I, Too Sing (Night of the preview & more)

Two months ago I got a mail from Simone zeefuik (organiser of Re:Definition-Spoken Word platform) with a request to participate in the auditions of the choreopoem I, Too Sing of Babs Gonzales and herself. Upon hearing that the piece is inspire by Ntozake Shange's For colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuff I had to do it. At the audition I felt an instant connection with the Brooklyn-born director Nadine Lavern whom has lived in Holland for twenty years. I did my thing as the Spoken Word artist I am. A couple of days later I got the call from Babs announcing that I'm in! Me so happy.
We rehearsed two days a week for one and a half months to finally show a preview at the Black Magic Woman Festival in Amsterdam South East. Tonite we, Clara, Jeritza, Skittles and I witnessed and experience what it is to believe in something and work hard at it. The audience enjoyed and showed us love from beginning to end and also thereafter.

The evening/show began with a poem of Spoken Word artist Nzinga called Vacation of Gaga. Thereafter there was a dialogue with women of color from young to old. The goal was to share stories of and about their lifes. The moderator Tanja Jadnanasingh (member of parliament) began wit a column in which she shared her views on the topic Here To Stay which the festival uses as slogan this year. She feels at home in Holland and doesn't feel guilty of this as a Surinam descendant. Although the pressure is high she pleads for the right to be in this country and invest as well.

The dialogue was a bit politically-correct if you ask me. Good Preparation and production would give way for the real stories of women with good ánd bad experiences to come to the surface. it stayed with the stories of as kids being able to do what they liked. And ofcourse a bit generalising about Surinamese mothers. Highlights came out of the audience itself with comments as the importance of the role of the father, the village that raises the child and remembering that we are individuals that need nurtuting.
After 45 minutes it was our turn to do our do in the name of I, Too sing. We nailed it. Can you believe that during the play a mobile rang of an eldery woman whom picked up and had a conversation in the middle of my monologue. Nevertheless the focus was on and we as a group let our lights shine.

On the 17th of March I, Too Sing will have its premiere on the In the picture festival in Bijlmer Parktheatre in Amsterdam South East. The same venue where the preview thus BMW festival took place. Salut to all the colored women with stories/experiences that they think is worth telling and more to the ones that dismiss this.
You Too Sing a Song!