UJIMA THEATRE COMPANY presents
"The Meeting" and "Love and Street Corner Harmony"
The presentations of "Love and Street Corner Harmony," "The Meeting" and "What Color Is Trouble" mark the resurrection of Ujima Theatre Company that Director Ron Pitts founded with famed playwright August Wilson and their friend Rob Penny in Pittsburgh nearly 30 years ago.
The inspiration behind Ujima which means collective work and responsibility continues to fuel the company today. Pitts, Wilson, Penny and another friend, Mary Bradly began Ujima in an effort to raise money for community recreation activities in the Hazelwood housing projects. They solicited and received help from the history department of the University of Pittsburgh, and with that collaboration, put on a drama production that raised $10,000. Ujima's success helped to quell some of the negative unrest in the community at that time, particularly among youths.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF UJIMA THEATRE
Ujima was established in 1972 by playwrights, actors and directors August Wilson, Ron Penny, Ron Pitts and Mary Bradley, all natives of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It's first production under the name Ujima presented in Pittsburgh was Superfly. The first in Columbus presented December, 1981 was Black Nativity. Ujima was established to use performing arts as a means of increasing awareness about life's complexities and realism that we encounter within our lifetime. It's purpose being to reach out to ALL PEOPLE, through the method of dramatic theatrical entertainment.
About Ujima Theatre Company
- Ujima Performer, Zula Evans
Photo courtesy of Karl Kuntz
Ujima Theatre was created to use the performing arts as a means of increasing awareness about life's complexities and realism that we encounter within our lifetime. Its purpose is to reach out to ALL PEOPLE, through the method of dramatic theatrical entertainment.
This organization reaches out to adults and youth in its community by using theater and the arts to educate and direct people away from self-destruction behavior and toward self-awareness, self-love and positive behavior that raises self-esteem.
An adaptation of the then popular movie Superfly, formed the basis for the fledgling theatre company's first production, at August Wilson's suggestion. The play also inadvertently became the start of Pitt's on-stage career, when on of the regular actors failed to show up for rehearsal and Ron replaced him.
Later Penny, who was artistically classified as a poet, wrote Ujima's first original production, Good Black, Don't Crack. It received rave reviews and awards when it played in Chicago and New York as well as Pittsburgh.
August Wilson, who until this time hadn't written any plays, then began to create or direct a flurry of theatrical works for Ujima and the Kuntu Repertory Theatre, the community theater company of the University of Pittsburgh. Among the productions were New England Winter, and The Militant Preacher, and Wilson's own works The Homecoming (the story of blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson) and Ma Raney's Black Bottom, which later went on to Broadway and to win the New York Drama Critics Award. Vernell Lillie, president of Kuntu an important figure in Ujima's development, directed this first presentation of The Homecoming.
Director/CEO Background and Future
Ron Pitts, Ujima's Director, Playwright and brainchild of "Love and Street Corner Harmony" promises to bring all ethnicities and cultures together through music. "If you grew up between the 60's and 80's then you'll enjoy the memories. If you were born in the 90's then you'll learn why all eras of music are timeless. This musical unites us to be carefree for a couple of hours in a time when our country could use a dose of comedy and music. The production is written to create interaction with the performers and the audience. This Broadway quality show will tell stories of love through the harmony of music."
Mr. Pitts is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ujima Theatre which presented The Meeting to selected Columbus Public Schools this past season. Originally from Pittsburgh, Ron made his Columbus acting debut as Martin in Pittsburgh's Kuntu Repertoire Theatre's 1989 production of The Meeting. His other stage credits include The River Niger, Lorraine Hansberry's To Be Young Gifted and Black, August Wilson's Jitney, and the original as well as many adaptions of Langeston Hughes' Black Nativity. Ron also has several screen credits, including Dawn of the Dead, Emergency and various television commercials. He is a playwright having co-authored God What Color is Trouble, with Dr. Raymond Wise.
Pitts has directed Black Nativity, Coming Home, A Long Time Since Yesterday, Good Black Don't Crack, August Wilson's Jitney, God What Color is Trouble are just some of his directing credits.
He currently is working on creating a Ujima-based summer theatre day camp for the youths. Since its origin, Ujima and its founders have been dedicated to keeping the principles embodied by its name and to keep the name of this theatre company alive.
In 1992 Mr. Pitts left Ohio moving to Birmingham, Alabama as a result of a job transfer to head up a major assignment. Now back in Ohio, Mr. Pitts is ready and willing to do the hard work required to get Ujima Theatre off the ground and back on the stage. He has many projects and theatrical plans for the Central Ohio community, which is proof of his desire to commit and remain a vibrant part of Central Ohio.
Purpose Statement
Ujima Theatre has intentions to create employment through theatre.
Current Creative Objectives
Ujima Theatre is currently rehearsing for its upcoming production called "Love and Street Corner Harmony", which was written and directed by Ron Pitts. This musical is set on any street corner in America where music and dance was popular in fun and good times seem to be the only issue, not all the stresses of today's era. We have an all-star cast.
You can meet the staff and cast at our Web-Site www.ujimatheatre.com. This project will inspire people to come together just like two streets, Love and Harmony.
Creative Goals
Ujima Theatre's short-term goals include bringing theatre activities to kids and teachers directly into the schools and also setting up summer theatre camps. Mr. Pitts has a strong teaching background from the University of Pittsburgh where he witnessed that theatre can project better self-esteem, improve reading skills and focus. He is adamant about bringing theatre to kids and giving teachers the skills and knowledge of how to organize stage productions.
Ujima Theatre does plan to do touring in 2011 with their productions of "Love and Street Corner Harmony", "The Meeting," "What Color is Trouble," "One Mo' Christmas" and all New Musical "At The End of The Rainbow".
Thank you!
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