Students Celebrate Poetry Icon at National Theater

by Rebecca Gillman, ICS Teacher

When the Nordic Black Theatre announced that they would be in town to perform their latest piece, honouring the late and great writer and African American poet, Maya Angelou, Mr Harris, our High School Theatre teacher, jumped at the opportunity of organising interested thespians and supporters of the Arts to watch the show. 

After school that Friday, we boarded the bus and then headed down to the national theatre with a group of students from grades 9-12 for what turned out to be a stunning spectacle of song, dance and striking stage images emerging from Angelou’s powerful poetry.

Here were some of the highlights from students and teachers:

I really loved the cadence of Angelou’s poetry as it was performed by the two lead actresses and just how familiar her verse is to me. There were a number of times that I was taken by surprise as I was able to recite the lines in my head, along with the actors on stage. - Ms Gillman 

There were several aspects of the evening that I really enjoyed. First, just being in the National Theatre was interesting. The architecture and overall feel of the space was fun to just take in. Likewise, as the audience started to fill the room it was exciting to be part of an event you knew was special. I enjoyed the singing and choreography of the performance the most. The show was a unique blend of spoken text and movement that kept the eye engaged. The next day I introduced myself to the director when I saw him while we both were having lunch at the Hyatt hotel after the Great Ethiopian Run. He thanked me for bringing the students and stressed how important it was that we get the younger generation inspired and uplifted. He runs a theatre company in Norway that also has educational outreach programs. I also found it interesting that he was being followed by a Norwegian film crew that is spending two years documenting his work in order to make a documentary film about him. All in all a very inspiring experience. Thank you so much to Ato Sisay for helping us reserve our seats and tickets. An unforgettable night! - Mr Harris

I really liked the Maya Angelou play. Not only was it in the national theatre which was really pretty, it was also played by really good actors. My favorite part was when a few of her poems were spoken and usually it was accompanied by a cool visual image made by the actors. After there was also a really fun mini-concert that I think everyone was able to enjoy and sing along too. - Johanna.

I loved the physical interpretations of Maya Angelou‘s poems, which the actors danced to while they were being performed. The dramatic shadows and impressive performances created visually striking images that introduced me to a whole different perspective through which to interpret her poetry. - Elisa

The show was truly much more than what I had expected. Right from the beginning with the two lead actresses’ performance to the really enjoyable mini-concert at the end the show was entirely captivating. What an amazing performance and unmatched energy! -Mariamawit

"I am a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman that’s me."- These are the words that introduce me to the great Maya Angelou. I was truly humbled to experience the artistic expression of Maya Angelou's life. I enjoyed the opportunity to watch different embodiments of her poems to which I was so familiar and which resonated deeply with me. - Serena