February 7, 2006—Caroline Jackson Smith, associate professor of African American studies and theater at Oberlin, is the guest director of George C. Wolfe's The Colored Museum now playing at Karamu's Arena Theatre in Cleveland.

"George C. Wolfe's hilarious satire of African-American identity crisis told through vaudeville-like sketches and monologues, in a smart and energetic production for Karamu's 90th anniversary season," says critic Linda Eisenstein in the current issue of CoolCleveland.com.   "Director Caroline Jackson-Smith's production finds all the laughs yet brings out the rock-serious underpinnings."

"The Colored Museum is about sorting through a history of masks or masked pain," said Jackson Smith in 1999, when she directed the play at Oberlin. "Although it's funny on the surface, and it lampoons certain African-American stereotypes, it is also a very serious play about synthesizing history."

Jackson Smith has directed a number of outstanding productions at Karamu, including last February's world premiere of Johnny Taylor is Gone by Gregory Carr. She also received two awards from the Karamu Actors' Guild during the 1998-1999 season: Best Director for her staging of August Wilson's Jitney and Director of the Year.

Karamu is the nation's oldest African American theater and first interracial cultural arts center and was founded in 1916 by Oberlin alumni Russell and Rowena Woodham Jelliffe '14.

The Colored Museum runs through Sunday, February19: on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the Karamu Performing Arts Theatre, 2355 East 89th Street on 89th between Cedar and Quincy streets. For tickets and information, call 216-795-7070.