Aneemah’s Spot is stylistic mix of stealthy dialogue, rhyme and spoken word. The funeral of “G” brings Wan and Aneemah together to mourn, share histories and choose how they will navigate life from this moment on. Written by Motion, and directed by Charles Officer, the award-winning production stars Amanda Parris and Shomari Downer, and features an infectious sound-scape by DJ L’Oqenz that pulsates like the city that birthed it.
Presented at the BAND/TD Then & Now Festival and co-sponsored by Obsidian Theatre.
Saturday Feb. 8th @ Living Arts Centre, Mississauga | Friday Feb. 14th – Sunday Feb. 16th @ 918 Bathurst Centre, Toronto
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Toronto, ON (August 12, 2013 – MotionLive proudly announces the launch of its latest project – ANEEMAH’S SPOT: STAGE TO SCREEN – in the Caribbean Tales Film Festival Incubator during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival(Sept. 2nd – Sept. 8th.) Written by Toronto-based emcee, poet and playwright Motion, the new incarnation of the award-winning play sparks a year-long journey – from Incubator to feature film – as it prepares to transform from stage to the big screen in 2014.
A stylistic mix of stealthy dialogue, rhyme and spoken word, Aneemah’s Spot brings together Aneemah (a poet) and Wan (an emcee) in the volatile hours after the funeral of their childhood friend “G.” Intense and intimate, this dramatic duet explores the“complicated ways that art and love stay afloat in the wake of tragedy.” (Mooney On Theatre)
Set in Toronto, the feature film surrounds a meeting between Aneemah and Wan as they come together in the safe house of ‘The Base.’ Here, they are forced to challenge their pasts, face their present, and choose how they will navigate life from this moment on.
With an infectious all-Canadian soundtrack mixed by music director DJ L’Oqenz,Aneemah’s Spot pulsates with the soundscape of the city that birthed it. Aneemah’s Spotis a personal story of a collective experience, an urban tale with a universal resonance, a perfect balance of “sound and silence.” (-Summerworks in Review)
The renowned Caribbean Tales Incubator Program aims to empower filmmakers from the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Now in its 4th year, the Incubator fosters the development of long-term partnerships between Diaspora and international practitioners. Through a competitive process, 15 filmmakers, producers, writers, animators, administrators, composers and media practitioners across all disciplines from the Caribbean and its Diaspora including Africa, India and Canada, South and Central America have been selected to congregate on Toronto during the week-long event.
MotionLive looks forward to sharing exciting details, weekly updates and special announcements with fans and supporters of Aneemah’s Spot. “Engaging our audience, letting them in on the process, and growing a collective anticipation for this big moment in the lives of our creators, our team and our cast is very important to us. The community and partners we’ve built with along the way have been essential and very appreciated. Working with Caribbean Tales as we launch this key phase, and move closer to our vision, is very exciting.”
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For Media Inquiries contact aneemahsspot@gmail.com
aneemahsspot.com
caribbeantales-worldwide.com
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Toronto, ON (July 23, 2012) – MotionLive in association with Cric Crac Collective proudly present the world premiere of ANEEMAH’S SPOT by acclaimed Toronto spoken word poet, emcee and Playwright-in-Residence at Obsidian Theatre, Motion, as part of the SummerWorks Festival at the Lower Ossington Theatre, August 9-18.
Directed by Dian Marie Bridge, and starring Araya Mengesha and Amanda Parris, ANEEMAH’S SPOT is supported by Obsidian Theatre Company, with musical direction by DJ L’Oqenz.
Aneemah (a poet) and Wan (an emcee) are bought together in the hours after the funeral of their childhood friend “G.” In a theatrical remix of dialogue, rhyme and spoken word, Aneemah and Wan struggle with the untimely death, violence and imminent threats that surrounds the tragedy. In the safe house of Aneemah’s apartment, known as ‘the base,’ Aneemah and Wan are forced to challenge their pasts, face their present, and choose how they will navigate life from this moment on.
First created in Obsidian’s Playwright’s Unit, ANEEMAH’S SPOT had its debut workshop production in bcurrent’s 2011 Rock Paper Sistahz Festival. ANEEMAH’S SPOT now takes the next step of its journey with the world premiere at the 2012 Summerworks Festival. The Summerworks production of ANEEMAH’S SPOT stars TV/film/theatre actor Araya Mengesha (War Horse, Another Africa, Nurse.Fighter.Boy) as Wan, and playwright, performer and co-founder of Lost Lyrics Amanda Parris (32C, The Whores, A Question Remains) who plays the title character, Aneemah.
About the Playwright
Motion is an award-winning poet/emcee and emerging playwright spanning the realms of music, spoken word & drama. Born & raised in Toronto, her lyricism has taken her from hip hop radio host to appear on stages at Manifesto Jamaica, Canadian Urban Music Awards (CBC), Caribbean Literary Festival, Luminato, HBO Def Poetry Jam and Africa Expo in South Africa. Dubbed by Now Magazine as a “multi-talented, truthful artist,” Motion has released two collections, Motion In Poetry and 40 Dayz (Canadian Scholars Press.) Her dramatic works (4our Woman, Aneemah’s Spot, Dancing to a White Boy Song, Mo’Suite) have been featured at Obsidian and Factory theatres, Theatre Passe Muraille, Summerworks and bcurrent’s Rock.Paper.Sistahz Festival. Her play ANEEMAH’S SPOT premiers at the 2012 Summerworks Festival, and is published in Give Voice, a collection of plays from Obsidian’s Playwright’s Unit, by Playwright’s Canada Press.
About the Director
At the helm of this production is director Dian Marie Bridge. She was an inaugural member of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s Michael Langham Workshop, and intern artistic director at Obsidian Theatre. Her directing credits include the dancehall theatre work King Ah Di Dancehall (Baby Boyz Dance Group/Dance Immersion), Thank You for Carey Street Theatre and assistant directing the Mirvish Production of ’da Kink in My Hair. She is artistic producer of Cric Crac Collective, and directed ANEEMAH’S SPOT in its debut workshop production at bcurrent’s Rock.Paper.Sistahz Festival.
The Creative Team
Musical direction is by acclaimed DJ L’Oqenz (Emancipation of Ms. Lovely, HeadSpace, UforChange) who designs an infectious soundtrack for the dramatic duet. Jade Lee Hoy (Hilary & Denise, Manifesto) joins as Set Designer, with Nan Shepherd as Stage Manager.
Jasmine Chen and Cassy Walker join ANEEMAH’S SPOT as Associate Producer and Assistant Director. Amanda NK is Production Manager.
Media Contact: Jasmine Chen|(416) 407-6468| AneemahsSpot@gmail.com| AneemahsSpot.com
