20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour

PRESS KIT
USATOUR
2014
20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour
TABLE OF CONTENT
1 ------------------------- AFRICA UMOJA - THE SHOW
2 ------------------------------------ VISUAL TREATMENT
3 ---------------------------------------- PRESS RELEASE
4 -------------------------------- USA TOUR DATES 2014
5 ----------------------------------------------------- AWARDS
6 ---------------------------------------------------- REVIEWS
6.1 REVIEW ------------------- “Enough Energy to Light Up A City”
6.2 REVIEW --------- “UMOJA best stage show ever in Windsor”
6.3 REVIEW ------------------------------------ “Rainbow still shining”
6.4 REVIEW ---------------------- “Beating a drum for South Africa”
7 ------------------------------------------- CONTACT INFO
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour
AFRICA UMOJA - THE SHOW
Over 30 countries across the globe have witnessed the magic
of AFRICA UMOJA - a colorful and jubilant celebration of
the history of indigenous South African music and dance,
that audience - whatever their cultural backgrounds - have
found infectiously delightful and uplifting.
With a cast of 32 of South Africa‟s brightest and most versatile
young performers, singers, drummers and dancers, AFRICA
UMOJA - The Spirit of Togetherness, 20 Years of Freedom
and Democracy Tour is a joyous celebration of dynamic
talent, thrilling energy, great voices and sensual dances that
sweep across the bright and vibrant South African
traditional landscape.
Traveling on the beats of drums, from the dusty streets of
Soweto to all the corners of the world‟s best and biggest
stages, AFRICA UMOJA - which in Zulu means „together‟ - tells the moving tale of indigenous
South African music and dance from the earliest rhythms to the current club sounds of kwaito.
Audiences all over the world have embraced the traditional love songs, lullabies and other
musical expressions of rural life. They have also cried along in the city streets listening to music
reflecting the pain of the migrant laborers and their families.
The tale dances through sheebeens and the cultural melting-pot of Sophiatown. The heart is
saddened by cold stories of forced removals yet the feet continue to stomp along with the
explosions of gumboot dancing.
There are also the reminiscent sounds of the vibrant jazz that forced its way free from the
constraints of the times. The international audiences will relate to names such as Miriam Makeba
(Mama Africa) and the late Dolly Radebe, while a thread of gospel music running through the
tale recalls the huge helpings of faith and courage. This saw black South Africans through some
of the country‟s stormiest historical passages.
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com. All Rights Reserved.
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For Media Inquiries:
With art:
Contact: Rafika Soaries
1. Official Africa Umoja Poster
Email: [email protected]
2. For complete gallery download go to:
Background Info:
www.umojatheshow.com
www.umojausatour.com
The award–winning South African musical show „AFRICA UMOJA – 20 Years of Freedom and Democracy
Tour is coming to the US for its second Multi-City tour in North America, premiering at the National
Theater in Washington, DC on October 2, 2014.
Traveling on the beats of drums, from the dusty streets of South Africa‟s Townships to all the corners of the
world‟s best and biggest stages, AFRICA UMOJA tells the moving tale of indigenous South African
music, its people and their song - from the earliest rhythms to Kwaito.
The 32-piece cast made up from a myriad of South African cultures is presenting beautiful costumes and
award winning, internationally acclaimed choreography. AFRICA UMOJA is a colorful and jubilant
celebration of life that audiences from all backgrounds have found infectiously delightful and uplifting.
Thirty countries have embraced the traditional love songs, lullabies and other musical expressions of rural
life.
They have celebrated and cried along with the passionate voices that tell the story of Sophiatown - the
story of love, community, forced removals and hardship. All while the feet continue to stomp along with the
explosions of gumboot dancing to music reflecting the pain of the migrant laborers and their families.
The reminiscent sounds of vibrant jazz that forced its way free from the constraints of the times and a
thread of gospel music running through the tale, recalls the huge helpings of faith and courage. This saw
black South Africans through some of the country‟s stormiest historical passages.
AFRICA UMOJA is continuing its journey in North America, with shows in Washington DC, Charlotte NC,
Miami FL, Birmingham AL, Memphis TN, Chicago IL, Atlanta GA, New Orleans LA,
New York, New York.
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com. All Rights Reserved.
20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour
USATOUR DATES 2014
Washington DC
National Theater
October 2 – 12
Charlotte, NC
Knight Theater
October 14 – 19
Miami, FL
Actor’s Playhouse/Miracle Theater
October 21 – 26
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center
October 28 – Nov 1
Memphis, TN
Playhouse Theater Center
November 4 – 9
Chicago, IL
Harris Theater Center
November 11 – 16
Atlanta, GA
Rialto Theater
November 25 – 30
New Orleans, LA
Mahalia Jackson Theater of Performing Arts
December 2 –14
New York, NY
Symphony Space
December 26 – January 10
(other markets and dates may be added)
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com. All Rights Reserved.
AWARDS
FNBVitaAward,SouthAfrica (2001)
Nomination for Women of the Year Award, South Africa (2002)
Performing Arts Award, Canada (2004)
SAMA Best DVDAward, South Africa (2005) Finalist
in the Women of theYear Award, South Africa (2005)
Planet Africa Award, Canada (2005)
Planet Africa Award, Canada (2007)
COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE
South Africa
Australia
Holland
Canada
United Kingdom
Nigeria
Japan
Belgium
Italy
Israel
Singapore
Cyprus
Baltic States
Denmark
Hong Kong
France
Sweden
Korea
Swaziland
Dubai
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com. All Rights Reserved.
20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour
REVIEWS
"Enough energy to light
up L o n d o n . I de f y
anyone to leave this hit
dance musical feeling
anyt hing l e s s t ha n
elated." - Daily Telegraph,
London
„A jaw-dropping spectacle‟ - NOW, Canada
"A breath-taking and vibrant spectacular which
assails every one of your senses. Definitely the
hottest show in town," - The Northern Echo, London
“Spirited UMOJA is irresistible...At the end of the evening,
the multicultural audiences exploded not merely into
applause, but into dance, arms waving and bodies swaying.
Not even the worst curmudgeon could resist the goodnatured, high-spirited ambiance of UMOJA” - Globe & Mall,
“…a
Toronto, Canada
France
“A Spectacle with heart.. A
Collective Triumph!”
- The Times
“Setting the
Wo rl d' s st age s
ablaze! ” - Sowetan,
South Africa
musical
pilgrimage which
reveals a country
and its heart.”
- Nice-Matin, Cannes,
"I have never seen such energy and grace
on stage and the finale had the audience
on their feet for standing ovation after
standing ovation." - Irish World
“Away with affected passion and stuck-on smiles.
The players clearly live and feel the tale.” - Trouw,
The Netherlands
" … well-choreographed dances, excellent
footwork and… breathtakingly harmonious a
capella numbers. The vocals, especially the
solos, were to die for. This pulsating musical
odyssey leaves you breathless, and your heart
pounding for more.” - South China Morning Post
"The chandelier-shaking voices are
certainly enough to make you feel
ashamed to be sitting still (and
indeed it received a standing
ovation)." - Metro, London
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com. All Rights Reserved.
20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour
Enough energy to·light µp,·a city
WHEN Paul Simonwent to SouthAfrica
in the mid-Eighties tomake his
Gracelandalbwn with local musicians,
he was widely criticised for breaking
theculturalboycott Yet aswell as
producing a great record he also gave a, ·
huge boost to the musicof black South
Africa ata time when "world"music
.·
wasjust beginning togain popularity in ,.'. ·
theWest.
·.;·1
Umoja (it means "togetherness")is a
gorgeous, glorious celebration of South' .
African songanddance,thouJthit
initially made me feel uncomfortable'.
There is something about sittingip.a
predominantly white audience,
.
watching a vibrant black company
going through their crowd-pleasing
paces thatfeelsworryingly akinto·
colonialism. But such acultural cringe
is my problem, not theirs, and allsuch
reservations are swept away.by the
sheer power andvitalityofthis show.
Manyofthe youngperfonners have
come from deprived backgro'Qllds in
the townships withnoformal training.
Indeed, inrecent auditions for Umoja, \
some of the hopeful candidates were .1
actually sleeping rough on the streets. ·:.!'.
But there is no sensehere that this is a ·
;;
worthyexercise·insocialengineering. ·.':i
Thecompanyisfabulouslytalented,
and exudes an energy that could light
up and warm the whole of
·
Johannesburg. I particularly'liked the
Turbo-charged: Umoja fuses soaring a cappella, stirring gospel andstunning choreography
spindly,clownish Collen Mavundhla,
traditional snake dance and stick-andwhose legs areeven fwmierthan those
instruments and western musical styles. and your heart and your soul"actually
shield fights to thejoyful ensembles
mean much? But there isreal dignity
of John Cleese.But itis the sense of a
Jazz, township jive,gumboot dancing,
here.The injustices of apartheid and
featuring a company ofnearly 30 turbounified ensemble working atfull stretch soaring acappella and stirring gospel
charged,amazingly versatile dancers.
that makes this show so exhilarating• .
are all gloriously present and correct, as the passlaws are described with a pain
and anger that never turns shrill, and
Theeroticism of soeroutines is
Umojais effectively a guided tour
wellasKwaito,aSouthAfricanvariant
when Ndaba says, "Our music had to
breathtaking-andhowrefreshing to
round South African popular culture.
on hip-hop and house music, and the
keep us human",you believe him.
seefemale hoofers who aren't ashamed
We begin, naturally, with drumming,
first distinct musical form to have
and with the dances apd initiation
The show'screators areTodd Twala
ofhavingabitoffleshonthem.
emerged since the end of apartheid.
andThembi Nyandeni, veterans ofan
Nyandeni isreponsible for the
ceremonies of village ·life. But the
Ndaba's narration has a touch of
costwnes, a riot of coloured beads and
earlier SouthAfrican international hit,
production, .narrated by the amiable
traveloguecliche aboutit -does aline
animal skins as well as modern street
Ipi Ntombi. Twala is responsible for the
such as "The drwns of Africa are
Hope Ndaba, thenfollows the driftto
powerful,theyspeakwithyourblood
· stunningchoreography,rangingfroma gear, while director Ian vo Memerty
thecities,whereblackvoicesmetwhite
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
has ensuredplentyofvariations of
pace.The high-energy numbers are set
against quieter moments of patlios,as
wellasadaztlingpolyrhythmic
marimba duet andthe grandeur of the
gospel songs, which have asurging
spiritualpower. defy anyone toleave
this upliftingshowfeelinganythingless
than elated.
Tkkets: 0870906 3798
Ch_arles Spencer
+
82
ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday, November 5, 2005
Umoja best stage show ever in Wmdsor:
·
BOX OFFICE
Umoja: The Spirit of Togethernessopened Thursday at Capitol
Theatre, 121 UniversityAve. W.
Performances conti nue through
Nov. 13. Tickets $67-$47. Calf
253-7729.
[email protected]
moja may be the greatest tourism
U
pitchever conceived.
Its celebration of South African culture can singlehandedly boost interest
intravel to the country.
One thing's certain: It'sfar ;m.d away
the most exciting stage show ever to
play Windsor.
Umoja: The Spirit of Togethernessis
a two-hour explosion of colour ahd
song performed by a company which
would not be out of place on a Broadway stage.
It is easy to understand how Umoja
packed inaudiences inLondon's West
End for two years.This is professional
musical theatre at its exhilarating
best.
Cveators Todd Twala and Thembi
Nyadeni have crafted a masterpiece
from the dramatic drum solos at the
start to the final, remarkable chorus.
Umoja not only celebrates South
Africa, it elevates the human spirit.
The audience at Thursday's opener
was swept up by the energy generated
on stage, enough energy to power a
small city.
Nobody wanted it to end. Audience
members were on their feet and clapping rhythmically to the final note
evenasthehouselights came up.
· With split-second timing and unbe-
RHYTHMIC: Cast members of Umoja: The Spirit of Togetherness perform
a tribal dance, part of the stage show playing at the Capitol The3tre.
lievable staying power, the 29 cast
members are able to perform elaborate
dance moves without seeming to break
a sweat. And many of them sing as
well.
It'sa marathon of songand dance.
Several of the numbers are worth
singling out, beginning with the visually beautiful Venda Snake Dance, a
tribal dance that signifies a girl reaching womanhood. The many Mating
Dances which followare accompanied
by hammering drums and aggressive
gestures by the dancers.
A depiction of a Durban talent show
in the 1950s begins with a cappella
singing that bears the influences of
American souland R&B.
The title song, Umoja, which is a
Xhosa word for "spirit of togetherness," features a contemporary pop
combo of drums, guitars, keyboard
and sax. The music will be familiar to
those who know Paul Simon's Graceland album, which was influenced by
South African clubmusic.
The Shebeen dances combine 1950s
jive with African tribal dance.
The gumboot dances are equally fascinating. Gumboots are worn by South
African miners, who attach castanets
to them and create rhythmic effects by
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
dancing and slapping the sides of the
boots.
On the heels of the gumboot boys
came girls carrying soda pop cans,
smacking them together iI1 a dance
and song that originally raised mv
awareness in SouthAfrica.
A pair of marimba players dazzled
the audience with their speed and dexterity on the small, woodblock instrument.
Wmdsor is one of only three Canadi·
an cities to see Umoja .It arrives here
after a successful month-lqng run in
Toronto, and finishes up inVancouver
inDecember.
WSO goes for Baroque There wasn't a whiff of J.S. Bach on the program, but that didn't stop Windsor
Symphony Orchestra from opening
its Bach & Beyond series of chamber
concerts Friday with a baroque elegance.
The emphasis was on the Beyond ata
pair of concerts at Assumption University Chapel, morning and evening,
that offered music from the French
baroque and 20th century works which
were inspired by it
Amy Lee, WSO's featured harpist,
was inthelimelight for compositions
by the French impressionists Claude
Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
In Lee's hands, the harp, that most
heavenly of instruments, glows even
brighter. And her playing was heard to
best effect inthe quiet intimacy of Assumption Chapel.
Ravel's IntrOduction & Allegro, a
work commissioned by a French harp
maker. brings out the beauty and grac
of the harp as a solo istrument. Debussy's earlier work, Danses sacreet
profane, also written at the request of
a harp company, is a bit more restrainedbut nolesseloquent.
Lee is one of the most sought-after
performers on her instrument in
Windsor and southern Michigan, and
it'seasy to seewhy.
After a quick change of clothes, she
also joined the orchestra in the other
Ravel work on the program, Le
tombeau deCouperin.
This giant of the 20th century repertoire was written during the First
World War as a memorial for fallen
comrades, and so it was fitting that it
be played in the week leading up to Remembrance Day.
The work called for an unusually
largecontingentfor these AsslUllption
concerts, including full brass and
woodwind sections, as wll as Lee's
harp.But it would be hard to imagine
the work sounding any better than in
the acoustically friendly chapel.
The French baroque was represented by ballet music by Jean-Baptiste
Lully, Le Triomphe de I'amour, and a
curious, early sound painting by Jean
Philippe Rameau, the overture to Zais.
[email protected] or 255-5777,
ext.641.
40
S:tage
Rainbowstill shining
The South African show Umoja returns to Perth
after 10years. RonBans reports.
A
dynamic
nyone with a fondness
for South African
music and dance will
probably remember
Umoja, the colourfuland
production that celebrated
the culture from the dark days of
apartheid to the more optimistic era
of the Rainbow Nation.
Itsyouthful cast was drawn
mainly fromthe backblocks of
underprivileged areas such as Soweto.
Umoja, whichlooselytranslated
means "the spirit of togetherness"
or "unity'',was anapt name fora
production that blended history_,
culture, humour and survivalstories
withina framework ofsong and dance.
The original Australian season
began inPerth a decade ago before an
18-week tour of other capital cities.
For most of the young cast the trip
to Perth was the first time they had
flown,the first time they had been
out of their country and the first time
they had owned a passport or stayed
in a hotel.room.
Since then, Umoja has toured to 26
countries and for the past five years
has had a permanent home at the
Victory Theatre in the Johannesburg
suburb of Houghton, where it began
in an old cinema much like the Regal
ThT
eahteresu
incS
ceusbsiaiscdou.e to the talents and
dedication of many people, none more
so than Thembi Nyandeni and Todd
Twala, two former dancers who met
as primary schoolchildren in Soweto.
The two young women went their
separate ways as dancers in the 1970s
asa relaxation of the restrictions on
black entertainers allowed them to
appt:ar in mixed-race musical casts for
mainly white audiences.
Nyandeni and Twala rekindled
their school friendship when they
both appeared in the worldwide hit Ipi
Ntombi. After theshow closed, they
formed a duo to celebrate their own
rich culture, a collsboration from
which the seeds of Umoja were sown
twodecades later.
Therewas no shortage of young
talent acrossthe country from which
tochoose,and even todayhopef-uts
make their way to the Victoria Theatre
whereNyandeni andTwala
continue
.,
Umojo's song and dance show blends h
istory,culture,humourand survivals\ories.
to watch over the young cast members
with a keen sense of responsibility.
''Weliketo joke thateveryone has two
mothers on Umoja_," Nyamleni says.
''We look after them with the kind of
tough love that is·needed when young
people come to us with a burning
ambition to be on thestage..,
Nyandeni and Twala are, of course,
produ1;tsof amuch earlfor generation
that had to fight the political battles
shaped by the policy of apartheid,
when the Group Areas Act forced
many black communitiesout ofwellestablished areas into shanty towns in
themiddleof nowhere. Black music
and drinking also was banned so sly
grog houses became places where the
frustrations of living under apartheid
were expressed in song and dance.
"We were under apartheid for a
very long time,"Nyandeni says. "The
songs anddancesthat were created
inthose times helped suppress the
pain. And now Umoja is a journey that
shows where we've come from and
what wehavebeenthrough -and
wherewe have arrivednow."
Umojais atthe Burswood Theatre
from June 19-24.
------·------------------------- ---
··-- --
-
·
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
.· , -· =- -
- -
FOR1A:i"IdN1rouR·1,
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Thu,rsday, June 21,2012 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
-vvac:sou.
Beating a drum for South Af rica
1
ue
today .
DV D4 1e1ease
11as a
cu111
from director Simon Curtis, while th
edition also has a documentary insi!
Monroe.
NEW RELEASE
The Sunset Limited
Warner Bros, M, $30
CONCERT
It is hard to believe that this film,ba5
Cormac McCarthy play,was shot1n 1
is very good and worth seeking out.
focuses on two very different men deeply religious former convict (Sa
Jackson) who thwarts the suicide at
the other, an
collegeprofe
(Tommy Lee
who also dire
film). But the;
meeting igni
philosophica
ideas. as eac
changethei
the other.It i
absorbing ex
that proves particularly engaging.T
features are also worthwhile.They i
behind-the-scenes insight with inte
with the cast and crew and a comm
from Jones, McCarthy and Jackson.
Africa Umoja
Burswood Theatre
REVIEW ROSALIND APPLEBY
'The drums of Africa are
powerful," says Hope,
the narrator of Africa
Umoja. "They speak with your
blood, your heart and your
soul."
As he reflects on his life as a
musician he recounts the story
of South African music from
girls ingrass skirts to African
hip-hop via jazz, gumboot
dancing and gospel.
Itisa story of a people's
struggle and the irrepressible
power ofmusic.
As the drums begin to pound
on stage, men dressed in skin'!;
and feathers crash spears on to
shields as they dance. Multiple
costume-changes later, the stage
is strewn with beads and
drumstick splinters and the
high-energy pac.e hasn't slowed.
The singing is gutsy and
soulfulandwhen they break
into harmony it is
spine-tinglingly good.
The dancing isn't graceful but
it is wholehearted, tightly
choreographed and infectious.
High kicks and somersaults
pnnctuate a sexy belly-dance
style of gyrating.
The performers are allages,
shapes and sizes and they can
all dance the house down; they
come mostly from the
townships of South Africa and
TELEVISION
Top Gear: The Great Advent
India Special and Supercars
Italy
Roadshow, PG,$30, Bfu-ray $35
ENGAGING The dancing in Africa Umoja is wholehearted and infectious. PICTURE N
IC ELLIS
this istheir own story.
Dark themes, including the
brutality of apartheid, the
exploitation of the mine
workers and the threat of HIY,
sit alongside idyllic songs from
village life and church
meetings.
The boot-slapping gumboot
dance (amethod of
communicating while mining)
rivals Tap Dogs in its masculine
athleticism. Equally impressive
is the technical skill of the
marimba players and the
centipede-like use oflonglines
of arms and legs in the Venda
Snake Dance.
A five-piece jazz band sets the
scene for the illegal drinking
bars ofSophiatoWn and Soweto.
Tribal clothes are swapped for
sneakers and bikini tops for
Kwaito, the African version of
hip-hop which became popular
about the time that Nelson
© 2014 www.internationalartsfoundation.com All Rights Reserved.
Mandela took office as
president.
The joyful exuberance of the
performers as they danced to
itwas the greatest testimony
that this music and its history
are in their blood and heart and
soul.9
Africa Umoja is on until
Sunday.
This is the latest DVD offering from
favouriterevheads, undertakingtwo
event-filled adventures across two c
Driving three old British cars and a
uniquely British products, Jeremy,Ri
James drive across India, devotedly
promoting Britain with mixed results
travel through Italy,the chaps drive
supercars and end up driving hot la
uncompromising lmola Grand Prix t
another four-hour bonanza for the s
many fans. The extras include some
vision from lmola and a test traclf
a batchof deleted scenes.
CONTACT INFO
Official Tour Website:
OfficialTrailer:
Gallery Download:
Social Media:
www.internationalartsfoundation.com
www.youtube.com/user/UmojaUSATour/videos
www.umojatheshow.com
www.facebook.com/UmojaUSATour
www.twitter.com/Umojausatour
www.pinterest.com/umojausatour
Media Inquiries:
Sponsored by:
[email protected]
www.internationalartsfoundation.com
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20 Years of Freedom and Democracy Tour