The Carpetbag Theatre Presents Cultural Odyssey at The Beck Cultural Exchange Center

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. presents Cultural Odyssey's “Rhodessa! Fully Awake Facing Seventy ‘Heaven Betta Be A Honky Tonk!’" a performance that directly addresses aging with performances 7:30 p.m. May 19 and May 21 at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center.

This is the third performance series presented by Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. in which Cultural Odyssey's internationally renowned storytelling and cultural rhythms are shared with East Tennessee audiences. Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. first presented “Big Butt Girls, Hard Headed Women” at the University of Tennessee's Clarence Brown Theatre. Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. brought Cultural Odyssey back to Knoxville during its 40th Anniversary Celebration as a part of the National Performance Network's Annual meeting. They collaborated with Women of Calypso (international calypso artists from Trinidad/Tobago) in a performance presented at the Emporium Center in Knoxville.

Tickets are available in advance for $15 at knoxtix.com and/or $20 at the door.

About Cultural Odyssey

In 1979, Executive/Co-artistic Director Idris Ackamoor founded San Francisco based, Cultural Odyssey as an organization that combined music, theater and dance into a unified whole, that was responsive to the needs of the community. He was soon joined by acclaimed actress, teacher, director and writer Rhodessa Jones as Coartistic Director in 1983. Since then, the duo has toured nationally and internationally, visiting various places around the world, using original works as "Art as Social Activism." The pair have received numerous accolades including the 2016 Theatre Bay Area Legacy Award, Ms. Jones's appointment as an Arts Envoy by The U.S. Department of State, Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau and Mr. Ackamoor's Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Gilles Peterson at the Worldwide Awards in London. They have collaborated with nationally renowned artists such as choreographer Bill T. Jones, the late artist Keith Haring, writers Pearl Cleage and Ntozake Shange, and tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman.

About The Carpetbag Theatre, Inc.

The Carpetbag Theatre is a Professional African American Legacy Theater company with a rich history of service to diverse populations. For 47 years, (CBT) has shared history, storytelling, artistic training, performances, and has established partnerships with other organizations that are using "Art as Social Activism." As an intergenerational ensemble company, our efforts to engage communities of Color and other disenfranchised communities have been constant. An ensemble company both artistically and administratively, CBT works collaboratively to fulfill our mission, to build communities and to develop social capital, emphasizing inclusion and cross-cultural dialogue.

Our mission is to give artistic voice to the issues and dreams of people who have been silenced by racism, classism, sexism, ageism, homophobia and other forms of oppression.

Finding voice is not simply storytelling; it reveals an individual’s power to make change in their own lives and the lives of their community. Our curatorial practice is rooted in these principles, selecting work that exemplifies an aesthetic that is inclusive and meets our standard of excellence.

For more information about The Carpetbag Theatre, call 865-544-0447 or visit www.carpetbagtheatre.org. 

# # #