To coincide with the original publication date of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God," WNYC 93.9FM will air the radio drama that was produced in The Greene Space on February 29 and March 1, 2012. The play was directed by Tony Award-winning actor Ruben Santiago-Hudson, with Tony Award and Emmy Award-Winning Actress Phylicia Rashad narrating and Leslie Uggams starring as Grandmother. Brandon Dirden played the role of Tea Cake, and Roslyn Ruff played Janie, the story’s main character.
Event Location: WNYC 93.9 FM; WNYC.org, New York, NY 10013-1220
To launch The Big Read, award-winning poet and actor Carl Hancock Rux revisits "Their Eyes Were Watching God" from the point of view of Tea Cake with an original performance art piece commissioned by The Greene Space. This work will use a unique male lens to take us through Zora Neale Hurston’s narrative. Following the performance, we will hold a conversation in which a panel of men who are leaders in a variety of fields to discuss the novel from a male perspective.
Event Location: The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10013-1220
Patrik Henry Bass will speak with writers influenced by Harlem Renaissance icon Zora Neale Hurston, including Emily Raboteau (Searching for Zion), Valerie Wilson Wesley (former Executive Editor of Essence magazine, and Elizabeth Nunez (co-founder of the National Black Writer's Conference), with performances by award-winning songstress Maya Azucena.
Event Location: The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY 10013-1220
WNYC Radio Host Leonard Lopate will facilitate this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: Brooklyn Public Library , 380 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Carl Hancock Rux will lead this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
Carl Hancock Rux will lead this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: New York Public Library - Bronx Library Center, 310 East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10458
Journalist Patrick Riley will host this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: Newark Public Library, 5 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Actress Patrice Johnson will lead this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: Brooklyn Public Library - Macon Branch, 361 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233
New York Public Radio Host Terrance McKnight will host this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: New York Public Library - Countee Cullen Library, 104 West 136th Street, New York, NY 10030
We will partner with Urban Word, a literary arts education and youth development organization, for the open mic series "Brooklyn Open." Urban Word workshop participants and the general public will discuss the novel, and select participants will present poetry and spoken word based on themes from "Their Eyes Were Watching God." The event will be hosted by Carl Hancock Rux.
Event Location: Brooklyn Public Library - Central Branch, 380 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Actress, singer, and writer Nona Hendryx will host this session, which will use the radio drama adaptation of "Their Eyes Were Watching God," produced by NYPR's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space in February 2012, to catalyze and support discussion of the book.
Event Location: New York Public Library - Tompkins Square Library, 331 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10009
