From 1921 to 1935 there was an explosion of excellence in American history called the Harlem Renaissance. Black performers emerged writing, speaking, and singing the truth and beauty of the Black American people and their lived experience. They embodied intelligence and talent. Jazz and the blues. They found their voice and pronounced it loudly and unabashedly.
In a modern twist, we pay homage to the greats that paved the way before us while amplifying the Black voices in this art community. We are bringing back the Renaissance. We are bringing back the beauty, the grace, and the grandeur. With their talents these each artists will teach and entertain in new and exciting way. Join us virtually every fourth Friday at 7pm to emerge yourself in the beauty that is Resurrecting the Renaissance.
May 28th-June 24th, 2021 (Part 1) Featuring:
Cynnita Agent, a recent Arizona transplant, made her Phoenix debut as Addaperle in Black Theatre Troupe’s stunning Production of “The Wiz”. She is a proud graduate of Texas Southern University’s theatre and performing arts program. Some of her most pivotal roles include Lady Macbeth in “Macbeth”, Dora Strang in “Equus”, Felicity in “The Shadow Box” , Lady Blue in “For Colored Girls”, and Mary Girard in “The Insanity of Mary Girard”.
Robert “FlipSide” Daniels was born in Las Vegas and raised in San Bernardino, California. He graduated from Chaffey College and has degrees in business administration and finance. He is the co-founder of Phat! Magazine and the one time Editor-in-Chief of PUB Magazine: People’s Underground Beat, which started his career in public relations and journalism in 1988. Since that time Daniels has written for five newspapers and two magazines as well as the Sapphire Group, which he joined in 2018. Daniels also co-founded a poetic theatre troupe called BlackPoet Ventures in 2005. He works as a teaching artist in three Phoenix area schools for a company called Project Lit and also works with a bullying prevention education program for Decisive Life, LLC. Under the moniker “FlipSide”, Daniels has published a poetry book called “Fragile: Life is Poetic — Say Something… or Not Whatever”. He also has two other books in the publishing process. He has written an autobiographical one-person show which is in pre-production. The return of the arts will include some big events coming from FlipSide in 2021 & 22.
Ryan L. Jenkins is honored to be part of Resurrecting the Renaissance! She has worked with Tier5 Theatre Company, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Virtual Theatre of Arizona, Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, Black Theatre Troupe, iTheatre Collaborative, Stray Cat Theatre, and Nearly Naked Theatre. Ryan is originally from Chicago, Illinois, and earned her Acting BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2014. IG:@ryanljenkins
Ashton Vaughn Charles (a proud member of The Color 8 band) is a dedicated, multitalented, collaborative musician who has been performing for 19+ years.
Ashton has extensive experience in playing reed instruments (Saxophone/Clarinet), as well as reciting rhythmic lyricism, and has played in bands, as well as solo over multiple genres of music (Classical/Jazz/R&B/Hip Hop/Neo Soul/etc.).
Ashton thoroughly enjoys playing music quite often, and is looking to expand his horizons around the world, sharing his art with anyone who may enjoy it.
Racquel is a Jamaican native, Chicago actor, and Arizona transplant. She received her BA in performance from SIUC. Upon graduating she toured Barbados, England, and Nigeria with ZMirage Co. as Aysatu (Preemptive) and Cora (Seven). Once returning stateside she became a resident burlesque dancer with Gorilla Tango Theater. Soon after she began working with The Murder Mystery Company and was promoted to director and soon after Performance coach, with acting troupes in both Phoenix and San Jose. Since relocating to Arizona, she’s been seen as Ferdinand (The Duchess of Malfi) Flagstaff Shakespeare Company, as Jewel (The Taste Test) and Danitra (Lines In The Dust) Black Theater Troupe, as Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Celia (As You Like It) and Mobray/Queen (Richard II) Southwest Shakespeare Company, as Grace (Junie B Jones is Not a Crook) Childsplay Theater, as Sara (Stop Kiss) and Shelita Burns (Bee-Luther-Hatchee) Emerson Theater Collaborative and as Macy (The Cake) Stray Cat Theater. She is a poet with a self-published chapbook entitled Tornado that launched February 2020. She is a director, dancer, designer, and published cover model. Resurrecting the Renaissance is her brain child and she hopes it can bring the lush beauty of the Harlem Renaissance and a much needed education to the Arizona community.