Urban Stages Theater - dogsofrwanda

DOGS OF RWANDA

Written by
Sean Christopher Lewis

Directed by
Frances Hill and Peter Napolitano

Performed by
Dan Hodge

with music composed and performed by
Abou Lion Diarra

March 9 - March 31, 2018

16-year-old David finds himself in Uganda as a church missionary. He follows the girl of his dreams into the woods as the Rwandan genocide erupts. 20 years later and half a world away, he still can’t escape what happened and publishes a book on the events. When a note arrives reading, “There are untruths here,” David finds himself back in those woods with the boy he tried to save, in a journey towards redemption and forgiveness.

"Moving…Dan Hodge breaks our hearts"
Suzanna Bowling, Times Square Chronicles

"Diarra [is] a powerful onstage presence"
James Wilson, Talkin’ Broadway

"Urban Stages has done us all a favor by bringing this urgent piece to our attention."
David Barbour, Lighting and Sound in America

"RIVETING"
Matt Smith, Theater Pizzazz

"Impossible to turn away from..."
Deb Miller, DC Metro Theater Arts

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SEAN CHRISTOPHER LEWIS (Playwright) SEAN CHRISTOPHER LEWIS (Playwright). work as a playwright and solo performer have won NEFA National Theatre Project Award, The Kennedy Center’s Rosa Parks Award, the National New Play Network’s Smith Prize, a Barrymore Award, an NPN Creation Award and the NEA Voices in Community Award.His plays include DOGS OF RWANDA (NNPN Rolling World Premiere at 16th Street Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Out of Hand Theatre, Available Light Theatre); RED HILLS (upcoming: En Garde Arts and Quantum Theatre), KILLADELPHIA (Baltimore Center Stage, American Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, InterAct Theatre Company, Southern Rep, Institut Del Teatra in Spain, Graterford Prison and the Idaho Juvenile Detention Center); JUST KIDS (KO Festival of Performance, Sandglass Theatre, Available Light Theatre, Pontine Theatre); BLACK AND BLUE (Riverside Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, 16th Street Theatre); MILITANT LANGUAGE (Know Theatre of Cincinnati and Halcyon Theatre) The Aperture (Cleveland Public Theatre); and MANNING UP (NNPN Rolling World Premiere at Riverside Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company and Actor’s Summit). Recently, with Jennifer Fawcett, he developed the one-man performance installation GHOST STORY at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He is the co-creator and writer of the comic books Saints, The Few and Coyotes all three of which are published by Image Comics, with Coyotes recently optioned for television by Universal Cable Productions. He can be heard as a commentator on NPR’S This American Life. He is the Artistic Director of Working Group Theatre.

DAN HODGE (Actor) has been a Philadelphia based actor and director for a decade. As an actor he has been a regular presence on most of the regional stages, including The Walnut Street Theatre, The Arden, The Wilma, InterAct, Theatre Exile, The Lantern, Delaware Theatre, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Passage Theatre, 1812 Productions, among others. Across the country he has appeared at The Old Globe Theatre, The Cleveland Playhouse, Peterborough Players, Michigan Shakespeare Festival and Weatherford Repertory Theatre. Dan is the Co-Founding Artistic Director of the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective (The PAC) which produces rarely seen classical plays and has become one of the most dynamic up-and-coming theatres in the area. He is also a company member of Curio Theatre and is a resident director there. He has directed for Curio and The PAC, as well as Commonwealth Classics, Hedgerow Theatre, Passage Theatre and others. Dan won the Barrymore Award for Leading Actor for his work in Around the World in 80 Days for Delaware Theatre, and also won Supporting Actor for Fair Maid of the West for The PAC. He holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Evansville and an MFA in Classical Acting from The Old Globe/University of San Diego.

ABOU LION DIARRA (Musician & Composer) is the founder and musical director of the powerhouse group, The Black Warriors, NYC’s premiere band working with West Africa’s biggest acts. Their launch at Celebrate Brooklyn’s African Festival was followed by a 40 city tour working with artists from Guinea, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, Abou’s native country. Abou first picked up the sticks at age three. He played on bottles, cans, tables, garbage cans, whatever made a good sound. His musical journey led him to study with one of the Ivory Coast’s most renowned drummers, Soro Mades, then going on to the Institute National des Arts (INA) and a scholarship to Orchestre de L’Universite D’Abidjan. His appearances in West African clubs and on television ultimately led him to New York. Abou is a new breed of drummer who can navigate through different musical genres, switching beats., rhythms and styles. Aside from playing the drums Abou also plays flute, saxophone, clarinet, guitar, bass, piano and djembe, is pursing his songwriting talents, and hopes to achieve all that God has given him to do.

The creative team includes:Frank J. Oliva (Set Designer), John Salutz (Lighting Designer), Ryan Belock (Video Designer), Kim T. Sharp (Technical Director) & Jeana Hillary Caporelli (Production Stage Manager) & Jenna Lowry (Assistant Stage Manager).

Actor and Stage Mangers appear courtesy of Actors' Equity. Graphic Design by Sylvia Haber, Perpetuart

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