KaniniFest
This fall, prepare to be captivated by the inaugural KaniniFest! This groundbreaking one-act play festival promises three extraordinary days of immersive performances, exhilarating dance workshops, enchanting drum circles, captivating art installations, and so much more.
Derived from the Indigenous Australian word Kanyini, meaning “oneness,” KaniniFest embodies the profound concept of love, the direct connection to your land, your spirit, your soul, and an undying responsibility and caring. Created by the visionary actors and artists Christopher Alexander Chukwueke and Tenisi Davis, who currently serve as artists-in-residence at the Momentary under the banner of Moja Productions, this festival is a remarkable program tailored specifically for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) playwrights from across the nation. KaniniFest aims to provide a world-class platform for undiscovered, underserved, or up-and-coming BIPOC playwrights.
The festival showcases five exceptional BIPOC playwrights, each presenting their unique one-act plays. While the playwrights hail from various corners of the United States, all directors and actors performing in the festival are talented individuals from the vibrant Northwest Arkansas region.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
The festival features five original plays, a Pacific Island dance workshop, West African drum and dance, youth acting workshops, dance parties, a silent auction, special guests, food trucks, and more!
Friday, OCT 11
Global Textile Workshops with INTERFORM
– Sewing, Hand Wood Block Printing, and more
Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance
Lil Yei
Art Therapy with COMMUNION
KANINI’Vibez Afrobeat and Dancehall Party
Two wonderful theatrical performances
– Including one from a SPECIAL GUEST THEATER
VIP events and offerings
Saturday, OCT 12
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Global Textile Workshops with INTERFORM
– Sewing, Hand Wood Block Printing, and more
Latinx Theater Project Writing Workshop (Adult/YA)
Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas Dance Workshop
Divine Nine Step Show
Art Therapy with COMMUNION
Salsa & Bachata Workshop with Claudia Aguilar of En Fuego Dance & Fitness
Two wonderful theatrical performances
VIP events and offerings
SUNday, OCT 13
Youth Acting Workshop with Christopher Alexander Chukwueke and Tenisi Davis of Moja Productions
Pacific Island Dance Workshop with Arlynda Jonas of Ocean Wave
Art Therapy with COMMUNION
Global Textile Workshops with INTERFORM
– Sewing, Hand Wood Block Printing, and more
Traditional West African Drum & Dance Workshops with Tenisi Davis
Silent Auction Workshop and Announcement with artist Reluctant Hobo
Two wonderful theatrical performances
VIP Closing Mixer
STAY IN THE KNOW ABOUT ALL THINGS KaniniFest! There’s more artist and performance information on its way—sign up for eNews from the Momentary to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
About the Producers
Christopher Alexander Chukwueke
Christopher Alexander Chukwueke is a NYC-based actor who proudly hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was last seen on a season 13 episode of the CBS hit Blue Bloods. Prior to that, he was in TheatreSquared’s most recent adaptation of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol and their production of MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ’67. Additionally, he starred on the ABC hit Emergence (which premiered Fall 2019) and on the internationally popular show The Blacklist. Before doing conservatory study at Michael Howard Studios, Christopher received his BBA in Finance at Howard University in Washington DC and completed the Summer Conservatory at Michael Howard Studios.
He credits his passion for acting to a lifelong love of helping and teaching others through storytelling. Outside of his creative pursuits, Christopher is also an entrepreneur. He is the founder of a natural, shea butter-based moisturizer, called Isu Body Butter, which is inspired by skincare methods utilized in his ancestral home in the Isuikwuato region of Nigeria. Christopher currently resides in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn.
Tenisi Davis
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Tenisi Davis is an actor, director, dancer, writer, activist, and producer. Named one of New England and Tri-State area’s “40 Under 40,” this multi-talented individual started acting in plays and reciting poetry at the age of seven. He received his formal training from the Performing Art Center of Connecticut, Alvin Ailey Foundation, Housatonic Community College under Professor Geoffrey Sheehan, and the Music and Art Center for Humanity where he accepted the Cultural Arts Award from the President of the United States. Tenisi has performed on major television networks, commercials, films, and plays including: CBS’s Blue Bloods, NBC’s The Blacklist, Marvel’s Daredevil, TheatreSquared’s production of MacArthur “Genius” Fellow Dominique Morisseau’s Detroit ’67, A Time to Kill, Oshun at the National Black Theater in Harlem, and Pass Over at Collective Consciousness Theatre. Most recently he was honored by The NAACP and Black Caucus for his work on the acclaimed one-man play Frederick Douglass: An American Slave at the Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport. Tenisi has not only received recognition from Congress, the Senate, and the Governor of Connecticut but also received a Proclamation and the Key to the City of Bridgeport for his outstanding community work and exceptional performance in theatre, film, and television.
Tenisi first started dancing and drumming at the age of seven with the Ralphola Taylor Center’s African Dance Ensemble and Hip-Hop Troupe. Tenisi has danced with the MACH Dance 2 program, performed with the Ailey 2 dance company, The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company, the Arts and Ideas Festival in New Haven, and the Sankofa Kuumba Dance Ensemble in Hartford. He has studied African drum and dance with masters Baba Tunisi “Jack” Davis, Jami Ayinde, Kemoko Sano, Abdoulaye Sylla, and Lansana Toure. Tenisi has also performed with Tunisi’s Compound, Fotoba, and shared the stage with Ballet Merveilles de Guinée.
“I have been a performer my whole life. I have also been an activist for my community. By creating Moja Productions and ReBirth Arts Collective with my partners I have found a way to mesh the two. The arts have truly saved my life and created another avenue for me to exercise my energy. I just want to be able to perform and put on shows and events that will inspire someone else and possibly change or save their lives as well.”
About the Playwrights
Justin P. Lopez
Justin P. Lopez (he/him) is a proud mixed-race Indigenous, Latino, and Asian artist and theater-maker. As an actor, writer, and director, he is passionate about new works and loves finding true connection and humanity in each script. His favorite acting credits include KISS MY AZTEC! at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in CA, JACK & AIDEN at Ground Floor Theatre in Austin, TX, and UNBOUND: A KINK OPERA at TigerBear Productions in Palm Springs, CA. He has performed with many companies around the country, including Marin Shakespeare Company, African American Shakespeare Company, and Primary Stages. As a writer, Justin’s work has been recognized by several groups including the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Ashland New Play Festival, and Yale Drama Prize. Find out what else Justin is up to at www.justinplopez.com.
Sheri D. Bradford
Sheri D. Bradford is a Los Angeles-based writer, producer, and performer whose writing focuses on family, the South, and finding the intersection of comedy and drama in the everyday absurdities of life. Sheri’s original pilot, HIGH COTTON won her the 2022 Opportunity Agenda Culture & Narrative Fellowship, and in 2021 the same project won her a spot in the “Yes And…” Laughter Lab competition. In 2018, Sheri became a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, and the short film she produced for the program, MASCULINE/MASCULINE, premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Los Angeles Film Festival and Atlanta Film Festival. That year, Sheri also earned the 21st Century Fox Global Inclusion Fellowship. Sheri has also worked as a Production Manager on Netflix’s animated series DEEPA AND ANOOP and BARBIE: A TOUCH OF MAGIC, as well as a writer for the BARBIE VLOGGER YouTube series, which has 11 million subscribers. Sheri is a graduate of Emerson College and she loves exploring new ways to share her art with the world.
Yasmine Lancaster
Yasmine Lancaster is a published poet writer playwright and award winning filmmaker. She has been published with Literary Review, Free Verse Magazine, Nia Magazine, and the Bronx Times Newspaper, to name a few. In 2019 she released a chapbook, Substitute Teacher Chronicles published by Harlequin Creatures Press. The book sold out within a month. In the summer of 2023, she was accepted into Writers Retreat Wild Seed as a fiction candidate. A lover of sour gummy bears, justice, and bamboo earrings, she is happy to be a part of this festival.
Yide Cai
Originally from Shenzhen, China, Yide Cai is an award-winning playwright with plays that have been selected to festivals such as KCACTF, WTP Table Series, NSYPF, and KaniniFest. He also works as a director and dramaturg in productions worldwide such as the assistant dramaturg of Prague Shakespeare, and the dramaturg of China’s premiere of The Book of Will which he translated. He is a graduate of Emory University with a BA in Playwriting & German Studies. Now he is attending the MFA in Playwriting program at Boston University this Fall.
Lisa McCree’s image coming soon.
Lisa McCree
Lisa McCree is a prolific and accomplished playwright known for her impactful works in the theater industry. Her extensive repertoire includes plays such as “The Artifact,” “Trace Mountain-Mamie Thurman,” “Faces in my Fist,” and “The Miserable Matter of Slavery.” Lisa has also been commissioned to create works for prestigious organizations and productions, including PENNLIVEARTS and the Negro Ensemble Company. Her plays have been produced and developed by renowned theater companies and venues, such as The Harlem Theater Co., New Perspectives 5.0, and The Atlantic Theater. Lisa’s talent and dedication have earned her numerous awards and top honors, and she has self-produced her works through her Production Company, “The Writer’s Clique.” She is a member of the NAACP and Phi Theta Kappa and has served as an artist in residence at the Genesius Guild. Lisa’s exceptional achievements include graduating Summa cum laude from Housatonic Community College and receiving the Connecticut All-State Academic Award.
SPONSORS
