artistry of candi dugas
the only creative collective building freed•dom from within thru the arts
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Far Away from Home: A Musical's Script Development
Phase I (at 81% of overall fundraising goal - thank YOU to all sponsors and supporters!)
ATLANTA, GA, US
- $619 raised of $2,800 goal
- 6 donations
- -2801448 minutes left
Fiscally Sponsored by Fractured Atlas
A love letter to my dad ... and to all other tender-hearted, gentle-souled men who think and BE differently.
Throughout September, October + November 2020 we will write the book, compose brand new music + critique Far Away from Home (FAH), my 1st period piece + my 1st musical - how exciting, especially with this dream team of talent! Developing my 10th full-length story for the stage is an honor and privilege - especially with our a-mazing team!
Synopsis
Gary, a handsomely young, sensitive, chain-smoking DJ who can fix anything ends up preferring time alone instead of constantly feeling like he does not quite measure up. When Gary meets Sassy, he’s less and less able to maintain the distance that protected him. Sassy’s a wave he wants to ride, but it’s taking him places he thought he was leaving behind. Will Gary choose himself or Sassy - or is it even a choice at all?
Setting + Background
Set in middle Georgia in the 1970s, FAH explores themes of black masculinity, being different, and personal autonomy. My work with sexuality and spirituality began with Black women almost 10 years ago. This piece is my entrée into a primary focus on those who identify as Black and cis-hetero male.
Process
During the fall of 2020 I get to hang out with these a-mazing artists to help me hear FAH's character-souls' stories, their songs - alllll the way through to their hearts. As a donor you can join us for this ride of writing and refining as we go, by attending as many readings as you can and sharing your feedback. (We'll culminate the process with a full reading in November 2020.)
FAH Donor Rewards remind us that our work is for the ancestors - to honor their sacrificial diligence to get us here, to build upon their successes, and to prepare ways for our descendants. (Read more below about our honored ancestors.) So, in the spirit of passing the batons forward, we are excited to welcome a team of nine sharp interns who will shadow us through this process to gain experience and exposure in the fields they love, and to help them with their careers.
NOTE: Since COVID-19, over 90% of Atlanta artists have lost a significant percentage of their income; more than 65% report a total loss of income. Far Away from Home's development helps to employ artists while contributing to the kind of entertainment and inspiration that has been getting us all through our two pandemics (COVID-19 and social unrest due to persistent racial injustice).
A few of FAH's underlying questions for exploration:
Throughout September, October + November 2020 we will write the book, compose brand new music + critique Far Away from Home (FAH), my 1st period piece + my 1st musical - how exciting, especially with this dream team of talent! Developing my 10th full-length story for the stage is an honor and privilege - especially with our a-mazing team!
Synopsis
Gary, a handsomely young, sensitive, chain-smoking DJ who can fix anything ends up preferring time alone instead of constantly feeling like he does not quite measure up. When Gary meets Sassy, he’s less and less able to maintain the distance that protected him. Sassy’s a wave he wants to ride, but it’s taking him places he thought he was leaving behind. Will Gary choose himself or Sassy - or is it even a choice at all?
Setting + Background
Set in middle Georgia in the 1970s, FAH explores themes of black masculinity, being different, and personal autonomy. My work with sexuality and spirituality began with Black women almost 10 years ago. This piece is my entrée into a primary focus on those who identify as Black and cis-hetero male.
Process
During the fall of 2020 I get to hang out with these a-mazing artists to help me hear FAH's character-souls' stories, their songs - alllll the way through to their hearts. As a donor you can join us for this ride of writing and refining as we go, by attending as many readings as you can and sharing your feedback. (We'll culminate the process with a full reading in November 2020.)
FAH Donor Rewards remind us that our work is for the ancestors - to honor their sacrificial diligence to get us here, to build upon their successes, and to prepare ways for our descendants. (Read more below about our honored ancestors.) So, in the spirit of passing the batons forward, we are excited to welcome a team of nine sharp interns who will shadow us through this process to gain experience and exposure in the fields they love, and to help them with their careers.
NOTE: Since COVID-19, over 90% of Atlanta artists have lost a significant percentage of their income; more than 65% report a total loss of income. Far Away from Home's development helps to employ artists while contributing to the kind of entertainment and inspiration that has been getting us all through our two pandemics (COVID-19 and social unrest due to persistent racial injustice).
A few of FAH's underlying questions for exploration:
- Who is the man who becomes a father to those who identify as girls?
- How do his choices impact his daughters?
- What difference would it make on his life and his daughters' lives if he'd had access to other (more) choices, and then chosen differently?
The Team
- dr. candi dugas, Book writer/Producer
- Ms. Colette "CCSunchild" Coward, Co-composer/Lyricist
- Ms. Devon Gates, Intern
- Mr. Christian Magby, Co-Composer
- Mr. Terry Kiser, Intern
- Mr. David Koté, MFA, Director
- Mr. Addae Moon, MFA, Dramaturg
Featuring
- Mr. Eugene H. Russell, IV* (Gary Estes)
- Ms. Naima Carter Russell* (Sassy Lovejoy)
- Ms. T'Shauna Henry, Intern
- Ms. Terry Henry (David Estes)
- Mr. Lamont J. Hill ('Lonzo Marks)
*Actors' Equity Association/SAG-AFTRA
Development History
FAH was first workshopped through Working Title Playwrights' Monday Night Critique Sessions, Summer 2018.
Thank you so much for your generous support!
Visit here to grab your FREE virtual tickets.
THANK YOU to our Sponsors:
Funding for this program is provided by The Fulton County Board of Commissioners (the Fulton County Department of Arts & Culture - Fulton County, Atlanta, GA, USA).
- Centerform, Atlanta, GA
- Rev. J. Bernard Kynes, LMF, Decatur, GA
- National Black Arts, Atlanta, GA
- Tabia Clinkscales Graphic Design, Atlanta, GA
THANK YOU to our Supporters:
- Ms. Julia Allen
- Ms. Sydney Avent
- Ms. Maria Carter
- dr. candi dugas
- Ms. Angie Geitner
- Ms. Laura Guy
- Mr. Nick Hathorn
- Mr. & Mrs. Hank and Barbara Kimmel
- Ms. Dana Rice
- Mr. S. Edward Rutland
- Ms. Stephanie Scott
- Mr. Tim Sharp
More About Our Honored Ancestors
- Lorraine Hansberry - the first-ever African-American woman to write a play performed on Broadway - A Raisin in the Sun (1959).
- Jean Baptiste Point du Sable - a pioneering trader/settler born in Haiti and founder of the settlement that later became the city of Chicago, Illinois.
- Haitian leader of that land’s independence movement, François Dominique Toussaint L’Ouveture. His leadership included the liberation of his enslaved people, restoring his people’s economy.
- Shirley Chisolm, “unbought & unbossed” - the first-ever African-American woman elected to the United States Congress, and the first black person to make a bid for the U.S. presidency as a major-party candidate – no permission needed. (NEW Perk option added: Men Not Myths hoodie or bomber jacket)
- Sarraounia Mangou - the fearless warrior-chief priestess of the largest ethnic subgroup of the Hausa, a people of northern Nigeria and surrounding areas. She successfully fought off the French, trying to colonize her land.
- El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz – better known as Malcolm X. One of his most famous quotes is simple, and inspires perspective and resilience, “Stumbling is not falling.”
- Harriet Tubman - the first-ever woman to lead a U.S. armed military operation, most widely renowned for freeing dozens of her enslaved people. “I freed 1,000 slaves. I could’ve freed 1,000 more–if only they knew they were slaves.”
Rewards
Hansberry
Donate $25.00 or more
Amount over $5.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Lorraine Hansberry with your generous support! Donor award: a vintage 45 vinyl record autographed by dr. dugas. (Scroll to read more about Ms. Hansberry in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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Point du Sable
Donate $50.00 or more
Amount over $10.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Jean Baptiste Point du Sable with your generous support! Donor award: Ms. CC Sunchild’s CD, Air, or dr. dugas’ 1st book, Bootlicked to Balanced: Healing the Mind, Freeing the Spirit. (Scroll to read more about M. Point du Sable in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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L’Ouveture
Donate $75.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring François Dominique Toussaint L’Ouveture with your generous support! Donor award: dr. dugas’ 2nd book, Who Told You That You Were Naked: Black Women Reclaiming Sexual & Spiritual Goodness. (Scroll to read more about M. L’Ouveture in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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Chisolm
Donate $125.00 or more
Amount over $40.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Shirley Chisolm with your generous support! Donor award: a customized 9 oz. candle or a hand-crafted coaster set. (Scroll to read more about Ms. Chisolm in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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Mangou
Donate $250.00 or more
Amount over $60.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Sarraounia Mangou with your generous support! Donor award: a hand-crafted rolling tray or a 30-minute virtual sound healing or sleep assistance session with Ms. CC Sunchild. (Read more about Priestess Mangou in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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X
Donate $500.00 or more
Amount over $80.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Malcolm X with your generous support! Donor award: a customized 9 oz. candle, a hand-crafted coaster set, and exclusive access to a FAH creative session. (Read more about Minister X in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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Tubman
Donate $1,000.00 or more
Amount over $150.00 is tax-deductible.
Thank you for honoring Harriet Tubman with your generous support! Donor award: all of the awards above, except including one (1) customized candle at 12 oz. (Scroll to read more about Ms. Tubman in the About section of this campaign. 👈🏽)
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