'Lias' Mother

"Oni Lasana Doin' Dunbar as 'Lias' Mother" is the most popular and longest running program. 

In 1992, Oni studied Dunbar's life, poetry and performed with the Bob Jones Dance and Theater Ensemble of the Coatesville Cultural Society of Chester County Pennsylvania.

The touring and annual presentations, "Lyrics Of Love and Laughter " featured the southern dialect spoken word poetry of the iconic poet & author, Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906). 

"'Lias' Mother" Oni's solo (audience interactive) production is  set during the 1800's on a plantation in Cross, So. Carolina, the home of Oni's paternal grandmother, Victoria Brown.

'Lias' Mother reveals the personal heartfelt experiences of an enslaved  woman living on a southern  plantation during the Civil War in America. 

Paul Laurence Dunbar's most loved and recited poem comes to life as Oni comforts her son Elias as only a mother can. With tender loving care, good advice and a little discipline.

 
* REPERTOIRE *
In The Morning  
Possum
A Preference
When De Corn Pone's Hot   
De Way T'ings Come
Keep A 'Pluggin' Away
A Coquette Conquered
My Sort O'Man
When Dey 'Listed Colored Soldiers
Whistlin' Sam
When Malindy Sings
Philosophy
Angelina
De Critters' Dance  
An Ante-Bellum Sermon

~ ~ ~

Finale: Sympathy Rap-along

* PRESENTERS * 

•  History Dinner Theater, Latrobe, PA
• Lincoln University, PA - Freshmen Orientation
• Virginia Tech University, VA
• Tobago Heritage Festival
• Dunbar House - Dayton, OH
• Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Mercer Museum of Doylestown, PA
• The Hickman, West Chester, PA
• Freedom Village, Chester County
• Diego Martin Library, Trinidad
• East Stroudsburg University, PA
• Historic Johnson House, Philadelphia, PA
• Woman Conference, Community College of Denver, Colorado
• African American Museum of Philadelphia, (Retirement Party)
• Bucks County Free Libraries, Pennsylvania  
• Manassas Park City Schools, Virginia
• DoDD Schools in Heidelberg, Hamburg, Kaiserslautern, Würzburg, Amburg, GERMANY
• People's Light & Theater Co, Malvern, PA

Many more, schools, family reunions, libraries, senior centers, residencies, workshops & storytelling festivals