Rome Neal is the Artistic Director of the Nuyorican Poets Café theatre program. Mr. Neal received an Obie Grant with Café founder Miguel Algarin for excellence in theatre. Over the years he has received five Audelco Awards for his direction of Pepe Carril’s "SHANGO de IMA" and Samuel Harp’s "Don't Explain." Mr. Neal also received two AUDELCOS for his acting: one for Lead Actor in Gabrielle N. Lane's "SIGNS," and one for Solo Performance in his critically acclaimed "MONK," by Laurence Holder.
His fifth AUDELCO Award was a technical award for his light design of "SHANGO de IMA." Mr. Neal received a Triumph Award for his acting in Alex Mc Donald's "Prism" and a Monarch Merit Award for his outstanding contributions in New York Theatre. His directorial credits includes his adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar Set in Africa," Sekou Sundiata's "The Circle Unbroken is a Hard Bop," Amiri Baraka's "Meeting Lillie," David D. Wright's "Oshun," "SHANGO de IMA," "Prism," Ishmael Reed's "The C Above C Above High C" and Amiri Baraka's "Primitive World: An Anti- Nuclear Jazz Musical," all performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem North Carolina.
Rome directed Wesley Brown's "Life During Wartime" at the Cafe and The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia. His production of Alex McDonald's "Prism" was performed at the Ex-Ponto Festival in Slovenia, Eastern Europe.
He received critical acclaim for "Mother Hubbard," "Savage Wilds," "The Preacher" and "The Rapper," and "Getsemane Park: A Gospera," all by Ishmael Reed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. He also staged a season of plays by Amiri Baraka which included "Primitive World: An Anti-Nuclear Jazz Musical," "The Election Machine Warehouse," "General Hags Skeezag and Jackpot Melting (A Commercial)."
At Theatre For The New City in New York Rome directed two Laurence Holder plays: "Red Channels" and "Ruby & Pearl," which started a collaboration for their Holder/Neal production of "Monk" that premiered at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.
His acting credits include Dan Owen's "Forever My Darlin’," directed by Daune Jones and later by John Amos, and Judi Ann Mason's "A Star Ain't Nothin But a Hole In Heaven," directed by Mikel Pickney.
Rome’s film acting credits include Michael Almereyda’s "Hamlet," Spike Lee’s "Summer of Sam" and Leon Ichaso’s "Pinero." This year at the National Black Theatre Festival, Mr. Neal will receive the coverted Lloyd Richards Director’s Award.
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JANNELLE GILL QUARTET PLAYS THE MUSIC OF THELONIOUS MONK
Gill is a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. and earned her Bachelor's Degree at Howard University. She cites jazz pianists Theolonious Monk, Bud Powell, Art Tatum, and Mary Lou Williams as some of her chief influences. As a music education major at Howard, Gill developed her piano skills to the point where she can comfortably earn a living in professional jazz -- by performing, recording in the studio, and teaching.
GO TO YOUR NEAREST STORE AND PURCHASE A CASE. ITS JAZZICALLY DELICIOUS! MONK
COME JOURNEY WITH US...
Hope to see you on the East of the River Jazz Cruise in 2009. We're going to have a jazzy time!
