Tim Rhoze, Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, has announced the cast and creative team for THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE. This fully staged limited-run production devised by Tim Rhoze and Bria Walker is inspired by a 1971 televised conversation between James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni. The ideas of these two literary giants about racism, manhood, writing, and teaching are as relevant today as they were then. Rhoze and Walker have taken this important conversation and created a dynamic theatrical experience infused with spoken word, prose, original music, choreography, and mural artwork. THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE will be performed twice only, on September 2nd and 3rd, and will be an intellectual and artistic journey of a lifetime.
Rhoze, who has been Producing Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre since 2010, has in addition to his many directing credits at FJT, also authored the company’s WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY, and MAYA’S LAST POEM, both produced at FJT; and BLACK BALLERINA, produced at FJT and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. He was co-writer and director of A HOME ON THE LAKE, co-produced with the Piven Theatre Workshop. Walker, an artistic associate with FJT and Assistant Professor of Acting at Carnegie Mellon University, directed FJT’s recent production of OBAMA-OLOGY and co-directed FJT's production of CROWNS.
The performers include Sean Blake, representing James Baldwin; and Rachel Blakes, representing Nikki Giovanni. Sean Blake, who is also the production’s choreographer, has previously appeared at FJT in GEE'S BEND and WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY. He also has credits with such companies as the Goodman Theatre, Court Theater, Northlight Theatre, and Seattle Rep. His television credits include EMPIRE and CHICAGO PD. Rachel Blakes appeared in FJT’s 2022 production of HOME, for which she received a Black Theater Alliance Award nomination. The artistic team for THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE also includes composer and sound designer Ethan Korvne (Ohio Shakespeare Festival, About Face Theatre), lighting designer David Goodman-Edberg (FJT’s AMERICAN SON and HOME), scenic mural artist Sholo Beverly.
Pictured above: Sean Blake (left), Rachel Blakes (right).
Performances will be Saturday, September 2 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, September 3 at 3:00 pm, at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. Tickets for all productions are $30.00 and are on sale now at www.fjtheatre.com.
LISTING INFORMATION
THE BALDWIN | GIOVANNI EXPERIENCE
Devised by Tim Rhoze and Bria Walker
Directed by Tim Rhoze
Limited run - September 2-3, 2023
Saturday, September 2 at 7 pm, Sunday, September 3 at 3 pm
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
927 Noyes Ave., Evanston
Tickets $30.00 – For a limited time use the code: FJT2023 when purchasing tickets online for a $10.00 discount per ticket.
Tickets on sale now at www.fjtheatre.com
Phone 847-866-5914
In 1971, James Baldwin and Nikki Giovanni sat down for a thought-provoking conversation about racism, manhood, writing, and teaching. Their words are still as relevant today as they were then. Tim Rhoze and Bria Walker have taken this important conversation and created a dynamic theatrical experience infused with spoken word, prose, original music, choreography, and mural artwork. It will be an intellectual and artistic journey of a lifetime.
BIOS
TIM RHOZE (Producing Artistic Director, Director, Co-writer) Tim Rhoze has been the Producing Artistic Director of Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre since 2010.His regional and FJT directing credits include: THE LIGHT, AMERICAN SON, HOME, TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES 1992, THE MEETING, FIRES IN THE MIRROR, BLACK BALLERINA (co-writer), NUTCRACKER(ISH), CROWNS, HAVING OUR SAY, FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, WOZA ALBERT!, GOING TO ST. IVES, SINGLE BLACK FEMALE, A SONG FOR CORETTA, YELLOWMAN, SWEET, LADY DAY AT EMERSON BAR & GRILL, BEAR COUNTRY, NOBODY, FENCES, PIANO LESSON, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, K2, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, et. al. Most recently, Tim directed PASSING STRANGE for Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. He is also the writer/director of WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY, and MAYA’S LAST POEM, both produced at FJT; and BLACK BALLERINA, produced at FJT and Pittsburgh Public Theatre. He was co-writer and director of A HOME ON THE LAKE, co-produced with the Piven Theatre Workshop.
Bria Walker (Co-writer) is a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Pittsburgh, PA. She is an Assistant Professor of Acting at Carnegie Mellon University and an Artistic Associate at Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre. She has been seen at theatres such as City Theatre, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Pittsburgh Public Theatre (Playtime Series), and Triad Stage, among others. Selected directing credits: OBAMA-OLOGY, co-director of CROWNS (Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre); FURY (Parker Theatre); staged reading OFF WITH HER MAIDENHEAD (The Pitch series for Merry-Go-Round Playhouse); Emilia (Pitt); FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF (SUNY New Paltz). Selected writing credits: CROSSROAD (City Theatre Spotlight Series); YOU THINK THE ARTS DON’T MATTER? WHAT ABOUT QUARANTINE? (PITTSBURGH-POST GAZETTE op-ed); CHANT (The Monologue Project). Education: MFA - Denver Center for the Performing Arts (National Theatre Conservatory); BFA - Wright State University. www.briawalker-rhoze.com
Rachel Blakes (Nikki Giovanni) is an Atlanta/Chicago-based actress originally from New Orleans, LA. She received her BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2019. Rachel has most recently been seen in Fleetwood-Jourdain Theater's production of HOME as Pattie Mae, for which she earned a Black Theater Alliance Award nomination. She’s also recently starred in the short films NOVA, DUSTER GREY’S COME AND GONE and GARY SCREAMS FOR YOU, which was selected for the Focus WIP program at the Cannes Film Festival and world premiered at TIFF ‘22. She’s thrilled to be back on the Fleetwood stage honoring the incomparable Nikki Giovanni.
Sean Blake (James Baldwin) is excited to be a part of this experience. Fleetwood-Jourdain credits: GEE'S BEND (Macon) and WHY NOT ME? A SAMMY DAVIS JR. STORY (Sammy Davis Jr.). Regional credits include Goodman Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Court Theatre, Seattle Rep, The Kennedy Center, to name a few. Television credits: EMPIRE (Morris Loach), CHICAGO PD (Agent O’Brien), SOUNDTRACK (Admissions Counselor). Film credits: JUST VISITING, THE CHRISTMAS PITCH, and COTTAGE GROVE.
Ethan Korvne (Composer & Sound Designer) is a composer and sound designer from Akron, Ohio. He is currently in his fourth year of studying sound design at The Theatre School at DePaul University, where he recently received a certificate of merit from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival commending his design and music for MEETING POINTS (directed by Megan Carney). Ethan has also worked as a designer and composed original music for the Ohio Shakespeare Festival and About Face Theatre, as well as virtual events such as the SMA’s Del Hughes Awards and the National Collaborators Conference. Listen to his work and more at: ethankorvne.com
David Goodman-Edberg (Lighting Designer) is delighted to be working with Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre again after lighting AMERICAN SON and HOME. Working in the worlds of dance, theatrical, and architectural lighting design, some recent projects include SUOR ANGELICA, GIANNI SCHICCHI and DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Bay View Music Festival); PASSING STRANGE (Theo Ubique); SPRINGTEN (Visceral Dance); DIE FLEDERMAUS (Opera Mississippi); THE SOLDIER’S TALE (Eisenhower Dance Detroit & Detroit Chamber Winds); and LIGHTS ON BROADWAY (Grant Park Music Festival). Other recent work has included associate design on projects at Universal Studios Beijing & Hollywood and touring with performance collective Manual Cinema and Eisenhower Dance Detroit. dglxdesign.com
Sholo Beverly (Scenic Mural Artist) is a mixed media intuitive artist living on the northside of Chicago. She is a 53-year-old single mother of two that has always only prioritized her children and her art for the last twenty years. She has learned embracing her mistakes makes for a better understanding of what the universe wants for her art.
Her activism to right the injustices against people of color has caused her art to evolve. She is also taking her art to the streets to advocate for social changes on racism, and women's rights with the murals, painted in bright colors with hidden messages to observe and process. The mediums and techniques used are homemade inks, collage, watercolor, and the new medium of encaustic wax painting with acrylic inks.
With our current situation in the world, her art has become a necessity for herself and others. There is a need for expression and discussion from POC. She is not concerned with her artwork being liked by society, but she does want her work to spark an emotion to the viewer to ask the question of why when they see her art.
"I Am Aware I Am Rare" is her motto, embracing being a female black artist without boundaries for expression in her creations.
COMING UP LATER IN FLEETWOOD-JOURDAIN THEATRE'S SEASON
Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre will complete its 2023 season with THIS BITTER EARTH, by Harrison David Rivers, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based playwright whose plays have been produced by such leading companies as New York’s Roundabout Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Center, Seattle Public, TheatreWorks Hartford, and Penumbra. THIS BITTER EARTH is a drama about a gay male couple who clash over their differing attitudes toward activism. It will play October 28- November 12, 2023.
ABOUT FLEETWOOD-JOURDAIN THEATRE
Founded in 1979, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is a professional, award-winning theatre company that has been thrilling audiences with over three decades of unique, inspirational, and invigorating African American and African Diaspora-centered storytelling. The company has been honored with the Black Theatre Alliance/Ira Aldridge Awards. From original plays to the best of Broadway, Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre has remained committed to supplying the very best in theatre. "Umoja!! ….Working Together in Unity" is the foundation from which FJT began and continues to thrive!
It is our mission to present powerful, thought-provoking, Theatre Arts programming focused on sharing Black and African American experiences and paying homage to the African Diaspora. FJT remains committed to diversity and creative excellence. We are dedicated to providing a nurturing and creative environment for directors, playwrights, actors, set, light, and costume designers. In this positive environment, they can further develop their creative skills and share their artistic expressions. The Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre is funded by the City of Evanston and in part by the Illinois Arts Council, A State Agency.