About Face Theatre announces OM Mission, a special, limited engagement event for Pride Month, to be held at The Den Theater for two weekends only. This spellbinding and joyful journey through stories, music, and ritual amplifies the lives and legacies of Black lesbians. Co-created and performed by award-winning artists Zahra Baker and Shanta Nurullah and directed by Kezia Waters, this theatrical celebration runs June 20-28 at The Bookspan at The Den Theatre, 1331 North Milwaukee Ave.
Co-creators Zahra and Shanta set out on an adventure to find stories of Black lesbians in the public archive. At first they are met with silence and gaps, until they come to discover unexpected and remarkable unsung histories of some loud and out Blues women of the 1920s and ‘30s. Gathering inspiration from the past, these visionary performers build a vibrant and joyful tribute that shines a light on Black lesbians today. Along your journey with them, you’ll get to add your voice to the growing chorus of people building a future that is safe and inclusive for all.
Through a combination of performance, ritual, and communal storytelling, this collaborative team aims to disrupt erasure, amplify Black lesbian narratives, and invite audiences into a brave, joy-filled space of remembrance and transformation.
OM Mission was originally commissioned and produced as part of About Face Theatre’s KICKBACK festival in partnership with the Stony Island Arts Bank. The show has since been featured as part of Chicago, Live! Festival on Navy Pier and other venues.
Director Kezia Waters, in collaboration with Baker and Nurullah, aims to “create a space where Queer Black histories are not only redressed but celebrated like a rotating kaleidoscope.” Waters envisions “a living archive, an embodied celebration, and a call for visibility.”
TICKETS
Tickets will go on sale April 21 at www.AboutFaceTheatre.com by calling 773.697.3830, or visiting The Den Theatre box office. Ticket prices range from $5 to $35.
AFT offers a ticket pricing system that allows each patron to decide the price that they can comfortably afford to pay for a ticket. Ultimately, About Face wants everyone who wants to attend a show to be able to do so. Please note: there are limited quantities available at each pricing level.
The Performance Schedule is:
- Friday, June 20 8PM
- Saturday, June 21 8PM
- Sunday, June 22 3PM
- Wednesday, June 25 8PM
- Thursday, June 26 8PM
- Friday, June 27 8PM
- Saturday, June 28 3PM and 8PM
ABOUT FACE THEATRE advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. AFT envisions an affirming and equitable world in which all LGBTQ+ individuals are thriving and free from prejudice and discrimination. Due to the intersectionality of our identities, we understand that our work to advance LGBTQ+ equity is directly connected to movements for economic and racial justice and we are guided by our values of collaboration, care, equity, courage, sustainability, and joy.