Black Lives Matter Via “Riot!” 1906 Atlanta Race Riots on San Francisco Black Film Fest Platform — Wright Enterprises

 

 

Atlanta Based Playwright/Actor/Director Micah Penn

Atlanta Based Playwright/Actor/Director Micah Penn

 

SAN FRANCISCOAug. 5, 2020PRLog — Posted Courtesy of Wright Enterprises Community Spotlight ~~

San Francisco Black Film Festival XXII Highlights Riots in Atlanta

Not the unrest following the death of George Floyd, but the turn of the century deadly rampages will be examined in the light of today’s headlines as excerpts from Micah Penn’s “Riot! 1906 Atlanta” Race Riots will be read in Atlanta and San Francisco during The August 8th Live Talk @SFBFF program.

San Francisco– The San Francisco Black Film Festival’s Live Talk @SFBFF, the live program amid 200 online films, will give its festival fans an opportunity to observe exceptional excerpt readings of the new play “Riot! 1906 Atlanta” by actor, playwright and former Pan African Film Festival (https://www.paff.org/) Cinema Coordinator for nearly a decade, Micah Penn.

The play written in 2019 is timely in that it examines the 1906 Atlanta Race Riots through the eyes of historic figures like W.E.B. Dubois, Booker T. Washington, Henry W. Grady and other Black and White leaders. At the dawn of the new century, White mobs rampaged and destroyed Black businesses and neighborhoods in what was thought of as the progressive “New South” Atlanta promoted by newspaperman Henry W. Grady, leaving up to 40 Black people and two White persons dead. The play is juxtaposed to the current race relations concerns as “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations around the world ensued after the tragic murder of George Floyd on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020.

Penn is a veteran professional actor and former stage director, who has worked more than 35 years on stage and screen.  He has done critically acclaimed and award-winning work in Atlanta, New York City and Los Angeles, in comedy and drama.

Penn’s “Déjà vu” examination of the ashes of the Phoenix City, Atlanta is compelling.  “Riot!” is just the type of material for great storytelling and ultimately a great screenplay as described by Live Talk @SFBFF inaugural guest, Manns-Mackie Studios CEO, Ty Manns (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbq_cDIyaPs).

In addition to Penn, the Cast and Crew for the reading of “Riot! 1906 Atlanta” are: Award-winning Actor/Singer Charlie Charles, born and raised in apartheid South Africa; Russell James Scott III, a young actor/singer making a name for himself in Atlanta with leads plays like “AIDA;” Fracena Byrd, the Associate Artistic Director of AcademyTheatre, who has directed in all four Tapas play Festivals; and Brenda Porter, Actor/Director of Impact Theater Atlanta will be assisting the cast.

In light of the recent troubled race relations in Atlanta and the United States overall, a panel discussion will follow the reading. Join the discussion as Penn’s “Riot!” remembers forgotten history to shed light to forge a brighter future.  The live event emanating from Atlanta and San Francisco will be Saturday, August 8th at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time and 8:00 p.m. Eastern.  The event is free.  Advance registration is necessary.  Click this link now to register for limited seating: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvduygrDssGNMYPum4oCHDAltkxmIFF_eT

Find out more about Micah Penn, the musician, playwright and director at https://mpennone.net (http://mpennone.net).

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