Mlanjeni Magical Theater

Our performance is created to match the age and attention-span of the audience. As in traditional African theater, the staging can change as the performance develops.

THE FATHER/SON TEAM TOGETHER: MLANJENI & MR. Q
If performing at a school or family event:
We begin with a bag and a chair or two..... and space for activity.......the introduction begins...the audience smiles and someone points out that they don't speak the language used in the introduction. We begin again in English. We announce that we are actors and traditional storytellers visiting with a story to tell. We sit... and they laugh for nothing happens yet. We announce that we can't begin until we are greeted and welcomed into the space......with a dance from them!
For young audiences... expect that this space will shrink as the performance brings the group into the actions of dancing, singing, and fun performing as magical assistants and interacting with the puppets.
For older children and family audiences.... expect what we call "the murmur" followed by a collective "OOHH!" for as soon as we begin they realize that they are experiencing something different...Africa's theater!...and then the real fun begins as they begin with a traditional dance and then interact in the presentations with song, dance and activities.

When performing at a festival:
Talking is at a minimum with action being primary as Mlanjeni and son and/or grandson present a series of colorful magical illusions based in eastern traditions including folk music and puppets (hand masks).

MLANJENI OR THE AMAZING MR. Q AS A SOLO EVENT

When performing solo at a school or library:
The introduction will vary depending on the event....but the format is similar... a "call-and-response" song and dance begin the show. The theme of the show is introduced and the storytelling begins.

When performing at an early childhood center:
The introduction to storytelling is presented...only to be interrupted by the puppets with their event or problem of the day...the program continues in a way that's similar to a "live" television sit-com with the children drawn into the actions of the characters. Interaction is encouraged in this style of theater.

Mlanjeni Magical Theater is a family act of three generations, father Mlanjeni Nduma and son, the Amazing Mr. Q and grandson Khat. The theater was started by Mlanjeni after college in 1975. He moved to the Delaware Valley in 1986 touring his "Muungamano-style" theater in schools, libraries, day care centers and museums. Joined by his son, Marquez in the 1990's, father and son perform together and as solo acts throughout the area with grandson helping out as an assistant in the magical performances, and as a balloon artist.

MLANJENI - STORYTELLER. PUPPETEER. VENTRILOQUIST
He has been called "the cultural ambassador of fun!" A traditional storyteller (griot), Mlanjeni Nduma provides insights into Africa with his stories on ancient empires, the colonial era, and hero struggles in modern times. His stories are presented in Africa's traditional theatrical manner which includes folk music, dance, puppets (masks), magic and interactive fun.
A puppeteer and ventriloquist, Mlanjeni is known for his hand puppetry and the novel staging of stories. His ventriloquist puppets are all animals and the interaction between them makes for a hilarious time for children and family audiences.

THE AMAZING MR. Q - SERIOUSLY FUNNY STORYTELLER. COMIC MAGICIAN. PARTY ENTERTAINER
Son Marquez, a/k/a the Amazing Mr. Q is recognized for his unique magic, his visual comedy in performance, and his comic storytelling of Africa's folktales. A master magician in action... his illusions vary from those normally seen in the acts of children's entertainers, and create squeals of delight and amazement from young audiences in schools, libraries and birthday parties. His programs are very interactive! Children delight in the antics of Bow-wow the dog and Zik the rabbit, the Amazing Mr. Q's puppet assistants, as they bumble and stumble their way through the magic.

SOLO AND TEAM PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE
Performance credits include the Philadelphia School District, the Coatesville School District, the Philadelphia Free Library, the Montgomery County Library, the Please Touch Museum, the Atlantic County Library, the African-American Museum of Philadelphia, Children's Hospital Early Head Start, Riverfest, Reading Buddies, and many of the Delaware Valley's private day care centers and private schools.

We have performed in rooms as small as a hospital room with two patients (Children's Hospital of Phila. going room to room with a mini-performance) on up to a 400 seat school auditorium ( a high school performance). We have performed outside and "in-the-round." For large groups of over one hundred, a sound system is required. We can provide our own, but we prefer a tested sound system that may already have the speakers mounted in place for best acoustics. We will bring a keyboard if there is no piano.