CULTUREMART 2019: Cannabis! Baba Israel
About the show
Baba Israel and his band Soul Inscribed, featuring Grace Galu, use music and spoken word to explore the history of Cannabis. This theatrical concert is inspired by Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana - Medical, Recreational, and Scientific by Martin A. Lee (2012). Grounded in the Hip Hop tradition of the remix, the show mashes-up iconic music from La Cucaracha of the Mexican Revolution, Louis Armstrong and other Jazz “vipers,” to the Beat era, 60’s Rock n’ Roll, and Reggae. Israel adapts the stories of countercultural icons, grassroots activists, and the plant itself, weaving a time-traveling tale of jubilation, injustice, and transformation.
Credits
Writer, Co-Director, and Performer: Baba Israel
Performer, Deviser, and Composer: Grace Galu
Co-Director and Dramaturg: Talvin Wilks
Multi-Instrumentalist, Producer, and Visual Artist: Yako 440
Composer and Sax/Flute/Fx: Sean Nowell
Drummer, Vocals, and Emcee: Doron Lev
Vocalist and Performer: Jonathan "Duv" Zaragoza
Scenic Design: Nick Benacerraf
Video Projection: Kate Freer
Sound Design: Asa Wember
Lighting Design: Ayumu "Poe" Saegusa
Stage Manager: Alex West
Dramaturgical Support: Peter McCabe
Photo: Les Car