The Ohio Northern University Freed Center for the Performing Arts presents “Raisin’ Cane,” featuring award-winning actress, singer and dancer Jasmine Guy, on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.
With Guy and the acclaimed Avery Sharpe Trio, “Raisin’ Cane” celebrates and honors the legendary voices of the Harlem Renaissance through text, song, music, movement and imagery. “Raisin’ Cane” was written and conceived by Harry Clark.
Guy has enjoyed a diverse career in television, theater and film. She began her professional career at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. Guy starred on Broadway in the original productions of “Beehive” and “Leader of the Pack,” and she reprised hit productions of “Grease,” “The Wiz” and “Chicago” (as Velma Kelly). After years on Broadway and touring the globe, Jasmine landed the role of Whitley Gilbert on “The Cosby Show” spinoff “A Different World.” She won six consecutive NAACP Image Awards for her portrayal of the pretentious but funny southern belle.
Guy’s most recent role as Grams on the popular series “The Vampire Diaries” can be seen on the CW Network. She has starred in or directed many productions, including “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf,” “Miss Evers’ Boys,” “Blues for an Alabama Sky,” “The Colored Museum,” “The Fourposter,” “The Nacirema Society,” “Broke-ology,” “Fool For Love” and, most recently, “God of Carnage” at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, where she also directed the world premiere of the opera “I Dream,” celebrating the life and journey of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1991, she released her self-titled album on Warner Bros. Records, featuring the hit single “Try Me,” which was produced by Full Force and featured Xcape with Candy Burgess. The song quickly shot up the R&B charts to Gold status and fueled the success of the album’s second and third chart singles “Another Like My Lover” and “I Just Wanna Hold You.”
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $8 for children. Tickets are $10 for ONU faculty and staff and $8 for ONU students. The Freed Center box office is open Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Phone orders are accepted with American Express, MasterCard, VISA or Discover by calling 419-772-1900. Tickets also are available online at www.freedcenter.com
