Blessed are those who have an opportunity to see the world premiere of CHRCH, A Black Music Story at Capital Fringe Festival for they shall be filled. Set in “a dance club afloat somewhere in the universe. The time: The Present, Past and Future,” this multimedia choreodrama written by Seshat Yon’shea Walker and directed by Henery Wyand is as much ethereal as it is onehunnit. In roughly 60 minutes, PastHER Teesh and ministry feed us manna from heaven: house music, radical self-love/acceptance, and edumacation on Black culture.
While the analogy of the church and the club isn’t a new one, it is one I have never seen developed so richly and extensively. Afrobeat artist Kizz Daniel sings one line about it and Grammy-nominated and -winning artists Janelle Monáe and Erykah Badu (respectively) explore similar Afro-futuristic themes in “Q.U.E.E.N.,” touching on music, testifying, preaching, Blackness, and self-love. Yon’shea Walker, who has a unique way with written word, prose and poetry, shares that CHRCH is the “first in a trilogy of werks that explore my personal life and stories mediated through the lens of black culture and the terrains of family and community that we have to navigate.”
CHRCH is riddled with metaphors throughout, and in CHRCH we are children of the 4/4 (a reference to the house genre of music that incorporates a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat). The sun is a “huge disco ball in the morning,” and the turntables are “two full moons pulsating in the sky.” CHRCH service is a nocturnal one of “Afro deities in gold dashikis.” The praise and worship are funky, and the altar call is to “altered states of being.” With glittery purple eyeshadow, lipstick, and a shape-shifting durag (transforming into a club dress, a skirt, a bookbag, a headwrap), the pastor, PastHER TEESH (played by Rocheny Princien), serves as the “Cultural Conduct-HER.” Her stage presence is captivating, especially when she appears wearing a black jumpsuit with silver bell bottoms. By the end of the performance, her silver hoop earrings have flown off in different directions, and her durag is barely on — a testament to her werk on the stage and the dance floor (ranging from drag vogue to ballet, and other choreography by Ronya Lee Anderson). Rita Burns as DJ, who welcomes us with about five minutes of house music at the start of the show and remains on stage throughout, brings warmth to her role.
According to the playwright, this production originated as documentary theater, leaving much to analyze. Perhaps a playbill or reference with more details would be helpful for the following:
- The projected references to “Chocolate City”/GoGo music/Hotep, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) student protests, and Southern Baptist churches saying no to women pastors.
- The reshaping and reconfiguring of English to Black lexicon and vernacular, which in itself could be a dissertation.
- Projected notable figures/establishments in the house music genre, including “Chosen Few,” “DJ Underdog,” and “Sam ‘The Man’ Burns.”
I recommend for everyone to see this show, and when another opportunity to go to CHRCH presents itself, don’t forget to bring your dolla bills for the drag show offerin’ basket.
Running Time: 75 minutes
Genre: Dance
Dates and Times: (This show’s run has ended.)
Venue: Delirium, 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 103
Tickets: $15
More Info and Tickets: CHRCH, A Black Music Story
The complete 2024 Capital Fringe Festival schedule is online here.
