"A Rise Among Thorns: A Tribute to Rosa Parks" starring Ella Joyce, coming to Washington, DC, September 21-24

 

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) — Actress Ella Joyce, remembered for her co-starring role of Eleanor on TV’s “Roc”; Jasmin on “My Wife & Kids; and Detective Waller in the classic ladies’ action film “Set If Off”, captures the famous moment in the life of Rosa Parks, affectionately called “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement” in her highly acclaimed, one-woman play A Rose Among Thorns: a Tribute to Rosa Parks.

The show is stopping in Washington, DC after recently headlining Stage Aurora’s 4th Annual Black Arts Festival in Jacksonville, FL last July. Glowing reviews proclaimed it a “Smash Hit in Jacksonville” [Examiner.com]. Four shows will be presented by The Essential Theatre in Washington, DC. Performances will be located at Under Croft Theatre Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, Sept. 21 through 24th.

Highlighted visits where the show has played include The Rosa Parks Museum in historical Montgomery, Alabama; YALE African American Affinity Group in New Haven, CT; and this past MLK Day was celebrated by Judge Mablean Ephriam Foundation at West Angeles Performing Arts Theatre in Los Angeles. It played as part of the Rosa Parks Sculpture Project and ArtPrize Celebration presented by the Grand Rapids Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Shows are already being scheduled up through Black History Month 2012, stopping in Detroit, MI, Lexington, KY, and Memphis, TN. Many sponsors have invited the show back each year.

Words continue to describe Ella Joyce’s performances as: “mesmerizing” [Susan Gilmore, Winston-Salem Journal]; “…spellbinding” [Ed Bumgardner, National Black Theater Festival]; “…classy” [Jack Zink, South Florida Sun Sentinel]; The Muslim Journal proclaimed it “Simply Amazing”, and encouraged communities to bring the show to their area. “Incredible performance” says Mary Montoro, Los Angeles Sentinel; “…full of love” [The Grand Rapids Press]. “Powerful”, and “a must see” is echoed by all. A Rose Among Thorns continues to be booked throughout the year, between film projects that Ms. Joyce appears in such as Warner Bros. “Preacher’s Kid”, an hilarious cameo in the comedy “Our Family Wedding”, “Hopelessly In June”, and recently finished “California Solo”.

The show has traveled to 27 cities since 2007, performing in limited engagements appearing in churches, schools, various organizations, special events, and theatres of all sizes, receiving an NAACP Theatre Nomination, The Key To The City of Ft. Lauderdale, an Appreciation Award from Concerned African Women (CAW), Actor Of The Year from The Houston Ensemble Theatre, Testimonial Resolutions, and many standing accolades warming and enlightening hearts along the way. For more info, visit the official website www.aRoseAmongThorns.com, or the “Current Appearances” page at www.EllaJoyce.com.

A Rose Among Thorns, created, written and performed by Ella Joyce, directed by film actor and photographer, Dan Martin (Lt. Baker on The Bold & The Beautiful), takes audiences on a mesmerizing time travel, exploring the deeds of many other unsung heroes of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of Rosa Parks.

To book, contact: Helen Sugland, Landmark Artists Mgmt., (818) 848-9800.