MISSING MISSISSIPPI MOONS
written and performed by Antonio Duke

The culmination of Antonio Duke’s 2019 Artist Initiative Grant is an original solo performance piece called “MISSING MISSISSIPPI MOONS” directed by Ellen Fenster with live music by Umar Malik Williams.

“My recent work has a theme of reconnection, whether that means reconnection to family, victims of racial violence, or deities, reconnection resonates for many reasons, one of them being that I’m adopted. I was put into the foster care system at the age of three and was adopted at the age of six. I recently reconnected with my biological family. Prior to this meeting, the only contacts I’ve had with my birth family were my brothers Lamar Collins, Donte Collins and my twin Antoine Duke. Since the meeting, I’ve heard many stories from my relatives. I found out my family hails from Greenville Mississippi. I’ve been researching Greenville to get further connected to my roots. This performance will allow me more time to hone into my ancestral odyssey. I find theatre most compelling when its an excavation of ghosts. When a performer is digging into his heritage to bring forth his ancestors. If you bear witness to this piece you’ll find a performer moment by moment doing exactly that.’-Antonio Duke

ONLINE TICKETS (5$)

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4415079

AT THE DOOR (PAY WHAT YOU CAN: SUGGESTED 5$)

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Antonio Duke (c) 612-978-5532 [email protected]

There will be post play discussion following each performance

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: TWO LOCATIONS

THE PLAYWRIGHTS CENTER
(2301 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406)
Thursday (Preview) November/21/2019 @ 7:30pm-8:30pm
Friday (Opening) November/22/2019 @ 7:30pm-8:30pm
Saturday November/23/2019 @ 7:30pm-8:30pm
Sunday November/24/2019 @ 2:00pm-3:00pm

EAST SIDE FREEDOM LIBRARY
(1105 Greenbrier St, St Paul, MN 55106)
Friday December/13/2019 @ 7:30pm-8:30pm
Saturday December/14/2019 @ 7:30pm-8:30pm
Sunday December/15/2019 @ 2:00pm-3:00pm

Antonio Duke is a Twin Cities based actor and playwright. His artistic aim is to create stories that embody the black diaspora as authentically as possible. In his writing he focuses on mythology. Within mythos lies intimate and epic circumstances that he’s driven to explore. He conjures most of his muse form black spiritualities; specifically those deities from the Afrocentric Yoruba, Santeria and Vodou traditions. He is an alumnus of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie B.F.A Actor Training Program. He has been seen on stages with Penumbra Theatre, Pillsbury House + Theatre, Climb Theatre, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival and the Guthrie Theatre. His solo performance play Ashes of Moons premiered at Pillsbury House Theatre’s as a part of their Naked Stages Fellowship, and his other solo performance play Tears of Moons was accepted into the Guthrie Theatre’s Solo Emerging Artist Celebration. He recently received both the Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship for his next solo piece Missing Mississippi Moons. He is the Co-Artistic Director of The Black Ensemble Players. You can expect to see him cultivating many more stages as his journey continues to grow.

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