Our Voices are Many

Nearly one month from the date it was supposed to be, Our Voices are Many will finally put their show on stage July 15.

“It was the day of the flood – like Noah’s Ark,” said coordinator Mamie Hixon. “It was the first time we have had to cancel a show.”

Because of the change in schedule some performers, including a Michael Jackson impersonator, will be missing the show. The disappointment of having to reschedule and plan for slightly different show was a new emotion for Hixon, but she is excited about this weekend’s show.

“I’m getting my enthusiasm back,” Hixon said. “Still looking for a Michael Jackson impersonator, it’s never too late.”

The show, “The Sons of Africa: Celebrating the Voices of Black Men in America” was originally supposed to be a tribute to Father’s Day, but as Hixon said it’s okay  to celebrate fathers every day.

The show will be a seamless production of music and spoken words. There is no plot, no characters, just references to historical figures such as Malcolm X, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr.

“We wanted to put history on the stage and celebrate the African American men who made an impact on history,” Hixon said. “Black males have a negative image in America. The black males are many many images and they have just as many positive images.”

Our Voices are Many began in 1993 producing shows featuring singing, poetry, dancing, African drums and more. In 2003, they began adding themes. New this year is the addition of the female Griot chorus – who will provide the call and response atmosphere of a black, community church.

“I had to get my sisters in the show,” Hixon said with a laugh.

The talent of the 60-person show is always varied. As an example, this year will feature Sheriff David Morgan singing and Rev. H.K. Matthews reading the lyrics to R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.”

“He delivered the lines so eloquently – and better than R. Kelly,” Hixon said of Matthews. “There are some beautiful pieces in the show. The local talent is so amazing.”

Hixon is constantly looking for talent. At the University of West Florida, where Hixon is the Writing Lab Director and assistant professor of English, Hixon keeps her ears open to the voices around her.

“I’m a voice scout,” she said. “I listen to people talking in the hallway. I like hearing a voice and thinking ‘He’d be a good Martin Luther King, Jr.”

THE SONS OF AFRICA: CELEBRATING THE VOICES OF BLACK MEN IN AMERICA

WHEN: 4 p.m. Sunday, July 15

WHERE: Pensacola State College, Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio, Building 23

COST: $10, $5 for non-PSC students and free for PSC students

DETAILS: 484-1759