Aaliyah in Underland (Virtual Reading)

The University of Puget Sound’s Projects in Dramaturgy: “Politics & Praxis of Rememory” class presented the virtual reading of Aaliyah in Underland by Wind Dell Woods on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 8 May 2020 at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4) / 20:00 BST (London, UTC+1) / 21:00 CEST (Berlin, UTC+2).

The play, which was developed in the class, is a Hip Hop remix of Alice in Wonderland and explores the concepts of structural violence, anti-blackness, memory, and self-discovery.

Throughout the semester the class used Toni Morrison's concept of "rememory" as a dramaturgical approach to explore and discuss the plays Joe Turner's Come and Gone (August Wilson), The America Play (Suzan-Lori Parks), and Dreamscape (Rickerby Hinds). Aliyah in Underland is in conversation with and samples from these plays, as well as Morrison's concept.

The reading will be cast by both students enrolled in the course and actors from the larger theatre community. The reading will also showcase original videotaped work from the students and conclude with a talkback led by two student dramaturgs.

Cast

AALIYAH: Shereen Macklin

CH: Blake Morris

MR. BRUCE: James Carpenter

MRS. AMBROSE: Brynn F. Allen

MR. CONWELL: Peter Macon

ASPEN: Ayli Stabinsky

RILEY: Jordan Calhoun

KYLE: Lucius Johnson

TIFFANY: LeeLee Jackson

COCO: Erica Greening

Stage Directions read by Emily Kauffman and Rachel Dickinson

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.