The cast and crew of Texarkana-based gospel musical “Itching Ears” will perform for an even bigger stage than earlier shows in the Twin Cities and Shreveport.

Director and writer Danielle Roberson and her company will head to the Urban Theatre & Entertainment Awards held in Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Fla., from July 29 to August 2.

The “Itching Ears” group was selected to represent Texas at the festival, which celebrates African-American theatrical endeavors through workshops, performances and other professional growth opportunities.

Roberson said the Urban Theatre Festival gears more toward the theatrical side, bridging a gap between black Broadway theater and what’s been called the “chitlin’ circuit.” The chitlin’ circuit is where gospel theater and entertainers started in such places as Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and the Carolinas at venues that welcomed African-American performers during times of racial segregation.

From those roots, gospel theater has now found a more mainstream audience, said Roberson, who toured with the gospel production “Issues: We’ve All Got ‘Em,” visiting about 50 cities in a year.

The gospel theater influence can now be found in everything from films to TV sitcoms, and these shows now visit the big markets.

The productions themselves deal with a host of issues both spiritual and social, and stars such as Vanessa Williams, Morris Chestnut and Kim Fields have had roles in those plays, said Roberson.

Roberson said with “Itching Ears” getting exposure at the festival, it can stake a claim for Texarkana as a stop on the smaller circuit for such shows.

The “Itching Ears” cast and crew numbers about 25, 11 of which are performers. Heading to Miami will give the homegrown talent some exposure.

“About 95 percent of my cast and crew is from Texarkana,” said Roberson.

“I just wanted to be able to work with people who had great passion, had a love for it, and they can live out their dreams,” she said.

To get ready, they’ve been rehearsing and fine-tuning the show, which concerns itself with family life and the interrelationships between a pastor and his family, friends and congregation.

They recently ran a show in Shreveport, and the main preparation now is financial.

“We just have to get there. That’s it. We just get there as a production and then take care of ourselves while we’re there and perform. Whether that’s one, two, three, four nights, it just depends on how often it sells out and how often the main people want to see it,” Roberson said.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to gain a lot of exposure,” she said.

Roberson has been working on the show for about a year and a half.

“It’s exciting,” she said, admitting it’s kind of surreal to experience this because she’s been so heavily involved in all aspects of the production.

She said “Itching Ears” was just one of just seven shows picked out of thousands of entries.

Roberson said the show is looking for sponsors or donations for the trip. An account is set up at Capital One bank branches for people who would like to donate (under Perpetual Innovations and “Itching Ears”). People interested can also contact her at 903-908-8592.



(For more information on the Urban Theatre Festival in Miami, check out www.urbantheatrefestival.com. And for info on the production “Itching Ears,” check out www.myspace.com/perpetualinnovations.)