DECEMBER 28, 2006 ~ B Section Page 1

KWANZAA HOLIDAY MUSICAL SPEAKS TO ALL CULTURES

MULTIRACIAL TROUPE EDUCATES, PERFORMS

AT CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY MUSEUM

2006 Picture KWANZAA

Craft CAST (left to right)

TOP: Sarah Gramajo, Melina Polk, Marcus Polk, Angela Hsu & Jebin Perumatty (Nick Ben)

BOTTOM: Heidi Cheung, Ace Payne, Kelly Olszewski, Zion Payne & Cierra Bivins

VIDEO=www.2006Kwanzaa.com

by Kim Vo

      Director Phillip E. Walker was searching for a suitable children’s program when he stumbled across a Kwanzaa musical. It fit the bill: smart, lyrical and able to keep kids busy during the winter break.

      But as his multiracial cast began singing about concepts like umoja - or unity - Walker was struck by the music’s and holiday’s deeper meaning.

      “When I hear it coming out of the these kids’ mouths, there were times at rehearsal I had to hold back tears,” said Walker, artistic director of the African American Drama Company. “I know that these kids will keep this and retain it in their lives. That’s revolutionary.”

      Walker’s gestures toward cultural revolution were on display Wednesday as children from The Third Theatre Troupe danced and sang at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose`. The nine children spilled out of the museum’s small auditorium, where the audience heard them sing:

      “Umoja is unity, you and me

      Living forever in love and harmony - Unity”.

      Both the performers and audience members reflected the Bay Area’s diversity, despite Kwanzaa’s roots in the African-American community. A California State University professor created the non-religious holiday in 1966, during the black power movement, to reaffirm African heritage.

      Kwanzaa celebrates family, community and culture. The name derives from a Swahili phrase for the “first fruits” of the harvest.

      From Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, families light red, black and green candles and reflect on seven different themes: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).

      Mary Bivins of Oakland began celebrating Kwanzaa this year, after her granddaughter Cierra joined the Kwanzaa musical and “took it to heart.” Though the holiday has been around for four decades, “it’s nothing [with which] we had grown up,” Bivins said.

      Now the family has been lighting candles nightly and plans to mark the celebration every year. It makes sense, coming right after Christmas, to continue the focus on family and community, she said.

      The musical is the extent of Kelly Olszewski’s Kwanzaa celebration. The San Jose teen admits her family was initially confused about the pale redhead’s involvement in a traditionally African-American holiday, but she felt the “morals and certain principles reach over to all races.”

KWANZAA | Holiday musical entertains, educate

      But it has special resonance for the black community, said Vince McCastle, who brought his 12 year old son, Martin, to Wednesday’s show. McCastle recently met his uncle and learned about the family’s Southern roots – the days spent working the plantations, the pithy, wise sayings. He sees a connection between that recent trip to Georgia and a Wednesday afternoon spent learning about Kwanzaa.

      “The base of it is always African culture,” he said, “and how it’s lived out in the times of slavery and how it’s still lived out without people being conscious of it.”

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Contact Kim Vo at ko@MercuryNews.com or (408) 920-5719

h h h h h MUSIC KWANZAA WEB LINKS h h h h h

BOOK KWANZAA DATES AT: www.KwanzaaMusical.com ( (408) 216-9877

The Plaza of San Jose, 30 E. Julian #218, SJ, CA 95112-4076 DRAMART@comcast.net

www.KwanzaaTour.com = Current Up to Date Play KWANZAA Song Tour Schedule

Traditional Kwanzaa Information on Up Coming Presenters = www.Kwanzaa2008.com

www.2007Kwanzaa.com = Report on 2007 Gift Kwanzaa Activities

Child Kwanzaa Auditions & Musical Director/Choreographer Interviews: www.2008Kwanzaa.com

www. Kwanzaa 2007 .com = Old Town Los Gatos SLIDE Show [coming soon]

Art Kwanzaa Kid Photo Collage: www.KwanzaaPicture.com

www.HistoryOfKwanzaa.com = History of Kwanzaa Candle

Sample Poem Kwanzaa Lyrics: www.KwanzaaSong.com

www.KwanzaaPrinciple.com = Seven Principles of Kwanzaa Principle Cast Bios & Photos

Happy Kwanzaa Story Director Up to Date Biography: www.PhillipEWalker.com

2009 KWANZAA CAST PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: www.ENTERTAINERACADEMY.com