About the Artist
Mitch Capel (also known as "Gran'daddy Junebug) is an award winning storyteller, writer, actor and poet from Southern Pines, NC. He has been described by major publications as "word magician," a "national treasure" and "unexpectedly powerful." Seven years after attending A&T State University and Howard University, Mitch began his career as a storyteller in 1985 specializing in the works of Paul Laurence Dunbar. He now has over 33 hours of stories stored to memory with over 90% of them in rhyme. Visit www.gjbug.com for more.
Sonny Kelly is a professional performer, storyteller, motivator, and speaker. With a PhD in Communication at UNC Chapel Hill, Sonny is a graduate of St. Mary’s University (MA, Communication Studies, ’08) and Stanford University (BA, International Relations, ’98). Sonny has been a professional actor on stage and television for over 25 years. Visit www.sonnykelly.com for more.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Approximately 180,000 African Americans, comprising 163 units served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In general, it was believed that “black men” lacked the ability to fight, and fight well. However, those ideas were quickly dispelled by the gallantry and bravery that African American soldiers displayed in every battle in which they participated. Mitchell Capel and Sonny Kelly are “a force to be reckoned with” as they bring to life a fraction of the untold stories of the hundreds of thousands of unsung heroes…heroes whose glory and honor have remained unspoken for entirely too long. With its powerfully poetic embodiment of these rare stories, framed by a multi-media presentation, this experience leaves audiences breathlessly enlightened and ultimately encouraged. Featuring the original work of Paul Laurence Dunbar, William Cullen Bryant, Raymond Garfield Dandridge, and others, this work brings to life an array of African American soldiers, their stories and their struggles.