Quanda Johnson presents

BEYOND THE VEIL OF THE

SORROW SONGS

in conjunction with Fulbright Community Leadership Program

Local Halifax talent Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)

PROGRAM

This event is dedicated to Aidan Cromwell.

He is a poet, artist, thinker, and revolutionary using poetry to transform his life and the lives of all who listen to his words with compassion, humanity, and an open heart. He is inspired by liberation heroes of the struggle and inspires all who seek freedom, forgiveness, and justice. I. Lawd, How Come Me Here “Semper aliquid novi Africam adferre!” Pliny the Elder (paraphrasing Aristotle) “Always something new out of Africa!” II. Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen “Got one face for Massa to see, got ‘nother one dat I knows is me!” Old slave saying III. My Way’s Cloudy “O Lawd, keep me from sinkin’ down… My soul wants something that’s new, that’s new.” Anonymous slave’s prayer IV. Been a Listenin’ “I ask no paradise on high, with cares on earth oppressed, The only heaven for which I sigh, is rest, eternal REST.” Anonymous poet (quoted by Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, 1853)

V. Wreslin’ Jacob “Frederick, is God dead?” Sojourner Truth (to Frederick Douglass after his 1847 address at a Salem, Ohio anti-slavery convention in which he proclaimed slavery would end only with the shedding of blood.) VI. Roll, Jordan Roll “Through thickest glooms look back, immortal shade.” Phillis Wheatley (On the Death of Dr. Samuel Marshall, 1771) VII. Swing Lo’ Sweet Chariot “God’s in His heaven -- All’s right with the world!” Robert Browning (Pippa’s Song, 1841) VIII. Steal Away “It began to dawn on me that colour had something to do with the way people were treated.” Verna Thomas (Invisible Shadows: A Black Woman’s Life in Nova Scotia, 2001) IX. Give Me Jesus “But what on earth is whiteness that one should so desire it?” W.E.B. Du Bois (Darkwater, The Souls of White Folk, 1920) X. My Lawd, What a Morning! “[I hail DuBois] as a model of militant manhood and integrity. He defied them, and though they heaped venom and scorn on him, his powerful voice was never still.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (DuBois’ Centennial Birthday Celebration, Carnegie Hall, February 23, 1968; five weeks before his assassination, April 4, 1968)

El Jones, Actor I A spoken word actionist and teacher. She is Halifax's fifth poet laureate and current director of Word Iz Bond Spoken Word Artist Collective. Her book, Live From the Afrikan Resistance! is being released this fall from Roseway Press. She is blessed by the friendship and artistic comradeship of Aidan, to whom these freedom performances are dedicated. Ashay! William Simmons, Actor II {Part I} Sobaz Benjamin, Actor II {Part II} Born in London, England, currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his wife and children. He is the Executive Director of In My Own Voice (iMOVe) Arts Association and Program Director of Bridge Centre for Arts and Technology. He is also a filmmaker and vice president of Sankofa Films.

Patti Kibenge, Actor III Patti Kibenge was born in Puyallup, Washington State, USA and grew up in Charlottetown P.E.I. She attended both University of British Columbia and Dalhousie University focusing first on microbiology and then medicine. She recently left the science world to pursue music, art and entrepreneurship. Her acting experience is comprised of a part in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown with the Dalhousie Medicine Players and an appearance in a national Shopper's Drug Mart Commercial.

Dr. Chike Jeffers, Actor IV {DuBois} (Alderney Landing Theatre) Dr. Chike Jeffers is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Dalhousie University. He specializes in Africana Philosophy and Philosophy of Race, with general interests in social and political philosophy and ethics. He is the editor of the book Listening to Ourselves: A Multilingual Anthology of African Philosophy. Tyler Messervey, Actor IV {DuBois} (Murray Studio – Dalhousie Arts Centre) Currently a 3rd year Dalhousie Acting Student with plans to attend The Centre for Arts and Technology upon graduating in the winter. He was recently in DalTheatre's production of The Good Soul of Szechwan and he is also a member of Make 'Em Ups Improv Company and performs with them regularly. Tyler would like to thank Quanda Johnson for giving him this wonderful opportunity. Rana Encol, Hannah Rana is from Barrie, Ontario and moved to Halifax to pursue a journalism degree. She studied literature in Montreal and has always loved theatre, music, and art. She writes and works for the Halifax Media Co-op. Dr. Henry V. Bishop, African Drummer (Alderney Landing Theatre) Dr. Henry V. Bishop was born in Weymouth Falls, Digby Co. NS. He is a direct descendant of both the Black Loyalists and migrant workers of Barbados. He is a graduate of the renowned NSCAD University with a degree in Graphic Design and Child Psychology. The first African N.S. man to achieve this in art college history. He has created numerous corporate logos and uses pen/ink to create in his various portraits of famous Canadians or does unique conceptual illustrations. His work sits in

Ottawa, Washington D.C. and New York City and Halifax galleries or museums. He has co-authored three books: Out of the Past: Into the Future (1994); In Our Time (1996); Historic Black Nova Scotia. He has a Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from NSCAD University (Nova Scotia College of Arts & Design, 2000). D’Arcy Gray, African Drummer (Murray Studio – Dalhousie Arts Centre) He is Canadian percussionist who has premiered well over 100 new works, mostly solo or chamber music by Canadian composers. He has participated in worldwide installations of Rainforest IV and the Collage Juke-Box project. As of summer 2008, Gray has made Halifax, Nova Scotia his new home after 23 years in Montreal. He has been appointed Percussion Instructor at Dalhousie University. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School and McGill University. He has received grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Getty Research Institute for the Arts and Humanities. Shari Clarke, Scots/Irish Fiddler Shari is a versatile string player, equally comfortable on instruments of the past and present. As a member of the Early Music Society of Nova Scotia, she plays viola da gamba, vielle, and Baroque violin, and she is currently a member of the Chebucto Symphony Orchestra. Shari studied violin and theory at McGill University where she took up Baroque violin. Upon moving to Halifax in 1996, she was quickly "bitten by the fiddle bug", and now plays regularly in Irish sessions. A music teacher at the Shambhala School, Shari is an advocate for music education in the schools and a strong champion of music students of all ages.

Julie Clements, Dancer Julie is a native Nova Scotian and an incredible talent and human being. Linda Carvery, Singer I Linda is a founding member and President of the award-winning Nova Scotia Mass Choir, Linda embarked on a solo career in 2000. Working with Bill Stevenson and the crew at CBC Halifax, she recorded her first solo CD Yesterday / Today featuring selections of her personal jazz, blues, r&b and gospel favourites. She received the ECMA for Best Jazz Artist in 2002 and has performed in the Neptune Theatre productions of Gospel at Colonus and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She performed in Eastern Front Theatre’s production of Whylah Falls which staged a series of performances at the National Arts Centre. Linda performed at the Halifax for Haiti fundraising concert, and was part of the East Coast Blues Summit on CBC. She has served as the Citizenship Judge for the Atlantic region. Marko Simmonds, Singer II Marko is the founder of RMS Music Services and has more than ten years experience in event management, theatre/ television productions, festival planning and provincial school presenter of music and the music business. Marko has been the most recent musical director of the Nova Scotia Mass Choir. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, he is a two-time ECMA Nominee, a two-time Nova Scotia Music Awards nominee and the winner of the Rising Star Award from the African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA). Affiliations includes: SOCAN, ASCAP, Canadian Academy or Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), Music Nova Scotia, East Coast Music Awards and Berklee College of Music Alumni, Boston, MA.

Shelley Young, Mi’kmaq Honor Song Shelley Young is a Mi'kmaq mother from Eskasoni First Nation. She teaches Mi'kmaq language at the Mi'kmaq Child & Development Centre, is a Regional Project Manager for The Centre for Pediatric Pain Research at the IWK, and is the owner of “Honour Beads”, a new Native Arts & Crafts/Bead store in Dartmouth, N.S. Shelley has had her work at the IWK published, was recognized as a "Peace & Social Justice Leader" by the Ecology Action Center and was chosen as a "Millennial Leader" in Nova Scotia recently for her activism in Aboriginal rights awareness, water protection and environmental preservation. Shelley is passionate about making a difference, has volunteered countless hours in community building and is focused on preserving her culture, language, traditional teachings and advancing the wellbeing of Aboriginal communities. Richard Taylor, Mi’kmaq Honor Song Selina Kitpulskw, Mi’kmaq Prayer Nkwé ( Grandmother) Selina is an Ancient Healer Medicine Woman from Mi’kMaqi, Nova Scotia Canada. Her mixed Aboriginal ancestral heritage brings a richly woven connection of Wisdom, Medicine and Understanding. She brings an Ancient, Sacred Medicine Way to restore Oneness with Source Creator, Your Spirit and Mother Earth/MU. Her ability to align with the Divine in All Of Creation is pure and connects to All Paths leading back to the Centre of Infinity. Ancient Healer Medicine Woman – Earth Keeper – Story Teller—Speaker Of the Sisterhood Sara Hartland-Rowe, Performing Visual Artist Sara Hartland-Rowe is a Halifax painter who has exhibited across Canada as well as in the U.S and Europe. Her work is concerned with human stories, and so the

opportunity to participate in Beyond the Veil of the Sorrow Songs is inspiring. Craig Baltzer, Performing Visual Artist Craig is from Dartmouth Nova Scotia. A graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, with a BFA in Photography, extensive experience with studio painting classes along with drawing. Work focus primarily rural landscape and architecture. Strong knowledge of genealogical family history and maritime history. His work is greatly influenced by Tom Thompson and The Group of Seven, a well known historical group of Canadian painter's. He’s participated in live art competitions and loves the energy of the crowd. Mary Garoutte, Visual Artist Mary is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Garoutte received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 2004, and since graduation, she has taught various painting and drawing workshops to adults and children, notably the NSCAD Continuing Education program. She has exhibited in group exhibitions throughout Canada and at the University of Ulsan in Ulsan, South Korea. Actively involved in live painting, notably Art Battle, a live painting competition, in 2013, Garoutte competed on a national level, representing her home province. Major influences include Canadian Artists such as the Group of Seven, the Beaver Hall Group & Robert Genn and figurative painters such as Lucian Freud & Charlie Mackesy. A private arts instructor, she is passionate about the local arts scene and is active in various art programs to contribute to the vision of putting Halifax artists and activities on the map.

Suzanne James, Visual Artist

Quanda Johnson, Director, Writer, and Editor Quanda is a Philadelphia native who has performed on and off Broadway, and in regional theatre, national, and international tours. A Fulbright independent researcher awarded a Fulbright Community Leadership Program grant, she is affiliated with Dalhousie Theater and Music, as well as NSCAD Media Arts. Beyond the Veil of the Sorrow Songs is the culmination of her exploration of the Underground Railroad as it relates to the Maritimes and Quebec. She created/produced original works, Lyrical Langston: His Muse for Music and My Lord What a Morning!: The Life of Marian Anderson in Her Own Words. She has an MFA in Acting from the New School University (NYC) and a Master of Music degree from the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College. Nominated for an AUDELCO Award (Best Actress) for her portrayal of Marian Anderson, she appeared in Broadway's Tony award-winning Ragtime; three seasons with New York City Opera, and off Broadway's Mandela in which she played Winnie Mandela. All of her work is dedicated to the memory of the first artist in her life, her mother, Vernetta. Liliona Quarmyne, Movement and Muse Liliona is an independent choreographer, performer, and teacher, and is the Creative Mind-Body-Spirit Program Coordinator for the Tatamagouche Centre. Liliona’s work focuses on the body’s link to past and future generations. Her Ghanaian/Filipino background and diverse experiences help her generate a creative vision of how we are in the world. David Clark, Media Arts Coordinator David is a Halifax based media artist. He teaches Media Arts at NSCAD University.

Dylan Fish, Assistant Media Arts Coordinator Dylan Fish is a recent graduate from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, major in Fine Art. Currently, he is the first artist in residence at the newly developed Dartmouth Bridge Centre for Arts and Technology where he is focusing his practice on painting, textiles and intermedia. Solomon Nagler, Media Artist/Film Maker Nagler's films have played across Canada, in the U.S., Europe and Asia at venues such the Centre Pompidou (Paris), L'Université Paris Panthéon Sorbonne and Lincoln Center in New York. His work has been featured in Retrospectives at the Winnipeg Cinematheque in August of 2004, at the Excentris Cinema in Montreal in August of 2007, the Festival De Le Cinéma Different in Paris in December 2005 and 2007, The Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and The Canadian Film Institute in 2009. Originally from Winnipeg, Solomon Nagler currently lives in Halifax where he is a professor of film production at NSCAD University. Alex Van Helvoort, Media/Visual Artist Laura May Taylor, Media/Visual Artist I am a current NSCAD student, studying printmaking and fashion/textiles. I frequently travel back and forth from BC, where I am a lighting technician in the film industry, to Halifax, where I work on my art and school. I often try to incorporate all aspects of my life into eachother, creating multimedia pieces with a highlighting performance aspect. Torin Buzek, Technical Advisor An alumnus of Dalhousie, Torin has, for the past 13 years, worked in professional theatres throughout Canada including Neptune, Eastern Front and The National Arts

Centre. He has spent the last 8 years as Head Stage Carpenter of the Studio Theatre at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada. When not at Dalhousie, Torin helps his wife, Donna, run their heritage cashmere fibre farm. Liesl Low, Stage Manager Liesl is a technical scenography student at Dalhousie and has worked on shows with the DalTheatre, Spatz Theatre, TheatreSpeak, No Parachute Theatre and Votive Dance. She is the scenic shop assistant at Dalhousie. She is very interested in stage management and lighting design and is very grateful for all the guidance from her dedicated professors. Carolena Charles, Assistant Stage Manager, Lighting Board Operator/ASM Her work in theatre includes: Triumph of Love, Ghost Sonata, The Good Soul of Szechuan, Pericles, The Decameron (Dalhousie University), Run for your Wife , Criminal Genius (Head of Props, Festival Antigonish 2013), Howl Opera (Lighting) , Oppression (Lighting), The Next. Douglas Cox, Stand-in Stage Manager (Alderney Landing Theatre performance) Dr. Afua Cooper, Mentor Dr. Cooper is Dalhousie University’s current James Robinson Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies is a Jamaica native. She holds a Ph.D. in African-Canadian history with specialties in slavery and abolition. Her dissertation, "Doing Battle in Freedom’s Cause", is a biographical study of Henry Bibb, a 19th-century African-American abolitionist who lived and worked in Ontario. She also has expertise in women's history and New France studies. A resident of Halifax, she is a winner of

the Harry Jerome Award for professional excellence. Her most recent book, The Hanging of Angelique (2006) tells the story of an enslaved African Marie-Joseph Angelique who was executed in Montreal at a time when Quebec was under French colonial rule and was shortlisted for the 2006 Governor General's Literary Award for non-fiction. A pioneering Dub poet and performance artist, she is the author of four books of poetry and has been an incredible support system to the Beyond the Veil of the Sorrow Songs research, symposium, and production. King Tabrizi, Marketing/Promotion, Graphic Design Jordan Comeau, Marketing/Promotion Claire Ahern, Marketing/Promotion

Grateful to George Elliott Clarke (Poet Laureate of Toronto)

Campbell Road Church Saltwater Spirituals and Deeper Blues

Gratitude to Aidan Cromwell for the inclusion of his

Courts, Suicide, and Lose Out of Sight

All other spoken word pieces written by

Quanda Johnson

Acknowledgements Grateful appreciation to all the experts and scholars who

gave of their energy and support to make this event a success.

Fulbright Community Leadership

Team/Fulbright Canada Dr. Michael Hawes Dr. James McNiven

Scott See Cambria Findley-Grubb

Kaitlyn Innes Michelle Emond

Brad Hector

Dalhousie University Dr. Richard Florizone, President Dr. Jennifer Bain, Music (Chair)

Rob McClure, Theatre (Chair) Dr. Afua Cooper, James R. Johnston Chair

Dr. Chike Jeffers, Philosophy Dr. Jerry Bannister, History

Dr. Isaac Saney, Transition Year Program Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard, Social Work

Dr. Jacqueline Warwick, Music Dr. Steven Baur, Music

Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD)

Dr. Kenn Honeychurch, Provost— Vice-president of Academic Affairs/Research

Dr. Bruce Barber, Media Arts (Chair) David Clark, Media Arts

Solomon Nagler, Media Arts Suzanne Funnell, Visual Arts -- Painting

From the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College

Dr. Bruce MacIntyre, (Chair) Mignon Dunn

Dr. Tania Leon Richard Barrett

A huge thank you to my vocal coach,

Cris Frisco

Brooklyn College

Dr. Lynda Day, Africana Studies Dr. Sophia Perdikaris, Archaeologist

Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, BC Magazine

Jamilah Simmons, BC Magazine

Special thank you to the following com m unity leaders and artists

Dr. Henry Bishop Dr. Sylvia Hamilton Dr. Linda Carvery Delvina Bernard

Juanita Peters David Woods David States

David and Linda Schroeder Janice Jackson

Catherine Banks Rev. LeQuita Porter

(East Preston United Baptist Church) Rev. Dr. Rhonda Britton

(Cornwallis Street Baptist Church) Rev. Pastor Wayne Desmond

(Cherry Brook United Baptist Church) Rev. Wallace Smith

(St. Thomas Baptist Church) Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson (Emmanuel Baptist Church)