User:Allieindelicato/sandbox

= Eunice: Star, Shine and Clay = Eunice: Star, Shine and Clay is a musical written by Sierra Leone and Nick Leone which portrays the life of Nina Simone, born Eunice Wayman, if she were still alive in the year 2017. The production is a Poetic Medley Show which highlights Nina Simone using dance, monologues and poetry written over the last decade. Eunice: Star Shine and Clay was born out of the 2016 community collaboration, 4 Women: A Tribute to The Black Arts Movement in partnership with the University of Dayton Theatre Department.

Productions
The world premiere of Eunice: Star, Shine and Clay was in the Kennedy Union Boll Theatre at the University of Dayton. The show ran for two nights on November 30, 2018 and December 1, 2018. The production was directed by Michelle Hayford and choreographed by Amy Renee Gibbons. The production featured University of Dayton dancers from the University of Dayton Dance Ensemble, and actors from the local Dayton area. The sets were very simple and used a lot of projections rather than large set pieces. The music throughout the performances was performed by the Nasty Nati Brass Band, which was co-directed by El Coats and G. Scott Jones.

Characters

 * Nina Simone
 * Andrew Stroud, her husband
 * James Baldwin, her manager
 * Sam Waymon, her brother
 * Sam Wakefield, a reporter

Act 1
The show opens with James Baldwin sitting at his desk, watching YouTube videos. An interview of Nina Simone is playing on a projector above him. Once the projection ends Nina Simone's song 22nd Century begins playing and dance choreography begins. As the number continues, James's office changes to the living room in Nina Simone's apartment. Nina receives a letter telling her that she has been selected to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Fast forward two months, and Nina Simone is being interviewed by a reporter named Sam Wakefield. He consistently asked Nina insensitive questions, which makes her incredibly annoyed, especially when he asks her about the "All Lives Matter" movement. She eventually kicks the reporter out of her living room and begins to sing "Brown Baby" to her husband, Andrew Stroud. Nina Simone travels to Cleveland to attend her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and on the flight she discusses her childhood with her brother, Sam. She looks at the paper on Sam's lap and reads about the death of Freddie Gray due to police brutality. Singers begin singing "Baltimore" by Randy Newman, while dancers are dancing in the background. Nina shows up to her hotel room in Cleveland drunk and 30 minutes late for her sound check. In her dressing room before her performance at her induction, Nina needs to start doing her makeup. Andrew comes in and begins choking her, telling her that she needs to sing the way that he told her to, exactly the way she had rehearsed it. Nina is then inducted into the hall of fame, and there is a long speech about the background of her life. After the induction, Nina, James, Andrew and Sam are outside the auditorium when a strange man sneaks up and shoots Nina in the back of the head.

Music
Eunice: Star Shine and Clay features numerous musical numbers including original music by El Coats and Umvikeli G. Scott Jones.

Original Music by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones
- Big Band Blues

- Nina's Mood (Dedicated to Evan Rey Henry-Singleton)

- Prelude Blues

- Upbeat Pre-60s Song

Original Music by El Coats
- Original Sexy

Arrangements
- A Slate, Take Me To the Water, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- The Barrett Sisters, Till We Meet Again, arranged by El Coats

- Cristian Jones, Weather-Worn Thing, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Kendrick Lamar, Alright, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Outkast, Spottieottiedopaliscious, arranged by El Coats and Umkiveli G. Scott Jones

- Nina Simone, Backlash Blues, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Nina Simone, 22nd Century, arranged by El Coats

- Nina Simone, Brown Baby, arranged by El Coats

- Nina Simone, Don't Explain, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Nina Simone, Feeling Good, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Randy Newman, Baltimore, arranged by El Coats

- Traditional, Oh Happy Day, arranged by Umvikeli G. Scott Jones

- Nina Simone, Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter, arranged by Nasty Nati Brass Band