The Ballad of Klook and Vinette

Book by Ché Walker • Music & Lyrics by Anoushka Lucas & Omar Lyefook
Directed by Ché Walker
Musical Direction by Christian Magby

Klook is a drifter who’s tired of drifting. Vinette is on the run but she doesn’t know what’s chasing her. Together, they make a tentative stab at love and reach for hope until the past catches up to the future and smacks it in the face. Tough, tender, funny, poignant, The Ballad of Klook and Vinette will grab you from the inside out. Horizon kicks off its 2018 season with this love story set against poetry and jazz in its highly anticipated American premiere. Soulful music combined with a witty, moving story makes this a mesmerizing theater experience.

Length & Content

The Ballad of Klook and Vinette runs 80 minutes without an intermission.

Best enjoyed by ages 16+. Content Warning: The play contains sexual situations and language as well as profanity. It also contains humor, humanity, and hope in a lyrical style.

Handicap seating limited for this production. Please call to reserve if needed.

Performance Dates

January 19-February 18, 2018
Press Opening: Jan 26

Showtimes
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday at 8:00 PM
Saturday at 3:00 PM and 8:30 PM
Sunday at 5:00 PM

**There will be no Saturday matinee on the first week of performances. There will also be a special performance time of 2pm on Superbowl Sunday.

Friday, January 19 at 8pm
Saturday, January 20 at 8:30pm
Sunday, January 21 at 5pm
Wednesday, January 24 at 8pm
Thursday, January 25 at 8pm
Friday, January 26 at 8pm
Saturday, January 27 at 3pm & 8:30pm
Sunday, January 28 at 5pm
Wednesday, January 31 at 8pm
Thursday, February 1 at 8pm
Friday, February 2 at 8pm
Saturday, February 3 at 3pm & 8:30pm
Sunday, February 4 at 2pm
Wednesday, February 7 at 8pm
Thursday, February 8 at 8pm
Friday, February 9 at 8pm
Saturday, February 10 at 3pm & 8:30pm
Sunday, February 11 at 5pm
Wednesday, February 14 at 8pm
Thursday, February 15 at 8pm
Friday, February 16 at 8pm
Saturday, February 17 at 3pm & 8:30pm
Sunday, February 18 at 5pm

Pricing

General Admission

• Tickets start at $25
• Prices are subject to change and will rise as performances fill up. GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY FOR THE BEST PRICES.

Bring your neighbors!
Group pricing is available for parties of 10+. Groups of 10-24 receive $3 off the general admission ticket price. Groups of 25+ receive $5 off the general admission ticket price. Call 404.523.1477 x100 or e-mail groups@horizontheatre.com for more information.

Ticket prices are subject to change. Buy early for best pricing. Internet convenience fee added to all online orders. No refunds, exchanges, or late seating.

Cast

Klook: Amari Cheatom*
Vinette: Brittany Inge*

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Creative Team

Director/Playwright: Ché Walker 
Music Director/Keyboard: Christian Magby 
Music and Lyrics: Anoushka Lucas 
Composer: Omar Lyefook 
Stage Manager: Julianna Lee*
Rehearsal ASM: Kayla Zinke 
Scenic Design: Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay 
Lighting Design: Mary Parker 
Costume Design: Dr. L Nyrobi Moss 
Props Master: Kathryn Muse 
Projection Design: Bobby Johnston
Sound Design: Rob Brooksher
Bass/Guitar: Maurice Figgins
Movement Collaborator: Nicole Johnson

Media

Reviews & Press 

Discover

Get to know actors Amari Cheatom and Brittany Inge better as they discuss their roles in The Ballad of Klook and Vinette:
Click here for Amari’s interview.
Click here for Brittany’s interview.

Artistic Director’s Note: The Ballad of Klook and Vinette 

Jazzy, sexy, romantic, tough and tender, The Ballad of Klook and Vinette makes its American premiere at Horizon, kicking off our 34th season of contemporary plays. It originally debuted to great acclaim at the Park Theatre in London, and then made its way to be featured in the National Alliance of Musical Theatre’s Festival in NYC this past October. And that’s where I saw a 40-minute excerpt of the play that captivated me with its poetic language, soulful music, and intriguing love story. I met the writer and composer, Che and Anoushka , smart and charming Londoners bringing their very American play to New York City. We chatted at the bottom of the escalator about their play and then less than two months later, Che and Anoushka are here with their show.

Writer/director/actor Che Walker is here helming his own play as director, as he did in its London debut. Composer Anoushka joined us from London for a whirlwind week. Their third creator, Omar Lyefook, is known internationally as the godfather of the neo-soul movement, and has been active with us on social media since he is playing his music all over the world.

Here are some interesting facts about the play and the writers that we thought you might like to know.*

1. Klook’s Last Stand came out of a Ché Walker’s own experiences. He came to Los Angeles in high school on a basketball scholarship and lived with an African-American family for a year. There he met people that became the basis for his characters Klook and Vinette.
2. The play is also influenced by Che’s work teaching creative writing and acting in men’s prisons, young offender institutions, and ex-offender support projects—work he has done for over twenty years. The team was keen to try and break through some stereotypes about ex-offenders and challenges faced by working-class people the world over.
3. Ché Walker, Anoushka Lucas, and Omar Leyfook conceived of Klook’s Last Stand as one long, uninterrupted song, rather than a conventional musical. Some songs are exactly one line long and some speeches are underscored. The writers were interested in synthesizing speech and song and trying to make something different.
4. Neo-soul icon Omar Lyefook was one of Che’s idols. So Che was amazed when one day Omar walked into his acting class seeking lessons. Omar eventually acted in one of Che’s musicals, and they began writing musical theatre works together.
5. The duets are collaborations between Omar and Anoushka; Klook’s songs are composed by Omar and Vinette’s songs are composed by Anoushka. The idea was that each character has a distinct sensibility and voice.
6. The script has a blend of direct address and short scenes—the team wants to pull the audience to them and strip away all unnecessary effects and distractions.
7. Che was raised in theatre in London and grew up in the Camden neighborhood (so he feels right at home in Little Five Points!) His father, Ron Walker, was artistic director of Half Moon Theatre, and his mother is Ann Mitchell, famous in Britain for both television and stage roles.
8. Che, Anoushka and Omar grew up hugely influenced by American Literature and Music—and Che and Anoushka fell in love with Atlanta and profess that Southern hospitality is real!

*Special thanks to the National Alliance of Musical Theatre for some of this background info.