Gha’il Rhodes Benjamin, a native Detroiter, now residing in Brooklyn, New York received an Audelco award best supporting actress nomination for the role of Libby Price, in the award winning play Bee Luther Hatchee at Blue Heron Arts Center in New York City. Ms. Benjamin also portrayed the role of Mrs. Walker , the mother of a troubled teenager in the PBS movie True to the Game, and plays the role of Vivian in the upcoming PBS Reel New York Series Harlem Sisters That Jump. Gha’il facilitates writing and theatre workshops for all age groups including senior citizens and enjoys the process of empowering participants to experience renewed self-esteem and creativity. Gha’il’s one-woman-show has been performed in the New York tri-state area, and across the US, integrating her own home-grown lyrics with live music, song and dance in an explosive collage of characters that reveal themselves with raw simplicity. “She’s authentic, she’s talented, mesmerizing and a breath of fresh air, Gha’il’s magic with words are life transforming and mind expanding...†Les Brown, author and speaker Gha’il’s poetry has been featured in: 1) ANANSI FICTION OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, in association with Cetera Press 2) AUTHENTIC HAIR (forward by Malcolm Jamal Warner), Cosmic Nubian Enterprise 3) RHYMES OF GREATNESS (poetry anthology) Famous Poets Society 4) IN THE MORNING LIGHT (chapbook) Wordshedd Books 5) OLD FIRE/NEW FLAME Onyx Production Company 6) RECIPES FOR THE SOUL... Wordshedd Books Gha’il’s debut CD titled SPIRITUAL ECLIPSE/Sacred Moments on a String of Words was released in 2003 by Wordshedd Music, and is available in local and national venues, also available on Cdbaby.com and Towerrecords.com. Gha’il has had the privilege and blessing of working with world renowned musicians, poets and actors and has also had the opportunity to write customized poetry in celebration of these collaborations. She recently opened for motivational speaker Les Brown in Harlem at St. Johns Presbyterian Church, and for composer Brian Jackson (musical composer for poet Gil Scott Heron )at SOBs. Ms. Benjamin’s lyrics have also been featured inside of ME2YOUCARDS.com. In 2004 Gha’il was commissioned to write Do You Hear My Voice? in collaboration with the Museum of Natural History’s Voices From the Frontline Series: a program addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. Gha’il is the recipient of the following awards: WINNER OF FAMOUS POETS SOCIETY’S INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION TIES THAT BIND AWARD 1999 (for outstanding work in the tri-state communtiy) SPIRIT AWARD, 2002(for women entrepreneurs ) Gha’il’s poetry has also been featured on WLIB, WBAI, WRKS FM and, WHCR, in New York, as well as other radio stations throughout the country. © copyright Gha'il Rhodes Benjamin of Talking Poems and Storytelling Productions ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
