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Oni Lasana Productions offers 6  unique, creative and fabulous opportunities to engage students, thespians, lifelong learners and beginning storytellers in the art of Storytelling

Spoken Word and Theater Performances.


        

1) THE MANY MUSES OF ONI LASANA 


Oni performs and demonstrates how to bring your stories alive as a storyteller in the classroom or on the stage. Her character's of Nana Aesop, Granny Goose, 'Lias' Mother and Mama Earth focus on story development and presentations as a story artist and story activist.   



2) YOU CAN DO DUNBAR!


Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote, published and recited  his works before live audiences in the USA and England. Oni Lasana considers Dunbar to be the "Grand Daddy" of todays spoken word/ Hip Hop movement.

 

Join Oni in a Skype coaching workshop for classrooms or

individuals. Learn the intrinsic value of the vernacular and 

historical significance of his works.  Step out the box and experience how to dramatically reciting the southern dialect poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar.


For personal enrichment or public performances.


Available at  Globoedu.com

*!*

Oni's invitational poem for the Dunbar Workshop for the Pan African Community Education Program

@

Temple University, Philadelphia

   

           Poets!  Storytellers!  Dancers!  Historians!  Actors! Lend me your ear!

 You too can Do Dunbar!…have no fear!
Do you know who Paul Laurence Dunbar was?
If you don’t...you should take this workshop, because

 

He was a poet who first hit the open mic

About a hundred years ago…this poet was tight!
He wrote dialect poetry about life on plantations
Delivered smooth rhymes of freedom, before radio stations

 

So if you old heads who dig Dunbar, ya already know

So bring in your favorite poem to share n’ to show!
For all the youngin's…who ain't down with it
Time to know your history…lest you forget it!

 

This is the class everybody should be in.
Because Dunbar's is to folks in America 
What Shakespeare was...and...or is to England!


© 2001 Oni Lasana Real Tales Vol. 2


3) BROTHER DUNBAR POETRY

& 

PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP

Published in this book & available for in-school student theater or assembly performances.

 

 A POETIC APPROACH TO STORYTELLING
by Oni Lasana p.  288

 

Public Speaking, Reading, Listening, Writing, Visual Literacy, Theater, Language Arts,
Visual Arts, American History

National Standards: NCTE 1-6, 8, 9, 11, 12

 

This work & "play" shop offers a unique opportunity to learn about the life and times of poet and writer Paul Laurence Dunbar(1872-1906), a major forerunner to the Harlem Renaissance literary era in America. Highly inter-active and enriching, it offers a diverse learning experience in the following areas of study; Language Arts - History - Theater - Performing and Visual Arts.
 

Participants review, comprehend and perform the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar for its historical, educational, entertainment and literary value.
           
Students are coached in reciting casually and  formally, allowing a complete overview of his poetry as it related to Dunbar’s life, his struggles as a writer and poet, and also the African American experience before and after the Civil War.


Knowledge of Dunbar’s duel mastery of dialect and standard English aides students to express themselves poetically. They also give voice to his humorous and dramatic work in self-styled interpretations.

 

Participants perform and recite two of Dunbar’s poems, in southern dialect and in standard English.  Dramatically and over musical arrangements of set to Jazz, Reggae, Hip Hop, Classical, R&B & African Hi-Life.
 

Culminating in a school assembly or public performance by students.
Sessions: 1 to 8 weeks

 

 ~ PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS ~


VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY, Blacksburg, Virginia

Professor Nikki Giovanni's English Class


FURIOUS FLOWER POETRY CENTER, SUMMER POETRY CAMP 2009
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia 


PAN AFRICAN STUDIES COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM, 
Temple University, Philadelphia

 

WEST CHESTER COMMUNITY PERFORMERS, WEST CHESTER, PA

"Voices Of Dunbar" - a theater production

 

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Philadelphia


TANNER G. DUCKREY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Philadelphia


CENTRAL EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL (Honor's Program) Philadelphia


PIERCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Philadelphia


Please feel free to....