Damana and the Book of The Lost Secrets:
Poetry and Music Tour in the U.S.

This show is based upon poet Driss Alaoui Mdaghri’s recently published work “The Book of the Lost Secrets”, the first of four books collectively entitled “The Extraordinary Adventures of Piano, the Little Pawn.” The stories in the book refer to a planet called Damana, whose inhabitants are chess pieces. In this mysterious world, everything occurs through the allegory of the chessboard, and the symbolism of every pawn moving freely is the key message the people of Damana have to share with Earth: through art and music, we have the innate ability to become free and to improve not only ourselves but also the lives of others around us.

On Damana the inhabitants have a unique way of dealing with conflict. Instead of being violent and fighting wars, they solve their differences via poetic and musical contests. Thus, the Damanans have evolved a new type of behaviour which recognizes the problems of living in a strife-filled world while at the same time advancing their society towards a higher good. The “Lost Secrets” the Damanans have to teach us are attainable and accessible to people of all ages.

In performance the troupe creates a mysterious atmosphere where the impossible is within reach. A dramatic blend of poetic readings and songs -- in English, Arabic, Spanish, Italian and French -- is set to a backdrop of improvisational jazz, oriental and classical music. This creative cultural melange lifts the audience through three phases of consciousness: human conflict and suffering, beauty and complexity of the life that surrounds us, and seeking peace through the universal language of art. The message unfolds: poetry, music, art and love are key to solving the problems we face on earth.

The Damana Troupe has already performed to enthusiastic audiences throughout Morocco and in southern Italy, and has been invited to France and Senegal. The message the Troupe conveys is especially timely in this era of deep cross-cultural misunderstanding.

In addition to their upcoming three-week U.S. tour next spring -- with performances on the Atlantic Coast as well as in Montana, Arizona and Colorado -- Troupe Damana will appear in Italy, Holland, France and Spain as well as at upcoming venues in Morocco.

Artists:

Driss Alaoui Mdaghri ................................................. Poet

Badara Seck…………………………………………………………………… Singer
Youtube of Badara Seck in performance in Italy, accompaning Italian poetry

Dennie Kirtley .............................................................. Guitar, Trumpet, Piano

Maryah Bouabid .......................................................... Singer

Leila Cherkaoui............................................................. Painter, singer

Wahid Lahlou ............................................................... Acoustic Guitar, Singer

Duration of Show: One hour fifteen minutes. Discussion afterward with the artists.

Some of the venues planned for the USA Tour:

Maryland

Virginia

Washington, DC area

Scranton, PA

Kalispell, MT

Whitefish, MT

Tuscon, AZ

Boulder, CO