Alva Rogers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alva Rogers
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| Born | 1959 (age 65–66) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Occupation | Writer Performer Actress |
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Notable work
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Daughters of the Dust School Daze ''The Doll Plays'' Band of Susans |
Alva Rogers (born 1959) is an American writer, performer, and actress. She is also a talented singer and an arts educator. Alva Rogers is well-known for using dolls and puppets in her creative projects.
She played the character Eula Peazant in the 1991 film Daughters of the Dust, directed by Julie Dash. Alva Rogers was also a singer for the alternative rock band Band of Susans in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alva Rogers was born and grew up in New York City. She attended The High School of Music & Art, where she focused on singing.
Later, she earned a bachelor's degree in American history from Marietta College. She continued her studies, getting a Master of Fine Arts degree in musical theater writing from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University in 1995.
In 1998, she earned another Master of Fine Arts degree, this time in literary arts, from Brown University. More recently, in 2013, she received a Master of Arts in teaching history from Bard College.
Personal Life
Alva Rogers lives and works in Manhattan, a borough of New York City.
Creative Career
Alva Rogers has worked with many other talented artists throughout her career.
Art Projects
Rodeo Caldonia Art Collective
From 1985 to 1989, Alva Rogers was a founding member of Rodeo Caldonia. This was an art group made up of Black women artists. They formed in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Other artists in the group included Lorna Simpson, Chakaia Booker, and Sandye Wilson. With Lisa Jones, another member of Rodeo Caldonia, Alva Rogers wrote radio plays for New American Radio on National Public Radio. These plays included Aunt Aida's Hand (1989), Stained (1991), and Ethnic Cleansing (1993).
In 2015, a discussion about Rodeo Caldonia took place with Alva Rogers and Lisa Jones. Their work with Rodeo Caldonia was also featured in a 2017 exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum. This exhibition was called We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, 1965–1985.
Puppetry and Music
Alva Rogers has also created musicals using puppets. She worked with puppeteer Heather Henson and composer Bruce Monroe on three musicals: nightbathing, mermaid, and Sunday. The musical Sunday was performed Off-Off-Broadway at the Public Theater.
She also made audio recordings for artist Whitfield Lovell's artwork called Whispers from the Walls.
Other Artistic Work
In the late 1980s, Alva Rogers was a singer for the alternative rock band Band of Susans. She sang on their first EP, Blessing and Curse (1987), and their first full album, Hope Against Hope (1988).
Alva Rogers appeared on the cover of Essence Magazine in January 1993. She has also been photographed by famous photographers like Lyle Ashton Harris and Dawoud Bey.
In 2011, she was a writer in residence at the Hedgebrook Women Playwright retreat in Washington. This led to a reading of her work at ACT Theater.
Acting Roles
School Daze Film
In 1988, Alva Rogers played the character Doris Witherspoon in Spike Lee's film School Daze. This movie was about issues of prejudice within the Black community at HBCU schools.
It was one of the first films for many of the actors. Most of the cast and crew were African American. Other stars in the film included Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell.
Daughters of the Dust Film
In 1991, Alva Rogers appeared in Julie Dash's film Daughters of the Dust. The story takes place in 1902 and follows a family of strong women during the Great Migration.
Alva Rogers played Eula Peazant, a character facing a difficult situation. The film explores the family's journey and their struggles. Daughters of the Dust is known for its unique style. Filmmaker Nelson George said it was a big step forward for Black cinema because it created its own special style, different from Hollywood movies.
The film has also influenced other artists, including Beyoncé's 2016 album Lemonade. The cinematographer for Daughters of the Dust was Arthur Jafa.
Other Film Appearances
Alva Rogers appeared as herself in the 2011 film Brooklyn Boheme. This documentary showed the New Black Arts Movement that happened in Fort Greene during the 1980s and 1990s.
She is also featured in Kerry James Marshall's 1997 film The Doppler Incident. Alva Rogers was often a subject in the photographs taken by artist Lorna Simpson.
Filmography
- 1988: School Daze – as Doris Witherspoon
- 1991: Daughters of the Dust – as Eula Peazant
- 1994: Fresh Kill – as Cello player in locker
- 2005: The Flooded Playground (Video short) – as The Singing Tree
- 2010: Window on Your Present – as Girl On Shoulders
- 2011: Spirits of Rebellion: Black Film at UCLA (Documentary) – as Eula Peazant
- 2012: Brooklyn Boheme (Documentary) – as herself
Awards and Grants
Alva Rogers has received several important awards and grants for her work. These include grants from the Jim Henson Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
She also received a fellowship in Playwriting from the New York Foundation for the Arts in 2004. Additionally, she has been recognized with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.
