THE LAST CELEBRITY Celebrates Black History Month at Luna Stage Tonight

Luna Stage will present The Last Celebrity in celebration of Black History Month 2013 tonight, February 13 at 8pm. The Last Celebrity is an innovative way to celebrate Black History Month and help remind our youth of the importance of documenting their stories. It promises to both excite and educate audiences of all ages while leaving many memorable and magical moments.

The Last Celebrity is a collage of poetry, music and monologue. It is a non-linear look at reg's accidental brush with fame and his journey from obscure street poet to writer of the Tony Award winning musical, Bring in da Noise/Bring in da Funk. This solo performance piece gives a dynamic view of Black History utilizing the vibrant energy of the current Spoken Word scene. reg, who is returning for a fifth year as Artistic Director of New York City's Downtown Urban Theater Festival is planning a series of performances and poetry/theater workshops at high schools, performance spaces and colleges throughout New Jersey.

Reg will be doing "Poetry Theater" - a FREE spoken word workshop for young performers and aspiring artists at 7pm tonight, February 13th. The workshop is for ages 10 and up. There is no fee for the workshop, but interested participants should email info@lunastage.org or call 973-395-5551 to reserve a space. The Last Celebrity will be at Luna Stage Wednesday, February 13th at 8pm.Tickets are only $10 and can be purchased online at www.lunastage.org, by calling the box office at 973.395.5551.

About the Writer - reg e gaines: reg e gaines is a two-time Tony Award and Grammy Award nominee, Bring in da Noise/Bring in da Funk, Heideman Award Finalist, The Beatles Killed Jazz and winner of the 2003 Downtown Urban Theater Festival's Best Play Award, Other Aspects. Directing credits include Underground Voices, Jerry Quickley's, Live from the Front, Regie Cabico's, Straight/Out, Marcella Goheen's, BLAK, Aileen Reyes' Sadico, Brick City Blues, Lesson On The A Train and Other Aspects.

reg has published three volumes of poetry, including The Original Buckwheat, and appears in the anthologies, Aloud: Voices From the Nuyorican Poets Café, The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry, Bum Rush The Page, City Works Literary Magazine and The Paterson Literary Review. This former Nuyorican Poets Café Grand Slam Champ has read his poems on The Arsenio Hall Show, Jon Stewart Show, MTV's Spoken Word Un-Plugged, Woodstock '94, MSNBC's Edgewise and Seasons Four/Five of HBO's Def Poetry. His work as a composer includes the score for Senior Year, a thirteen episode series for PBS.

reg has facilitated his popular "Is Poetry Theater?" workshops during various residencies, including The University of Southern California, Oregon Shakespeare Festivals, Hip-Hop Theater Boot Camp, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Nuyorican Poets Cafe and Voz Alta Project Gallery. reg is returning for his fifth year as Artistic Director of the 2013 New York City Downtown Urban Theater Festival.

Luna Stage was founded in 1992 by Jane Mandel, Artistic Director, and became an Equity Theater in 1995. For 18 years, the company made its home in Montclair, New Jersey, first in a small space on Walnut Street and then moving into a larger facility on Bloomfield Avenue. In the fall of 2010, Luna Stage moved to West Orange and opened its inaugural season at our new home at 555 Valley Road, right in the heart of the Valley Arts District.

Luna Stage has always believEd Strongly in the power of the arts to bring vitality and enrichment to communities. The company is very proud and excited to be part of a dynamic movement of revitalization and community engagement. Our brand new theatre is easily accessible by car or rail from all points in New Jersey and NYC. The facility features a 99-seat black box theatre, a 40-seat Studio Theatre, a rehearsal studio, art gallery and administrative offices, and has been specially designed to meet the needs of Luna Stage and its audiences.

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