03/2013
to
07/2013
Talent
City Theatre –
Pittsburgh
Talent, Ida B. Wells Play with five part part harmony acapella negro spirituals in Constant Star written and produced by opera director Tazewell Thompson with musical director Thomas Douglas.
10/2012
to
02/2013
Strategic Planner
Friends of l'Hopital Albert Schweitzer - Dechapelles
Developed strategic plan for three years with new analytics tools to allow senior management of Friends to understand the health and future of their organization.
06/2010
to
Current
Visiting Teaching Artist
global posse productions, inc –
Pittsburgh Washington,
PA District of Columbia
Development of feature length documentary film, African Soccer Hero about the death of the Zambia national soccer team in Gabon in 1993 and the dramatic journey of former survivor and captain Kalusha Bwalya in an emotional comeback to bring a new young team to win the Africa Cup in 2012. Screen adaptation of short story by Senegalese novelist Mariama Ba's So Long a Letter. Rights pending. Producer, Camera, Talent, Musical Arrangement MFA thesis 45" experimental film, Auto-ethnographic Eye and I, shot in the Petrified forest, Arizona exploring identity, body, space and time. Booking and Promotion for artist and band Sitali which included brand development. 3rd Annual African Arts in the Park, Preproduction, Scheduling and Rehearsals, Booking Vendors and Artists, Post production Strike and Reports. Journey of the Actor, Journey of the Self from Concept and direction culminating in a one day performance festival.
05/2010
to
01/2012
Agent and Tour Manager
Chen Lo and the Liberation Family –
Brooklyn,
New York
Agent and Manager for hip-hop band negotiating terms for national and international engagements which included a State Department funded program, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Rhythm Road Tour of North Africa and the Middle East. Featured on CBS Sunday Morning, July 4, 2010 and Indepth, AlJazeera.
10/2009
to
03/2011
Strategic Planner
African American Music Institute –
Pittsburgh,
PA
Capacity Building for mid-sized community based arts organization.
01/2009
to
03/2011
Producer, Writer, Director, Music Director
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/ Duquesne University –
Pittsburgh,
PA
Created webisodes of Diversity Lens, as analytics tool for a social policy research initiative. Screened at the Annual African Studies Association (ASA) conference in San Francisco in 2010.
06/2005
to
08/2005
Music Director, Talent, Helen Daniels
Quantum Theatre –
Pittsburgh,
PA
In Association with Actors Equity, US Premiere of Sir Anthony Sher's play I.D. about the assassination of Apartheid Prime Minister Verwoed directed by Karla Boos.
01/2005
to
03/2005
Talent
Carnegie Mellon University, Chosky Theatre –
Pittsburgh,
PA
Talent, Dell In association with Actors Equity in Kia Corthron's groundbreaking play Slide Glide the Slippery Slope about genetic cloning directed by Mladen Kiselov.
06/2003
to
07/2003
Rasabox acting method of emotional theatre directed by Richard Schechner
New York University –
New York,
NY
New York, NY Talent, East Coast Artists Rasabox acting method of emotional theatre directed by Richard Schechner.
10/2002
to
10/2002
Screenwriter
SACOD, Southern African Communications for Development –
Johannesburg Cape Town
Johannesburg, South Africa Delegate. Screenplay Wade in the Water/Kuomboka workshop produced with mentors actor and director Vondie Curtis Hall (Gridlock'd) and screenwriter Shawn Slovo (A World Apart) in ten-day script development workshop.
11/2001
to
11/2001
Screenwriter of full-length feature film, Wade
Sitengi, Southern African Film and Television Market –
Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa Pitching Finalist Screenwriter of full-length feature film, Wade in the Water pitched to executives from major Hollywood studios, European film funds, film commissions and delegates.
03/1999
to
03/2000
Director, Producer
Pittsburgh City Theatre –
Pittsburgh,
PA
Double bill of The Island ( Fugard, Kani, Ntshona) and And the Girls in their Sunday Dresses (Zakes Mda) in association with Actors Equity, Samuels French and DALRO (South Africa). Voted Best of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Post Gazette
09/1996
to
09/1997
Journalist
Ecrans d'Afrique/African Screen Journal –
Milan
Assignments to International Film Festival Toronto, Vue d'Afrique, Montreal, New York African Film Festival at the Lincoln Center, New York Africa Diaspora Film Festival and Pan African Film Festival (FESPACO), Ouagadougou.
05/1996
to
08/1996
Associate Producer
Blair Productions, Inc –
Washington,
District of Columbia
16mm 30' dramatic film Eyes for Love as partial fulfillment of MA in Film Production.
01/1995
to
01/1996
Associate Producer
Thirteen/WNET Educational Services –
New York,
New York
26' documentary film Girls in the Middle in association with America Association of University Women, Research for Action broadcast on PBS and CPB affiliates nationally.
01/1994
to
08/1995
Writer, Director, Producer, Editor
Weed and Seed –
Richmond,
VA
One act play and documentary video Innacity as part of the federally funded Weed and Seed Community revitalization program. Five part radio drama series Choices addressing teen pregnancy in Namibia. Weekly broadcast with panel discussion and caller phone line.
07/1993
to
12/1993
Assistant Director/Producer
Namibia/Movie Makers, PTY, Ltd
Regional advertising campaign in the banking sector to produce music driven 26' commercial and promotional products for youth called Bank Windhoek Solo.
02/1993
to
02/1993
Producer, Moderator
Voice of America –
Washington,
District of Columbia
International teleconference from Windhoek Namibia in Association with the King Center for Non-Violence, Atlanta with Yolanda King discussing The policy of national reconciliation and the civil rights movement in southern Africa and the US.
10/1992
to
10/1992
Black, Blanc, Beur Contemporary Dance Company –
Paris
Paris, France Producer Tour of Windhoek Namibia with Contrepied.
01/1991
to
12/1991
Assistant to Producer
National Public Radio/World Music Productions, Inc –
Washington,
District of Columbia
Afro-Pop, a 52 part African contemporary music series for CPB affiliates.
01/1990
to
12/1990
Piccadilly Theatre –
London
London, UK Talent, Lily King, the Musical about the life of Civil Rights leader in supporting role to opera stars Simon Estes, Cynthia Hayman, Barrington Coleman and Directed by Clarke Peters, Book Richard Blackman and Liberetti and Maya Angelou.
06/1986
to
10/1987
Lead in The Crossing
Universal/ Marble Arch Productions –
Shepperton London
Shepperton, UK Talent, Tenjy Supporting role to Denzel Washington, Penelope Wilton and Kevin Kline in Oscar nominated film Cry Freedom about the friendship between Steve Biko and Donald Woods set against the backdrop of Apartheid South Africa directed by 09/1987 Handmade Films - London, UK Talent, Julie Romantic comedy Nuns on the Run in supporting role to Eric Idle, Robbie Coltrane and Janet Suzman and directed by Adrian Lynn and produced by George Harrison. drama about young freedom fighter in resistance movement across south African border directed by Faith Isiak-Pere.
03/1986
to
06/1987
Talent, Jazz Singer
Barbican Centre –
London
Soloist in Mass directed by Leonard Bernstein, Bill Bryden and conducted by John Mauceri.
2009
Master of Fine Arts:
E-Merging Media
Chatham University -
Pittsburgh,
PA
2009 Chatham University - Pittsburgh, PA, USA Master of Fine Arts (MFA): Film and Digital Technology Thesis: Cultural Citizenry and African Cinema (s). Focus: E-Merging Media, Media Contexts, Screenwriting, Advanced Digital Video Production, Media Theory, Visual Effects and Animation Modes, Web Design, Sound Recording and Editing. Thesis film, Wade in the Water/Kuomboka.
2005
Master of Arts:
East Coast Artists, Critical Race Theory
Tisch School of the Arts, New York University -
New York,
New York
2005 Tisch School of the Arts, New York University - New York, New York, USA Master of Arts (MA): Performance Studies Thesis: Hybridization of Genres. Focus: East Coast Artists, Critical Race Theory,
film
Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics -
Women and Performance, Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics. Thesis film, Digital Diary # 1.
1998
Master of Arts:
Broadcast
American University -
Washington,
District of Columbia
1998 American University - Washington, District of Columbia, USA Master of Arts (MA): Producing Film and Video Thesis: Earthwatch, proposal for weekly magazine show exploring issues of how humans are affected by environmental change. Focus: Broadcast Operations and Management, Introduction to Multimedia, Media Law, Writing for Visual Media, Financing and Marketing Independent Productions, Production Planning and Management, Dramatic Production, Producing Film and Video.
1986
Associate of Arts:
Guildhall School of Music and Drama London -
1986 Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, UK Associate of Arts: Acting
Keyan Tomaselli Center for Media and Cultural Studies -
Three year associates degree in Acting for Radio, Stage, Screen, Theatre in Education, Tap, Jazz, Voice and Speech, Musical Theatre, Combat and Tumbling, Movement, Touring, Stage Management, and Music Theory. Testimonials Wabei was without a doubt one of the most original and talented students I encountered. It is clear that her interest as a writer and producer have developed as much as her acting, and she cannot fail to make a major contribution wherever she goes. Tony Church, Honorary Associate Artist, Royal Shakespeare Company, London Thank God for Wabei! She not only cast the movie brilliantly, but also turned the kids into polished hoofer's in just a few weeks. Her choreography looked spectacular because she has such an intimate knowledge of the film process and what looks good on camera. Oh, by the way, she also found time to wardrobe and prop the entire picture. The end result wowed everybody. Michael MacCarthy, Managing Director, Movie Makers International (PTY), Ltd. Cape Town Wabei directed the project through every stage of production. The radio series ran for five weeks and was very successful judging from the unusually high number of phone calls of teenagers participating. Local newspaper reviews acclaimed it. Teenagers and parents asked for more. I have a great deal of respect for Wabei. She is an exceptional person, imbued with a passionate zeal for media and arts, honest, and hardworking. Hilifa Mbako, Head Radio Services, Namibian Broadcasting Corporation Wabei knows current developments in broadcasting and media and sees the world from a unique lens and her pursuit of seeking authentic representations of culture will contribute to the scholarship of African artistic forms. She asked pertinent questions and is a dynamic speaker and performer with a clear idea of the role culture and politics plays in media representations. Keyan Tomaselli Center for Media and Cultural Studies,
Ministry of Education and Culture
University of Natal -
Durban
University of Natal, Durban Her ability to encourage widespread participation in cultural events impressed me tremendously. She has her finger firmly on the pulse of artistic developments in Africa and has the content to share her vision of cultural empowerment. R L Hofmyr, Director of Arts, Ministry of Education and Culture, Windhoek Through her diplomatic upbringing Wabei is an international girl with international interests. She is extremely well informed, so that, coupled with her buoyant and outgoing nature, there has developed a deep interest in, and concern for, the lot of mankind. Adrian Underwood, Moira House School, Eastbourne Her range of talents as an artist and a scholar has continually impressed me. I wish her every opportunity to expand and grow. Ronald Allan Lindblom,
Conservatory of Performing Arts, Point Park University -
Conservatory of Performing Arts, Point Park University, Pittsburgh