“Sun Ra Returns”, is a synergistic Jazz puppet opera, originally conceived by former Sun Ra Arkestra trumpeter Ahmed Abdullah, who currently teaches music at PS 3 and the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and internationally acclaimed visual artist Tine Kindermann. The production combines tenets of PS 3’s school wide Leadership program, “The Leader in Me,” Stephen Covey’s innovative Seven Habits of Highly Effective People repackaged for public and private schools, along with the futuristic lyrics and music of Sun Ra expressed through a different new medium, a puppet opera. This science fiction epic takes the audience to Saturn, back to planet Earth and then to Saturn again.

Ahmed Abdullah, a trumpeter who worked with Sun Ra for a span of 22 years and who has led his own bands since 1972, has organized the music and will lead an ensemble comprised of PS 3 students, New School students and guest artist from own band, Diaspora including Donald Smith, Piano, Radu Ben Judah, Bass, Monique Ngozi Nri, vocals and narration. The Teaching Artists involved with this year’ production are Choreographer Kitty Lunn and puppet creator Jon Riddleberger.

This production, coordinated by Carol Prud’homme Davis, SBT Managing/ArtsEd Director and Ahmed Abdullah, includes all of the disciplines of the arts: music, poetry, dance, visual arts and theater, and provides a rare opportunity for elementary school students to work with college students and professional musicians.

For Information:

Shadow Box Theater: Carol Prud’homme Davis
917 607 7922 cpdavis@shadowboxtheatre.org

Ahmed Abdullah: 917 667 1246 www.ahmedian.com

(click for 8.5″ x 11″ flyer)

Sat., April 30, 2016.
Two Sets: 9pm – Synergistic Jazz Opera Sun Ra Returns
& 11:30pm – Music of the African Diaspora: Ahmed Abdullah’s DIASPORA featuring Donald Smith
NOTE: The Jazz Opera runs longer and thus the second set begins at 11:30pm

$20 in advance. Call (718) 398-1766 for reservations.
$25 at door.

Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, continues it’s 20th Historic Landmark Season. On Saturday, April 30th, International Jazz Day, Sistas’ Place presents Ahmed Abdullah’s Diaspora with a preview of the newly created Jazz Opera, Sun Ra Returns… featuring Don Chapman on tenor sax and vocals, Donald Smith on piano and vocals, Radu on bass, Reggie Nicholson on drums and Monique Ngozi Nri as narrator and vocalist.

Sun Ra Returns… is a synergistic Jazz Opera that will be previewed at Sistas’ Place on Saturday, April 30th @ 9:00pm with the above mentioned musicians. Sun Ra Returns… was conceived by Ahmed Abdullah. It is a science fiction libretto using the music of Sun Ra which begins in 1993 when Sun Ra leaves this planet to go back to Saturn. In the year 2050, Sun Ra decides to return to Planet Earth to see if people have utilized the ideas of Leadership based on the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, that Sun Ra left while on the planet. The opera has lyrics based on the Seven Habits by Tine Kindermann and lyrics by Sun Ra and Ahmed Abdullah. The second set on Saturday night will be the music of the African Diaspora and will begin at approximately 11:30pm.

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Make Reservations at (718) 398-1766!