A Total Gullah Experience For Christmas Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish
Story by JULIE HALES Photography by SUSAN DELOACH
The full-stage musical, “Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish” has become a holiday favorite. There is no way one cannot be in the Christmas spirit after watching this performance.
This musical theatre presentation is intended for people of all ages and races who want to catch the holiday spirit. It will be held on Friday, December 6th at 7:00 p.m. at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort’s Performing Arts Center.
The production stars Aunt Pearlie Sue, nationally acclaimed storyteller and her Gullah Kinfolk, a professional singing cast who bring history alive on stage. This musical performance depicts the last Christmas before the Civil War. It’s an historical account of December of 1860 and South Carolina has just seceded from the Union. The War of Freedom is the talk by both servant and master. The audience will get a glimpse into the “Quarters” and “Big House.”
Through soul-stirring, foot-stopping singing and dancing, the audience is drawn into the excitement of the Yuletide season on a South Carolina Sea Island plantation. The show has become very popular with travelers near and far who wish to experience the spirit of the season. People have traveled from as far as London, England to see this performance.
The night will start with a “Taste of Gullah” as the doors open around 6:45pm. There will be tables of food from different Gullah caterers on hand to choose from. The assortment will be anything from chicken to rice dishes to collard greens and gumbo…..along with some mouth-watering pies and cakes…..anything you would find on a Gullah Christmas dinner table.
There will also be a market place where local artisans will be showcasing their wares. Renowned Gullah artists will be exhibiting unique works of art. The market place will feature paintings, jewelry, baskets and other items, all available at special Christmas pricing. If you are looking for that special gift, this is the place to look.
At 8:15pm, the curtains go up and the show begins! See history come alive on stage. Experience the excitement of what was going on at Christmas time on the plantations of the Low Country.
Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Admission is $10 for those aged 7 to 17. Ticket prices include the “ Taste of Gullah” Soul Food Buffet and the “Da’ Market Place” Artists Showcase.
For reservations and information on hotel and meal packages, contact the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce at (843) 986-1102 or www.bcbcc.org or the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce at (843)525-8500 or www.beaufortchamber.org.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Community Circle of Hope Coalition’s Youth Program.
The performance lifts off the holidays in historic downtown Beaufort in conjunction with other annual events, including the popular Night on the Town from 6 to 9 p.m. December 6th, Light up the Night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. December 7th and Beaufort’s annual Christmas parade at 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 8th. For more information on these events, contact www.downtownbeaufort.com.
Meet Aunt Pearlie Sue!
Aunt Pearlie Sue is the creation of Anita Singleton-Prather, a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort, South Carolina. Based on her grandmother, Aunt Pearlie Sue’s character has entertained audiences with Gullah-flavored folktales for over 20 years from the schoolhouse to the White House.
In addition to being a renowned master storyteller, Prather is an educator, historian, business woman, writer, singer, actress and director/producer. She is the founder and artistic director of the musical performance group the Gullah Kinfolk. As a storyteller and singer, Prather has performed at many festivals, the Beaufort Gullah Festival, Penn Heritage Days Festival, Woodlands Festival and Spoleto USA international arts festival in Charleston, SC just to name a few . Her original movie, My Man Done Wrong, has been a part of the film festival circuit to include the Jamerican Film Festival in Kingston, Jamaica; Black Hollywood and San Francisco Film Festivals in California. She has appeared in the Hollywood film Forrest Gump and also on television Food Network Channel Holiday special, Christmas Across America, hosted by Rachel Ray.
In addition to her participation in many SCETV educational documentaries, Prather’s one-woman show, Tales from the Land of Gullah, has been broadcast on PBS nationwide and is also the title of her award-winning DVD and a traveling museum exhibit created around her animated character. This exhibit originated at the Children’s Museum of Houston, Texas in 2007 and has toured for three years throughout the United States and Canada in the top nine children’s museum. It was estimated that at least a million young people were introduced to the Gullah culture through this interactive exhibit. She is also co-producer, writer and featured storyteller on three Gullah CD’s and six DVD’s. She has partnered with South Carolina Educational Television to
create an interactive website on their children’s Knowitall.org/gullahnet that also features her animated character.
Prather, a mother of 3 and grandmother of 7, is also the curriculum coordinator for the Education of Gullah Culture through the Arts in the Beaufort County School District. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University and a master’s + 30 degree in education from the University of South Carolina. She is a member of New Covenant Fellowship International Ministries of Beaufort where she has been ordained as a licensed minister of the Gospel. She serves as worship leader and trustee board member.
Through her Gullah heritage, Prather continues to be a “keeper of the culture,” creatively entertaining and educating audiences around the world of all ages and nationalities about the rich unique African experience in America.
