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Savannah State University Hosts “Ida B. n’ the Lynching Tree” Theatre Production

Senior Savannah State student Tiffany Wright (left) as elder Ida B. Wells, and Vanity Daniel (right) as young Ida B. Wells. "To keep the waters troubled!" Ida B. Wells looks toward the future and her future remembers the past. Photo Credit: Savannah State University Multimedia Specialist Sarah Peacock.

Savannah State University’s official theatre group, Players by the Sea, in collaboration with The Collective Face Theatre Ensemble, is hosting “Ida B. n’ the Lynching Tree,” by Carolyn Nur Wistrand, a theatrical performance which tells the story of Pulitzer Prize winner Ida B. Wells. Opening night of the production is Wednesday, February 16 at 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Fine Arts Center on the campus of Savannah State University, 3219 College St. Admission is free on February 16 only.

Additional shows will take place February 17 – 20 also at 7 p.m. nightly, with general admission tickets at $25, including a $5 discount for senior citizens and members of the military. Tickets for SSU faculty, staff and students will be $5. A portion of proceeds from the event supports student scholarships. This event is also a part of the Savannah Black Heritage Festival.

Admission is free on opening night Wednesday, Feb. 16.

Ida B. Wells was a champion for injustice who had a lifelong crusade against lynching and inequities. A journalist and founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Wells died in 1931.

“The exposure of Black American faces on stage is important,” said David I. L. Poole, Savannah State University’s senior lecturer in theatre. “When attendees leave this production, we want them to walk away knowing who Ida B. was, what her life entailed and how it pertains to today.”

Attendees can prepare for many creative experiences, including a Hamilton-esque rap sequence and being entertained by a cast of 30 members made up of university faculty, students, alumni and community members acting together. The production is choreographed by alumna Mikeshia McPhaul. The sound is being developed exclusively for this show by Mary Edwards, a sound designer and composer from Savannah and New York City. Concessions will be available for purchase from The People’s Grocery, a location central to the story.

For more information or to reserve your tickets, visit The Collective Face website.


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