‘Complacency ofSilence’ runs May 23

to June 8 at SLU

By Jessica BassettOf the St. Louis American

Vivian Anderson Watt has been in the-ater and choreography since 1973. Trainedunder dance icon Katherine Dunham, Watthas organized and choreographed countlesstheatrical projects, having headed 32 pro-ductions at the Black Rep alone.

But this spring, Ms. Vivian – as she’sknown in theater – will take on a new the-atrical challenge. The veteran choreogra-pher will take the stage in Complacency of

Silence: Darfur, an original play producedby Gitana Productions Inc. that will bringlife in war-torn Darfur, Sudan, to St. Louis.

“It’s not just about tragedy, its about peo-ple,” Watt said. “They laugh, they play andhave dreams for their children.”

Watt’s resume as an accomplished artis-tic educator is extensive – and impressive.She judges other theatrical plays through-out the city as a Kevin Kline Awards judgeand works as the urban dance coordinatorwith Better Family Life Inc. She also justcompleted work on The Wiz for WhitfieldHigh School.

Watt will be joined with a host of youngtalent, including Briston Ashe, ThomasinaClark, Myah Maedell, Eddie Webb,Suzanne Yatim, Joel P.E. King and JaimeFritz.

The play follows the life of a youngDarfuri woman named Asha (played byBriston Ashe) who is separated from herfiancé and her family after their village isattacked by the Janjaweed, militiamen onhorse and camel.

Watt plays Asha’s mother, Hawa, adelightful character who wants her familyto be respected and have honor. She strug-gles to cope with the destruction of herhomeland.

“I want them to know the Darfuri peopleas people and not just as a statistic in a newsstory,” said playwright Patton Chiles. The

Play brings Darfur crisis to St. Louis

THEATRE

High Cotton THEATRE

By Kenya VaughnOf the St. Louis American

For nearly 40 years Unity TheatreEnsemble has been providing anartistic outlet, by way of the stage, fortalent ranging from inexperienced toseasoned artists. Local theatre – theblack theatre scene, in particular – hasoften shifted with the wind. And

while many organizations were blowninto oblivion, Unity has held on fordear life.

“That has been our plight,” saidRalph Greene, founder and artisticdirector of Unity Theatre Ensemble.“We have to be resilient. Our wholelife’s work has been trying to keep

See COTTON, C5

The Unity TheatreEnsemble’s production of the Cotton Club Revue willrun May 21-25 atthe Ivory Theatre,7622 Michigan.

Unity Theatre revives Cotton Club Revue and (hopefully) itself

Tips for caring forwhere you kiss

By Keshia RobertsFor the St. Louis American

We kiss, pucker, talk, laugh andsmile – yet most of us do not consid-er that our lips need special treatment,too!

Lips are an essential part of awoman's beauty. It is important formen to consider lip care as well. Theskin of the lips is thinner than thefacial skin, so taking gentle care ofyour lips is extremely important.

Over a period of time, your lipswill lose their elasticity and wrinklescan develop. Since our face is moreexposed to the weather than the restof our body (excluding hands), it isalso the area that will most likelyshow the first signs of aging.

Here are some tips on how to take

care of our lips:Moisturize your lips. Since our lips

do not have hair or sweat glands, it isvery important to moisturize them,especially before going to bed. Use alip balm on a regular basis. If youonly use them when your lips arechapped, it will take longer for thelips to heal. Use extra moisturizerduring the winter months.

C1 • MAY 15 - 21, 2008 • ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

Check out the Budweiser Select Partyline! C14

Ask GwenMy Husband'sBrother Drops

in Uninvited

My husband is a truck driver and we cherish every

moment he is at home.Sometimes when his brothercomes over, he brings his five

kids. They are unruly and practically destroy the house.

Love your lips!

See LIPS, C5

The skin of the lips is thinnerthan facial skin, so taking gentlecare of your lips is extremelyimportant for women and men.

Africa for Mother�s DayAfriky Lolo’s Children’s Company at COCA

On Sunday Afriky Lolo’s Children’s Company presentedThe Story of Dji Djugu (Dangerous River), a celebration ofthe power and strength of motherhood, choreographed byDiadie Bathily, who is artistic director of the company. The

piece is based on a folktale about a boy who braves a dangerous riverand is captured by the river monster. The boy’s mother and a mermaidconspire together to trick the monster into returning the child. The les-son of the tale and Bathily’s interpretation of it in dance is a simple oneand appropriate for Mother’s Day: listen to your mother! A native ofthe West African nation of Ivory Coast, Bathily lives in St. Louis andworks with a diverse group of local children and adults. Seewww.afrikylolo.com.

Photos by Wiley Price

Africa for Mother�s DayAfriky Lolo’s Children’s Company at COCA

On Sunday Afriky Lolo’s Children’s Company presentedThe Story of Dji Djugu (Dangerous River), a celebration ofthe power and strength of motherhood, choreographed byDiadie Bathily, who is artistic director of the company. The

piece is based on a folktale about a boy who braves a dangerous riverand is captured by the river monster. The boy’s mother and a mermaidconspire together to trick the monster into returning the child. The les-son of the tale and Bathily’s interpretation of it in dance is a simple oneand appropriate for Mother’s Day: listen to your mother! A native ofthe West African nation of Ivory Coast, Bathily lives in St. Louis andworks with a diverse group of local children and adults. Seewww.afrikylolo.com.

Photos by Wiley Price

Vivian AndersonWatt appears in

“Complacency ofSilence: Darfur,”an original play

by Patton Chilesproduced by Gitana

Productions.

See DARFUR, C5