Sweet Potato Pie Made By A Queen

Renowned children's storyteller, Queen Nur launches Olney Theatre Center's first season of year-round family programming. Queen Nur, in conjunction with Olney's family-friendly mainstage offerings of Eubie! and Fiddler on the Roof, is followed by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia: Swimmy, Frederick, and Inch by Inch on March 3 and Arts Power National Touring Theatre: From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler on October 13, and more titles will be announced!

Queen Nur will perform Sweet Potato Pie and Such at Olney January 27th at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Tickets are just $15, with a $6 lap seat available for children under 3 years of age. School matinees will be held on January 26th.

Queen Nur's stories draw on mythology, African folklore, and African American history. "The key for a storyteller," Queen Nur explains, "is to make the story your own." Drawing from fairy tales, children's stories, and even current events, Queen Nur (aka Karen Nur El-Amin), crafts new and interactive stories with African American flare. Her tales are entertaining and inspiring, but most importantly, they always have a message. "It's not just for fun. We do it to enrich lives, pass on traditions, and tell our stories," she explains.

Dressed in self-designed African attire, Queen Nur tells tales based on her rich heritage and values. "Ruth Oree's Sweet Potato Pie" is Queen Nur's version of "Little Red Riding Hood." In this storyteller's version, Ruth Oree journeys through city streets carrying a brown paper bag filled with fried chicken, collard greens, and sweet potato pie on her way to grandma's house (instead of skipping through the woods with a basket of cake and butter). This story touches on themes of slavery and freedom as Ruth plays double-dutch and encounters a boy named Wolfgang (instead of a wolf).

Fourteen years ago, New Jersey native Queen Nur was invited to participate at her children's' school to perform in a Kwanzaa program. Word of the performance spread, and she was soon asked to repeat the performance in other schools. While discovering her talent for storytelling, her blossoming career became a voyage of cultural discovery. To expand her knowledge, she has taken post graduate courses in African American Studies at Temple University, and in Children's Folklore at University of Pennsylvania. She performs extensively for children in schools, libraries, festivals, and numerous other places for a variety of events. -- www.olneytheatre.org

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Posted January 24th, 2007 by ruzik_tuzik