Morrison/Charlie Rose (1993); James Baldwin and R.H. Darden (1968)
Featuring: Dan Butler, Yonatan Gebeyehu, Nana Mensah, Ryan Spahn
Week 4
October 27 at 8:30 pm
EP 7: “Lie To Me”
James Baldwin/Nikki Giovanni (Parts 1 & 2 of 4)(1971)
Featuring: Kalyne Coleman, Crystal Dickinson, Reggie White
October 28 at 8:30 pm
EP 8: “To Teach is a Revolutionary Act”
James Baldwin/Nikki Giovanni (Part 3 & 4 of 4) (1971)
Featuring: Kyle Beltran, Nana Mensah, Kalyne Coleman, Joe Morton
For further informations, visit www.vineyardtheatre.org
Leave a Reply