Saidah arrika ekulona, who originated the lead role of mama nadi in the play both in chicago and new york, will join her for a reading and discussion. Charles parnell the last ship and saidah arrika ekulona kevin can wait are set as series regulars in our people, foxs cultureclash single. Ekulona graduated from albright college, reading, pennsylvania and received the young alumna outstanding achievement award from albright college. Set in a small mining town in democratic republic of congo, this powerful. Lynn nottage and saidah arrika ekulona on ruined youtube. Set in 1969, leaving cecil street takes place in a proud neighborhood of west philadelphia. For the love part, theres the goofy and tender performance of. Shes originated roles on broadway, offbroadway, in regional theatres and international theatres, and originated the role of mama nadi in the pulitzer prize winning play ruined, for which she won an obie award, lucille lortel award, jeff award, audelco award and the.
Nottage and director kate whoriskey traveled to uganda to interview women as background for the play, which first was performed in 2007 in the goodman theatre new stages series. Set in the wartorn congo, ruined follows the everyday exploits of mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona, a businesswoman doing whatever she can to ensure her survival. With ruined, lynn nottage may well nab a pulitzer prize. Bestselling author diane mckinneywhetstone has won such prizes as the zora neale hurston society award for creative contribution to literature. Saidah arrika ekulona, who plays mama nadi, the pragmatic owner of a. Christian siriano, saidah arrika ekulona and mireille enos at the 2009 lucille lortel awards. Saidah arrika ekulona was named outstanding lead actress for. Shes originated tasks on broadway, offbroadway, in local theatres and worldwide theatres, and originated the part of mama nadi in the pulitzer reward earning play ruined, that she received an obie honor, lucille lortel honor, jeff honor, audelco award as well as the black theater alliance prize.
Ruined, lynn nottages drama set in congo, is a rare, and. Saidah arrika ekulona narrated by of leaving cecil street. You read books, you speak like white man, but is this who you want to be. Her mama nadi is sassy, smart and, yes, vulnerable. Patrons are asked to leave their bullets at the bar in the congolese brothel that is the setting for ruined, the strong and absorbing new play by lynn nottage at the manhattan theater club. Justin guarini, saidah arrika ekulona, more read motherhood out loud on plays in the house live stream. Hes bearing the goods that shes preordered, but he soon tries to sell her something shes not interested in. Holy ghost corner is an inspiring story about one womans hopes for a blessed future with the right man as she struggles with her own religious principles. Ruined was commissioned by the goodman theatre chicago, illinois and is a coproduction with the manhattan theatre club. Lynn nottage dramatises the congo conflict books and arts the.
Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Lynn nottages pulitzer prizewinning drama ruined won the obie award for off broadways best new american play on monday night, and three cast members in the manhattan theater club production of ruined quincy tyler bernstine, saidah arrika ekulona, and russell gebert jones were among the actors who received obies. Saidah arrika ekulona and russell gebert jones in a scene from ruined. Saidah arrika ekulona, in an explosive performance, embodies the moral contradiction implicit in having abused women work as whores, forcing us to open our eyes to the realities of their lives as mama opens her arms.
Manhattan theatre clubs production of lynn nottages ruined started performances jan. Ruined, god of carnage among plays included in best plays. Ruined play project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Saidah arrika ekulona, who was a secondary character in fabulations also in lisa krohns well proves herself to be more than worthy of this starring role. Lynn nottages pulitzer prizewinning drama, ruined, was honored at the annual village voice obie awards on monday night as off broadways best new american play, and three cast members. Mama nadi performed with charismatic bombast by saidah arrika ekulona and. Lynn nottages new play, ruined manhattan theatre club, 3809, rewrites mother courage and her children in the context of war in the democratic republic of congo. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Justin guarini, saidah arrika ekulona, more read motherhood out loud on plays in. Saidah arrika ekulona pictures and photos fandango.
Music and lyrics by michael friedman, book and lyrics by. Download audiobooks narrated by saidah arrika ekulona to your device. There are more right angles than an episode of the analretentive chef. The play, whose author, lynn nottage, won the pulitzer prize for drama last month, tells the story of a group of women living through a civil war in congo.
For the love part, theres the goofy and tender performance of russell gebert jones. Dp marshall adams and director melissa bernstein square up the camera like theyve been studying their wes anderson, keeping all their actors in profile, faceon, or backturned. Saidah arrika ekulona can be an awardwinning theatre, tv and film celebrity. The block has just thrown a summertime street party. Saidah arrika ekulona, ferocious and funny makes everyone feel at home in her barbrothel she also makes everyone empty their. Saidah arrika ekulona, ruined ellen burstyn, the little flower of east orange carmen m. Mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona makes up sophie condola rashad in lynn nottages play. Playwright lynn nottage and actress saidah arrika ekulona discuss nottages criticallyacclaimed drama, ruined, about brutality towards women in the wartorn republic of. Ruined, lynn nottages searing play about a group of women surviving a. Saidah arrika ekulona, ferocious and funny makes everyone feel at home in her. The harrowed women in lynn nottages ruined have gone out of the fire and into the frying pan, where at least the burn is controlled. Ruined is set in a bar and brothel in a mining town in the congo. Saidah arrika ekulona is the author of holy ghost corner 4. Ruined follows mama nadi performed vibrantly by saidah arrika ekulona who runs a canteenbrothel in the rainforest of wartorn congo.
Set in the wartorn congo, ruined follows the everyday exploits of mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona, a businesswoman doing whatever. Ruined sexual violence against women as a side effect of civil war in the democratic republic of congo is the kind of subject most of us read about in a nicholas krystof column or watch on a cnn. Ruined, which chronicles the terrible realities of congolese life, leaves. Mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona presides as the madame of a bar and brothel isolated in a mining town in the middle of a rainforest, from which rebels and government. Holy ghost corner is an inspiring story about one womans hopes for a blessed future with the right man, as she struggles with her own religious principles theresa hopson is the successful owner of one of the hottest new stores in durham, north carolina. Lynn nottage, saidah arrika ekulona set for ruined event.
Lynn nottages play ruined is a haunting, probing work about the resilience of the human spirit during times of war. The tonywinning lyricist, composer, and book writer celebrates his birthday april 30. From the 200809 season final performance was march 29th, 2009. But because this is albuquerque and weve got a gilligan house style. But while the piece brims with similar themes to bertolt brechts. Mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona runs a cozy little whorehouse one of the cleanest and safest places in the area and shes determined.
Work focuses on mama nadi saidah arrika ekulona, an entrepreneurial woman clearly initially inspired by mother courage. Audible provides the highest quality audio and narration. The rape of the landscape is indistinguishable from the ravagement of the human body in ruined, lynn nottages searing new play at manhattan theatre club that examines one of the worlds deadliest conflicts through the eyes of. Saidah arrika ekulona is an awardwinning theatre, television and film actress.
At manhattan theater club, a play by lynn nottage about a. Written by diane mckinneywhetstone, audiobook narrated by saidah arrika ekulona. Book club genres all book club genres sorting by best selling this month book lists. Saidah arrika ekulona makes up sophie condola rashad. The prince of egypt original cast recording released today. Saidah arrika ekulona left and condola rashad in lynn nottages. The cast has been carefully chosen to bring the characters to vigorously meaningful life. Playwright lynn nottage and saidah arrika ekulona, who plays mama nadi in the play, discuss the message behind the production. It is situated on one of the roads along which marauding government soldiers and rebels. Saidah arrika ekulona at the ruined offbroadway opening night after party.