Ayanna Kelly

Ayanna Kelly the Musical

Book by Anita Gonzalez and Richard Aellen

Music and Lyrics by Errollyn Wallen

Ayanna Kelly tells the story of Ayanna, an Afro Caribbean woman who travels to Liverpool to search for her father after the death of her mother. She leaves behind a boyfriend named Robert as she begins her quest for self. When Ayanna lands in England, she meets a man named Monroe who leads her into a magic pub. There, the two of them begin a journey where they meet ghosts “playing” in past worlds in which they are expected to play a part. Together, Ayanna and Monroe rehearse Shakespeare scenes in tea gardens, sing Caribbean songs in council house flats, play Mersey beat in the Cavern Club, evoke sea shanties on a phantom ship and a fight over a trip hop start named Wikkid T. Eventually Ayanna finds her father but he is not what she expected.

Music is integral to the story of the play. Each scene focuses on a moment of Black and Irish musical traditions moving through choral medleys, Irish Ceilli, Afro-Caribbean carnival music, Mersey beat, trip hop, ballads, sea shanties and acoustic tap. Our composer, Errollyn Wallen has created both environmental songs that represent these traditions and character driven songs that advance the story of love and parental relationships.

The Michigan collaboration was supported by the University of Michigan Office of Research (UMOR) and Rhythmcolor with Kim Weston Moran.

Anita Gonzalez (Book Writer), is a director and writer who views theatrical practice as a laboratory for artists and audiences to explore world issues at a personal level. Current writing projects include: THE LIVING LAKES, a collaborative dance-theatre performance with Joel Valentin-Martinez about Black/Native/Latino migrations along the Midwestern Great Lakes, the musical YBOR CITY composed by Dan Furman about Cuban cigar rollers, and the musical Liverpool Trading. Her directing and choreography has appeared on PBS national television and at Dixon Place, The Workshop Theatre, HereArts, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Ballet Hispanico, and other venues. She has been awarded a residency at Rockefeller’s Bellagio Center (2003) and has completed three Senior Scholar Fulbright grants. Gonzalez earned her Ph.D. in Theater/Performance Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1997). She is an Executive Board member of the National Theatre Conference, an Associate Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and a member of The Dramatists Guild. www.anitagonzalez.com

Errollyn Wallen (Composer/Lyricist), …’renaissance woman of contemporary British music’ (The Observer) – is lauded for her genuine, free-spirited approach to contemporary composition and eclectic musicianship. She read Music at Goldsmiths’, King’s College, London and King’s College, Cambridge. On becoming a full-time composer, she formed her own group Ensemble X with the motto ” we don’t break down barriers in music…we don’t see any.” Errollyn’s award-winning music includes many works for orchestra, ballet, opera, theatre, chamber music and film. Her work has been performed throughout the world, in outer space and recorded on many compilations. Errollyn was awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, and was the first black woman to have her work performed at the BBC Proms and the first woman recipient of the Ivor Novello Award for Classical Music. Last year she was elected Honorary Fellow of Mansfield College, Oxford, in recognition of her achievements as a composer. She recently released  her new orchestral album, PHOTOGRAPHY on NMC Recordings. www.errollynwallen.com

Richard Aellen (Co-Book Writer) is an award-winning playwright and author of five novels.  His play NOBODY was a finalist at the O’Neill Playwrights Conference and was produced at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in March of 2010.  He is the librettist for the musicals WICKED MOON produced in March of 2011 at the 4th Wall Theatre and NO GUARANTEES currently in development with composer Cynthia Wong.  One acts include Square One (Manhattan Punchline Theater) and Samuel French OOB finalist Right to Remain Silent (Actors Repertory Theater).  Richard’s novel REDEYE was optioned by Warner Brothers for whom he wrote the screenplay.   Awards and grants include the 2006 Stanley Drama Award (Farmers of Men), 2008 Charles M Getchell Award (Nobody), National Endowment for the Arts Grant (film Teenangel), Writers Guild of America/East Fellowship (Lost and Found), and Delacorte Prize (Ozzy on the Outside).   In 2010 Richard was honored with the BMI Harrington Award for Creative Excellence.  He is a member of Dramatists Guild, WGA East, and BMI Lehman-Engel Musical Theater Workshop.