Scenes from Touring Productions

Alicia, Fran, and Von have a great love for Storytelling that educates and entertains. Using the Story telling style of the African Griot they use their highly polished professional theatre skills to conjure-up living moments from the written page. Moments that become wondrous, magical, and exciting, right before your eyes.

1. Von's Sabbatical Leave--Right after completing a four state tour of Rosa Parks, Von headed for New York City on sabbatical leave from WMU. While there, he worked closely with Woodie King and the members of the New Federal Theatre. In addition, he worked closely with Garland Thompson and the writers of the Frank Silvera Writers workshop. (More at Current News No. 1)

2. New Storytheatre creations--In order to give fans an opportunity to sample the action and music of the play Rosa Parks, WPI created a storytheatre version based on the full play. Like the full length play, it chronicles Rosa Parks’ life from childhood to adulthood. Once again, playing the leading role is Fran Washington with Von Washington as narrator. Von stated, "Since the show closed we have had many fans ask if we would be doing it again. Well, here it is and it has been a joy putting it together. We are convinced that we have captured the magic, one again." (More at Current News No. 2)

3. Available Scripts--Just a reminder that all of the scripts written by Von and Fran are available for purchase. All storytheatre scripts are written for classroom and home reading and can also be performed for entertainment events. This season, The Path to Everywhere, was done for the all Ears Theatre in Kalamazoo and then for the First Baptist Churck in Three Rivers, MI. (More at Current News No. 3)

4. New York and the Strawberry On-Act Festival -- Von entered his one-act play, Fighting Fires into the Riant Theatre's Strawberry One-Act Festival in July and August. This festival is a competition that last for one month and at the end of the competition the finalist are produced at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre at Symphony Space on Broadway and 95th in New York City. Fighting Fires, directed by Kim Weston-Moran, one of New York's most reveared theatre personalities, made the finals of the competition and Von and the WPI family were there for the final awards ceremony. (More at Current News No. 4)

5. Seven Stops to China--Seven Stops to Freedom is one of Von's most popular shows. It was created by funding from the W.K.Kellogg Foundation. (See touring shows) Just recently, The African American Theatre Program of the University of Louisville’s Theatre Arts Department received an invitation from Xiamen University in the Fuijan Province of the People’s Republic of China to perform on campus and to engage in a series of lectures and workshops in the cities of Beijing and Xiamen at universities, schools, and other community institutions beginning the second week of December. Lundeana Thomas, head of the program said, "We have selected to perform three pieces covering three periods of African American culture and history to present to the public a face of Americans most of them have not yet seen. "One of those pieces will be Seven Stops to Freedom. (More at Current News No. 5)

Please contact us at: E-mail washprod@net-link.net / 269-342-7301/ P.O. Box 3253, Kalamazoo, MI 49003