Clémentine Célarié in Black Like Me at Theatre Raymond Kabbaz- May, 2014
Even her hands looked so much smaller and demure when we met French actress Clémentine Célarié after the performance, and she seemed so diminutive and demure in the way only French women, extraordinary when compared to her part as a relatively large man on stage.
It is all testament to the quality of all the performances at the gem of a theatre, Raymond Kabbaz the performance space at Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles. They presented multi-talented French actress Clémentine Célarié in the U.S. Premiere of Dans la Peau d’un Noir (Black Like Me) on Wednesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 15, 2014.
The one-woman show is based on American journalist John Howard Griffin’s 1961 book,Black Like Me, adapted by Célarié into a live performance. Célarié will portray an African-American man in the production that promotes tolerance and humanism.
The performance starts at 7:30pm and will take place at Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, 10361 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90064, 310-286-0553. Ticket prices range from $25 to $45 and can be purchased on the school or theatre website.
The event is supported by the French-American Cultural Society (FACS). For information about Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, please visit www.theatreraymondkabbaz.com.
“I’ve always wondered about the impact of skin color in the relations between human beings,” says Célarié, “This show depicts the adventure of the man I incarnate, white and black… with courage and humanity. His testimony is a universal cry of alarm and, at the same time, a call to respect the other and their differences.”
With graceful simplicity, while alone on stage with minimal props, Célarié transforms into dozens of characters. Her adaptation of Black Like Meraises the question: Have things really changed all that much since the volatile 1960s? Célarié, who was born and raised in Dakar in sub-Saharan Africa, lived in the region for twelve years. She says she feels African – more black than white. Her son, songwriter-beat boxerAbraham Diallo, collaborated with Célarié on the production. Together, they share the directing duties. Diallo is also the sound engineer.
For his book, Griffin, a white journalist in the 1950s who sought to understand the condition of being black in America, was made up to look African American before setting out to experience life in the racially segregated South for a six-week journey. His journals from those travels are the basis for the book, Black Like Me, which the play is based on. At the time of its writing (1959), race relations were particularly strained in the United States.
Clémentine Célarié –
With over 40 films to her credit, and a French household name, actor-writer-singer, Clémentine Célarié was born (as Myriem Célarié) in Dakar, Senegal in 1957. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the films Betty Blue (1986),Lawless Heart (2001), Nocturne Indien (1989), and Les Miserables (1995).Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz –
Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz (TRK) is a non-profit institution dedicated to the promotion of art and culture in the West Los Angeles area. This 220-seat theater welcomes multidisciplinary and multicultural shows. TRK’s mission is to be an open window on French and international cultures and to inspire and sustain a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
