Oceanside CA— Join the Oceanside Public Library and the North County African American Women’s Association in celebration of Black History Month, as they bring “Literature to Life,” with an American Place Theatre performance of Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. This live performance will be held onstage at the Truax Theatre at El Camino High School, 400 Rancho Del Oro Drive, Oceanside, just north of Mesa Drive, on Saturday February 13, at 5:00 p.m.
For tickets to the free public performance, please visit www.oceansidepubliclibrary.org to reserve a seat. This program is recommended for ages 13 and up.
This original staging was adapted in 2006 from Jacobs’ 1861 autobiographical narrative. The author is the protagonist in this solo piece, which illuminates in shocking fashion the traumas of slavery, particularly for women and children. The stage adaptation culminates in Jacobs’ powerful and moving experiences during the seven years she spent hiding in a crawl space in her grandmother’s attic. Having absorbed the images without sets or props, only the truth of the author’s evocative words, audiences will emerge with a visceral experience that may become an enduring part of their understanding of the “peculiar institution,” slavery. This performance includes pre-show and post-show discussions, where themes of resilience and survival will be explored. This Oceanside event is made possible through generous donations from the Friends of the Oceanside Public Library and from the North County African American Women’s Association.
The role of Jacobs will be played by actress Cherita Armstrong. Cherita is a native New Yorker and was drawn to the performing arts as a child. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts from Utica College of Syracuse University, and has studied with renowned acting teacher/director Wynn Handman. Cherita has performed at numerous theatres, including Ensemble Studio Theatre (NY), Manhattan Class Company, New York Theatre Workshop, Yale Repertory Theatre, St. Louis Black Repertory Company, Public Theatre (Maine), & Baltimore Center Stage. Having read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl years before, she always felt the inspiring story should be told on the stage, and when Handman offered her the role, she was thrilled. She has since had the opportunity to perform the piece, first commissioned by the New York Historical Society, at educational and performance venues across the country.
Also in February in Oceanside, there will be reading and discussion of Lalita Tademy’s Cane River. This epic family saga follows four generations of women born into slavery; all four generations choose (or are forcibly persuaded) to bear the illegitimate offspring of the area’s white French plantation owners. Guest scholar Reginald Owens will tie this narrative in with his special area of research-Black History during the Civil War and Reconstruction Period. This Book Club and discussion will be held at the Civic Center Library on Tuesday, February 23, at 5:30 p.m.
Copies of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Cane River are available at all Oceanside Public Library locations. To place a hold on one of the books or to ask questions about the events, please visit www.oceansidepubliclibrary.org or call (760) 435-5600.