ANN ARBOR – Wild Swan Theater continues its 37th season with Drum Me a Story in celebration of Black History Month. This collection of African tales was selected and developed for children ages 3 through 9 and is 45 minutes in length. These humorous stories, including two different Anansi stories illustrating the cleverness of Anansi the spider man, and "How the Turtle Got Its Shell," will be performed through storytelling, acting, and drumming.
Outstanding drummer Jaclyn Morrow will perform traditional music on the drums. Morrow has performed and studied West African drumming and dance with Like Water Drum and Dance. As well as drumming in Drum Me a Story, Morrow joins other ensemble cast members Sandy Ryder and Brian E. Buckner as a storyteller and actor. American Sign Language interpretation is provided by Jennifer Poole.
This lively trio plays a host of characters. Young children will delight in Anansi's efforts to trick the other animals out of all their food and his comeuppance in "The Moss Covered Rock," when the smallest, gentlest animal in the forest, Little Bush Deer, is able to outwit Anansi. Another small animal, the turtle, teaches Osebo the Leopard a lesson in "How the Turtle Got its Shell."
This originally appeared at http://www.encoremichigan.org, the online site covering professional theater in Michigan.
