Clark to host national drama company of Ghana for ‘Ten Blocks on the Camino Real’

Clark University will welcome the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival to Worcester with its new production “Ten Blocks on the Camino Real,” directed by Festival Curator David Kaplan. The show will be performed by Abibigromma, the national drama company of Ghana, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, in Atwood Hall.

“Clark is thrilled to work with the city of Worcester, the Worcester Cultural Coalition, Hanover Theatre and other partners to bring the national drama company of Ghana to Worcester,” says Jack Foley, Clark’s vice president for government and community affairs. “Not only will this be an exciting presentation of this Tennessee Williams production, but also a great celebration of the Ghanaian community of Worcester.”

A second performance will start at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, on the Worcester Common Oval. Both performances are free and open to the public. Audiences are encouraged to bring their own chairs to the Worcester Common Oval performance. In the event of rain, the theater event will take place at the Hanover Theatre Conservatory.

This 1947 one-act play is a thrilling story about a big-hearted hero lost in a ruthless world. It’s the story of Kilroy, a boxer with a “heart as big as the head of a baby,” who falls in love with a gypsy’s daughter – and remains faithful even after death.

The spirited production, which brings vibrant music and West African flair to Williams’ story of love and heroism, toured marketplaces and outdoor venues in Accra in April 2016, and continues to tour throughout Ghana. Performed in English, the 75-minute show retains Williams’ text, yet resonates with Ghanaian culture.

In addition to the shows, Abibigromma will provide workshops at both Clark and Burncoat High School for Worcester Public School students.