The World Is My Home: The Life of Paul Robeson

On the fifth night of Kwanzaa, the African-American holiday celebrating Black heritage, unity and culture, Santa Monica Playhouse and Stogie Kenyatta present a special one night return engagement of Kenyatta’s acclaimed solo show about African-American artist/activist Paul Robeson, a powerful and poignant, entertaining and educational, heartfelt and humorous evening of theatre. Robeson was witness to the artistic wonders of the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz- Be bop era, the horrors of the slave trade, the shame of the Holocaust, McCarthyism, blacklists, racism and oppression. His life’s work celebrates our common humanity as he fought globally for social justice. “Armed with nothing more than the strength of his convictions and his vision of a world where men live as brothers. His message was his life," says Kenyatta. “He shows us that in spite of our differences; we still have more in common than we do in conflict.”

Jamaican born and Brooklyn bred, Kenyatta was classically trained at the Afro American Studio in Harlem, the Henry St. Settlement and Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble. He was a finalist in the New York State Theatre competition with Artistic Director, John Houseman, then came west for college, where he studied screenwriting and political science at the University of California and later privately with Ivan Markota at the Van Mar Academy for Television & Film acting.

Kenyatta’s television credits cover everything from sitcoms and film to soap operas, from Bernie Mac and Jake and the Fat Man to HBO’s Tyson (Co-star) to The Bold and The Beautiful. As a comedian, Stogie has performed his stand-up routine – described as witty, sarcastic, and charming with a Caribbean flair - at comedy clubs around the country. He co-headlined a USO comedy tour in Tokyo, Japan and Okinawa and has also played in clubs on the Gulf of Mexico, the south of France, and London, England, as well as, several Caribbean Islands.

As a writer he has written seven screenplays, several of which have been optioned. Best known is his one man show, “The World Is My Home – The Life of Paul Robeson,” which he calls the most challenging performance of his career and is the piece of work of which he is most proud. It had its first performance at the National Civil Rights Museum which led to a series of shows in St. Thomas & St. Croix sponsored by the Board of Education of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Subsequently, it has become the number one show on the American college scene. 

Properties Manager & Sound Technician: Meechi Primero Kenyatta. Kenyatta has toured extensively with the show over the past nine years including all its International dates and is not only an integral part of the production but the wife and soul mate of actor Stogie Kenyatta. 

SHOW WEB SITE: stogiekenyatta.com/