Cayman Islands National Cultural Foundation brings top One-Man Show to Cayman

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – 5 March 2019 –
The Cayman National Cultural Foundation
(CNCF) is bringing “The World is My Home – The Life of Paul
Robeson” to Cayman for a three-night only performance at the end of
March. Described as the top one-man-show in the United States,
Caribbean and Central America, “Paul Robeson” is written and
performed by African-American actor Stogie Kenyatta and is about the
life and work of Robeson, a singer, actor, athlete and activist who
became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and his political
activism. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the production is
being put on in celebration of the International Decade for People of
African Descent (2015–2024) as proclaimed by the UN General
Assembly. The show will take place at the Harquail Theatre for the
public on 29, 30 and 31 March and three free private shows for High
School students on 2 and 3 April. The show is the final event on the
2019 Cayfest calendar.

Robeson
(1898-1976) was a brilliant African American bass baritone concert
artist and stage and film actor whose voice is forever linked to
classic songs such as “Ol’ Man River”, “Were You There?”
and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. Born to a father who was a
preacher and former slave and a teacher for a mother, his academic
and athletic achievements earned him a scholarship to Rutgers
University where he graduated top of his class and valedictorian in
1919. He then went on to receive a law degree from Columbia
University and pass the New York State Bar in 1922, becoming the
first Negro lawyer hired by a New York Law firm. Robeson also
established himself as one of the most important musical and dramatic
performers of his day. The role of Joe and the song “Ol’ Man
River” in Show Boat
were written for his famous bass voice; Robeson originated the title
role in Eugene O’Neill’s The Emperor
Jones; and he became the first African
American to play Othello on Broadway. By the late 1940s, Robeson’s
artistic reputation was well established internationally, but it was
surpassed by his reputation as a political activist. He spoke out
against the Holocaust, visited Warsaw ghetto in Poland; co-founded
the Organization for African Unity (OAU) with W.E.B. Dubois; and
pushed for the liberation of Africa. Before he was blacklisted by
the Joseph McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Committee in
1950, he received numerous awards and a mountain in Moscow, Russia
was named in his honour.

“CNCF
is thrilled and honoured to bring this critically acclaimed show to
the Cayman Islands. This is a significant coup for us. “The Life
Of Paul Robeson” is an entertaining, laugh out loud, music-filled
show that still manages to touch on such serious, timeless and
relevant topics as diversity, compassion and social justice,” said
CNCF Artistic Director Henry Muttoo. “The life and legacy of this
extraordinary human being as portrayed by Stogie Kenyatta will
awaken, enlighten and uplift the spirits of everyone who has the
privilege of experiencing this performance. I hope the public will
take advantage of this unique opportunity to be educated and
challenged to think about our common humanity.”

Jamaican
born and Brooklyn bred, Stogie Kenyatta was classically trained at
the Afro American Studio in Harlem, Henry Street Settlement and Al
Fann Theatrical Ensemble and also studied Screenwriting and Political
Science at the University of California. He has numerous television
credits from sitcoms, film and soap operas. Kenyatta brings a unique
interpretation to the stage and captures the essence of Robeson as he
portrays 14 different characters and chronologically takes the
audience through the life of history’s first black Renaissance Man.
The show covers the Harlem Renaissance with music from Duke
Ellington, John Coltrane, Louie Armstrong, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway,
Harry Belafonte and Paul Robeson himself and also highlights
Robeson’s friendships with legendary figures such as Albert
Einstein, W.E. Dubois and Langston Hughes.

“The World is My Home – The Life of Paul Robeson” performances will take place on 29, 30 and 31 March at 8pm nightly. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and can be purchased at Funky Tang’s, Fosters Food Fair (Airport and Strand locations), Healthcare Pharmacy Grand Harbour and the CNCF office. For more information call 949.5477 or visit www.artscayman.org.