A Soulful Christmas

The Ensemble Theatre Kicks off Encore Run of Holiday Musical

Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas

HOUSTON (2015) –- The Ensemble Theatre kicks off the encore run of the holiday musical, Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas.

This African American tale, directed and choreographed by Patdro Harris with musical direction by Carlton Leake, is the story of two children, Destiny and Julius, who are taken on a musical journey one magical Christmas Eve. They soon discover the rich history within the music, dance, and culture of the holidays. They go back in time and enjoy a variety of favorite Soulful Christmas tunes, performed in the style of the artists that made them famous including: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – Michael Jackson, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" - Mahalia Jackson, "This Christmas" - Donny Hathaway, "Silent Night" - The Temptations, and more!

“The adventures of Destiny and Julius in this story are based on the vivid childhood imagination of me and my sister,” says Stewart. “We often dreamed of holiday magic, but never realized the magic was in the music, the smell of the food, the winter weather, the rush of Christmas shoppers, and a good old classic Christmas TV special like ...Charlie Brown.”

Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas is a musical concert with selections written, performed, and published by various artists. The show is adapted by Patdro Harris with original music by Carlton Leake.

Cast members include: Jamie Burnett, Andrew Carson, JoAnne Davis-Jones, Daron Gilmore, Ron Johnson, Tye Locket, Jayla McDonald, Andre’ Neal, Delsondro Sims II, Trenton Sutton, An’Gelle Sylvester, Roenia Thompson, Constance Washington, and Enjolee Williams.

Understudies include: Jhory Buskey, Tabitha Clay, Sam Harvey, Caitlin Kennerson, and Aaron Phillips.

Stepp Stewart is a Broadway artist and the founder & CEO of Dynamite Productions. He’s made recurring appearances as the physical trainer and dance instructor for the Dr. Oz Show.

(L - R) Carlton Leake (Musical Director), Stepp Stewart (Playwright) and Patdro Harris (Director and Choreographer). A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of Patdro Harris Facebook page. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Carlton Leake (Musical Director) and Patdro Harris (Director and Choreographer) are currently working on GOLDEN FRUIT starring TC CARSON as the Pied Piper showing December, 2015 in Memphis, TN. Photo courtesy of CDL Entertainment Twitter page.

(L - R) Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris, Managing Editor Theresa Pisula and Playwright Stepp Stewart. A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo by T. Pisula/SC. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Show Runs: November 19 – December 30, 2015

Performance Days and Times:

Thursdays: 7:30 p.m;

Fridays: 8:00 p.m;

Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m; and

Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

Tickets Available Online: www.EnsembleHouston.com

For Information Call: 713-520-0055

Ticket Prices: $28 - $61

The Ensemble Theatre's 2015-2016 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. United Airlines is the official airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre. Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas is generously underwritten by Shell.

The Ensemble is one of a few professional theatres in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it holds the distinction of being one of the nation’s largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble’s $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre has fulfilled and surpassed the vision of its founder and continues to expand and create innovative programs to bring African American theatre to myriad audiences.

The Ensemble Theatre Welcomes the Holiday Season with Encore Run of
Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas

Who/What: The Ensemble Theatre kicks off its holiday season with an encore run of the musical, Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas, Directed and Choreographed by Patdro Harris with musical direction by Carlton Leake.

This African American tale is the story of two children who are taken on a musical journey one magical Christmas Eve. They soon discover the rich history within the music, dance, and culture of the holidays. They go back in time and enjoy a variety of favorite Soulful Christmas tunes from the 1920’s to present day, performed in the style of the artist that made them famous including: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Michael Jackson, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" - Mahalia Jackson, "This Christmas" - Donny Hathaway, "Silent Night" - The Temptations, and more!

Stepp Stewart’s A Soulful Christmas is a musical concert with selections written, performed, and published by various artists. The show is adapted by Patdro Harris with additional music by Carlton Leake.

Cast members include: Jamie Burnett, Andrew Carson, JoAnne Davis-Jones, Daron Gilmore, Ron Johnson, Tye Locket, Jayla McDonald, Andre’ Neal, Delsondro Sims II, Trenton Sutton, An’Gelle Sylvester, Roenia Thompson, Constance Washington, and Enjolee Williams.

Understudies include: Jhory Buskey, Tabitha Clay, Sam Harvey, Caitlin Kennerson, and Aaron Phillips.

A Trio of Santa's beautiful songstress ready to entertain throughout the season. A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS written by Stepp Stewart is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

When: Previews: Saturday, November 14, 2015: 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 15, 2015: 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015: 7:30 p.m.

Show Run: November 19 – December 30, 2015

Thursdays: 7:30 p.m.

Fridays: 8:00 p.m.

Saturdays: 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Sundays: 3:00 p.m.

Where: The Ensemble Theatre

3535 Main St.

Houston, TX 77002

713-520-0055

www.EnsembleHouston.com

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. Thirty-nine years later, the theatre has evolved from a touring company operating from the trunk of Mr. Hawkins’ car to being one of Houston’s finest historical cultural institutions. The Ensemble is one of a few professional theatres in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. The oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it holds the distinction of being one of the nation’s largest African American theatres owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble’s $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997. The Ensemble Theatre has fulfilled and surpassed the vision of its founder and continues to expand and create innovative programs to bring African American theatre to myriad audiences.

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A GIFT OF SONG

Interview with Enjolee Williams starring in A Soulful Christmas at the Ensemble Theatre

By Theresa Pisula
Theresa@HoustonTheatre.com
November 19, 2015

It’s almost Thanksgiving and the Ensemble Theatre kicked off the Holiday Season with a festive celebration of love, heartfelt and Soulful Christmas songs with expertly choreographed dance. But before I begin, I must pay tribute to all the Service men and women all over the world who are fighting for our freedom.

In Your Honor

Un-selfishly you left your fathers and your mothers,

You left behind your sisters and your brothers.
Leaving your beloved children and wives,

You put on hold, your dreams-your lives.
On foreign soil, you found yourself planted

To fight for those whose freedom you granted.
Without your sacrifice, their cause would be lost

But you carried onward, no matter the cost.

Many horrors you had endured and seen.

Many faces had haunted your dreams.
You cheered as your enemies littered the ground;

You cried as your brothers fell all around.

When it was over, you all came back home,

Some were left with memories to face all alone
Some found themselves in the company of friends

As their crosses cast shadows across the land.

Those who survived were forever scarred

Emotionally, physically, permanently marred.
Those who did not now sleep eternally

'Neath the ground they had given their lives to keep free.

With a hand upon my heart, I feel the pride and respect; my reverence is revealed
In the tears that now stream down my upturned face

As our flag waves above you, in her glory and grace.
Freedom was the gift that you unselfishly gave

Pain and death was the price that you ultimately paid.
Every day, I give my utmost admiration

To those who had fought to defend our nation.

~ Author Unknown ~

Enjolee Williams is one of those who dedicated herself to save our country. After college, Enjolee joined the U. S. Army. While in training, her sergeant overheard her singing and signed her up for Army Entertainment. She was soon accepted for a year-long world tour assignment where she had the honor of entertaining her fellow troops in a musical review. Throughout her journey she has always been fascinated with Musical Theater but never considered it as her calling until now. The Ensemble Theatre’s production of A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS will be her first civilian stage production: the first of many to come!

ENJOLEE WILLIAMS. A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of Enjolee Williams Facebook page. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Theresa: Hi Enjolee! I overheard you say you’re going to be recording…..

Enjolee: We are going to be recording some tracks for tonight’s show just as a little backing track a little bit. We do a lot of dancing so sometimes so…….

Theresa: You’re on live singing and dancing onstage so you need some vocal backup support….

Enjolee: Yes

Theresa: Like Beyonce and Mariah……..we’re on a first name basis here.

Enjolee: (Laughs) the majority of it is live but all the dancing that we do, all the breathing and everything…..

Theresa: This Christmas show was shown last year but I wasn’t able to see it because it sold out!

Enjolee: I was actually on tour with Army Entertainment last year but I heard about this production through friends of mine who are actually in the production this year. I was excited that I even got accepted and made the show. You’re gonna love it!

Theresa: Are you from Houston?

Enjolee: Not originally but I’ve been here since I was a young girl. I was originally born in New Orleans, Louisiana and I moved here when I was 13 or 14. I’m basically a Houstonian now. I just can’t say it too loudly because my family’s gonna be like, “Oh yeah, you’re from Houston now huh!?!

Theresa: (laughs) are they coming?

Enjolee: Oh yeah, even last night I had about 7 or 8 people here. And there’s more coming tonight

Theresa: Wow, you have a lot of family support.

Enjolee: More are coming through the show’s run because they’re coming in from New Orleans and are a little bit late for tonight’s show. But they plan on coming at least 4 or 5 times. I have a huge family.

Theresa: ….well New Orleans is just a quick drive to Houston….

Enjolee: Right. Oh yeah. They’ll come down and support me anytime.

Theresa: What is Army Entertainment?

Enjolee: I had never even heard of Army Entertainment before I joined the Army. I learned about it once I was actually in it. Now, I have heard of USO and a lot of people know about it. Have you ever seen big celebrities go and entertain the troops? Most of the time it funnels through USO, there’s also MWR which is Military Welfare and Recreation. There’s EMCOM also and underneath that is Army Entertainment. I was introduced to it because of my Sergeant while I was cleaning up and the rest is history.

Theresa: How old were you when you joined the army?

Enjolee: Twenty-six. I was a spring chicken. That was many years ago.

Theresa: You don’t look an age over twenty-five.

Enjolee: I appreciate you (laughs). And I’ll take you to dinner later.

Theresa: How long have you been in the army?

Enjolee: I’ve been in for six years.

Theresa: Are you going back?

Enjolee: That’s still on the table. That is still a question for the next year. I may re-enlist and make it in Korea. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Theresa: Did you travel to other countries?

Enjolee: I’ve been to Japan, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Germany…..I’ve been to Alaska.

Theresa: What did you do in the Army?

Enjolee: I enlisted as a 15G which is an Aircraft Structural Mechanic. But as there are basketball teams for the army. There is a football team, there’s wrestling, there’s track. There are all sorts of different things that people doesn’t even really know exist in the army. As in Army Entertainment, it’s one of those things that you only know about if you’re in the Army. You know what I mean?

There are people who have been in the Army for 25 to 30 years and have never heard of Army Entertainment. It’s a blessing that I even was approached with this opportunity.

Theresa: So you had to be approached with the opportunity…..

Enjolee: I didn’t know! I had no idea. I was cleaning up and scrubbing the barracks. It’s a regular thing for soldiers, right? So while I was doing that, I always sang. I ALWAYS SING. I got the attention of the Sargent on Duty. “You know what soldier? You should sign up for Army Entertainment. I’m even gonna do your paperwork!” And he did. The next day I got a plane ticket going to Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

Theresa: You have the kind of talent, your singing ability that can’t be hidden. And then what happened?

Enjolee: That was the headquarters for Army Entertainment at the time. We rehearsed the show for maybe a month or so. And then we immediately get on the road. So we travelled to the different bases all over the United States. It depends on the schedule. We travelled in the States first and then overseas. It’s a worldwide tour.

Theresa: Did you sing and dance also?

Enjolee: All the time. Oh yeah. That was my first time. I had never experienced such a thing.

Theresa: So we have to give credit to your Sargent.

Enjolee: (laughs) Sargent Jerod Broten. He doesn’t even know how much he changed my life….

Theresa: (Laughs)

Enjolee: He got a promotion so he is Sargent first class.

A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of David Vu. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Theresa: What did you all perform? Were they musicals like this one?

Enjolee: I would call it a musical revue. It has to be family friendly because we’re performing for soldiers and our leadership. I even performed at the American Legion in Minneapolis and President Obama was there. So it’s been a very…..just an awesome experience.

Theresa: Rewarding….

Enjolee: and enriching experience. Yeah, like the current songs we revue the current songs. They have to change the words to make it family friendly and entertaining show. Because a lot of places where bases are, there’s nothing else to do. So we entertain ourselves. For the soldier, by the soldier.

Theresa: Wow, you just blew me away. Tell us about the part that you play in A Soulful Christmas.

Enjolee: I play a few characters. Well, we all do. We all kind of go in and out of different characters besides maybe the main family. I play a 1940s character. I play a ‘90s character which I really love. You’re gonna love that. And maybe a current one from 2015. Oh, I play an eighties character as well.

Theresa: (Laughs) I think of 90s as current. Thanks for reminding me that I’m too old for that current stuff now.

Enjolee: (Laughs)

Theresa: So you all perform Christmas songs from a different era. Each decade through the years from the 1940s to the current time…..

Enjolee: Well, I’m not sure if I…..I’m not supposed to tell you. That’s a secret…

Theresa: No, no, no. You can tell me because I’m telling the whole world they need to come see you.

Enjolee: Okay. Well, let’s say a Christmas story over time. It just shows the growth of our music and our culture over the decades. It’s just a really sweet story.

Theresa: You can tell me. Are you playing a specific songstress like Mahalia Jackson? Or……

Enjolee: Some are. (Shakes her head) I don’t want to let it go….I want you to see it.

Theresa: (Laughs) alright. Can you tell me the songs you’re singing?

Enjolee: Can I? I don’t know! My producer and my director Patdro Harris……well, okay you can look for me for Don’t Mean a Thing, Ella Fitzgerald. The 90s character I love: Sleigh Ride. I play T-Boz in TLC.

Theresa: OMG, I love TLC! Especially T-Boz. But I love Left Eye better. In my book, the rapper’s always better. That’s exciting! So basically, it takes us through time…..

Enjolee: You’re going to see the pattern, the changes in our music and dance.

A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com

Theresa: How is it like working with Patdro Harris, the director?

Enjolee: He is intense! And I love it! He’s the director but he’s also a teacher and a mentor. You can’t ask for a better director, you really can’t.

Theresa: Who are your most favorite artists?

Enjolee: I like Angela Bassett. Brandy is actually doing things on Broadway and everything. I’m really looking to her because of my experience in musical theatre.

Theresa: Who inspired you to sing? First of all, you’ve been singing since you were a young girl.

Enjolee: My whole family sings so it’s something that has always been around me. My mother Connie Williams, my uncle, they belonged to groups when they were younger.

Theresa: What’s your uncle’s name?

Enjolee: Oh yeah, my uncles…all of them. Now there’s 9 children….

Theresa: On your mother’s side….

Enjolee: Yeah on my mother’s side alone. So if I name all those you might have a heavy list. But basically everyone was born with a gift of song. In fact one of my uncles plays the keys, the drums. I mean you name it, everything.

This is my first civilian production. As I mentioned, I got into the Army at 26. I didn’t go into Army Entertainment until I was 27. So I was just getting kind of in the mode of musical theatre. You know, it’s new to me still. And Army Entertainment brought me into it because before then I was just a soul singer. I didn’t move a muscle! Because I was afraid, you know. I felt like I couldn’t move and I couldn’t dance, whatever the case is. Army Entertainment brought me into that world. And A Soulful Christmas put me over the top. I think I’m getting a great intro experience into the area that I love again.

A SOULFUL CHRISTMAS written by Stepp Stewart is showing through December 30, 2015 at the Ensemble Theatre located at 3535 Main Street, Houston Texas 77002 USA. Photo courtesy of the Ensemble Theatre. For more information, click on www.EnsembleHouston.com