Actor/Storyteller to Portray Exceptional Black Women in American History
In celebration of Black History Month, Converse invites the public to get “up close and personal” with some of the most exceptional black women in American history. Brenda Porter, a professional actress/storyteller, portrays strong black women who have persevered through various situations in life. She brings her one-woman show, Pathways, to Converse on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
The women Porter portrays are those who accepted life’s challenges and made a difference.
Pathways introduces the audience to a diverse group of African-American women such as Mary Fields, Edmonia Lewis, Wilma Rudolph, Bessie Coleman, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells and Barbara Jordan. With a few costume changes, Porter offers the opportunity to connect on a very personal level with stories of women like Bessie Coleman, the first black to earn an international pilot’s license. Born in a one-room cabin in Texas and unable to find anyone willing to teach her to fly in America, Bessie saved her money, learned French in night school and traveled to Paris, France where she received her pilot’s license from the prestigious Federation Aeronautique Internationale in 1921. The women Porter portrays are those who accepted life challenges and made a difference.
Brenda Porter received her BFA degree in theatre from the University of Georgia and has enjoyed a 20-year career in acting, directing and theatre instruction. Her acting credits include Wit, For Colored Girls, Nickel and Dimed, among others.
For more information about the program, call Converse at 864.596.9078.