Tuskegee Airmen Talk Wisdom

501 East Saint Mary Boulevard,Lafayette LA 70503

04 April, 2022

Description

Tuskegee Airmen lecture by Theodore Foster, PhD, Associate Professor of Black Studies at ULL Lafayette, LA: Performing Arts Serving Acadiana (PASA) is searching for families and friends of any military veteran who took part in the Tuskegee Airmen program to participate in its Black Angels Over Tuskegee project by submitting any photos and brief histories about their relative or friend.  “PASA’s presentation of Layon Gray’s award winning play, Black Angels Over Tuskegee, and series of Tuskegee Airmen lectures by Dr. Theodore Foster uses the humanities as an exciting way of connecting the past to the present,” says Jacqueline Lyle, PASA’s executive director. “We will ethically center any images or histories collected as part of this project honoring and celebrating these contributions.” PASA plans to make these photos and stories available to the public on a variety of platforms. The acclaimed drama Black Angels Over Tuskegee, written and directed by Layon Gray, arrives in Lafayette for one performance at 7:30 p.m. on March 31, 2022 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette, LA, as part of Performing Arts Serving Acadiana’s (PASA’s) on-going schedule. The performance was originally scheduled in January and was rescheduled due to COVID concerns. Originally opened in Los Angeles in 2009, Black Angels Over Tuskegee transferred to New York opening off Broadway. This award-winning, historical docudrama is the story of six men embarking upon a journey to become the first Black aviators in the United States Army Air Forces in an era of racial segregation and Jim Crow idealism.  Layon Gray, a native of Alexandria, LA, graduated from the University of Louisiana Lafayette in 1996 (then USL), is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and was active in the local theater scene in proceeding years. He moved to Los Angeles and his professional career took off. He developed Black Angels Over Tuskegee, using his own interviews with Tuskegee Airmen and other research. “Some plays teach, others celebrate, and a few simply entertain. Black Angels Over Tuskegee manages to do all three and one thing more: It inspires,” says Backstage Magazine about this important drama. Based on true events, this play uplifts and inspires audiences. The production movingly illustrates how the men unite in brotherhood to achieve a communal vision. One of the longest-running Off-Broadway productions, Black Angels Over Tuskegee movingly illustrates how the men unite in brotherhood to achieve a communal vision. Commonly referred to as the Tuskegee Airmen, these men came together to participate in the Army Air Corps program, which sought to train and prepare African-Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The group included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance, instructors and support staff personnel who were charged with keeping the planes operable and in the air. The Tuskegee Airman conquered isolation and prejudice to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of World War II, forming the 99th Pursuit Squadron. They proved conclusively that African-Americans could fly and maintain sophisticated combat aircraft. The achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military. The Black Angels Over Tuskegee performance and project activities are sponsored, in part, by Ochsner Lafayette General, Clarion Pointe, Kinchen Funeral Home and Oats & Marino, LLC. “As a leader in providing quality of life in Acadiana, Ochsner Lafayette General believes that the public performance of Black Angels Over Tuskegee will allow the community to collectively gather and gain a unique perspective into the historical legacy of the Tuskegee Airman, which has and will continue to empower and educate all of us,” says Tonya Bolden-Ball, Regional Director of Diversity & Inclusion for Ochsner Lafayette General. “This performance is an unusual opportunity to examine an era of American history, the important role that Black soldiers played in World War II, and to celebrate the talent that has blossomed from the University of Louisiana and from our local theater community,” says PASA executive director Jacqueline Lyle. “We hope that veterans, drama fans and people of all ages who are fans of live entertainment will join us on January 20 for this performance.” In addition to the public, Theodore Foster, PhD, Associate Professor of Black Studies at the University of Louisiana Lafayette will give two public Tuskegee Airmen lectures: one at the Washington Recreation Center, 705 South Bridge Street, in Washington, LA, and the second on the University of Louisiana campus. “We hope to connect, also, with any surviving Tuskegee Airmen in our region,” says Lyle. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by calling (337) 230-7016. This project is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts, and an Enterprise Fund grant from Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment of the Arts. Tickets for Black Angels Over Tuskegee are available at www.pasaonline.org.  A Family & Friends 4-Pack, priced at $100, is available in every seating area, from the first row to the last. Additional ticket fees and other charges will apply and will vary, based on the method of purchase. The most economical ticket fees are available through in-person purchase at the Heymann Center Box Office. Box office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Mondays. The box office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are also available by phone at the Heymann Performing Arts Center box office (337)291-5555, other TicketMaster outlets, as well as ticketmaster.com or by phone at TicketMaster’s 24-hour line (337) 262-7597. About PASA: Performing Arts Serving Acadiana offers performing arts entertainment, focusing on dance, theater, and classical music, with occasional forays into other genres. PASA also delivers performing arts activities—master classes, workshops, lecture demonstrations and other offerings—in a variety of locations in the Acadiana area. ## For more information about PASA’s comeback or any of the performances, call PASA at (337) 230-7016 or email [email protected].