Brand New Shoes, is an original, one-woman show by playwright and actress Tia Madison. In her search for identity as an African American woman and performance artist, Madison immerses herself in poetry, song, dance and history of several famous African American women. As she tries on “the shoes” of Rosa Parks, Katherine Dunham, Maya Angelou, Dorothy Dandridge, Marian Anderson, Mary McLeod Bethune and others, Madison discovers that as an African American she shares an intrinsic history with these women. However, Madison also comes to understand that recognizing this ethnic bond is only a tiny step in the journey to her own identity. Ultimately, Madison shows us that she can really wear only her own shoes, no matter how uncomfortable they sometimes seem to be.
Brand New Shoes is about finding a voice, learning to live in the present, and uncovering the roots of inspiration. These themes cross multiple boundaries.
Tia Madison has been an actor most of her adult life, performing in such productions as Tosca, Carmen, For Colored Girls, Black Nativity, Henry V, Porgy and Bess, the Cherry Orchard and many others. This is her first solo production. She holds an MFA in Theater, Film and Television and is a professor of speech communications at Napa Valley College.
Website: www.sonomacommunitycenter.org |
