Member's Salon
Sunday, September 8, 2024
5:30-8:00PM
With Playwright Samuel Harps
A short reading and discussion of his new play
"In Search of a New Land"
Captain Paul Cuffe (1759-1817) was one of the wealthiest merchants in America in the early-mid 1800s. “In Search of a New Land” tells the true story of his quest to colonize Sierra Leone (West Africa) for freed people of color.
Samuel Harps Playwright/Artistic Director
Samuel interned at New York's New Dramatist, studying under playwrights August Wilson and Charles Oyamo Gordon. His play Don't Explain was first produced at New York’s famed Nuyorican Poet's Cafe. The explosive drama based on the death of trumpeter Lee Morgan garnered seven AUDELCO Awards, including best play and playwright. Samuel was also awarded The Arts Council of Rockland County Executive Award for Literary Artist for his women’s prison drama CLOVER, based on the true story of the first Black Woman to give birth while incarcerated in the 1950s. His most recent works have focused on lesser known African-American figures and events.
New York City productions include; The Paul Roberson Theater, The National Black Theater, The Billie Holiday Theater, Theater for the New City, Theater Four, Duality Playhouse, and HERE Theater. Regional productions include; Rutgers University (Newark) The Christina Cultural Arts Center (Wilmington, DEL) The Painted Bride and Bushfire Theaters, (both in Philadelphia) EXIT Theater, (San Francisco) and Vision Theater,
Los Angeles.
Samuel is the founder/artistic director of Shades Repertory Theater. www.shadesrep.com
The evening will include a buffet dinner catered by a local West African Restaurant.
Graciously hosted by council members Alma and Philip
$30.00 per person
Location details upon registration
