Jabari Dreams of Freedom: Screening and Artist Talk
Apr 25, 2023
Admission is FREE and open to all.
Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.
“Previously on JABARI WeTUBE LIVE! Jabari is amazed and overjoyed to find himself inside the beautiful world he created in his painting. A place that knows no hatred, and all news is the best news you could ever possibly hear news.
“Then, to his surprise, he recognizes a familiar face in the crowd—”
Ten-year-old Jabari loves to paint. With his Forever President Barack Obama as a guide, Jabari escapes the violent reality of an encounter with the police through his colorful paintings where he meets children from the past who teach him how to be fearless.
When he meets his hero, Barack Obama, as a 6-year-old boy on the eve of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., will Jabari be able to instill in young Barack the lessons he’s learned and ensure that he will have the necessary tools to become president?
Will he learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community?
Jabari Dreams of Freedom is a 45-minute dream, a piece for ages 8 and up, using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and humor to tell the story of a young Black boy from the South Side of Chicago who is afraid to leave the house, but learns to dream of freedom.
See the trailer here!
SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
​"The frank and compassionate new children's play from Nambi E. Kelley"
-​Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune​
"Young people need this play right now."
-​Jacqueline Russell
Artistic Director, Chicago Children's Theatre
"I think that Jabari learned that it's okay to be afraid at times and all of the people who stood up for Black Lives were afraid too."
-Josiah H.
A young viewer who wrote to Jabari after seeing the show
About the Artists:
Director Daniel Carlton is a multiple award-winning Harlem-based actor, storyteller, playwright, poet, director, and teaching Artist who has appeared on New York, national, and international stages. His work has also been presented in schools, jails, homeless shelters, libraries, and every imaginable place to perform.
Recent Projects: Writer/Director of “March On” (Apollo Theater, National Black Theater Festival). Writer “Pigfoot Mary Says Goodbye To The Harlem Renaissance.” Director of The National Tour of “Freedom Riders” ( Mad River Theater Works). Performing multiple characters in “Finding North'” by David Gonzalez (National Tour).
Also developing from a commission (co-writer with Nambi E Kelley and Director) of a new hybrid digital and live play, “This Ability" for Chicago Children’s Theatre.
Bio courtesy of www.danielcarlton.com.
Nambi E. Kelley serves as a season 2 co-producer on Peacock's Bel Air. Previous television writing credits include: Lady In The Lake (Apple) Our Kind of People (Fox), and The Chi (Showtime). She is also in development with Lagralane on a film project TBA.
Kelley is the recipient of the NNPN annual commission where her play, Re-Memori was just presented at WP's Pipeline Festival in New York City. She is also winner of The Prince Prize which grants $75,000 to Nambi and Court Theatre for a new play based on the life of the great Kwame Ture/Stokely Carmichael, among others.
Kelley has a BFA from The Theatre School at De Paul University, formerly known as The Goodman School of Drama, and holds an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont.
Bio courtesy of www.nambikelley.com.
Admission is FREE and open to all.
Flushing Town Hall no longer requires visitors or performers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19; wearing a mask is optional but recommended. For more details, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.
“Previously on JABARI WeTUBE LIVE! Jabari is amazed and overjoyed to find himself inside the beautiful world he created in his painting. A place that knows no hatred, and all news is the best news you could ever possibly hear news.
“Then, to his surprise, he recognizes a familiar face in the crowd—”
Ten-year-old Jabari loves to paint. With his Forever President Barack Obama as a guide, Jabari escapes the violent reality of an encounter with the police through his colorful paintings where he meets children from the past who teach him how to be fearless.
When he meets his hero, Barack Obama, as a 6-year-old boy on the eve of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., will Jabari be able to instill in young Barack the lessons he’s learned and ensure that he will have the necessary tools to become president?
Will he learn to take these lessons back into his own life and heal his community?
Jabari Dreams of Freedom is a 45-minute dream, a piece for ages 8 and up, using rap, freedom songs, hip hop dance, history, and humor to tell the story of a young Black boy from the South Side of Chicago who is afraid to leave the house, but learns to dream of freedom.
See the trailer here!
SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
​"The frank and compassionate new children's play from Nambi E. Kelley"
-​Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune​
"Young people need this play right now."
-​Jacqueline Russell
Artistic Director, Chicago Children's Theatre
"I think that Jabari learned that it's okay to be afraid at times and all of the people who stood up for Black Lives were afraid too."
-Josiah H.
A young viewer who wrote to Jabari after seeing the show
About the Artists:
Director Daniel Carlton is a multiple award-winning Harlem-based actor, storyteller, playwright, poet, director, and teaching Artist who has appeared on New York, national, and international stages. His work has also been presented in schools, jails, homeless shelters, libraries, and every imaginable place to perform.
Recent Projects: Writer/Director of “March On” (Apollo Theater, National Black Theater Festival). Writer “Pigfoot Mary Says Goodbye To The Harlem Renaissance.” Director of The National Tour of “Freedom Riders” ( Mad River Theater Works). Performing multiple characters in “Finding North'” by David Gonzalez (National Tour).
Also developing from a commission (co-writer with Nambi E Kelley and Director) of a new hybrid digital and live play, “This Ability" for Chicago Children’s Theatre.
Bio courtesy of www.danielcarlton.com.
Nambi E. Kelley serves as a season 2 co-producer on Peacock's Bel Air. Previous television writing credits include: Lady In The Lake (Apple) Our Kind of People (Fox), and The Chi (Showtime). She is also in development with Lagralane on a film project TBA.
Kelley is the recipient of the NNPN annual commission where her play, Re-Memori was just presented at WP's Pipeline Festival in New York City. She is also winner of The Prince Prize which grants $75,000 to Nambi and Court Theatre for a new play based on the life of the great Kwame Ture/Stokely Carmichael, among others.
Kelley has a BFA from The Theatre School at De Paul University, formerly known as The Goodman School of Drama, and holds an MFA in interdisciplinary arts from Goddard College in Vermont.
Bio courtesy of www.nambikelley.com.
