On Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m., Philadelphia’s Headline Theater Company and Sykes After Dark hosted a dinner theater called “The Revolution will not be Plagiarized” in Sykes Ballrooms. This play was based on African- American history and focused on famous individuals such as Winnie Mandela, Hewie Newton, Cecil B. Moore, Harriett Tubman, Madame C.J. Walker, and Josephine Baker. Their characters were displayed byAfrican Americancollege graduates. The actors first defined revolution through spoken word poetry and traditional African dance accompanied by the D’jembe drum. In addition, jazz and blues also blessed the ears of the audience. Winnie Mandela compared the culture of women today with that of the past. She was disappointed at what African American women do not take advantage of today. Harriett Tubman continued on that topic and mentioned that in slavery, she didn’t own her body; today, we own ours yet we allow others to abuse it. She then stated, “If I was you, I’d be grateful.” Following this, she began to sing a gospel favorite, “Be Grateful,” with the rest of the cast. Later in the play, Cecil B. Moore from North Philadelphia stated, “We don’t listen ’cause we talk too much.” He then spoke on how respect within the African American community has decreased. In the 1950s, there was hardly any discord within this community because they had no other option but to stick together. He gave an example saying that a black man in the ’50s would never kill another man over Timberland boots. T oward the end, the members of the Headline Theater Company created a semi-circle while dancing around other dancers in the middle. They pulled audience members to dance with them. I was honored to be among the participants. The founders of the Headline Theater Company are Bunmi Samuel and Tiffany Bacon, who are well-known in the Philadelphia area as the Traffic Reporter and Air Personality on the Hip-Hop and R&B radio station, Power 99 FM.
Along with the theater company is their band, called “The Sugar Shack Hustlers.” This company is comprised of college graduates who are music teachers, radio personnel, business professionals and educators. They are also highly involved in their communities and absolutely love the art of acting. Bumni Samuel, a co-founder of Headline Theater Company stated, “In one hour, misconceptions about black history can change people’s viewpoints.” Some may recognize previous dramas, such as the Nina Simone tribute “Speak Brother” and a religious play called “Crosswalk.”
The Headline Theater company also has an upcoming theater production called, “For All We Know,” which is based on the influential R&B artist, Donny Hathaway. The play will be held at the Liacouras Center at Temple University on November 11 and 12. Both shows will be held at 7 p.m., and the tickets are free.