Philly Urban Theatre Festival Brings African American Playwrights To Philadelphia 9/20

August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin. There was once a time that these were the names to roll easily off of the tongue when considering the contemporary African-American playwright. However, as the current urban theatre landscape is dominated by the enormous presence of Tyler Perry, you struggle to find African American theatre goers who are familiar with the works of not only the aforementioned pioneers, but more recent scribes such as Lynn Nottage, Lydia Diamond and Anna Deavere-Smith. Fortunately, the times are changing.

On September 20, 2010 the Philly Urban Theatre Festival (PUTF) descends upon Philadelphia. Thirteen African American Playwrights will take a step into history. The Philly Urban Theatre Festival is the concept of GoKash Productions' Kash Goins and will present fifteen different productions over twenty one days on two stages for a total of forty two shows. Goins, a two- time NYC Downtown Urban Theatre Festival award winning playwright, saw a need to help cultivate a "fertile ground for this underserved and grossly unrepresented, yet talented group of artists." There will be various styles of stage presentation during the PUTF, including a choreo-poem inspired by Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls...", spoken word and satire among many more. Topics ranging from HIV/AIDS, redemption, betrayal, abortion, education, politics, LGBT relationships, and Diabetes will be amongst the vast array of presentations. "The idea behind the selection of works to be represented is that there are many different voices that speak to the current African American experience and those experiences vary all the same".

The PUTF will kick off on September 20, 2010 with an opening reception that's free to the public. Shows will begin on the evening of September 21st and conclude on October 10th at the Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The featured voices in the festival are: Kash Goins, Tiffany Joyner, Race Brown, Briana Cannon, Donja R. Love, Shenille Melton, Cheril N. Clarke, Jamila Capitman, Heather Thomas, Kareem Rogers, Lee Colston, Karen Waller- Martin(Director),Tiffany Wilson, and Andre N. Jones.

To learn more about Philly Urban Theatre Festival, including ticket information and the full, detailed schedule of plays (with synopsis), please visit www.putf.org.

For press preview inquiries or to learn more about Kash Goins, his stage plays or GoKash Productions, please call him directly at 610-453-6365 or visit www.gokashproductions.com.

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