A reading of Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape
Written and Performed by Motion
Mixed by DJ L’Oqenz
Directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa
Spring is here, which means rain, wind, and grey skies. Until suddenly it doesn’t. Spring is a season of change, and of growth. Here at Factory, that means we’re continuing to change and grow, and I’m delighted to invite you to a special edition Factory Wired reading of Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape, as we explore spoken word opera with live mix music from the Motion Live Collective. Beginning at 7:00 PM in the Factory Rehearsal Hall, this presentation will feature the spoken word poetry/libretto of writer/performer Motion, live mix from DJ L’Oqenz, and direction from Mumbi Tindyebwa.
Spring is here, which means rain, wind, and grey skies. Until suddenly it doesn’t. Spring is a season of change, and of growth. Here at Factory, that means we’re continuing to change and grow, and I’m delighted to invite you to a special edition Factory Wired reading of Oraltorio: A Theatrical Mixtape, as we explore spoken word opera with live mix music from the Motion Live Collective. Beginning at 7:00 PM in the Factory Rehearsal Hall, this presentation will feature the spoken word poetry/libretto of writer/performer Motion, live mix from DJ L’Oqenz, and direction from Mumbi Tindyebwa.
Oraltorio is informed by the sounds, evolutions, and movements of the culture of the African Diaspora music and oral culture. A coming-of-age tale, the story traverses space and time as the narrator rhythmically juxtaposes words with the DJ’s music to grapple with identity, gender, generation, and memory.
When we first read the piece we were immediately struck by how meaningfully and artfully it mixed genres and hearkened to traditional modes of storytelling, and the work of Ntozake Shange echoed in our minds. We’re excited to share this moment of the work’s evolution with you, and hope you can join us on.
Sincerely yours,
Nina Lee Aquino, Co-Artistic Director, Factory Theatre
MOTION is a poet/lyricist/emcee hailed by NOW Magazine as a “multi-talented, truthful artist.” She has been a Playwright-in-Residence at Obsidian and was a resident of the Banff Playwright’s Colony in 2013. An award-winning emcee and poet, her work has taken her to the stages of Manifesto Jamaica, the Urban Music Awards, CBC Television, Luminato, and HBO Def Poetry Jam.
DJ L’OQENZ is a powerful force to be reckoned with. DJ, producer, and arts presenter, she is a sought-after musical resource in Toronto and across the globe. Spinning everything from Hip Hop to jazz, she has toured across Canada, the US, Asia, the Caribbean, and the UK. She is the founder of Inner Voice Music Management.
MUMBI TINDYEBWA is a Kenyan-Ugandan-Canadian theatre creator and director raised in Kenya and Victoria, BC. She is the founder and Artistic Director of IFT Theatre and a recent participant in the Michael Langham Workshop in Classical Direction at Stratford. In 2011, she was honoured with the Mallory Gilbert Leadership Protege Award and nominated for the John Hirsch Award in Direction.
