Oni Lasana Doin' Dunbar as 'Lias' Mother


"The voice of Dunbar!"...Nikki Giovanni, world reknown Poet, Professor and Author

"Many hearts were touched by your rendition of 'Lias' Mother."...Debbie Allen,
Co-Producer of Amistad, Los Angeles, Calif.

"Regional theatre eager to explore spoken word performances should engage Oni Lasana for this highly theatrical form."...Mary Elizabeth Scallon, Peoples Light & theatre Co., Malvern, PA

"A MUST SEE!...Moving, enriching and a great addition to any college campus program...call her now!"...Kim Poast, Community College of Denver, Woman Of Color Conference.


"'LIAS' MOTHER"

~ The Performance ~


A heartfelt portrayal of a woman living in America during the Civil War."


'Lias'(Elias) is a character from Dunbar's poem "In The Morning". As the mother of 'Lias, this one-woman educational and entertaining program features Dunbar's African-American southern dialect poems, joined together by Lasana's dramatic monologue.

Oni invites the audience to participate with every 'Lias' she discovers in the audience with this theatrical treat. She interacts and brings out the best in her performers, young and old. "'Lias' Mother" offers a personal view of a woman's life, during the 1800's. A historical performance that is delivered in a highly inter-active storytelling style. Doin' Dunbar as 'Lias' Mother, captures the imagination with stories told to the audience about her life with friends and family on a plantation in Cross, South Carolina, the home of Oni's paternal grandmother. Presented in authentic costume, "'LIAS MOTHER" is truly unique in its drama and humor.
Oni Lasana Productions offers a unforgettable human experience in American History, Language Arts, Music and Theater.

WHO WAS PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR?

WHO IS 'LIAS'?



AGREEMENT FORM TO BOOK YOUR DATE

* POEMS PERFORMED *


In The Morning * Possum * A Preference * When De Corn Pone's Hot * De Way T'ings Come * Keep A 'Pluggin' Away * A Coquette Conquered * My Sort O'Man * When Dey 'Listed Colored Soldiers * Whistlin' Sam * When Malindy Sings * Philosophy * Angelina * De Critters' Dance * An Ante-Bellum Sermon * The Party and more!...

TO ORDER OR LISTEN TO EXCERPTS OF THE 'LIAS' MOTHER CD GO HERE


(See my page on Dunbar to read his poetry listed alphabetically)

Lias' Mother opens and closes with the following poems...

IN THE MORNING & SYMPATHY

A Letter of Recommendation from The Philadelphia School District
Board of Education Black Studies Department

~ THE WORKSHOPS ~




Youth on stage rappin' Sympathy with 'Lias' Mother at Temple University

~ # 1 PERFORMANCE POETRY ~


An Interdisciplinary Project
Language Arts - American History - Music - Art & Dance

One week to 8 weeks / Proposal available

Students are engaged in presenting and performing a dialect and a standard Dunbar poem culminating in a school assembly performing & visual arts presentation for their community.

Previously facilitated residencies for;
Furious Flower Poetry Camp, James Madison U. Virginia
Central East Middle School, Philadelphia
Pierce Elementary School, Philadelphia
Dunbar Elementary School, Philadelphia
Duckrey Elementary School, Philadelphia

LANGUAGE ARTS & HISTORY DAY RESIDENCY



Previously presented;
Virginia Tech University, Virginia
The George School in Newtown, PA for English High School Classes
Wissahickon Middle School, Ambler, PA - Day Residency
Downingtown Middle School, English & Theater Classes, Downingtown, PA

~ #2 DOIN' DUNBAR WORKSHOP OFFERS ~

DUNBAR - POETRY - CIVIL WAR - SLAVERY

A Q & A workshop focuses on one or all of the following areas, in depth or briefly when combined with a performance.
1.
The focus is on his life, his gift of mastering standard and dialect English and a 15 minute video on his life.
2.
Slave life as depicted in Dunbar's poetry.
3.
Audience or students participates in reciting, terminology and comprehension of dialect,including Dunbars experimental poems in Irish & German dialects.
4.
Create artwork to exhibit and perform a dialect and a standard poem arranged to modern music.
(Jazz, Reggae, Rap, Calypso & African)


! ! ! CREATIVE MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP & PROGRAM ! ! !
FOR
< strong>

#3 * A WOMEN'S EXPERIENCE IN CIVIL WAR...ALWAYS FREE!*


Previously presented for
BRANDYWINE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE
Civil War Convocation, Tom's River NJ
Peirce Middle School, West Chester, PA
Lionville Middle School, Lionville, PA)

PERFORMANCE ~ WORKSHOP - PHOTO EXHIBIT


A personal view of what life was like for a
Black woman on a plantation and her struggle for freedom during the Civil War Era.

~ Book display on African-Americans in the Civil War ~

~ Re-enactment of SOJOURNER TRUTH presenting her "Ain't I A Woman" speech
(special request only)

~ Re-enactment of HARRIET TUBMAN...HER STORY. ~ Authentic photo display on Africans enslaved in America.

(Preview a few photos at link below)

A BRIEF PERFORMANCE & ONE AREA OF ANY WORKSHOP
CAN BE COMBINED FOR A DAY TO WEEKLY RESIDENCY

ONI LASANA PRODUCTIONS

extends a "Thank ya kindly" to past presenters!

VIRGINIA TECH, VA - Nikki Giovanni

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA - Freshmen Orientation

AMY RUTH'S RESTAURANT - HARLEM, NY - Opening for RUBY DEE
visit www.AmyRuths.com

AMERICAN SCHOOLS in Germany: HEIDELBERG - WUERZBERG - RAMSTEIN - KAUSERSLAUTERN -AMBERG & BOEBLINGEN

DEBBIE ALLEN DANCE STUDIO, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

PEOPLES LIGHT & THEATRE CO., MALVERN, PA

MONTGOMERY COUNTY CULTURAL CENTER, NORRISTOWN PA TOBAGO HERITAGE FESTIVAL,Shaw Park, Tobago, West Indies

LILLIAN HINES SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON, HOLIDAY INN, CITY LINE AVE, PHILA.

DUNBAR ELEMENTARY 70th ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET, PHILA.

RADNOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RADNOR PA - HARRIET TUBMAN

COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILA

COATESVILLE CULTURAL SOCIETY, PA

CALN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, COATESVILLE PA - 'LIAS' MOTHER

GERMANTOWN HOME, PHILADELPHIA - DUNBAR TODAY!

SHUBIN THEATRE "The Other Side Of Gon' Wid De Wind"

CREAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, CAMDEN, NJ -'LIAS' MOTHER

OCTARARA MIDDLE SCHOOL - OCTARARA PA. 'LIAS' MOTHER

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - Philadelphia - WORKSHOP

PASCEP @ Temple University Anderson Hall - Phila.

COATESVILLE CULTURAL SOCIETY w/IN THE COMPANY OF POETS

ADAIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,Phila. DUNBAR - GRANNY GOOSE - HARRIET TUBMAN

FUMO FAMILY LIBRARY, 2437 S. BROAD ST. PHILA MLK Tribute 4pm

CAMDEN FREE LIBRARY, NJ. - "A Dream Come True" MLK, Jr.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY CULTURAL CENTER THEATER 'LIAS' MOTHER

WIDNER LIBRARY, 25TH LEHIGH, Phila.

CHESTNUT HILL LIBRARY, 'LIAS' MOTHER

AMERICAN ASSOC. OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN, LANSDALE -"'LIAS' MOTHER"

DOWNINGTOWN SR. CENTER, PA - "'LIAS' MOTHER"

MAPLEWOOD MANOR - Doin' Dunbar Musical Presentation

TELLABRATION! Patchwork, A Storytelling Guild Production
ETHEL ALLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Philadelphia

CAMDEN FREE LIBRARY NEW JERSEY - Doin' Dunbar Musical

DOWNINGTOWN CIVIC CLUB ~ 'Lias' Mother Performance

DOWNINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ~ HUMANITARIAN DAY RESIDENCY WORKSHOPS

DIANE WILLIAMS of Mississippi, a tour of school in Indianola School District as "2 Sistah's Journey...Africa to America"

BORDERS BOOK, WILMINGTON, DELAWARE "American Girl Storyteller" & "Granny Goose"

MONTGOMERY COUNTY - NORRISTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
"Lest We Forget Exhibit" @ "'LIAS' MOTHER"

FAIRMOUNT PARK MEMORIAL HALL BOARD ROOM, Philadelphia Black History Program

U.S. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE EMPLOYEE BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATION

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST HOME - Performance

RICHETT'S COMMUNITY CENTER, 640 Beech St. POTTSTOWN, PA

PROFESSIONAL NEGRO WOMEN ASSOCIATION, Bryn Mawr, PA

EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY - BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM

DOWNINGTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL ~ Assembly Performance

PEACEFUL POSSE' BOYS CLUB, Abbottsford Homes, Phila.

DUNBAR HOUSE MUSEUM, Dayton, Ohio

PEACEFUL POSSE' GIRLS CLUB, Abbottsfords Homes, Phila.

BUCKINGHAM HISTORICAL FESTIVAL, Hansel Park, Bucks County, PA

Underground Railroad Character with Triple Take Entertainment

7th ANNUAL COLORADO WOMAN OF COLOR IN HIGHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE
DENVER 2000 (Artistic Interpretaion)
Presented performance workshops...Doin' Dunbar! as 'Lias' Mother
"Real Tales of Rhymes & Reason" Original spirit driven poetry

AMERICAN ASSOC.OF RETIRED PERSONS
COATESVILLE SR. CENTER

KENNETT SQUARE SENIOR CENTER

CALN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

'LIAS' MOTHER was also presented at; Shubin Theatre, Phila.(The Other Side of Gone Wit' De Wind) * Walt Whitman Cultural Center, NJ, * George School, Newtown, PA * The Philadelphia School * Veteran's Hour w/Tyrone Dancy @ WDAS Radio, PA, * Cheyney University, PA * Over 16 Philadelphia Free Library branches * Coatesville Cultural Society's School Tours and Theatre Production * Germantown Home * Paradise Farm Camp * Kenneth Square Rotary Club * Coatesville & West Chester NAACP's * Between Women Project West Chester Community Center and in homes, backyards & festivals!...

Also a Pre-K to 3rd Grade Program
"DOWN ON THE FARM WITH GRANNY GOOSE" (see link below)

~ PRESS PACKAGE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ~

PROGRAM LENGTH AVAILABLE FROM 30 to 90 MINUTES

SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES AND ORGANIZATIONS

* * TO ORDER THE 'LIAS' MOTHER AUDIO CD GO HERE:CD BABY
* * * 30 MINUTE LIVE PROMOTIONAL CD AVAILABLE * * *



Oni Lasana Productions Welcome*!* Paul Dunbar*!* Oni Lasana*!* Sister Wings*!* Dunbar Workshop*!* Comments*!* Always Free!*!* Granny Goose*!* Harriet Tubman*!* Hero's Of Underground Railroad*!* Honorarium/Fees*!* History Exhibits*!* Historic Photos*!*