ELLA JOYCE  in

 Ella Joyce's  acclaimed one-woman play

-- a Tribute to ROSA PARKS 

was presented by the:                                                            

Rosa Parks Museum with Troy University    

and performed at the beautiful, prestigious                

Alabama Shakespeare Festival  (ASF Stage)       

in honor of Mrs. Parks' 95th birthday on Feb. 4th.        

*********************************************************

Nominated by NAACP (in Los Angeles)

***************************************************************** 

"A ROSE AMONG THORNS"                  

         TRIBUTE TO ROSA PARKS                                      

returned from FLORIDA !                                                             

 was SPONSORED BY:  JEBA & Concerned African Women (CAW) 

Ella Joyce received                                                       

The Key To The City Of Ft. Lauderdale                       

from Vice Mayor Carlton B. Moore                                                        

for her performance & Tribute to Rosa Parks                   

 " ...thoroughly fantastic, energetic and powerful. 

It is like sitting and watching Rosa Parks..." 

                --Vice Mayor Carlton B. Moore, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

 "A Rose Among Thorns  is a well-crafted play on Rosa Parks".

              --Jack Zink, South Florida Sun-Sentinel (1/23/08)

EDUCATING USING THE ARTS!  Ella Joyce Doesn't play Rosa Parks--she channels her in "A Rose Among Thorns"...    . "Educating using the Arts".   Ella Joyce brought the truth to life in a one and a half hour "one woman" stage production,   "A Rose Among Thorns".   "A Rose Among Thorns " is a tribute to Rosa Parks.that premiered Wednesday night Jan 17, 2008 at St. Paul AME in the Grove...   Ella brought the audience to tears with the truth as she transformed herself into Rosa Parks..."Ella Joyce doesn't just play Rosa Parks -- she channels Rosa Parks. This is a must see!   A Rose among Thorns takes you on a remarkable journey of the struggle, sacrifices and the determination of this pioneer of the civil rights movements. .   Bravo to Ella Joyce's writing and acting, everything works well together to make it an on the edge seat experience and one you want to sketch in your mind forever....Julia E. Brown, Editor-In-Chief, UTEM   South Florida is quickly becoming a Mecca for the Performing Arts.  An intimate crowd witnessed Actress Ella Joyce launch the rollout of fund raising campaign for the Urban Theatre and Entertainment Festival and Awards 2008 at St. Paul AME Church.  This festival is scheduled to take place July 29 - August 2nd 2008 in Sunny South Florida.  The fact that this rollout took place over the MLK weekend has great signifigance.  Dr. King and Rosa Parks share forever a place in history together.  The Julia E. Brown Theatrical Association, Inc. and Community Capacity Builders, Inc. teamed up to launch these efforts. The performance given by Mrs. Joyce was mesmerizing to the theatre goers.  In short, Ella Joyce became Rosa Parks.  Ed Haynes-Publisher , Urban Theatre and Entertainment Magazine

Rave REVIEWS :  

"...It becomes hard to remember that it is Joyce, not Parks, who is holding court, educating and entertaining the audience". 

                                                             -WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL

 "Ella Joyce is spellbinding." -Ed Bumgardner, Winston-Salem Journal

"...Joyce transformed herself completely...."  

                                                             --Mary E. Montoro, Los Angeles Sentinel

Nominated by NAACP

and awarded by

Concerned African Women

**************************

 Otherexciting Theatrical  News:

"The Vagina Monologues"  by Eve Ensler.

Ella Joyce  made a special Guest Appearance

in DETROIT on March 8th - at The Millenium Theater (Southfield, MI).

Also performed in special event on Opening Night - May 18th - for

Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage Cruise  - to San Juan.

Ella Joyce Performs in "the Vagina Monologues" on Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage Cruise Sunday, May 18th, Ella Joyce performed in the Arcadia Theater on the Royal Carribean International Cruise as part of the official opening night of entertainment on the annual Tom Joyner's Fantastic Voyage Cruise produced by Yetta Young Productions. Los Angeles, CA, May 24, 2008 --(PR.com)-- The ship of 4,000 passengers sails the Carribean every year. Ella took a brief hiatus from her own busy one-woman play "A Rose Among Thorns" (Tribute to Rosa Parks), to join the all African American cast of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" produced and directed by Yetta Young of YYP. The 3 actress ensemble cast included Tamara Johnson-George ("Taj" of SWV, Sisters With Voices), and Deelishes (known from Flavor of Love). The show performed the very first night of the 7 day cruise to a full house resulting in a roaring standing ovation and multiple requests for encore performances. Between Black History Month in February and Woman's Month in March, Ella has stayed quite active in monologue-type shows and presentations since the beginning of the year. Both projects tend to address education and awareness through entertainment. The Obie Awarding winning play by Eve Ensler "The Vagina Monologues" seeks to bring awareness in hopes of eradicating domestic violence against women, and "A Rose Among Thorns" (Tribute to Rosa Parks) written by Ella Joyce and nominated as Best Produced Play by the NAACP, educates and heightens awareness of American History through the Civil Rights Movement. Ella Joyce is best known from TV's "Roc", "My Wife and Kids", and the action film "Set It Off".  For more information visit www.ellajoyce.com. ### (www.vdaytour.com)

****************************

Archived  Theatrical News:

Ella Joyce   ... winner of Chicago's JEFF AWARD  and

The Black Theatre Alliance Award  (BTAA) for

for the role of --

Lily Ann Green 

at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago 

for 

"CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY"  

by Lynn Nottage, directed by Chuck Smith.

Reviews:

 "...If she can't make you laugh, you aren't breathing. 

It's hard to imagine anyone else taking over this role,

JOYCE so fully inhabits it."

--Rick Reed, Windy City Times, Chicago

"JOYCE sinks her teeth into this juicy role,

then tears it wide open".

--Time Out Chicago

"JOYCE is a whirlwind -- ferocious,  funny, tender and defiant. 

She is an enticing ingredient in a truly satisfying feast."

--Barbara Vitello, Daily Herald

"JOYCE also invests her characters with enough humanity to

make her scenes of sadness heart-rending."

--Jenn W. Goddu, Chicago Free Press

"ELLA JOYCE... is worth the price of admission".

--Al Bresloff

"...so rich with humor, insight and subtlety... her performance is

like a winning lottery ticket for everyone in the audience."

--Venus Zarris, Gay Chicago Magazine

"...mesmerizing... sexy temptress who is so charasmatic that

you're riveted to her every move."

--Betty Mohr, Theater critic, Daily Southtown

Reviews for "Crumbs From the Table of Joy" by Lynne Nottage

www.goodmantheatre.org  and  www.jeffawards.org.

*****************************

Movies & Film - 4 independent films released this year !!

Look  for Ella Joyce  in the hilarious comedy  "WHO MADE THE POTATO SALAD?" available at Blockbuster starring Jaleel White, Eddie Griffin, Clifton Powell.

Also "LOST SIGNAL" a Pathway Entertainment Film directed by Brian McNamara... a murder thriller, based on true events to be released by LIONSGATE.

Look for "CITY TEACHER"  on DVD starring Glynn Turman, Frank Vincent,

Chuck D, and Tommy Ford, directed by Juney Smith. 

Look for "A SIMPLE PROMISE" now on DVD and Netflix.

"Bubba Ho-Tep" (Ossie Davis' last completed film, Ella plays "the Nurse").

Also  Regina Kimbell's documentary film "MY NAPPY ROOTS, A Black Hair-itage" is making the rounds (scroll to bottom to read article).

*******************