Where Sunflowers Dance

Overview

Where Sunflowers Dance is a semi-autobiographical solo performance based on the coming out saga of Malik Thee Poet. This performance weaves together spoken word storytelling and improv for an entertaining journey through the mind and life of a gay Black 30-something as he strives to navigate the nuances of adult life, family, sex, sexuality, career, and culture.

Follow Malik through time and various identities as he works to integrate the pains of the past into lessons that will inform his future. This solo show celebrates the cultivation of joy even while amid a major existential crisis centered around Malik’s aspiration to step into a more authentic expression of himself.

Be prepared to be drawn into the performance and participate in the fun through interactive call-and-response and games.

About the Artist

Quentin Charles Williams is a cultural strategist, curator, poet, actor, and journalist whose professional practice is deeply rooted in spiritual principles from Yoruba & Buddhist traditions. As an Adjunct Professor at Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication, Quentin instructs seniors in the ever-evolving art of social media marketing and professional development as the Co-Faculty Director of Diamond Edge Communications. The natural world and sensory experiences are motifs often woven into his written, spoken, and visual art as a way to make more widely accessible his personal lived experiences.

2020 Juneteenth virtual event conversation with Stephen A. Smith and Rushion McDonald. His spoken word poem Popcorn was picked up by Van Jones and Upworthy to raise awareness of inequities in the parole system for Michael Ruben and Jay-Z’s Reform Alliance #FreeMeek movement. In 2018, he introduced Megan Thee Stallions into nationwide stardom as the booker and producer of her first major market performance at the Class of 2018 Concert at the Fillmore. As a Visit Philly Ambassador, Quentin occasionally hosts various media segments like NBC Philly Live Weekend’s broadcasts, including Joyful Fridays. He is also the voice of Visit Philly’s numerous Broadcast and digital video campaigns from 2020 to the present. He’s been featured in Tina Lawson’s 2021 Black History Month artist showcase on I Got The Mic and KTLA’s Black History Month spotlight.

As Founder and Executive Director of We The People Stage, Quentin engages diverse communities and local artists through virtual and traditional events. He is the Executive Producer for the event Our America Now presented by Einstein Healthcare Network as part of the Wawa Welcome America’s outdoor 2021 festival hosted at the Barnes Foundation with Mural Arts. He has teamed up with Barnes on the Block and BlackStar Film Festival to curate a multi-sensory storytelling block party theme of tales highli