Join us at Common OBJECTS this weekend for two shows!
Saturday, July 26th, at 7pm
Sunday, July 27th, at 3pm
BLACK TO MY ROOTS: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart is a full length performance exploring the cultural significance of African American and African heritage through stories that center on the personal, social, and political meaning of Black women’s hair.
HAIR’S BREATH is an electrifying, intimate performance that explores the profound connection between Black women and their hair. Through soulful music and powerful storytelling, Adra Boo and Blake Madden will take you on a journey that delves into the social, political, and personal significance of Black women’s hair—an emblem of beauty, pride, and identity.
What to Expect:
Live performances by Adra Boo (soul singer & community leader) and Blake Madden (multi-instrumentalist & composer)
A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process of this evolving project
A chance to be part of the journey as the show prepares for the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
This isn’t just a performance; it’s a celebration of culture, identity, and the art of Black women’s hair. Whether you’re drawn to powerful music, storytelling, or simply want to experience an incredible cultural exploration, this is the event for you!
This two-hour gathering invites Kenyan, African, and Black women to come together in a warm, intentional space to reflect, create, and share stories rooted in identity, memory, and lived experience.
This event builds on the impact of the June 1 staged reading and talkback of MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI, where women spoke openly about personal and collective experiences around beauty, loss, joy, hair, migration, and resistance. The upcoming lounge continues this tradition of community-centered storytelling, honoring what we carry, what we’ve survived, and what we’re reclaiming.
Participants are invited to bring a personal expression—a poem, drawing, photo, memory, object, or journal entry—to share with others. The workshop will feature themed creative stations and guided prompts on topics such as:
The impact of the school system on self-image
Trauma and Hair
Religious and cultural pressure around hair and beauty
Family expectations, generational trauma, and texturism
Migration, assimilation, and identity shifts in the diaspora
Colonialism, misogyny, and resistance through self-expression
The space will also include a community collage table, a “Dear Younger Me” letter station, and an open reflection circle where participants may share stories if they choose.
This is a non-performance space—participants are encouraged to come as they are. This is not just a workshop. It’s a remembering. We’re creating space to reflect on how we became who we are—and how our stories shape the next woman who walks through the door.
This is a time for Black women to gather and share their hair stories. Childhood hairdos, a style that marks your adolescence, the time you were allowed to make your own hair choices. What hairstyle helped you on your self-love journey?
Come and share in community, and choose one story to share with the world and we’ll include your story on The BTMR Project’s social media.
BLACK TO MY ROOTS: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart is co-written by Kathya Alexander and Reneschia Brown
In honor of its 25th anniversary, this award-winning play returns with a bold new production directed by Tyrone Brown. Join us for a powerful evening of storytelling that explores identity, resilience, and cultural legacy through the lens of Black women’s hair.
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM (doors at 6:30 PM) Location: Rainier Arts Center, 3515 S Alaska St, Seattle, WA
When the Moment Comes is a powerful play about resilience, faith, and justice.
Touring from Anchorage, AK, DramaforaChange presents this moving production at the Rainier Arts Center, June 19-21, 2025.
Directed by Tamara Rothman the play tells the true story of Ruhi Jahanpour, an Iranian Bahá’í woman imprisoned for her beliefs after the 1979 revolution. Her journey, alongside ten cellmates executed in 1983, highlights the intersection of gender equality, religious freedom, and human rights.
Part of the global #OurStoryIsOne campaign, it honors those fighting for justice worldwide. Don’t miss this poignant reflection on courage in the face of adversity.
Join us for an informal pre-show reception, one hour before each performance, to view a display outlining the personal history of each of the imprisoned martyrs and connect with community members. Each performance will be followed by a Q&A led by Ruhi Jahanpour.
Join us on June 1st (Madaraka Day)* for MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI – a Swahili/Sheng adaptation of the award-winning play Black To My Roots: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart, originally written by Kathya Alexander and Reneschia Brown.
Translated by Nairobi-born playwright and producer Muso Simekha, MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI draws striking parallels between Black hair stories in the United States and in Kenya. These connections across the diaspora hold special significance for Muso, who uses Sheng—a dynamic blend of Swahili, English, and other Kenyan languages—to reflect the cultural and linguistic resonance of the African American Vernacular English (AAVE) used in the original script.
Both Sheng and AAVE are vibrant vernacular languages born from marginalized communities, and in this production, they become vehicles for preserving culture, healing colonial trauma, and celebrating the reinvention of identity. Through this lens, the adaptation not only amplifies the lived experiences of Black women, but also fosters a deeper understanding of the connection between African-American and African hair stories.
Tickets are donation-based (pay what you can), a model designed to ensure the event is as accessible to the community as possible, thanks to the generous support of Inspiration Lab.
*Madaraka Day commemorates the moment Kenya attained internal self-rule, marking a critical step toward full independence from British colonial rule. This adds layers of meaning to the staged reading, as it speaks directly to resistance and reclamation at the heart of the play.
Doors Open at 2 pm, Show Starts at 3pm. See you there!
Performance alert! HAIR’S BREATH: Music Inspired by Black Women and Their Hair
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM (Doors Open at 4:00 PM)
Venue: The Rabbit Box, 94 Pike St, Seattle, WA (Pike Place Market)
HAIR’S BREATH is coming to Seattle, and you won’t want to miss it!
Join us for a special preview of this incredible performance by two of Seattle’s most exciting artists, Adra Boo and Blake Madden. This powerful evening of music, storytelling, and live performance explores the cultural significance of Black women’s hair—an emblem of beauty, identity, and pride.
The event will offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creative process of this work-in-progress, delving into the social, personal, and political layers of Black women’s hair. This is more than just a performance; it’s a celebration of culture, identity, and art.
What to expect:
Live performances by Adra Boo (soul singer & community leader) and Blake Madden (multi-instrumentalist & composer)
A chance to be part of the creative journey as this project evolves ahead of its debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Intimate, electrifying experience at one of Seattle’s hidden gems, The Rabbit Box
Get your tickets now! Link in bio!
$20 Advance | $25 At The Door
All Ages Welcome (Under 21 welcome until 10:00 PM)
Looking forward spending an afternoon at Auntmama’s Stage3 in Kingston, WA this weekend – Sunday, March 2nd!
Join the cast of Black To My Roots for a Staged Reading of the Award-Winning play as we gear up to take the production back to Scotland this summer for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! We’ll also be hearing a selection from MWEUSI MPAKA MIZIZI, the Swahili translation of the work, by Muso Simekha.
It’s a journey, a conversation, and a celebration all in one. “BLACK TO MY ROOTS: African American Tales from the Head and the Heart, co-written by Kathya Alexander and Reneschia Brown, tells the story of Black women’s hair and how it affects self-esteem, social interactions, and career status.
FREE, but please RSVP (location details via Eventbrite RSVP, link below)
Head over to the performances page to check out pics and links from recent shows! Be sure to check back for upcoming opportunities to see us perform live and see what we’re up to!
HAIR’S BREATH: Music Inspired by Black Women and Their Hair 
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM (Doors Open at 4:00 PM)
Venue: The Rabbit Box, 94 Pike St, Seattle, WA (Pike Place Market)
Get your tickets now! Link in bio!
Tickets available at: 
