Rodeo Caldonia

Rodeo Caldonia

Company type	Artistic collective
Industry	Performing arts
Founded	1985
Founder	Lisa Jones, Alva Rogers
Defunct	1988
Headquarters	Fort Greene, Brooklyn , United States
Area served	United States
Products	Theater productions, poetry showcases

Rodeo Caldonia, also referred to as Rodeo Caldonia High Fidelity Performance Theater, was a Black feminist artistic collective situated in Fort Greene, Brooklyn throughout the 1980s. Active approximately from 1985 until 1988, this ensemble comprised close to 20 African American women dedicated to producing feminist works that highlighted their experiences as Black women. The collective was established by Lisa Jones and Alva Rogers.

Influences

The creative foundation of Rodeo Caldonia was shaped by performance ensembles such as the integrated all-female big band of the 1940s, International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the African-American a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, and New York’s Black women’s dance troupe Urban Bush Women.

Performances

Rodeo Caldonia debuted its first production in 1985. Throughout its tenure, the group developed two theatrical pieces—Carmella & King Kong and Combination Skin—in addition to a poetry showcase titled “Welcome to the Black Aesthetic,” which remained unperformed before public audiences.

The play Carmella & King Kong portrayed “a jungle love story” between the character Kong and the pagan deity Carmella, integrating projected photographic imagery during performances. The display of visuals, including “bare black breasts” alongside an image of Fannie Lou Hamer, generated controversy. Actress Sandye Wilson took on the role of "Torch Singer."

Combination Skin, which Lisa Jones characterized as "a one-act comedy" centered on a futuristic game show called $100,000 Tragic Mulatto, examined themes related to the tragic mulatto stereotype and aspirations for cultural crossover in America. This piece was initially workshopped at St. Marks Church in New York City in December 1986 and later premiered at Company One in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1992. The New York Times recognized Jones as "a fresh talent" with a compelling "all-consuming vision." Subsequently, Combination Skin was included in the anthology Contemporary Plays by Women of Color.

Membership

The collective encompassed numerous Black women artists who contributed as writers, performers, and musicians:

1. Donna Berwick, costume designer
2. Chakaia Booker
3. Celina Davis, dancer and writer
4. Raye Dowell, actress
5. Candace Hamilton
6. Kellie Jones, writer and art historian
7. Lisa Jones, playwright and journalist
8. Suzanne Kelly
9. Alice Norris, artist
10. Alva Rogers, actress and vocalist
11. Daphne Rubin-Vega, dancer and singer-songwriter
12. Lorna Simpson, photographer
13. Stephanie L. Jones
14. Suzanne Y. Jones
15. Pamala Tyson, actress
16. Amber Sunshower Villenueva, actress
17. Sandye Wilson, actress and director
18. Derin Young, producer and singer/songwriter

Remembered

In 2015, co-founders Lisa Jones and Alva Rogers reunited with cultural critic Greg Tate for an event titled "Remembering Rodeo Caldonia" held in Brooklyn.

The legacy of Rodeo Caldonia was highlighted in the 2017 traveling exhibition and accompanying sourcebook, We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965-1985, organized by the Brooklyn Museum. This exhibition toured several venues including the Brooklyn Museum, California African American Museum, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. Additionally, the California African American Museum hosted a panel discussion named "The Life and Times of Rodeo Caldonia," featuring Lisa Jones, Alva Rogers, and Derin Young.

External Sources

High Performance, a magazine dedicated to performance arts, Issue #35, 1986. Contains a photograph of the collective.

Interview magazine, 1986 edition. Presents images of the collective's members.