NEWSLETTER | The Art Of Collaboration
Andre Holland: From William to August
Actor’s Training Intensive Exchange
ALMASI is thrilled to announce yet another collaboration between a talented American Artist and Zimbabwean artists.
Andre Holland, an esteemed American actor of TV, Stage and Film will teach a master acting course to deeply promising Zimbabwean actors over the course of several weeks. The course will utilize the texts of August Wilson and William Shakespeare as tools of dramatic engagement and will delve into deepening the artist’s craft, process and literary understanding through these dramatic giants.
Holland is an alumnus of Tisch School of Arts NYU’s Graduate Acting Program. Since receiving his MFA in 2006, Andre has appeared in numerous plays, films, and television shows: Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Lincoln Center: Broadway), 2013 motion picture 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, and upcoming TV series The Knick | FIND OUT MORE
Almasi forsees a time when the Zimbabwean artist has constant access to training and constant opportunity to deepen their skills and create great artistic works. This course is part of that vision, providing the Zimbabwean artist with an invaluable resource in Mr Holland, whose esteemed career speaks for itself in what he will be able to impart and invest in the Zimbabwean actor.
This exchange in collaboration with HIFA will be conducted from April 30th to May 16th 2014. Almasi will select ten promising Zimbabwean artists who they feel possess the aptitude and creative curiosity to deepen their craft through this challenging, rich experience | FIND OUT MORE
The “Art” of Collaboration
by Patience G. Tawengwa
I remember attending a Pan-African arts and culture festival where selected artists from 53 African countries came together in the North African country of Algeria for 21 days to share and celebrate the diversity of the various art forms on the African continent. We were all housed in one “village”: the memorable and unforgettable Village des Artistes which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea in the city of Algiers; a place where all the trees stand tall and proud, neatly painted white at the base of their trunks, I always say in Algeria the trees wear socks. The village had been specially constructed for the festival and not one single drop of alcohol was allowed to pass beyond the heavily armed security at the gates since we all had to observe and respect the religion of our host nation. All the participants and delegates lived in close proximity and in our very sober and clear minded states, it didn’t take us very long to realize that although we all shared one common denominator and identity, the fact that we were all Africans, we could not freely communicate with each other | CONTINUE READING
Patience G. Tawengwa is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Almasi Collaborative Arts
Almasi’s First Fundraiser Dinner
This March we had our first fundraiser dinner in New York City. Hosted by Board member Steven Reid, supported by Board Chair Christina Cutlip and Almasi Social Media Coordinator Susan Kelechi Watson, this was the first of many fundraising efforts to support and facilitate the Zimbabwean Dramatic Artist. We gained many new supporters including a new ambassador: Uzo Aduba, star of Netflix hit "Orange is the New Black".
IN THIS COLLAGE:
1. Almasi Social Media Coordinator Susan Kelechi Watson with Friend of Almasi
2. Danai Gurira with Trustee Board Members Christina Cutlip & Steven Reid
3. Actress Uzo Aduba with Friends of Almasi
4. Danai Gurira, Trustee Board Member Christina Cutlip with Friends of Almasi
5. Danai Gurira with Playwright Lynn Nottage
Featured Artists
Charmaine Mujeri is a film and theatre actress, a poet and a budding writer. Charmaine has appeared in the films Nyami-Nyami, Eggs of Evil, and the Zimbabwe TV drama Shadows. In theatre Charmaine has acted in Soul Sister Comes to Africa by leading Zimbabwean playwright Stephen Chifunyise and she has worked with Almasi on Dead Man’s Cell Phone for both the play reading and the Harare International Festival of the Arts performance. She also performed the role of Prudence in The Convert for Almasi, both for the staged reading and the production, directed by Adam Immerwahr last December. Her work in the part was lauded by critics and audience members alike as a standout performance. Charmaine has also worked as a project co-ordinator, her dream is to win an oscar and become a leading female Zimbabwean playwright | FIND OUT MORE
Upcoming News & Events
Almasi collaborates with HIFA and brings Andre Holland to train Zimbabwean artists.
Almasi recommences its Staged Reading series with works by Emily Mann and Wole Soyinka, stay tuned!
Almasi supports actor Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi in his efforts to attend Dell'Arte International School in Blue Lake, California.
Become a Cultural Ambassador!
Almasi works to build tangible, long term, collaborative relationships
between American and African artists. It seeks to professionalize Zimbabwe's
dramatic arts industry; to bring real opportunity and employment to Africans
who are talented and dedicated to their craft.
Create an opportunity today!
