Dec. 22 KOLA: An Afro Diasporic Remix of the Nutcracker

     In December 2019, The People’s Conservatory (TPC), in collaboration with renowned local artists such as Grammy Nominated Hip Hop and Soul artist Mystic, SFJAZZ Collective member Martin Luther, and the OSA Concert Choir will premiere Kola: An Afro Diasporic Remix of The Nutcracker. Kola will have an eight-show run from December 12th - 15th; 19th - 22nd at Castlemont High School (8601 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, 94605). 

    This all Oakland professional production is a re-envisioned version of The Nutcracker through the lens of African and Afro-Latinx music, dance, theater, and culture reflecting the lives of Black and Brown children socially, politically, and spiritually in modern-day Oakland.

     500+ students from over a dozen Oakland and other East Bay schools are involved as performers, composers and costume/set designers, including OSA, Anna Yates, Northern Light, Pear Tree Community School, West Oakland Middle School, Envision Academy Middle Grades, Park Day, Head Royce, and Latitude High School. 

     The Kola creative team, comprised of TPC founder Rozz Nash and beloved local artists Kev Choice, Jennifer Johns, and RyanNicole, will rewrite this narrative and offer new music compositions representing Jazz, Gospel, Afro-Caribbean, Hip Hop, R&B, and re-mixed Tchaikovsky. 

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"Kola is the story of the rights of passage for a young girl…It is a pleasure to revise & make relevant this traditional show with the pantheon of greats that represent the Bay Area youth arts scene." 

- RyanNicole

"Kola is healing! It is an honor to be a part of such a powerful commitment to re-imagine our collective journey past, present, and future."

- Jennifer Johns