The Calliope Creative Foundation's upcoming production of Nat Turner's Last Struggle will take place November 8 and 9 at the Riverside Theatre, 90 Claremont Avenue and 112nd Street in NYC.
The play, Nat Turner’s Last Struggle is about the insurrection of the rebellious enslaved Nat Turner. He rose up in defiance of the dehumanization of his enslaved brothers and sisters, seeking to liberate them from bondage. This rebellion ultimately led to the death of 58 white Americans--including women and children. Turner was later put on trial, convicted of murder, and sentenced to hanging.
Theater veteran and Calliope Creative Foundation's Curt Stewart will direct the play that provides us an informed look at the brutality and the death that untold number of the enslaved suffered, and Nat Turner's resolve to avenge the dehumanization of his people.
Stewart spoke to WBGO's Doug Doyle about the production. He stresses Calliope is staging Nat Turner’s Last Struggle with hopes of encouraging thought-provoking discourse.
"We're living in a time that requires us to access the enormous killing going on around the world. Our theme is the sanctity of life, that all life irrespective of race, color, creed, gender is all life is equally valuable. We are in a creative era as I see it and it requires artists to come to the forefront and speak courageously and honestly about the state of the human race. I'm deeply concerned about where the nation is, but also the world. This why we chose Nat Turner. We wanted to bring this to the forefront and have our good white brothers and sisters as well as our black brothers and sisters to come together and assemble in a civilized fashion in the spirit of brotherhood and look at what happened in bondage."
Stewart is excited that higher ed institutions are partnering with the Calliope Creative Foundation in putting on the powerful and thought-provoking play and discussion.
"We are doing it with the support of Columbia University, Barnard College and other schools because we want to initiate a debate and discourse on the sanctity of life and how do we today bring an end to his madness that is taking place."
Curt Stewart has 52 years of professional experience in the various disciplines of theater. Having found and administrated his theater for twenty-six years--producing some of the nation’s most accomplished artists, has prepared Stewart to lead Calliope in its endeavor to train another generation of young aspiring artists in the theater, television, and film industries of the nation. Stewart has a master's degree in writing and Advanced Studies in Philosophy.
Stewart has produced some of Americans' most prominent artists, including the late Harry Belafonte, Ossis Davis, Max Roach and an assortment of others. The Calliope Creative Foundation was founded in 2001, for the purpose of introducing and exposing young aspiring theater artists to the various disciplines of professional theater.
Nat Turner's Last Struggle performances:
Friday November 8, 2024:
8:00pm Performance; 7:30pm House
Saturday November 9, 2024:
3:00pm Performance; 2:30pm House
8:00pm Performance; 7:30pm House
