Award-winning production features all female cast
“‘Black Women Walking’ educates and entertains,” director Kevvin Taylor, Iowa native, stated when speaking about the success of the American production.
Making its debut at Kirkwood Community College in Ballantyne Auditorium on March 2 and 3, the cast has traveled all across the country. “Black Women Walking” aims to make diverse experiences happen for the local community and audience members, according to Taylor.
The eight female cast member production tells powerful tales about the history of women heroines and their struggles throughout history.
Jed Peterson, history professor, and Taylor have worked closely together to bring this production to Kirkwood.
As Black History Month comes to a close at the end of February, Women’s History Month begins in March. “It was the perfect time of year to premiere this production at Kirkwood,” Peterson stated.
Taylor said, “The goal is to have a large audience, we are very excited to have an Iowa debut. Kirkwood has done a tremendous job co-presenting this along with the African American Museum in Cedar Rapids.”
“Black Women Walking” was written by Karen F. Williams. Taylor, who is the Founder and CEO of Seek First Entertainment [SFE], adapted and directed it. He stated the most powerful quote he has heard has been, “Theatre is a mirror that reflects the complexity and richness of the human experience” and he is “hoping this will be an opportunity for Iowans and the community to be able to see ourselves and our stories.”
The production made its debut in 2007 in a church basement in Phoenix, Ariz. Since then, not a year of performances have been missed – except for 2020 when a virtual adaptation was produced. “Since ‘07, there have been 4-6 consecutive performances a year,” Taylor said.
In 2016 at the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, the production won the Covenant Festival Award out of 40 plays. Several other shows, musicals and films were also featured.
With student involvement, Taylor said he is aiming to give students the full experience and allow them to ask questions and attend the tech and rehearsals. This will give theater students the opportunity to enhance the Broadway experience as well as assist with props and the stage set-up.
“It’s really important for students to have access. We will have many of the fashion students help as stage hands as well as ship over 20 costumes from Arizona,” Taylor stated in terms of student involvement.
The cast will consist of local and professional actors from Iowa and Arizona. There are five original cast members from Arizona and three from Iowa. Of the cast members, seven are actors and one is a dancer.
Tickets can be reserved at www.kirkwood.edu/ballantyne and are free for Kirkwood students, faculty and staff with an ID. Tickets are $10 for non-Kirkwood students and $30 for adults. To learn more about the production, visit https://seekfirstentertainment.com/black-women-walking-theatrical-production.
Liz is a second year Journalism and Mass Communications student who has been Creative Director and News Editor with the Communiqué. She also works at 88.3 KCCK as a Radio News Intern and the Corridor Business Journal as a Reporting Intern. After receiving her associate degree from Kirkwood, she will transfer to the University of Iowa with the 2+2 program. At Iowa, she will continue her journalism passions with the Daily Iowan newspaper and DITV. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, she plans to work as a Multimedia Journalist and Reporter/News Anchor for KCCI in Des Moines or another station in Iowa.
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