FSCJ Hosts Student-Driven Production of “Emancipation Majigeen”

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) is hosting the student-driven production of “Emancipation Majigeen,” inspired by “Majigeen,” an original musical drama written by FSCJ Professor Jennifer Chase in 1998 while a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar in Dakar, Senegal.

In 1806, Anta Majigeen Njaay was stolen from her village in Senegal at the age of 13 and taken to Cuba to be sold into slavery. She was purchased by wealthy plantation owner, Zephaniah Kingsley, who quickly married her and changed her name to Anna Kingsley.

On March 4, 1811, Zephaniah emancipated Anna and she began to run the family plantation, defending it against Georgian rebel soldiers, winning her a medal of honor and land grant from the Spanish Governor.

207 years after Anna’s emancipation, her story is being emancipated into the world. In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2018 – 20 years after the inception of “Majigeen” – “Emancipation Majigeen” will premiere this story of identity, courage, perseverance and truth. The production is led by a student-driven cast and crew and professional team, including Jennifer Chase, Christa Sylla, choreographer, Stephanie Natale Frus, director, Akia Uwanda and Philip Pan, music co-directors, and Padrica Mendez, costume designer.

WHEN: March 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16, 2018, 8 p.m. *Doors open at 7:30 p.m. There is also one matinee performance scheduled for March 15, 2018 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: FSCJ Kent Campus, Auditorium, F128
3939 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville, Florida 32205

Tickets are available for purchase at fscjartistseries.org/shows-tickets/majigeen. Prices are $25 for adults, $15 for FSCJ students and employees and $10 for children 12 and under. For the Matinee performance only, tickets for students in K-12 are $10.

About FSCJ

Known as “the community’s college,” Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) exists to provide valuable, high quality learning opportunities to anyone with the desire to enhance themselves through the pursuit of higher education. Serving more than 50,000 students and awarding more than 7,800 degrees and certificates on an annual basis, the College plays a significant role in supplying the region’s employers with a highly skilled, educated workforce.