Since launching Africa in DC, I do not believe that I have discussed anything to do with African theatre, dance, or oration at all (or at least directly).
At the end of the month (July 29 – August 4 to be precise), the show Africa Umoja will be screened at the Warner Theatre in Downtown DC.
I’m not too clear on the specifics of this performance, but it sounds vaguely like a South African version of Fela! The Umoja US tour website adds that the show “tells the moving tale of indigenous South African music, its people and their song – from the earliest rhythms to kwaito.” Their press release also mentions an interesting tidbit on a delay in visa processing, I won’t add any further commentary on that, though regular readers should know my feelings.
You can read brief bios of the cast members here. Unlike Fela!, the cast appears to be entirely (South) African.
Africa in DC 