Mzuri Moyo Aimbaye’s One-Woman Play: The Fannie Lou Hamer Story, Adds LA Dates

LOS ANGELES – Moved by award-winning singer, actress, and playwright, Mzuri Moyo Aimbaye’s riveting performance of her acclaimed stage play about civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) Pastor J. Edgar Boyd urged the audience to help promote the play because of its “social redemption value.” FAME members delivered, providing space for four additional performances of “The Fannie Lou Hamer Story: Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired” at The Willie Agee Playhouse in Inglewood 7 PM, April 23 – 26, 2019.

“FAME has a rich history of uplifting, educating and empowering people in underserved communities. That’s the goal of this play which lifts up the life of a community and voting rights activist,” said Aimbaye, whose powerful soprano voice has taken her from her hometown of Paterson, NJ, to New York’s prestigious Lincoln Center and venues throughout Europe. “We were honored to launch phase one of our 18-month voter empowerment ‘experience’ at this historic church.”

The initial phase of this innovative “edutainment experience” is to utilize smaller venues to attract leaders and influencers in churches, schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations that can schedule additional performances in bigger venues for phase two: a coast-to-coast tour leading up to the 2020 Elections. Performances held in larger venues will incorporate national and local partners to conduct voter registration and host town hall meetings.

Under the direction of actor and producer, Byron C. Saunders, Aimbaye couples her exceptional storytelling abilities with her mellifluous voice and commanding stage presence to take the audience on an incredible journey as Fannie Lou Hamer returns from heaven on a mission to invoke a sense of purpose and responsibility. Aimbaye gives a witty and personal account of Fannie Lou Hamer growing up in poverty in the 1920s as the youngest of 20 siblings on a Mississippi sharecropping plantation. She reveals the struggles Hamer encounters fighting for the right to vote and how the 1964 Democratic National Convention catapulted her into national prominence to become a leading civil rights figure and champion for voting rights.

In addition to the voter empowerment initiative, this edutaining production is booked at events across the country promoting efforts to make Juneteenth (June 19th), a national day of observance in America.

“We are touched by the outpour of support we received here in Los Angeles. As a result of Pastor Boyd’s call to action, businesses like Sharon L. Graine Productions as well as nonprofit and faith-based organizations including the Southern California Conference Ministerial Alliance and the Baptist Ministerial Conference, have stepped up to help,” said Djehuty Se Hotep, business development director for Healing Through The Sound of Music Productions. Hotep adds, “Voting is a very important issue in our community and we are truly appreciative of the FAME family’s efforts to help spread Fannie Lou Hamer’s timely message on the power of voting to as many people as possible.”

To get information on hosting a performance of “The Fannie Lou Hamer Story” or to purchase tickets for the performances at The Willie Agee Playhouse (formerly Inglewood Playhouse), located at 714 Warren Lane in Inglewood, go to www.thefannielouhamerstory.com or call (347) 395-0259. Ticket price is $20.

Watch the video promo above by clicking the image or click https://youtu.be/IDUvPbY64Zo to watch it on Youtube.