CHILDREN OF UGANDA:On Tour And Not To Be Missed

I'm playing "Catch-Up" on this article because much of what I am writing about here has already taken place.

If you may recall, (if you are a longtime reader of the Blog), about a year ago I wrote about an organization called "Uganda Children's Charity Foundation (UCCF)". Today that organization is called "Children Of Uganda" and they are currently involved in a 32-city tour of the U.S. The Tour began in late January of this year and will continue until early June. In the process the children who perform in the Tour will have traveled across the entire continental U.S. and then some.

In a Previous Article wrote about the organization and its tours, but I want to give you an update. Below, I have listed the remaining performances by location and dates. You can go to the Tour's Schedule at its web site.

New York, NY
The Joyce Theater
www.joyce.org
(212) 242-0800
Tues-Sat April 11-15 at 7pm
Sat & Sun April 15 & 16 at 2pm

Burlington, VT
Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
www.flynncenter.org
(802) 863-5966
Wed April 19 at 7:30pm

Hanover, NH
Spaulding Concert Hall
Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College
www.hop.dartmouth.edu
(603) 646-2422
Thurs. April 20 at 7pm

Boston, MA
Berklee Performance Center Hosted by World Music/Crash Arts
www.worldmusic.org
(617) 876-4275
Sat April 22 at 8pm
Sun April 23 at 3pm

Amherst, MA
Concert Hall at Fine Arts Center University of Massachusetts
www.umass.edu/fac
(413) 545-2511
Wed April 26 at 7:30pm

Newark, NJ
Prudential Hall New Jersey Performing Arts Center
www.njpac.org
(888) GO NJPAC
Sun April 30 at 2pm

College Park, MD
Kay Theatre Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu
(301) 405-2787
Sat May 6 at 3pm & 8pm
Sun May 7 at 3pm

Philadelphia, PA
Penn Presents at Annenberg Center University of Pennsylvania
www.pennpresents.org
(215) 898-3900
Fri May 12 at 8pm

Dallas, TX
Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship - May 14, 2006
Friendship West Baptist Church - May 21, 2006

Chicago, IL
Athenaeum Theatre
Urban Gateways Center for Arts Education
www.urbangateways.org
(312) 922-0440
Wed May 24 at 8pm
Fri May 26 at 7:30pm
Sat May 27 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm

St. Paul, MN
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
www.ordway.org
(651) 224-4222
Sat June 3 at 11am and 2pm
Sun June 4 at 1pm



"Ranging in age from 8-18, the 20-member troupe led by Peter Kasule has toured the US biennially since 1996, performing in dozens of cities across the country and at hundreds of venues. Through dance and song, Children of Uganda's exuberant and powerful programs tell the stories and history, the legends and beliefs of East Africa."

You can also go to Children Of Uganda's web site and find a 14 page program in either PDF or Word format . The program includes wealth of knowledge, including a Glossary on many of the terms used in the performance. As an added bonus, there is an "Educational Guide" for grades 4-12 at the web site.


"About the Company

Children of Uganda celebrates its 10th anniversary with this 2006 USA tour, which begins in California in January and visits 31 communities in 20 states before ending in Minnesota in June. Ranging in age from 6 to 20, the performers live in several homes and boarding schools supported by the Uganda Children's Charity Foundation (UCCF). Through their performances, educational programs and community exchanges, Children of Uganda serve as goodwill ambassadors for the 2.4 million orphans living in the Uganda today.

Hailed as "first-rate" and "inspiring" by The New York Times, Children of Uganda have toured the USA biennially since 1996. They have also appeared at the White House, on the David Letterman show, at the Grammy's salute to U-2's Bono, for (former) US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill during his trip to Africa, for the World Bank, MTV/Nickelodeon, Nike, Morgan Stanley and other corporations. For a complete schedule of the 2006 tour, visit www.childrenofuganda.org.

The dual crises of civil war and AIDS in Uganda pose a serious threat to the complex fabric of family and village life that previously nurtured and depended on a rich and varied oral culture. Children of Uganda was originally founded to teach orphaned children the songs, dances and stories that were in danger of being lost. At home, the ensemble performs at weddings, diplomatic events and other celebrations. Children of Uganda gives 22 of the most talented of these performers an opportunity to share their stories in the USA, promoting East African culture and increasing awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis in their homeland."


There is a lot that can be written and said about both Children Of Uganda and its Tour; more than can be said in this article, so I urge you to read more about Children of Uganda And, If You Can, Attend One Of Their Performances.