Created by Nashvillian Cynthia Christina Harris and co-written by OlaOmi Amoloku, Tasneem Grace Tewogbola and Dia Hodnett, the work is a combination of poetry, drama, music, and dance—a choreo-poem that celebrates women’s voices and recognizes the necessity of supportive communities. Inspired by Ntozake Shange’s work for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, Harris calls How to Catch a Flying Woman the “artistic half of [her] research into black women’s lives and intimate relationships.” The playwright describes a woman in flight as someone who is passionately following big ideas and taking risks. Inevitably she will falter as she soars towards success and will need a safe and supportive space amongst friends to heal and restore herself. With this piece, Harris asks, when she falls, will you do more than witness?
NPL x HTCAFW 2019
Published by Cynthia C Harris
She is a self-described Writer/ Performance Artist/ Dancer/ Activist/ Health Educator/ and proud southerner. A natural sign watcher, very much in tune with her surroundings, Ms. Harris finds it almost impossible not to hear the stories hovering around people. Growing up in a multi-talented family, she always felt at peace pursuing her creative interests. However when it came time to choose a career, Cynthia chose to focus on her parallel interest in health and graduated from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a BS in biology in 1999. Her subsequent work in the field of women’s reproductive health research fed her appreciation for the analytical and gave her the opportunity to study human behavior, leading her to not only be a vocal advocate for women’s health issues, but to create stories of empowerment. Ms. Harris developed her weaving voices technique as she deepened her understanding of the intersection of performance art and public health. In 2017, Ms. Harris completed her Master of Public at Tennessee State University. In 2018, How to Catch a Flying Woman premiered and was commissioned in 2019 by Nashville Public Library. In 2022, The Calling is in the Body debuted with Actors Bridge Ensemble. View all posts by Cynthia C Harris
Healing Waters Productions 