(WASHINGTON, DC) Never ceasing to amaze DC, VA, and MD residents, Poet Sistah Joy with her avant-garde spoken word creations and performances, has added another exciting genre of expression to her impressive poetic repertoire. “He Gave Me A Word”, a Poetic Docu-Drama, is scheduled to debut on Saturday, May 15, 2004, at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, 1630 Vermont Avenue, NW at 3:00pm. Hosted by the Gethsemane Chapter No 3, Order of the Eastern Star, the premiere performance will feature J. Joy Matthews Alford, author of Lord I’m Dancin, As Fast As I Can and recipient of the Special Poet Laureate 2002 Award, at a luncheon and may be attended for a donation of $35.

Intended to challenge audiences with its narrative prose, poetry, and music, the Poetic-docu-drama, written and choreographed by the Poetry Virtuosa, is a tapestry of intricately sewn together snippets of liturgical and soulful praise dance movements, designed to offer an exhilarating testimony of triumph that has waited until now to be born.

He Gave Me A Word is unselfishly offered by a woman who has been tried by adversity, disappointment and doubt, and found that it took the love of God to catapult her beyond the “would-be boundaries” of un-anchored souls; the could-be chaos of foundations that crumble; and the “should-be shame” of spirits un-shored by salvation. This heart-rendering series of emotional confessionals, testimonies and praise poems will move you through the sojourn of a woman who, when handed the heart-ache of promises that echoed in emptiness, was blessed to find a single answer.  God. 

Recounting experiences from a life that crystallized only after those deepest buried pains were culled from the mire of low and no self-esteem, juxtaposed with a mix of jubilant exaltations and praise celebrations defiantly thrust into the face of adversity, Sistah Joy resounds with ultimate and intimate victory. 

Such is the journey of Sistah Joy, who presents an epic docu-drama through poetry, recounting in two “vignettes” the story of a woman who defies the odds and refuses to become a statistic; one who is changed not merely by her own struggle, but one who internalizes the pain, political oppression and despair of her marginalized and disenfranchised sisters and brothers.  Through the saving grace of God, Sistah Joy has miraculously and magnificently “danced” her way through metaphor, music and prayer to the blessings He bestows on those faithful to His word.  Musical accompaniment by Lorenzo Sands (bass), Doc Powell (Djembe drum), Sydney March (sax & flute) and Adrien Bayo (percussions).

Contact Ms. Minerva Sanders at 301.856.4850 for tickets.