2024 - 25 SEASON | MAKE READY AGAIN
Make Ready Again
Join movement artist Marguerite Hemmings and an array of stellar musicians for Make Ready Again, an evening of dance, storytelling, and music. Plagued by the collective shadow of an unanswered call for reparations and repair for the African Diaspora, Marguerite performs a live process of meeting their own diaspora-shaped shadow, who invites them to unravel, rage, and grieve. Seeking answers at first, Marguerite comes up empty, but ready. Take your time and unravel – this is an invitation to become present again, clear again, ready again.
DECEMBER 5 - DECEMBER 7, 2024
BEHIND THE SCENES
A culmination of over 8 years of research and practice, the ways into the world of the piece are deep and varied.
EXPLORE THE SOUNDS
BEHIND MAKE READY AGAIN
selected books:
Top left: From Trickster to Badman by John W. Roberts
Top right: Modern Blackness: Nationalism, Globalization, and the Politics of Culture in Jamaica by Deborah A. Thomas
Bottom left: Trickster and Hero, Two Characters In the Oral and Written Traditions of the World
Bottom right: The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
ON PROCESS:
Marguerite in rehearsal, November 2024. Video by Sweet Corey-Bey“Repair is a ritual. It’s something you keep coming back to, to make ready again— it makes me think of everyday mundane sort of care and love.”
Major support for Make Ready Again has been provided by the William Penn Foundation. This project was also supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant.
meet marguerite
Marguerite A.M. Hemmings is a Jamaican Philadelphia-based artist who specializes in emergent, improvisational and social movement styles and technologies. They are researching the subversive role of dance and music technologies throughout the African Diaspora and channels these technologies throughout their work using body, text, social/public media, and moving image.
Hemmings’ work is also embedded in alternative pedagogy and social practice/research and they have worked at University of the Arts in the School of Dance, Arizona State University, Princeton University, and many afterschool programs and community centers. They have received grants and fellowships from the Jerome Foundation, Brooklyn Arts Council, Harlem Stage, University Settlement, Dancing While Black, Urban Bush Women’s Choreographic Center Initiative, Arizona State University’s Projecting All Voices Fellowship, Abrons Arts Center, Headlong Performance Institute, and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts to further their research. They've received a Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer in Eva Yaa Asantewaa’s Skeleton Architecture as well as directed and performed in the Bessie nominated piece, ‘we free’.
Visit wefreeee.com and Instagram to see more of Marguerite’s work.
with thanks
with thanks
Special thank you to my University of the Arts family who showed up so strongly in this process! Thank you to the guides who answered my last minute call! Song Tucker (Thursday), Ina Medhanet and Nailah Morsell (Friday), and Nyla Murray (Saturday) Thank you for modeling how audience can presence themselves in the space with both intention and abandon. And another special thank you to micah lat! For coming in as the voice of the shadow! I couldn’t think of ANYONE else better for this role. Thank you to my dramaturgs!! David Brick and Max Brown! I can’t express how much you refined and added depth to this piece. Thank you to the wildly incredible musicians, you all created a sonic space of true release and connection. Thank you to Paul Kuhn and Curio Theatre Company, and Andrew Cowles at M. Cramer & Associates (formerly Philadelphia Theatrical Supply). And lastly thank you to the whole entire behind-the-scenes team. Journey Arts you have been incredibly supportive in ways that allowed this work to literally flourish. Thank you.
- Marguerite
meet the musicians
Trumpet Wom' combines trumpet, keys and low sultry vocals into a singer/songwriter act that sounds something like Nina Simone meets David Bowie. T-Wom’ received a Bachelor’s of Music in Trumpet Performance from the University of Maryland College Park where she studied with Chris Gekker. Career highlights include recording at Converse Rubber Tracks, YouTube Studios and with GRAMMY winning producer Scott Jacoby. Learn more at trumpetwom.com, and visit her on Youtube.
Lee Clarke is a Philadelphia-based producer and multi-instrumentalist. Drawing on a background in jazz, R&B and experimental music, he has produced for a plethora of Philadelphia artists across genres, garnering attention from Pitchfork, NPR, The Fader, okayplayer and Afropunk. His first solo project, ‘Off Nights’, was released on Astro Nautico in 2020. He has since released two LPs, including 2022’s ‘Genes’ which won Bandcamp’s album of the Day, and 2024’s ‘Lunar Retreat’. Find Lee on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
JONILL is an emerging singer, songwriter, and producer in the Philadelphia area. His art serves to reflect and connect focusing on themes of self love, growth, and mental health through the lens of alternative R&B, jazz, neo-soul, hip hop, and indie. In innovating and emulating sounds of the past, he strives to make music that is unique yet nostalgic. Stay up to date on all things JONILL on Soundcloud and Instagram.
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Ajay Shughart, encompasses the vast, experimental nature of modern sound design with the soul-drenched ingredients that defined Philadelphia for decades. The self-produced artist's vulnerable falsetto vocals bring the nostalgia of 60s and 70s R&B into a new era of existential lyricism. While acting as touring guitarist/bassist to Alternative R&B artist, Orion Sun, as well as performing with local supergroup, Omar's Hat, AJAY has been able to create and expand upon his own unique perspective. Check out AJAY’s music on Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook.
Max Ilan Hoenig is a pianist, keyboardist, composer, producer and educator from Philadelphia. He has performed with artists such as The Philadelphia Orchestra, Paul Simon, and members of The Platters, The Drifters and The Temptations. He has also collaborated with rising artists including Armani White, Ivy Sole, Orion Sun and Kayla “Black Buttafly” Childs. In 2017, Max began touring internationally with Grammy-nominated soul group, The Stylistics. Additionally, Max co-founded the collective Omar's Hat and has organized jam sessions and events in the city for over 8 years. You can find Max on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
Lenny Mobley is a Philly native who plays multiple instruments: drums, bass, piano, organ, guitar. Lenny grew up in church where he was able to develop these different gifts and skills. Lenny is also a two-time No.1 Billboard charting musician and producer who has worked with artists like Carol Riddick, J. Brown, Ms.Lauryn Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Y.G. Marley, Marc E Bassy, and many more. Lenny has also helped score movies and documentaries such as “A Nashville Legacy” and American Masters Renegade series. You can find Lenny on Instagram and Facebook.
Daniel Woods is an all in one artist. Having the skill set of a singer, songwriter, multi- instrumentalist and producer, he is proving himself to be an artist to watch. Daniel attended Berklee College of Music, and has shared the stage and/or performed with Lalah Hathaway, Bilal, Nona Hendryx, and Vernon Reid. Daniel has developed a solid fan base as well as working with critically acclaimed collaborators Meshell Ndgeocello and Bob Power on his single “Lightwalk.” He has toured as support for artists such as Leon Bridges, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and Nick Hakim and had his song “Long Ways” featured in the season 1 finale of OWN network’s Queen Sugar. Find Daniel on Instagram and TikTok.
meet the creative team
Max Brown, COSTUME DESIGNER / DRAMATURG
Max Brown has been making clothes since she learned to sew at her grandmother's knee as a little girl. She has worked with a host of performers and productions including the incomparable Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret/Dito Van Reigersberg creating original hair, make-up and costume looks. Max has also worked with Wilma Theater, Opera Philadelphia, Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Pig Iron Theater, Swarthmore College, FringeArts, Mural Arts, and with performers such as Annie Wilson, Johnny Showcase and the Mystic Ticket, Red 40 and Eliza Hardy Jones. Visit Max’s work on Instagram and Facebook.
Tania “t” Saiz Perez, STAGE MANAGER
Tania “t” Saiz Perez is a queer immigrant dance artist and stage manager currently based in Philadelphia, PA. They graduated from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Dance, under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield, in 2021. Most recently, Tania served as the Production Coordinator and Stage Manager for the School of Dance at UArts and had the opportunity to work with Bill T. Jones, Doug Varone, Jesse Zaritt, Jordan Lloyd, Juel D. Lane, Netta Yerushalmy, Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Sidra Bell, Tommie-Waheed Evans, amongst others. Additional freelance stage management credits include BigKid Dance, Cannonball Festival, and MICHIYAYA Dance. You can find T’s work on their Instagram.
Rick Rein, AUDIO ENGINEER
Rick Rein is a musician, sound engineer, and educator based in Philadelphia, PA. His work revolves around live performances, whether in theaters or concert halls or clubs or recording studios. Until recently, he taught classes related to sound engineering at the University of the Arts. He has performed or mixed every genre of music that exists. Visit Rick on Instagram, and on his website rickrein.com.
Su Güzey, LIGHTING DESIGNER
Su Güzey is a dancer, performer and choreographer. In 2009, Güzey started studying Management in Performing Arts in Bilgi University and two years later entered in MSGSÜ State Conservatory of Contemporary Dance and graduated in 2015. As a performer she has worked with choreographers and companies such as Jerome Bel, Helder Seabra and La Fura Dels Baus. In 2014, she presented her choreography Store My DNA, So They Can Regenerate My Soul at İKSV 19th İstanbul Theatre Festival. Together with Metehan Kayan, she is founder, curator and coordinator of Visibility in Arts Festival (Sanatta Görünürlük Festivali) organised in collaboration with Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, the festival which started in İstanbul is now also taking place in İzmir in collaboration with Budalasultan collective.
David Brick, DRAMATURG
David Brick, co-founded Headlong Dance Theater in 1993, a “Bessie” Award Winning (1999) avant-garde dance company in Philadelphia. The experience of growing up in a deaf family has continually influenced David’s interest in the body as an active manifestation of culture. Since directing Headlong’s Hotel Pool in 2004, David’s concerns have focused on the choreography of presence and perception, and the porous boundary between the ordinary world and that of performance. In 2008 David co-founded the Headlong Performance Institute, a training program for creating experimental performance in Philadelphia. David is director of the program and its constantly evolving curriculum that trains artists to pursue performance as cultural research.
Micah Latt, VOICEOVER
Micah Lat (he/they/it) is a black, queer transdisciplinary performance artist based in West Philadelphia who received their BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in 2022, and it’s currently an artist in residence at Mascher Space. Its work has been shown most recently in festivals including Cannonball, Fringe, Kindling, and Movement Research at Judson Church in New York. Lat’s work is deeply invested in rigorous playfulness as an avenue to making, with the belief in approaches that are whimsical, seductive, and poetic. Learn more about Micah’s work on Instagram.