Soul women: (from left) Tekeytha Fullwood, Patricia “Peaches” Jones, Kimberly Rollins and Angela Watson participate in this weekend’s production.

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Emancipation of a Soul

Fri., Feb. 27 and Sat., Feb. 28, 8pm. $10-$16. Community Education Center, 3500 Lancaster Ave. 215.387.1911. www.cecarts.org

It’s no secret that Philly’s populated by some creative folks. The murals, the artists and the music scene get mainstream media love, but the city’s underground creative community keeps things interesting by providing original works of art that address issues that usually remain in the margin. This weekend several community-based dancers, musicians and storytellers collaborate on a project called Emancipation of a Soul. Written by Philadelphia storyteller Joslyn Ladson, Soul tells the story of Africans in America through fables, dance and West African percussion. The multimedia production journeys from the Middle Passage to the present day through a series of vignettes created by Ladson and brought to life through the talent of Philadelphia’s budding artists. Saturday night’s show will be followed by the Free Soul Café, an open mic gathering that invites you to share your own stories, songs, poetry or music. (Jazmyn Burton)