DANCING ON THE AIR: THE TEENARAMA STORY
Book & Lyrics by Jiiko Ozimba and inspired by the documentary "Dance Party: The Teenarama Story" by
Beverly Lindsay-Johnson and the late Herb Grimes
"Dancing on the Air: The Teenarama Story" is inspired by the Emmy award-winning documentary "Dance Party: The Teenarama Story," which documents the history of the African American teen television dance show "The Teenarama Dance Party." Teenarama (as it was affectionately called) was produced and aired on a small local station in Washington, DC, WOOK-TV Ch. 14, from 1963-1970. Teenarama was created for African American teenagers in Washington, DC during the era of racial segregation and social injustice, and at a time when black teenagers and white teenagers could not dance together on television. Teenarama filled the void for these black teenagers who wanted to dance on television.
"Dancing on the Air: The Teenarama Story" is a love story about music, dance, race and teenagers in their wonder years.
Currently, "Dancing on the Air: The Teenarama Story," is in script development and is expected to premier in 2021 at the THEARC Theater in Southeast Washington, DC.
Funding is critical for the success of staging this highly anticipated production.
A GoFundMe campaign was started to raise funds for the first stages of development.
WON'T YOU SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT BY MAKING A DONATION? OUR ANTICIPATED BUDGETED EXPENSES ARE MORE THAN $60,000 AS WE NEED TO FURTHER WORK ON THE SCRIPT, MOUNT STAGED READINGS, ACQUIRE CREATIVE PERSONNEL ,SET AND COSTUME DESIGN AND MUSIC LICENSING.
We have established the following giving levels and benefits for your donations:
$99.00 or less - "THE MILES LONG SANDWICH CREW" - Your name will be listed as a supporter in the Playbill and on the official website.
$100.00 - $499.00 - "WOOK COOKERS/WOOKIE COOKIES" - Your name will be listed as a supporter in the Playbill and on the official website, and you will be invited to 1 staged reading of the script.
$500.00 - $999.00 - "RATE THE RECORD CREW" - Same as "WOOK COOKERS/ WOOKIE COOKIES" plus 1 pair of complimentary tickets to the premier.
$1,000 - $4,999.00 - "THE TEENARAMA CREW" - Same as "RATE THE RECORD CREW" plus a special invitation for 2 to the "by invitation-only" World Premier After Party
or make check payable to TEENARAMA INC. and mail to Kendall Productions,
P.O. Box 71184, Washington, DC 20024
(All Donations are tax deductible through Teenarama Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the fiscal sponsor of "TEENARAMA: THE MUSICAL")
Former Teenarama Dance Party dancers talking with playwright Jiiko Ozimba during focus group discussion
Alburtis McCray, Phil "Happy" Clark and Donna Waters from the Teenarama Dance Party TV Show.
