Onyx Vizion Productions Presents Soul on Fire The Musical at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts & Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 17, 2014 -- Did you know that every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in this country? According to President Obama, sexual violence “is more than just a crime against individuals….ultimately, it threatens the entire country.” With the recent attention the White House has placed on sexual assault prevention on college and university campuses, Soul on Fire provides a valuable resource— the arts.
Washington, DC Debut
Playwright and composer, Tyrone Stanley takes an ugly memory of sexual abuse and transforms it into the dynamic stage production, Soul on Fire The Musical, set to premiere for ONE DAY ONLY at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, July 19, 2014 at 7:30pm in the Terrace Theater, 2700 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20566. Tickets are currently on sale for $37.50 - $67.50 at the Kennedy Center Box Office, by phone at 202.467.4600, and at kennedy-center.org.
Soul on Fire tells the story of Kisha, a young girl who takes matters into her own hands when justice fails to address the crime that has shattered her life. It is a story that pushes back against the staggering statistics for unreported and unprosecuted rape. It provides catharsis for survivors and their communities, and helps us all to BREAK THE SILENCE!
Soul on Fire’s cast features Margaret Bell, who has performed for and with renowned celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Stevie Wonder, Carly Simon, and Michael Jackson. Tyrone Stanley, who wrote the musical, is also performing, much to the delight of audiences who saw his debut in Toni Morrison's Margaret Garner in the New York City Opera. Stanley says, “This musical is from my heart. I took pages from my journal and created a journey through a musical that is beyond the experiences that inspired it.”
Special Programming for Veterans
The cast is scheduled to lead a workshop and concert performance at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) on June 26 and June 27, 2014 as part of the hospital’s Stages of Healing program. This performing arts series integrates the creative arts into holistic patient care and makes the case that art is integral to everyone’s health and well-being. As one of the nation’s leading military treatment facilities, WRNMMC is taking a proactive stance against sexual assault by sponsoring this performance and modeling how other medical institutions can use the arts as therapy. The monthly Stages of Healing performances are free and open to military beneficiaries.
Special Programming for Youth
Local middle and high school apprentices from The Barrie School will also have an opportunity to participate in the production of Soul on Fire. The Barrie School’s Theater Apprenticeship Program, in partnership with Tyrone Stanley, offers students showing great potential in theatre arts, the unique opportunity to experience the world of professional theatre. With behind-the-scenes access to rehearsals and performances, one-on-one interactions with professional artists and industry experts, and guidance about future training and higher education programs, the apprentices receive a thorough introduction to the production process and what potential performing arts careers look like.
For more information about Soul on Fire the Musical, please visit http://www.soulonfirethemusical.com.
About Tyrone Stanley
Tyrone Stanley hails from Goldsboro, North Carolina. A 1995 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, his first professional opportunity came when he landed the role of Daniel in the Off-Broadway musical, Once on This Island. Mr. Stanley later took a solo contract with Stardust Productions in Holland, where he was a lead singer and dancer. In addition to his vocal and theatrical accomplishments, he is a published playwright and composer. Also a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma with a Master’s in English and Creative Writing, Soul On Fire was initially written as his thesis.
A fluent performer of Italian, French, and German opera, Mr. Stanley’s roles include: Lord Arturo Bucklaw in Lucia di Lammermoor and Septimius in Handel’s Theodora; Andre the Viper in Fats Waller’s Musical, Ain’t Misbehavin; and Sportin’ Life in the Australia/New Zealand tour of George Gershwin’s Porgy & Bess. He had a feature role in an open run of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s production of Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, which starred Melba Moore and Cissy Houston; and was a first tenor chorister in Toni Morrison’s Margaret Garner. He has appeared on CBS’ As the World Turns, ABC’s All My Children, HBO’s Sex & the City, Chappelle’s Show, and Whoopi. Mr. Stanley recently starred in the regional premiere of Passing Strange and is presently working on a new musical called COMMON GROUND.
Judy Groover, Sweet Finesse Entertainment, http://www.sweetfinesse.com, +1 (202) 361-3939, [email protected]
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