Sahr Ngaujah
Encyclopedia
Sahr Ngaujah aka Sahr is a theater director and actor of Sierra Leonean descent, born in the United States, now living in Amsterdam.
He began his career in theatre, working in Atlanta with the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, through 7Stages Theatre in Little 5 Points. Freddie has been Sahr’s mentor and friend since 1992.
As an actor Sahr has had a very rich career from the very early age of 15. He has worked with the likes of Gerrit Timmers (Onafhankelijk Toneel, Rotterdam), Falk Richter (Berlin Schaubühne,Berlin), Del Hamilton (7 Stages, Atlanta), Walter Chakela (Windybrow, Johannesburg), Tim Habeger (PushPush Theater & Film, Atlanta), Made n da Shade/MC (Amsterdam) to name a few. Sahr has also managed to maintain a subtle presence in the world of film since the late 90’s, with appearances in “Passing Glory” (TNT), “A Lesson Before Dying” (HBO), “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” ( Castle Way), amongst others, and More recently in “The Signal” (Magnolia/Pop Films, 2008), “Stomp the Yard” (Sony/Rainforest Films – Jan. 2007), and (“Blood Done Sign My Name” 2009 release).
Sahr began as a director under the guidance of Freddie Hendricks, working as an assistant director on FH Y.E.A. productions playing for audiences ranging from the Atlanta Black Arts Festival to the Tweetakt Festival 2000 Antwerp.
Since relocating to Amsterdam in 2001 Sahr has worked as a theater director and developer with Rotterdam’s Lef and ACT Festival, and as a collaborator with Made n da Shade. He completed his studies at Dasarts in Amsterdam 2006, under the direction of Alida Neslo and Monique Toebosch. Under the primary influence of his work with Freddie Hendricks, as it relates to his creating of original works, integrating music into every layer of the developmental process, together with what he gained through close work with Made n da Shade and their extensive exploration into the weaving of interactive design technology throughout the base fibers of their theatre, Sahr used the laboratory of Dasarts and his encounters with Shu Lea Chang and Germaine Acogny to search for his own unique language and process, in an effort to lay a foundation that will hopefully allow him to all ways break new ground in his personal approach as a Maker.
“Conversations With Ice” is his most recent work dealing with the question of Value (Who decides Who buys), within the context of the global diamond trade, Sierra Leone’s child soldiers, and it's links to the Bling sub-culture in Hip-Hop.
Sahr is a first generation Sierra Leonean born in America and Hip-Hop culture. During the Christmas of 1999 he began the writing process that led to the short story collection “Refracting” (Dasarts 2004), which inspired the piece “Conversations with Ice” Amsterdam-BitterZoet (Dasarts 2006). Over Het Ij Festival, Amsterdam 2007(Made n Da Shade/Cosmic Theater). Sahr has appeared at speaking engagements, at art conferences in Northern Europe (2007–2008) about the construction and development of Conversations With Ice, with invitations pending to present this work in Sweden and Tokyo.
Sahr continues to work with a host of inspiring artist between Europe, Africa, and the U.S. He is actively attempting to help forge stronger links between the artist community between Atlanta and the Netherlands through the development of an art festival called A to the A, celebrating and exploring Global Underground Art and Culture.
In November 2008 he received the prestigious Audelco Award-The VIV for his work on the Off-Broadway
one man show entitled Fela!
The Musical under the direction of world renowned Choreographer Bill T. Jones
. The piece explores the life and inspiration of the Nigerian composer Fela Anikulapo Kuti. In December 2008 Fela The Musical was classified as the #1 Theatre show of 2008 in New York, by New York Magazine.
He began his career in theatre, working in Atlanta with the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, through 7Stages Theatre in Little 5 Points. Freddie has been Sahr’s mentor and friend since 1992.
As an actor Sahr has had a very rich career from the very early age of 15. He has worked with the likes of Gerrit Timmers (Onafhankelijk Toneel, Rotterdam), Falk Richter (Berlin Schaubühne,Berlin), Del Hamilton (7 Stages, Atlanta), Walter Chakela (Windybrow, Johannesburg), Tim Habeger (PushPush Theater & Film, Atlanta), Made n da Shade/MC (Amsterdam) to name a few. Sahr has also managed to maintain a subtle presence in the world of film since the late 90’s, with appearances in “Passing Glory” (TNT), “A Lesson Before Dying” (HBO), “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” ( Castle Way), amongst others, and More recently in “The Signal” (Magnolia/Pop Films, 2008), “Stomp the Yard” (Sony/Rainforest Films – Jan. 2007), and (“Blood Done Sign My Name” 2009 release).
Sahr began as a director under the guidance of Freddie Hendricks, working as an assistant director on FH Y.E.A. productions playing for audiences ranging from the Atlanta Black Arts Festival to the Tweetakt Festival 2000 Antwerp.
Since relocating to Amsterdam in 2001 Sahr has worked as a theater director and developer with Rotterdam’s Lef and ACT Festival, and as a collaborator with Made n da Shade. He completed his studies at Dasarts in Amsterdam 2006, under the direction of Alida Neslo and Monique Toebosch. Under the primary influence of his work with Freddie Hendricks, as it relates to his creating of original works, integrating music into every layer of the developmental process, together with what he gained through close work with Made n da Shade and their extensive exploration into the weaving of interactive design technology throughout the base fibers of their theatre, Sahr used the laboratory of Dasarts and his encounters with Shu Lea Chang and Germaine Acogny to search for his own unique language and process, in an effort to lay a foundation that will hopefully allow him to all ways break new ground in his personal approach as a Maker.
“Conversations With Ice” is his most recent work dealing with the question of Value (Who decides Who buys), within the context of the global diamond trade, Sierra Leone’s child soldiers, and it's links to the Bling sub-culture in Hip-Hop.
Sahr is a first generation Sierra Leonean born in America and Hip-Hop culture. During the Christmas of 1999 he began the writing process that led to the short story collection “Refracting” (Dasarts 2004), which inspired the piece “Conversations with Ice” Amsterdam-BitterZoet (Dasarts 2006). Over Het Ij Festival, Amsterdam 2007(Made n Da Shade/Cosmic Theater). Sahr has appeared at speaking engagements, at art conferences in Northern Europe (2007–2008) about the construction and development of Conversations With Ice, with invitations pending to present this work in Sweden and Tokyo.
Sahr continues to work with a host of inspiring artist between Europe, Africa, and the U.S. He is actively attempting to help forge stronger links between the artist community between Atlanta and the Netherlands through the development of an art festival called A to the A, celebrating and exploring Global Underground Art and Culture.
In November 2008 he received the prestigious Audelco Award-The VIV for his work on the Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
one man show entitled Fela!
Fela!
Fela! is a musical with a book by Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis, based on music and lyrics by the late Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, with additional music by Aaron Johnson and Jordan Mclean and additional lyrics by Jim Lewis. It is based on events in the life of groundbreaking Nigerian composer and...
The Musical under the direction of world renowned Choreographer Bill T. Jones
Bill T. Jones
Bill T. Jones is an American artistic director, choreographer and dancer.-Early life:Jones was born in Bunnell, Florida and his family moved North as part of the Great Migration in the first half of the twentieth century. They settled in Wayland, New York, where Jones attended Wayland High School...
. The piece explores the life and inspiration of the Nigerian composer Fela Anikulapo Kuti. In December 2008 Fela The Musical was classified as the #1 Theatre show of 2008 in New York, by New York Magazine.