WE ARE SO EXCITED TODAY!!!

We are featured in the New York Daily News today, page 43, cover of the Uptown News section! You can view the article on by clicking here. Our lovely feature article is written by the uber talented, Michael J. Feeney. He is a young, African-American journalist living in Harlem! He won the Emerging Journalist award in 2010 from the National Association of Black Journalists. Check him out on Twitter!

One of the things we are so excited about is that we have really been able to tap into social media! This entire play was created based on a Facebook status written by Jaylene Clark. Then we initially made contact with Mike Feeney by tweeting him on Twitter! The next day we happened to meet him in person at the FREE Harlem Business Alliance workshop, "Give the Media What They Want." 

If you have your own business we encourage you to definitely utilize the social media tools! For great advice look up Karen Taylor Bass, PR Expert! She taught the four Harlem Business Alliance workshops on marketing and she was incredible!

Another skill we learned was to always be prepared! Have your clear and succinct business pitch ready at all times and make sure it tells the story behind the story. That's what people want to know. They don't just want to know that you have a play. They want to know what makes the play special and unique. This is especially important when pitching your business to the media.

This is all a learning experience we are just so thankful for everyone who has supported Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale thus far. This is only the beginning!  

We hope to see you in the theatre within these next two weekends! December 2-11!

We are sooooo excited to be performing in Harlem and at the National Black Theatre! Thank you to all those who have shown support thus far! Our original run was scheduled to end today, Sunday, November 20, but we have extended! We will be at the National Black Theatre for the first two weekends of December, the 2nd through the 11th! 

We want to have those extra two weekends PACKED so please spread the word and bring lots of people with you! The closing performance of our November run was such a success tonight! The house was packed and the energy was electric!

Tell your friends and family, post about the show on Facebook and Twitter, and do what ever you can do to SPREAD THE WORD! 

Our 300th follower on Twitter and 300th "Like" on Facebook will win a FREE ticket to one of our shows! If you have yet to do one or both of these two things, please do! Want to win that ticket but the count is not at 299 yet? Get your friends to follow/like us first, and then you swoop in for the win! Happy clicking!

Thank you for the continued support!

New promo video coming soon! Stay tuned!

Thank you to all those you came out to Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale at Londel's Supper Club! It was truly a successful event! The food was delicious (shoutout to Kenneth Heatley, the executive chef of Londel's) and the performance was electric! The audience was very receptive and we really got a chance to "test drive" the new changes to the script! That was only a taste of what is to come this Friday! 

Be sure to get your tickets now for our run at the National Black Theatre! Saturday evening we will have our Opening Night reception, so if you don't want to miss it, be sure to come out to our Saturday, November 5th, 8PM show!

Today, November 1st, is a very special day for Harlem KW Project. It was on this day, November 1, 2010 that Jaylene sent the first email to Chyann, Hollis, and Janelle asking them if they wanted to be a part of this potential project at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Here is a snippet of the conversation:

Jaylene: 
My FB  Status: It's time to stop dipping a toe in here, wading in a little bit there. I need to jump back into this sea world of poetry like I'm Shamu...heavy. Too much gentrification going on in Harlem to get light. Time to spit killer lines with killer rhymes of killer tales. Cuz Harlem is looking more and more like the belly of a killer whale.

[She then showed them the conversation she had with Alfred Preisser where he asked her to do a 60 minute play based on this status with 2-3 other women]

What do you all think about this? I need 2-3 more women. I have my friend Janelle in mind cuz she's an actress and a poet. Hollis I know you are a poet and actress...but I know u are extremely busy...would you be interested? Chyann I know u have strong feelings about gentrification in Harlem. If you guys have any ideas on the project let me know!

Love yall.

Chyann: 

This sounds like an incredible opportunity! To have a performance piece at the Schomburg is the perfect venture for a young actress like yourself. I'd definitely love to be a part of it. Obviously I don't have much experience with the performance aspect of the production, but I can definitely contribute in terms of writing, editing, and just overall opinions and experience. Count me IN.

Janelle:

Wow j! This sounds absolutely phenomenal! I definitely would be interested in collaborating with you on this project! It sounds like so much fun. You can count me in, just let me know when, where, and the logistics but I'm in.

Hollis:

Hollis gave a verbal response so it is not in the email, but of course, she said she was interested and would love to be a part of it!

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And so it happened that the four of us got together and began writing Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale! Through a series of workshops, freewrites, and emails, we created this play and debuted it as a play reading at the historic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Now, a year later, we are so blessed to say that we had the opportunity to do two runs in Times Square, and are now having our play produced at the National Black Theatre in Harlem! We are extremely grateful for these opportunities and thankful to all those who have showed their continued support!

We hope you continue to support us on this journey!

Much love,
The Ladies of Harlem KW Project, LLC <3

11/02/11: EDIT-- All timeslots for the Monday, November 7th auditions are now FILLED! If you are interested in auditioning you may arrive between 5:30PM and 9:00PM on November 7th, but you are not guaranteed to be seen. If we have a gap in the schedule, we will see people in the order in which they arrived. Thank you!

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Thank you to all those who auditioned for an understudy role in Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale! We are currently still seeking an understudy for the role of Shayla. We are looking for an experienced actress who can truly make the character come to life. Here is the audition information:

Audition Date: Mon Nov 07, 5:30PM to 9:00PM

Callback Date: Tues Nov 08, 5:30PM to 8:00PM

Start Date: Mon Nov 21

Location: The Heath Gallery 24 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027

This is a paid position. All actresses will get paid a minimum of $100 per performance they understudy, but the pay has the potential to be higher depending on the performance. For example, if an understudy is needed for one of our college tour performances, she will receive a greater compensation.

All understudies must be ready to perform at any time. Therefore, we are looking for someone with a flexible schedule.

[SHAYLA] African American woman, can play 20-25 years old. Must have singing ability, familiarity with performance poetry, an ability to do basic choreography, and an ability to play multiple characters. Shayla is torn between staying in her neighborhood or moving to one she can afford. She is outspoken and stubborn at times. Some of the qualities of her other characters include: practical, opportunistic, and progressive. Must be able to play a male character. The actress should be able to portray a male in voice and physicality.

Please email a headshot and resume to [email protected] by Sunday, November 6th, at 10PM. In the Subject put "Your Name." You will then be given a time slot. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE WITHOUT A TIME SLOT.

Please prepare a 1 minute contemporary dramatic or comedic monologue. You will be sent sides once you are given a time slot.

Hey everyone!

This is going to be a HUGE week for Harlem KW Project, LLC. Yes that's right, LLC! We are now a Limited Liability Corporation! But back to this exciting week! On Tuesday, November 1 we have our dinner-theatre performance at the famous Londel's Supper Club in Harlem! For only $50 you will get a delicious meal and a fabulous play! For the menu for the evening and more information please see our Homepage. Patrons who attend this event will be able to get a sneak peak at some of the new aspects of Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale! The full package will be revealed on Friday, November 4 when we open at the National Black Theatre (NBT)! We are so excited about our run in HARLEM! 

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre is a staple of the Harlem community and in the theatre world in general. We are so blessed to have NBT produce our play! It is being directed by the uber talented Stephanie Berry. Stephanie is amazing and is truly bringing out different levels and colors that are present in our script. We are so excited for you to see our new set, costumes, lighting, and more! The core of the script is still there, but this will definitely be a different show than you may have seen at the Times Square Arts Center or the Schomburg. You don't want to miss this!

We will run at NBT from Friday, November 4 through Sunday, November 20th. Fridays are at 8PM, Saturdays 3PM and 8PM, and Sundays at 4PM. Tickets are $35, and $25 for students and seniors. For group sales please call 212-340-1121. To purchase tickets click here. 

Help us to create a buzz on Twitter by using the hashtag #HarlemKWProjectWeek to talk about all the exciting things happening this week! Whether you're tweeting how you can't wait to see us at NBT, or you're spreading the word about our upcoming performances, be sure to use the hashtag #HarlemKWProjectWeek! We can't wait to see your tweets!

Audition Date(s): Mon Oct 17 and Tues Oct 18, 10AM to 3PM

Callback Date(s): Sat Oct 22, TBD

Shoot/Start Date: Sun Oct 23, 1PM

Location: The Heath Gallery 24 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027

Pay Rate: Minimum $100 per performance, but this rate can increase depending on the performance.

We are seeking understudies for all three characters in our production, ''Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale.'' This play tells the story of three young native Harlem women who journey through its streets, history, landmarks, renaissance, and evolving culture. Through a montage of dialogue, spoken word poetry, song, and memories, these young women weave picturesque stories that explore the multifaceted issue of gentrification. By turns deeply moving and uproariously funny, the performers bring to life their home neighborhood, the world famous village of Harlem, and highlight one vital idea that rings true for them all: They wish to establish a new Harlem Renaissance that will embrace the inevitable change to their neighborhood while revitalizing the rich culture of its past. 

All understudies must be ready to perform at any time. 

[BRIDGET] African American woman, can play 20-25 years old. Must have singing ability, familiarity with performance poetry, an ability to do basic choreography, and an ability to play multiple characters. Bridget loves to dance with her friends, though sometimes she gets a little too enthusiastic. She loves hand games and other activities from her childhood, such as double dutch. Some of the qualities of her other characters include: defiant, sassy, and brash. Ability to do a West Indian accent is a plus. 

[TONI] African American woman, can play 20-25 years old. Must have singing ability, familiarity with performance poetry, an ability to do basic choreography, and an ability to play multiple characters. Toni has trouble with things such as double dutch and playing hand games. She is also clumsy. Some of the qualities of her other characters include: consultative, candid, and close-minded. Must be able to play an elderly woman. 

[SHAYLA] African American woman, can play 20-25 years old. Must have singing ability, familiarity with performance poetry, an ability to do basic choreography, and an ability to play multiple characters. Shayla is torn between staying in her neighborhood or moving to one she can afford. She is outspoken and stubborn at times. Some of the qualities of her other characters include: practical, opportunistic, and progressive. Must be able to play a male character. 

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Please email a headshot and resume to [email protected] by Sunday, October 16th, at 10PM. In the Subject put "Your Name- Part You Are Auditioning For." You will then be given a time slot. PLEASE DO NOT JUST SHOW UP.

Please prepare a 1 minute contemporary dramatic or comedic monologue. All actresses will also be asked to do a cold reading of sides.

We are so excited! This Saturday we will begin our College Tour by making our first stop at Ithaca College! Jaylene graduated from Ithaca College in May 2010. While there she founded a poetry organization called Spit That!. It is Spit That! that is sponsoring our trip to Ithaca, so this really means a lot to us, especially Jaylene! 

We are constantly looking for more colleges to visit so if you would like us at your school, please send us a message by visiting our Contact page. We would love to visit! 

This whole weekend is filled with great events because Sunday is the African-American Day Parade in Harlem! We are leaving Ithaca early enough to be able to attend. Maybe we will see you there!

Wow! It has been a while since the last post! We have successfully completed our run at the Times Square Arts Center! *Cheers*

That's right ladies and gentleman! We are BACK! Yesterday we had our Opening Night performance for our second run at the Times Square Arts Center and it was fantastic! The audience was very receptive and the performance was stellar! We truly hope that those members in the audience will go out and spread the word about the show so our theatre can be filled every night! We believe it can happen!

Be sure to check out Groupon because we are one of the deals today, July 19th and tomorrow, Wednesday, July 20th! For only $39 you get two tickets to the show, plus two drinks! To purchase the deal click here. We need at least 15 purchases to activate the deal, so purchase yours today!