Sunjata Kamalenya Community Arts Day

As part of CAPA’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2019, Education & Outreach held a series of free community arts activities in late October and early November culminating in a Community Arts Day and free, interactive performance of Experiential Theatre Company’s production of Sunjata Kamalenya.

Based on the story of the Lion King, Sunjata Kamalenya chronicles the struggles of a young boy destined to be the leader of the Mandé people of West Africa. Traditional music, costumes, and scenery whisked audiences away to a village compound where a storyteller guided a theatrical experience that celebrated the spirit of determination and the love of family in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

Using the story of Sunjata Kamalenya as inspiration, we created a travelling arts-focused workshop that incorporated storytelling and African dance and drumming for afterschool programs at Central Community House and Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services.

On November 10, we held a community arts day at the Lincoln Theatre. Over 175 participants enjoyed free, family-friendly arts activities including stations to learn African dance, to create a wearable piece of African-inspired art, and to participate in an interactive story time. After the activities, we invited everyone into the theatre for a free performance of Sunjata Kamalenya. We had 375 community members join us for this interactive show where the audience became a part of the performance.