Purdue News

October 6, 2000 Black Cultural Center production showcases student talent WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's Black Cultural Center will present "Variety of Colors," its 2000 Coffee House production, at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 in Loeb Playhouse. The production, co-sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board, will feature three BCC Performing Arts Ensembles: the Jahari Dance Troupe, the New Directional Players and the Haraka Writers. Admission is $5 for students and $7 for general public. Tickets can be purchased at the door. "The Coffee House is part of the BCC's Cultural Arts Series, which bridges cultures through performances that reach diverse communities," said Teju Omolodun, assistant director of the BCC. "This talent showcase promises to capture 'blackness' as iridescent and dynamic." The event will present spoken word performances from members of the Haraka Writers, an eclectic group of student writers committed to the literary expression of the African-American experience. Poet and orator Sporty King is Artist-In-Residence for the Haraka Writers. The New Directional Players, a theatrical group, will present student-written monologues, poetry and scripted scenes about finding fulfillment in life and discovering meaningful paths to self actualization. Portraying characters at the threshold of the "real world," the group's performance pieces will address twentysomething concerns about money, career, and the entanglements of men and women. Carl Barnett, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champagne-Urbana, is creative director for the group. The Coffee House also will showcase performances from the Jahari Dance Troupe. Its selections will include student-choreographed pieces to songs by contemporary artists such as Prince, Pink and Destiny's Child. The evening will culminate with a collaborative performance featuring the student coordinators of the BCC Performing Arts Ensembles. Established at Purdue in 1969, the BCC is nationally recognized and acknowledged by the Association of Black Culture Centers as one of the best centers of its kind. The center, according to BCC director Renee Thomas, helps black students gain a greater understanding of their heritage and supports and enhances cultural diversity on campus and in the community. Thomas said the BCC serves as a catalyst for a host of cultural, educational, artistic, social and technological initiatives and provides an environment that fosters cross-cultural exchanges and noteworthy research, as well as artistic expression through music, dance, drama and creative writing. CONTACT: Teju Omolodun, (765) 494-3095, osomolodun@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page