Rhythm Café: Sierra Leone Theatre at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Museum

 

David Vandy and his actors rehearsing for their play

 

I know who to go to for lessons in time management: David Vandy, the host of  the international radio show “African Beat” on the Voice of America. David is also a playwright, theater actor and director, and somehow finds time to host and MC various events in the DC area. On Sunday October 17, his Sierra Theatre Productions will perform a play he wrote and is directing – “The Long Awaited Return-The Beginning” – at the Anacostia Museum in Southeast Washington, DC.

Afrofusion Lounge dropped in on their final rehearsal in Forestville, Maryland, and found the actors hard at work. Sunday’s play is the first of a three-part performance by David Vandy and his theatre company, and will explore traditional family life in pre-slave trade Sierra Leone, beginning with a child naming ceremony. All told through

 

Mariatu Sesay of Sierra Theatre Productions

 

drumming, dance and song. These performances are affiliated with an ongoing exhibition at the Anacostia Museum entitled “Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Community through Language.” Lorenzo Turner was the distinguished linguist whose groundbreaking research revealed the cultural connection between the Gullah Geechee people of the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia and Sierra Leone. You can find out more about that exhibition here. Sierra Theatre Productions will perform Part 2 – “the Continuation” – and Part 3 – “Home Again” – in November and January respectively. “The Long Awaited Return – the Beginning” will run from 2:00pm to 4:00pm on Sunday. See you there! Bless…

 

Osman Panda, Foday Kargbo and David Vandy rehearsing

 

Related Articles

• New Smithsonian exhibit exposes Gullah language (thegrio.com)