2024 Capital Fringe Review: ‘CHRCH, A Negroid Music Story’ by Seshat Yon’shea Walker (4 stars) – Journal Today Internet

Blessed are those who hit an possibleness to wager the concern execute of CHRCH, A Negroid Music Story at Capital Fringe Festival for they shall be filled. Set in “a diversion edifice drifting somewhere in the universe. The time: The Present, Past and Future,” this transmission choreodrama cursive by Seshat Yon’shea Walker and directed by Henery Wyand is as such heavenly as it is onehunnit. In roughly 60 minutes, PastHER Teesh and ministry take us nutrient from heaven: concern music, immoderate self-love/acceptance, and edumacation on Negroid culture.

While the faith of the faith and the edifice isn’t a newborn one, it is digit I hit never seen matured so extravagantly and extensively. Afrobeat creator Kizz Daniel sings digit distinction most it and Grammy-nominated and -winning artists Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu (respectively) explore kindred Afro-futuristic themes in “Q.U.E.E.N.,” impinging on music, testifying, preaching, Blackness, and self-love. Yon’shea Walker, who has a unequalled artefact with cursive word, prose and poetry, shares that the person concern of CHRCH (the prototypal in a trilogy) “follows my possess lived undergo in the DC concern penalization community.”

CHRCH is riddled with metaphors throughout, and in it we are not children of God but children of the 4/4 (a meaning to the concern penalization of music that incorporates a continual four-on-the-floor beat). The solarise is a “huge ballroom ball in the morning,” and edifice ballroom balls are “two flooded moons rhythmical in the sky.” CHRCH service is a nighttime digit “of coiffure deities and metallic dashikis.” The approval and love are funky, and the table call is to “altered states of being.” With glittery color eyeshadow, lipstick, and a shape-shifting durag (transforming into a edifice dress, a skirt, a bookbag, a headwrap), the pastor, PastHER TEESH (played by Rocheny Princien), serves as the “cultural conductor.” Her initiate proximity is captivating, especially when she appears act a black garment with grayness bell bottoms. By the modify of the performance, her grayness band earrings hit flown soured in assorted directions, and her durag is just on — a instrument to her werk on the initiate and the diversion story (ranging from inspire taste to ballet, and added dance by Ronya Lee Anderson). Rita comedian as DJ, who welcomes us with most fivesome transactions of concern penalization at the move of the exhibit and relic on initiate throughout, brings heat to her role.

According to the playwright, this creation also identifies as movie theater, leaving such to analyze. Perhaps a playbill or meaning with more info would be adjuvant for the following:

1. The sticking references to “Chocolate City”/GoGo music/Hotep, Indiana University of university (IUP) enrollee protests, and Southern Baptistic churches locution no to women pastors.
2. The reshaping and reconfiguring of arts to Negroid noesis and vernacular, which in itself could be a dissertation.
3. Projected celebrity figures/establishments in the concern penalization genre, including “Chosen Few,” “DJ Underdog,” and “Sam ‘The Man’ Burns.”

I propose for everyone to wager this show, and when added possibleness to go to CHRCH presents itself, don’t block to alter your dolla bills for the inspire exhibit offerin’ basket.

Running Time: 75 minutes
Genre: Dance
Dates and Times: (This show’s separate has ended.)
Venue: Delirium, 1120 America Avenue NW, Suite 103
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: CHRCH, A Negroid Music Story

The rank 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.