SAYING GOODBYE: 2021 IN MEMORIAM

 

By Darlene Donloe

2021 was a helluva year!

A number of noteworthy people of color closed their eyes for the last time in 2021. They were writers, actors, directors, musicians, activists, community leaders, and politicians. All were influential in their own way. And, before leaving the planet, they all made their mark and touched the lives of so many.  This column pays tribute to those who passed this way. Rest in Paradise!

JANUARY

 

Jan. 3 - Eric Jerome Dickey, bestselling author Milk in My Coffee, Sleeping with Strangers and Friends and Lovers. He was 59.

Jan. 7 - Marion Ramsey, ‘Police Academy’ and Broadway actress. She was 73.

Jan. 8 - Dearon “Deezer D” Thompson, “ER” actor.  He was 55.

Jan. 11 – Howard Johnson, musician. He was 79.

Jan. 13 – Bryan Monroe, former president of National Association of Black Journalists. He was 55.

Jan. 13 - Edward ‘Duke Bootee,’ Fletcher, rapper and co-writer of Hip-Hop classic, ‘The Message.’  He was 69.

Jan/ 15 – Duranice Pace, gospel singer. Member of The Pace Sisters. She was 62.

Jan. 16 – Jim Tilmon, Chicago TV newsman, meteorologist, pilot. He was 86. 

Jan. 16 – Judge B. Pennie Millender of the 36th District Court in Detroit. She was 68. 

Hank Aaron

Jan. 22 – Hank Aaron, baseball great, homerun king who defied racism. He held the home run record for 33 years. He was 86. 

Jan. 22 - James Purify, singer (I’m Your Puppet). He was 76. 

Jan. 24 – Gregory ‘G Bone’ Everett, filmmaker ‘41st and Central: The Untold Story of The L.A. Chapter of the Black Panther Party.’ He was 58. 

Jan. 28 – Cicely Tyson, legendary actress. She was 96. 

Jan. 29 – John Chaney, basketball Hall of Famer. He was 89. 

Jan. 30 – Marc Wilmore. TV writer and brother of Larry Wilmore. He was 57.

FEBRUARY                                             

Feb. 3 – Danny Ray, “cape man” and emcee for James Brown, The Godfather of Soul. He was 85. 

Feb. 4 - Gil Saunders, lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes.

Feb. 4 -  Charles McGee, iconic Detroit artist.  He was 96.

Feb. 5 – Leon Spinks, former Heavyweight Champion. He was 67.

Mary Wilson

Feb. 8 – Mary Wilson, founding member of the legendary Supremes. She was 76.

Feb. 9 – Chick Corea, jazz pioneer, composer, keyboardist, and bandleader. He was 79.

Apostle Frederick K.C. Price

Feb. 12 – Apostle Frederick K. C. Price, founder of Crenshaw Christian Center. He was 89.

Feb. 15 – Vincent Jackson, former NFL wide receiver. He was 38.

Feb. 18 – Prince Markie Dee, a member of the pioneering hip-hop group the Fat Boys. He was 52.

Douglas Turner Ward

Feb. 20 – Douglas Turner Ward, theater giant. Co-Founder of the Negro Ensemble Company. He was 90. 

Feb. 21 - Lawrence Otis Graham, lawyer, and bestselling author who exposed prejudice. He was 59. 

Feb. 22 - James Burke, The Five Stairsteps and The Invisible Man’s Band. 

Feb. 28 – Irv Cross, NFL sports analyst. He was 81.

MARCH 

March 1 - Jahmil French, known for his role as Dave Turner in the Canadian teen series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He was 29. 

March 2 – Vernon Jordan, civil rights leader, and D.C. power broker. He was 85.

March 12 - Herman Roberts, Chicago tycoon. He owned 35 taxis, eight motels, a nightclub, a bowling alley, a skating rink, and oil wells on a 2,000-acre ranch in Oklahoma. He was 97.

March 13 – ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler, middleweight boxing great. He was 66.

March 14 - Singer Reggie Warren, an original member of Troop. He was 52.

Yaphet Kotto

March 15 – Yaphet Kotto, Bond villain and ‘Alien’ star. He was 81.

March 22 – Elgin Baylor, LA Lakers Hall-of-Famer. He was 86.

March 23 – Jeanne Gaye, singer, Marvin Gaye’s sister. She was 84.

March 24 – Craig “muMs’ Grant, Blue Bloods and OZ star. He was 52.

 

APRIL

April 6 – Alcee Hastings, Florida’s first Black congressman. He was 84.

April 6 - Midwin Charles, MSNBC legal analyst. She was 47.

DMX

April 9 - DMX, rapper. Real name Earl Simmons. He was 50.

April 11 – Gerren Taylor, “Baldwin Hills” star. She was 30. 

April 22 – Gregory ‘Shock G’ Jacobs, co-founder of Digital Underground. He was 57.

April 22 – Terrence Clarke, Kentucky basketball guard. He was 19. 

April 29 – Frank McRae, actor in “Licence to Kill” and “Last Action Hero.” He was 80.

 

MAY

May 1 - Damon Weaver, a student journalist who once interviewed former President Barack Obama. He was 23. 

May 6 – Pervis Staples, co-founder of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The Staple Singer. He was 85.

May 7 – Lloyd Price, singer “Stagger Lee” and “Personality.” He was 88.

May 12 - NaTalia Johnson, Dance Theatre of Harlem ballerina, Artistic Director of the NaTalia Johnson Conservatory in Sacramento, CA. She was 37.

Paul Mooney

May 19 – Paul Mooney, legendary comedian. He was 79. 

May 19 - Olympian Lee Evans, who raised a fist on medal stand in 1968. He was 74.

May 22 – Chi Modu, hip-hop photographer. He was 54.

May 24 - Samuel E. Wright, voiced the role of the crab, Sebastian, in “The Little Mermaid.” He also originated the role of Mufasa in “The Lion King.” He was 74. 

JUNE

Clarence Williams III

June 4 – Clarence Williams III actor who played Linc on “Mod Squad.” He was 81.

 

JULY 

July 6 – Suzzanne Douglas, actress. She was 64. 

Suzzanne Douglas

July 10-11 - Londre ‘KTS Dre’ Sylvester. Chicago rapper. He was 31. 

July 11 - Charlie Robinson, ‘Night Court’ actor. He was 75. 

July 14 - Lawrence Horner, former Thousand Oaks Mayor. The city’s only Black mayor. He was 91.

Biz Markie

July 16 – Biz Markie, “Just A Friend’ rapper. He was 57.

July 18 – Gloria Richardson, civil rights pioneer. She was 99. 

July 21 – Clarence McDonald, Grammy-winning keyboard player, and producer. He was 76.

July 25 - Bob Moses, civil rights leader. He was 86.

July 26 – James “Jim” Stricklin, pioneering Black news photographer a WMAQ-TV. He was 88.

 

AUGUST 

Aug. 5 – Eloise Greenfield, award-winning children’s book author. She was 92. 

August 9 – Chucky Thompson, producer. He was 53. 

Aug. 20 - T. Rodger, the founder of the West Coast chapter of the Almighty Black P. Stone Nation Bloods gang. He was 65. 

Aug. 22 - Micki Grant, trailblazing “Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope” creator and Another World actress. She was 92.

Sam Salter

Aug. 28 - Sam Salter, 90s soul singer. He was 46.

Aug. 29 – Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, reggae legend.  He was 85.

SEPTEMBER 

Sept. 1 – Gregg Leakes, husband of Nene Leakes. He was 66. 

Sept. 3 - Harry Coombs, veteran Philadelphia International Records executive. He was 85. 

Sept 4 – Fuquan Johnson, comedian. He was 43. 

Michael K. Williams

Sept. 6 – Michael K. Williams, “The Wire” actor. He was 54.

Sept. 6 – AJ ‘Ezal’ Johnson, actor. He was 55.

Sept. 15 - Leonard “Doctor” Gibbs, percussion guru and music educator.

Sept. 20 - Sarah Dash, LaBelle singer. She was 76. 

Melvin Van Peebles

Sept 22 – Melvin Van Peebles, the Godfather of Black Cinema, actor,  director, producer, playwright, activist. He was 89.

Sept. 27 – Andrea Martin, Grammy award-winning singer. She was 49.

 

OCTOBER 

Oct. 8 – Ricarlo Flanagan, “Shameless” and “Last Comic Standing.”  He was 40.

Oct. 9 – Shawn McLemore, gospel singer, minister. He was 54. 

Oct. 10 – Granville Adams, “Oz” star. He was 58. 

Oct. 11 - Deon Estus, bass player, and singer, and member of R&B group Brainstorm. He was 65.

Oct. 15 - Dorothy Steel, ‘Black Panther’ actress. She was 95.

 Oct. 15 – Regi Hargis, Brick co-founder, and guitarist.

Colin Powell

Oct. 18 - Colin Powell, the first Black Secretary of State. He was 84.

Oct. 21 – Tommy DeBarge, member of famed DeBarge family and member of the band Switch. He was 64.

Ruben Rodriguez

Oct. 24 – Ruben Rodriguez, music industry exec.  

Oct. 27 – William Shelby, co-founder of Dynasty, and a part of Lakeside. He was 67. 

Oct. 31 – Randy Ross, jazz saxophonist. Member of  The Blue Morning Quintet.

 

NOVEMBER 

Nov. 2 – Ronnie Wilson of The Gap Band. He was 73. 

Ronnie Wilson

Nov. 15 - Yolande Du Bois Irvin, lecturer and the only grandchild of W.E.B. Du Bois. She was 89. 

Nov. 17 – Young Dolph, Memphis rapper. He was 36. 

Nov. 27 - Johnshel Alexander, former child actor in “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” She was 22.

Virgil Abloh

Nov. 28 – Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton artistic director. He was 41.

Nov. 28 – Lee Elder, broke a racial barrier as the first Black golfer to play in The Masters. He was 87.

Lee Elder

 

DECEMBER 

Dec. 1 – Jacqueline Avant, local philanthropist, wife of music executive, and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Clarence Avant. She was 81.

Jacqueline Avant

Dec. 4 – Glenn Foster, former NFL player. He was 31.

Dec. 6 - Rhonda Stubbins White, actress on Tyler Perry’s “Ruthless.” She was 60.

Dec. 7 – Greg Tate, American writer, musician, producer, and longtime critic for The Village Voice. He was 64.

Dec. 8 - Robbie Shakespeare, producer, Grammy-winning bassist for Sly and Robbie. He was 68.

Dec. 8 - Parker Lee Williams, aka DJ P-Lee Flash, Chicago hip-hop pioneer. He was  54. 

Dec. 9 – Ralph Tavares, eldest member and longtime leader of the family group Tavares. He was 79. 

Dec. 9 - Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos. He was 33. 

Dec. 9 – Patrice Malidoma Some’ (Maa Kheru), healer, author, teacher, medicine man, diviner. He was 65. 

Dec. 15 – Gloria Jean Watkins, who went by the pen name, Bell Hooks, an author, feminist, social activist, and professor. She was 69. 

Dec. 16 – Leonard Hubbard, founding member of the hip-hop band The Roots. He was 62.

Dec. 18 - Shiller Shaun Fequiere, known as Kangol Kid. ‘Roxanne Roxanne’ rapper and UTFO co-founder. He was 55. 

Dec. 18 – Darrell Caldwell, a Los Angeles rapper who goes by Drakeo the Ruler. He was 28. 

Dec. 20 - Paul Mitchell, co-founder of “Float On” group The Floaters.

Dec. 20 – Kimera Anotchi Bartee, professional baseball outfielder, and coach. He played for the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies. He was 49.

Desmond Tutu

Dec. 26 – Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican cleric, and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was the Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then the Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996, in both cases being the first black African to hold the position. He was 90.

Marvel Studios Debuts Teaser Trailer and Poster For "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'

 

Marvel Studios recently debuted the teaser trailer and poster for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”—a thrilling ride through the Multiverse with Doctor Strange, his trusted friend Wong and Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch. 

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” opens in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022.

 

 

Hewett Rings In The Holidays With New Album

Grammy Award-winning R&B/Pop Singer, Songwriter Howard Hewett rings in the holidays with his R&B, Jazz infused album, 'Howard Hewett Christmas,' featuring the single, “That’s Christmas.” 

Hewett’s unique R&B smooth vocals with that oh-so-divine falsetto add special holiday magic and cheer to his 11-song collection of Christmas favorites and originals redone the Howard Hewett way. Originally released in 2008, Howard Hewett Christmas includes musical contributions of a list of All-Star musicians such as Verdine White (Earth Wind and Fire on bass guitar), Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar), Kirk Whalum (tenor saxophone, and Stevie Wonder.

Produced by Hewett, the late George Duke, Ralph Johnson, and Monty Seward, Howard Hewett Christmas, will take you down Christmas memory lane and bring you back to the present with his spin on holiday classics like the Donny Hathaway penned music staple,  “This Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “’Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “Silent Night” “Sleigh Ride,” and originals “I Remember Christmas,” and “That’s Christmas.”

Hewett feels his single and album are just what the people need. He said, “Christmas has always been a magical time for the people, and they need that magical, special time, especially now, in the middle of what we’re going through with the Covid-19 times we’re living in…and this music will bring the magical.”

Your holiday music playlist won’t be complete without the heart-warming album that will brighten your holidays, Howard Hewett Christmas. 

“That’s Christmas,” the video of the single (originally shot with an iPhone), featuring personal images of Howard Hewett, family, home, and Christmas love is available on YouTube.

Howard Hewett Christmas is available everywhere music is sold.

Jamison's 'Coming To Africa' Set To Open In Ghana

Just in time for the holidays, the romantic comedy, “Coming to Africa,” written and directed by Anwar Jamison, is set to make its theatrical premiere in Ghana at two of the country’s top theatres. The film will bow at the  Silverbird Cinemas, both in the Accra Mall and the West Hills Mall on Friday, December 10, and Saturday, December 11, respectively. Located in Accra Ghana, both theatres will feature a 7 and 9 p.m. showing of the award-winning film. After the December 10th  premiere, there will be an after-party at the Soho Bar in Accra, featuring the cast and crew. 

“Coming to Africa” is a romantic comedy, which explores the themes of classism, racism, and social consciousness behind the backdrop of contemporary black love. The film boasts an ensemble cast, which includes Jamison, along with Khalil Kain (“Juice,” “Girlfriends”) and Ghanaian tv and film star Nana Ama McBrown (“Aloe Vera,” “McBrown’s Kitchen”).

Anwar Jamison

In this new role, Jamison portrays a Black man blinded by his personal aspirations and success; and not interested in any dialogue about the social ills of the world. Afraid to rock the boat, he’s unwilling to use his privilege and position to sound an alarm for political or social injustice. In fact, he’s adapted to his privileged culture quite comfortably, until a dose of reality and a trip to the Motherland changes his world.

Heartwarming and funny, “Coming to Africa” will transport audiences to Ghana, and watch a Black man transform his heart and soul and discover his self-identity – all thanks to the power of #BlackLove.

“Coming to Africa” was shot in Memphis, Tennessee, and Accra, Ghana. The romcom was produced by Ghanaian tv host PY Addo Boateng. Jamison served as executive producer. Mi Prime Entertainment and Hood Professor Productions served as the production companies on this project.

Due to the pandemic, the film had a limited run on the film festival circuit. However,  the film came up a big winner at the  7th annual Las Vegas Black Film Festival (LVBFF), which took place on August 6-9, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Making its world premiere at LVBFF, “Coming to Africa,” nabbed three Jury Awards – that is, Best Romance, Best Comedy, and Best Actress. The four-day festival screened a distinctive lineup of narrative features, documentaries, music videos, and short films at the Mediterranean-themed Suncoast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. 

Currently, “Coming to Africa” is streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Google Play. 

COMING TO AFRICA - run time: 95 minutes 

Singer China Moses Tells U.S. To 'Move Over!'

“I know it’s different. I know I sound different. I’m not scared of that. Maybe you’ll like me; maybe you won’t. But I’m a singer-songwriter of soul music; I’m a child of jazz and this is what I have to propose.” 

That’s China Moses speaking about her digital EP, “China Moses & The Vibe Tribe,” which recently dropped on MPS Records (via Edel Germany/Bob Frank Entertainment in North America). She recorded the set after four years of touring Europe and Asia with The Vibe Tribe - saxophonist Luigi Grasso, keyboardist & pianist Joe Armon Jones, pianist & organist Ashley Henry, bassist Neil Charles and drummer Marijus Aleksa - with the intention of showcasing the band’s exuberant live energy. Her goal for the four-track EP is loftier: to introduce her diverse sound to the US market while paving the way for her next album, which will be released next year.

The first two singles from the EP, “Nicotine” and “Put It On The Line,” originally appeared on Moses’ 2017 album, “Nightintales,” and appear on the EP in completely different versions that were recorded live with the five multicultural members of The Vibe Tribe.

Born in Los Angeles, Moses moved to Paris when she was seven and has lived abroad ever since. She was a teenager when her first recording was released yet she has never been comprehensively promoted in the US. Known as a progressive soul singer, Moses considers herself to be “French with an American passport,” thus her perspective, experience and music are indeed different. Each song on the EP - three of which she wrote with the fourth song being a reinvention of Janis Joplin’s “Move Over” - is essentially a different genre. The EP draws upon Moses’ Black American cultural and musical background. It goes from swanky late-night blues to intense afro beat-tinged R&B to a soulful deep funk-rock energy to a four-on-the-floor house remix by Charles, who is also a household name in the UK’s electronica music scene under the monikers Ben Marc and N400.

“Coming back to the States, what I have had to explain is that I sound Black American when I speak and I look Black American, but I have a very different life experience. I have fewer limits on what my music can or should be. I think my music has that freedom. It’s a freedom that my mom (legendary jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater) and my ancestors have fought for. I would not be able to make the music I make today if I was raised in the States. It’s unfortunate but true. My music wouldn’t sound the same,” said Moses who hosts two radio shows, Made in China on TSF Jazz in France and Late Night China Moses on Jazz FM in the United Kingdom. 

Also released recently was the third video from the EP, “Move Over,” which is another black-and-white clip from Brazilian director Adriano Vannini lensed during Moses’ years of touring with The Vibe Tribe (https://youtu.be/pbe5kNruMno).

Writing and recording musical amalgams rooted in Black America - jazz, R&B, soul, funk and blues – Moses seeks to find her place “back home,” a process that began with the release of the EP. Part of her musical homecoming means that Moses is recording her next album in the US with co-producer Troy Miller (Gregory Porter) and is co-writing the songs with keyboardist-singer-songwriter Oli Rockberger. GRAMMY nominated trumpeter Theo Croker is crafting the horn arrangements for the collection that will tentatively be titled “Nigra Prismo,” Black Prism in Esperanto, a universal utopic language, an apropos choice given Moses’ desire to redefine what a singer-songwriter can be. 

 

“Black Prism’ is basically what I am, and the album is a kaleidoscope of Black American music. I’m really trying to bend the notion of what a modern-day singer-songwriter is and can look like and be and the wide realm of music that you can do. I think that’s the reason I constantly do songs that are ‘different genres,’ but part of the same world,” said Moses, who is poised to be the next jazz and soul singer from Europe to create a splash in the US.

'Paradise Blue,' An Intricate, Layered Narrative

 

By Darlene Donloe 

Paradise Blue, Dominique Morisseau’s latest play is sexy, gritty, real, funny, and complicated, making for a powerful noir-inspired drama. 

Currently playing in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse through December 12, Paradise Blue is a sultry, dark presentation that delivers on all cylinders. 

There are stories of love, success, gentrification, domestic abuse, disenfranchisement, determination, loyalty, and self-preservation.

From the story, the acting, the costumes, the lighting, the direction, and the music, and the overall drama, the dialogue draws you into a section of Detroit called Black Bottom, circa 1949 on a strip known as Paradise Valley. 

Cast of 'Paradise Blue'

The story centers on the Paradise Club, a local landmark where trumpet-playing club owner Blue (Wendell B. Franklin) faces a tough decision.  While he loves the club, he’s being pulled toward selling his legendary jazz joint, once owned by his father, as gentrification begins to raise its ugly head.  

The situation doesn’t sit well with members of the house band, who fear their livelihood will be taken away – leaving them out in the cold. 

Wendell B. Franklin as Blue

What they don’t know is that Blue has been fighting internal demons that are pushing him to sell. The demons stem from his past violent family memories that Blue swears have affected his ability to blow his horn sufficiently.

It seems Paradise to some - can be a nightmare to others.

Alani iLongwe as P-Sam

The house band includes P-Sam (Alani iLongwe) and Corn (John Earl Jelks). 

All the players find themselves in a fight for the future of Paradise. 

John Earl Jelks as Corn

Enter a mysterious, bold, and brash temptress named Silver (Tyla Abercrumbie) who, traveling without a man, has her own agenda and is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with any man. It’s also rumored that she may have killed her husband. 

Silver, a widow who carries a gun just in case something goes down, soon makes her intentions known by offering to buy the club – something Blue has no intention of doing. 

(l-r) Tyla Abercrumbie as Silver and Shayna Small as Pumpkin

Silver is the antithesis of Pumpkin (Shayna Small), Blue’s girlfriend who considers herself a “go along gal.” She doesn’t like drama and is usually the mediator between the house band and Blue.  She is the sole caretaker of the club, who has found her place in the world between the four walls that are the Paradise Club. Pumpkin loves to express herself by reciting poems of Harlem Renaissance writer Georgia Douglas Johnson. Her’s and Blue’s relationship is loving, but also has its dark, abusive side – something Pumpkin tries to deny. 

Dominique Morisseau

According to Morisseau, “Paradise Blue is also about women’s relationship to men at a time when things like domestic violence and abuse were not really conversations. Where violence against women was sort of part of the normal culture. And so it’s looking at what happens on the brink of not only a community’s changing identity to its larger city and how people are gonna fight for that, but also women’s changing identities in a male-dominated community – how they kind of hold their own.” 

Each Paradise Blue character is well-developed and stands out in their own right. Each character has a moment in the sun when telling the story of Paradise Blue. In doing so, they reveal who they really are. When it comes to telling this story, there are no weak links.

Superb performances from all five cast members. 

Morisseau’s writing is exquisite. It’s real, it’s raw and authentic, which is why the production works so well. 

Stori Ayers

Through Ayers’ direction, the actors move effortlessly around the multi-layered stage. 

Kudos to Edward E. Haynes, Jr. (scenic designer), Alan C. Edwards (lighting designer), Wendell C. Carmichael (costume designer), and Jeff Gardner (sound designer). 

Paradise Blue is a satisfying theatrical production. 

Paradise Blue marks the second Dominique Morisseau production at the Geffen, following Skeleton Crew in 2018, both part of Morisseau’s The Detroit Project (a 3-play cycle), which also includes Detroit ’67. 

Morisseau’s credits include: A MacArthur Fellowship, a Tony nomination for the Temptations musical Ain’t Too Proud, and an Obie (Off-Broadway) Award for her now-headed-to-Broadway play Skeleton Crew. 

Three of her nine plays form a cycle, “The Detroit Projects,” all delving into parts of the city. The plays span the years 1949 (Paradise Blue) to 1967 (Detroit ‘67) to 2008 (Skeleton Crew).  

Paradise Blue, written by Dominique Morisseau, and directed by Stori Ayers, stars Tyla Abercrumbie, Wendell B. Franklin, Alani iLongwe, John Earl Jelks, and Shayna Small.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah), and E (excellent), Paradise Blue gets an E (excellent).

Paradise Blue, Geffen Playhouse, 10866 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, Tues-Fri, 8 p.m.; Sat. 3 and 8 p.m., Sun. 2 and 7 p.m., through Dec. 12; $30-$129; 310 208-2028 or www.geffenplayhouse.org. Children under 12 years of age will not be admitted. 

Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.

 

 

 

'Blues In The Night' Is Red Hot At Ebony Rep

 

By Darlene Donloe 

It may not look like it on the surface, but there is a lot going on in a squalid Chicago Hotel, circa 1948, where three women, living separate lives, come together in harmony to share their emotional experiences of heartbreak, loneliness, relationships, self-assurance, but most of all, a general cynicism towards men. 

Through 26 jazz and blues songs by Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Alberta Hunter, Harold Arlen, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox, and more, the women pour their hearts out, sharing stories that celebrate the joys and pains of their lives which includes everything from misery, to love, love lost, hurt, despair, humor, and, ultimately, their will to survive.

This is Blues In The Night, a musical conceived by Sheldon Epps and directed by Ebony Repertory Theatre Founder and Producing Artistic Director Wren T. Brown, currently playing at the Ebony Repertory Theatre through December 5. 

Vivian Reed
Photo by Craig Schwartz

The show stars three powerhouse female vocalists, Vivian Reed (The Lady), Karole Foreman (The Woman), and Jenna Byrd (The Girl), and features Parris D. Mann (Man) as the lone “Man” tasked with explaining a man’s point of view (perspective). The show is backed by an impressive band playing upstage, which presents like another melodious character in the show.   

Karole Foreman
Photo By Craig Schwartz

One by one, and sometimes as an explosive trio, the women take center stage to bare their souls with heartbreaking and sometimes lustful and even comical musical tales of their relationships with that “no good man.”

Epps’ conception and Brown’s entertaining staging make for a solid melodrama devoid of the proverbial bells and whistles – yielding, instead, to the strengths behind the acting and vocal talent assembled. 

Each song is a showstopper with either amusing influences or affecting confessions. 

You can’t go wrong with a show that includes veterans like Tony Award-nominee Reed and Ovation Award-winner Foreman, whose mere presence onstage summons the impulse to give them a round of applause for their individual bodies of work.  Don’t count out Jenna Byrd (Recorded in Hollywood), who has great vocal chops and impressive stage credits. 

Jenna Byrd
Photo by Craig Schwartz

Reed’s voice is powerful and booming, Freeman’s contributions are melodic and skillful, and Byrd’s voice is warm and melodious – combining for a fun and satisfying theatrical experience. Separately, their voices are strong, clear, and engaging – but as a trio, the result is rich and flavorful.

Parris D. Mann
Photo By Craig Schwartz

Mann effectively interjects “The Man’s” two-cents popping in and out of the show to respond to something one of the women has expressed. He kills in a solo tap dance break. 

Wren T. Brown

Brown’s interpretation and actualization fill the stage. The show flows effortlessly from an empathetic vignette to one that has the audience joyously clapping, all while maintaining the show’s energy.

Blues In The Night, conceived by Sheldon Epps, had its world premiere Off-Broadway in 1980 at Playhouse 46 and was originally staged by Epps and Gregory Hines. In 1982, the production had its Broadway run at the Rialto Theatre and was directed by Epps and starred Leslie Uggams.

The production received a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical. In 1987, Blues In The Night opened on the West End at the Donmar, where it received two Olivier Award nominations for Best New Musical and Best Actress in a musical.

Blues In The Night is choreographed by Keith Young (ERT’s Five Guys Named Moe and The Gospel at Colonus), music directed by William Foster McDaniel (Bubbling Brown Sugar, Timbuktu! And Ain’t Misbehavin). 

Prior to the ERT production, the Tony and Olivier award-winning show had a successful run at Long Beach’s International City Theatre, in association with L.A.’s Ebony Repertory Theatre. 

On the DONLOE SCALE: (D) don’t bother, (O) oh, no, (N) needs work, (L) likable, (O) oh, yeah, and (E) excellent, Blues In The Night gets an (O) oh, yeah!

Blues In The Night plays through December 5, 2021, Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, 4718 West Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles;  Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday 3 p.m.; $40- $50; ebonyrep.org or 323-964-9766. Groups of 15 or more are available via email at groups@ebonyrep.org or 323-964-9766. 

 

 

 

 

Actresses Shanice Williams and Tiffany Mann Are 'Head Over Heels' About New Show

Lea DeLaria, Shanice Williams, and Tiffany Mann
star in "Head Over Heels'
Photo By Jeff Lorch

 

By Darlene Donloe

Shanice Williams and Tiffany Mann can’t hide their excitement when they talk about their latest project, Head Over Heels, a new musical opening at the Pasadena Playhouse on November 13. 

“I had to be a part of it,” said Mann, who was familiar with the show before joining the cast. “I wanted to see and be in a show that represented the world we live in. The diversity and inclusion on stage are what you would see in your everyday life.”

“Before I started, I didn't know a lot about the show, so I did a lot of research,” said Williams. “It is a strong lesson. It’s a teaching show. It teaches you about non-binary. He wants to be a she, they want to be they and LGBTQ. It teaches it in a fun way. This was a learning experience for me as well. It sounds heavy, but we make it fun. It’s an important lesson.”

Dynamos in their own right, Williams, who starred as Dorothy in NBC’s, and Mann, who starred in “Be More Chill,” are part of a stellar cast ready to rock n roll at the historic venue. 

Head Over Heels is a musical comedy, set to the music of the iconic LA-based female rock band The Go-Go's.

The story follows a royal family in search of a purpose, lovers in search of each other, and a whole kingdom in search of a beat. 

It features the hit songs Our Lips Are Sealed, Vacation, Belinda Carlisle’s Heaven is a Place on Earth, and Mad About You, among others. It’s designed to allow the audience to be whisked away through a world of exuberance and wit from the first notes of We Got the Beat to the final celebratory curtain call. 

Mann, who plays Pamela in the show, has also starred in NBC’s New Amsterdam, NBC's Rise and Orange Is The New Black. On Broadway, she starred in Be More Chill and Waitress. On Off-Broadway she appeared in Jerry Springer the Opera (Lucille Lortel Award), Invisible Thread, and Cabin in the Sky. Her other theater credits include Smokey Joe’s Cafe at The Muny, Dreamgirls, Live from Lincoln Center: Sweeney Todd.

Williams, who stars as Philoclea, recently is best known for playing “Dorothy” in NBC’s The Wiz Live! She also had a recurring role in the NBC comedy Perfect Harmony with Bradley Whitford and Anna Camp.  She will also be seen guest-starring in the upcoming season 4 of The Last O.G., opposite Tracy Morgan and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. 

I recently caught up with Mann (TM) and Williams (SW) to talk about their careers and their participation in Head Over Heels. 

Tiffany Mann
Photo By Jeff Lorch

DD: What attracted you to this project? 

TM: The fact that there are people in it of all sizes, shapes, and identities. My character gets to be a beautiful self and stand in her beauty with no apology. 

DD: How would you describe the show?

TM: It’s about a good time in the land of Arcadia told by the landscape of the Go-Go's. What attracted me was the leadership. 

SW: Before I started, I didn't know a lot about the show. I did a lot of research. It is a strong lesson, a teaching show. It teaches you about non-binary. He wants to be a she. They want to be they and LGBTQ. It teaches it in a fun way. It was a learning experience for me as well. It sounds heavy, but we make it fun. It’s an important lesson. 

DD: I understand the audience is going to experience something unique.

SW: There are two bars built on the stage. You can actually get up and get a drink during the show. The stage is now audience seating. We have added a stage to cover where the pit and orchestra seating would be. There is a stage built on top of the seating. It’s fascinating and hard to explain.  Also, if the audience is COVID scared, they can sit in the mezzanine.

TM: With everything we have going on outside in the world, we want to invite the audience to escape for 90 minutes. We want to rekindle the sense of community. We want everyone to have a good time. We actually have a dance floor. You are right in the middle of the action. We have a high gallery and low gallery seating. It’s a real experience. 

DD:  Talk about the set of the show. 

SW: There are two bars built on the stage. You can get up and get a drink during the show. The stage is now audience seating. We have added a stage to cover where the pit and orchestra seating would be. There is a stage built on top of the seating. It's fascinating and hard to explain. If the audience is COVID scared, they can sit in the mezzanine.

DD: What's it like to work on that stage?

SW: It’s been fun working on the stage like that. There are safety precautions in place. It’s been a blast. There is a lot of work, though. There are stairs we go up that are built on both sides. This is a welcome back for me. My last show was in 2018. I wanted something inviting. This is it.

TM: You get to exercise different muscles as an actress working on a traditional stage. The audience is all around you. You get to connect to the audience in different ways. This set offers an opportunity for the audience to be a part of the cast. I’m treating the audience as our other cast member.  There are two bars. The audience can sit at the bar and enjoy the music we all know and love. We invite them to dance.

DD: Tell me about your character and how you developed her? 

TM: I play Pamela. She is part of the royal family. She’s the elder sister. She gets to stand in her beauty despite societal standards or royal expectations. She chooses her own path. She listens to herself. I’m plus size, have dark skin and have natural hair. So many things around me tell me all those things are beautiful. I get to stand in my beauty. Pamela knows she is everything. 

SW: In the original Broadway production, she is the younger sister of a royal family. She is not as open and bold as her older sister.  She is in love with this guy and no one wants her to be with him. Philoclea is the character. In this show, we had to think about the depth of the character. She is a girl who has a gender-fluid type of style. She knows who she is. Her family thinks she’s weird. It's a beautiful arc. I think the audience will see how you are led to all the things you are supposed to get in life. 

Shanice Williams
photo by Jeff Lorch

DD: How familiar were you with the music of the Go Go's? 

SW: I was familiar with the big songs. I’m 25. I wasn't born when they were out, but they are timeless. It wasn’t played in my household. We only listened to gospel. 

TM: For me, the Go-Go's was that soundtrack that was always playing. When I was younger, I wasn't sure who that was. I knew the music. 

DD: Was everything on the page or were you able to put what you wanted into the character? 

TM: The experience we are having with co-directors is great.  They are allowing us to bring our full selves to the character. They have allowed me to bring my full self and develop and find things the page may not say. We are making it make sense. 

SW: Absolutely not. On the page, she seems naïve and comical. I had to give her depth. The costumes had to be rethought because of the route that we went with her.  I and the directors came together. The co-directors are incredible in how they are doing the show. We are all creating it together. Never been part of a show where we have so much creative authority. 

DD: How did you get into showbiz?

TM: I am from Fort Worth, TX. I grew up singing in church. My mother saw my talent and cultivated it. I started young. I was 17 doing my first show. I was [aid $50. I was so excited.  My mother is a singer as well. I was always making up songs. I would wrangle my siblings to do a show. I have five sisters and a brother. I’m the middle child. We’re a multi blended family. My dad and bonus mom are David Mann and Tamela Mann.

DD: Why did you want to be in showbiz? 

SW: Growing up as an only child, my family would say sweetie sing for us, dance for us. I never had a lot of friends. The reaction of my family made me feel good. I didn't feel like I fit in. When I get on stage, I feel at home.  I knew I could never do anything else. When you get that feeling of wow, this is what I’m supposed to do. I knew since middle school. 

TM: Although I knew my dad and bonus mom were in showbiz, I didn't see it for myself. In musical theater, I didn't see people who looked like me. I was going to be an optometrist. Now I can’t picture doing anything else.

DD: What did you expect from showbiz and what did you actually get? 

TM: I expected flowers, rainbows, unicorns, and smooth sailing because I worked hard. Boy was I wrong. My mission nowadays is to understand the struggle of the business. It gives newcomers a false sense. We have to be transparent. I don't always feel confident.   With social media, it’s always about just showing the good.  It can be incredibly rewarding.

SW: That’s a good question. The main thing was I expected my main focus to be performing. I wanted to change the world with my talent. Show business is a business. You have to have a good team, the right people around you. I never wanted to be famous. I just wanted to perform. 

Head Over Heels, Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA; Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., through Sunday, Dec. 12; starting at $30; pasadenaplayhouse.org, 626-356-7529.

 

California African American Chamber of Commerce Selects Carl Davis

Carl Davis

 

The California African American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC, www.calaacc.org) represents more than 10,000 black-owned businesses, employing over 75,000 persons, according to pre-pandemic statistics.   CAACC looks to better position its member businesses for participation in accelerated ventures, industry growth markets and state contracting opportunities that will bolster revenues, significantly.  Carl Davis, Jr has been selected to accomplish this critical mission.  Davis says of his vision for CAACC, “We must embrace technology as the new difference maker where businesses survive or even thrive in today’s digital landscape.” 

Timothy Alan Simon

Timothy Alan Simon, Esq., CAACC’s Board Chairman says of Davis, “Carl brings a wealth of executive level chamber experience along with a seasoned national network. We are very excited about the future under his leadership.” 

CAACC has identified a number of priorities that Davis is charged with managing, among them:  implement strategic programs that address all stages of business development from startups to mid-tenure and advanced stage operations; catapult effective strategies for post-pandemic preparedness; deploy tactical modalities for economic impact and desired outcomes and; by no means the least of CAACC’s goals include ongoing assessment to identify who and where Black businesses are located within the State.  All combined, CAACC will curate and navigate approaches for its members to stay actively engaged with chamber activities (more).

Auntyland Film Festival Calls For Submissions

Auntyland Film Festival (AFF) invites filmmakers of every age to submit their creative work to its inaugural online film festival devoted to short films. The regular deadline for the festival, which launches during Women’s History Month (March 2022) and is headquartered in New York City’s Tribeca, is January 30.

The festival, a community, and volunteer-based event operates at the intersection of identity, gender, and age. AFF is especially reaching out to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), aunties, baby boomers, and other underrepresented artists of all ages. Short films about any topic, not just aunties, are welcome including family, politics, sports, food, cooking, gardens, home, pets/animals, climate change, sustainability, LGBTQ themes,

‘Only in New York’ and more.

Sylvia Wong Lewis

“Aunties are unsung heroes who add a secret sauce that holds communities together and filmmakers are encouraged to bring a bold realness that is a trademark of aunties,” said Sylvia Wong Lewis, founder, and director of the Auntyland Film Festival, which is part of a multidisciplinary arts platform that celebrates the important role of aunts in People of the Global Majority (PGM) communities. “The 'early-bird campaign that ended on October 15 generated some high-quality entries, so let's keep the momentum going. Send your film entry today!”

Known as Aunt Cookie, Lewis is a storyteller through the lens of film, food, and gardening. Her short film From Shanghai to Harlem won two Telly Award. Lewis became a filmmaker at age 60.

Other important dates include the extended deadline on February 17, 2022, and the notification date on February 24, 2022. The festival kicks off on International Women’s Day and runs through Women’s History Month: March 8 to March 31, 2022. The entry fee is $25.

Auntyland Film Festival (AFF) is proudly sponsored by FilmFreeway, the world's #1 way to enter film festivals and creative contests. To submit a film, visit: https://filmfreeway.com/AuntylandFilmFest.

'The Freak Brothers' Debuts November 14

Tiffany Haddish

Tubi announced its first-ever star-studded original animated series, THE FREAK BROTHERS, based on the cult classic underground comic series, and will debut the first two episodes on Sunday, Nov. 14. The animated series is produced by WTG Enterprises and distributed by global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B).

THE FREAK BROTHERS will headline Tubi’s first foray into adult animation, as it expands its adult humor collection in the coming months. The additional episodes from Season One will drop on Sundays, one every week, through the finale, Sunday, Dec. 26. The eight-episode series chronicles the escapades of a trio of stoner anti-establishment characters and their cat who wake up from a 50-year nap after smoking a magical strain of weed in 1969 and must adjust to life with a new family in present-day San Francisco. 

LaLa Anthony

Featuring an all-star voice cast that includes Woody Harrelson (“The Hunger Games” franchise, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”), Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner John Goodman (“The Big Lebowski,” “Monsters, Inc.”), Emmy Award and Grammy Award winner Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip,” “The Lego Movie 2”) and Pete Davidson (“Saturday Night Live,” “The King of Staten Island”), the series follows laid-back Freewheelin’ Franklin Freek (Harrelson), man-child Fat Freddy Freekowtski (Goodman), paranoid Phineas T. Phreakers (Davidson) and their sardonic cat, Kitty (Haddish). 

Pete Davidson

On Sunday, Nov. 14, TV viewers will get a sneak peek at THE FREAK BROTHERS during a special 90-second trailer airing during FOX’s “Animation Domination” block in FAMILY GUY (9:30-10 p.m. ET/PT). 

In addition, THE FREAK BROTHERS stars Adam Devine and Blake Anderson, who are also executive producers, as well as Andrea Savage, La La Anthony, and Rapper ScHoolboy Q. Devine and Anderson voice Chuck and Charlie, a couple of weed savants always looking for the next side hustle, with hearts of gold hidden beneath their unwashed exteriors. Savage voices Harper, a no-nonsense techie who undoubtedly wears the pants in her household. Anthony voices Gretchen, a social-advocate lawyer who is the more idealistic and compassionate younger sister of Harper. ScHoolboy Q voices an animated version of himself who finds himself surrounded by “The Freaks.”

“We can’t wait for Tubi viewers to freak out to THE FREAK BROTHERS, with its unforgettably irreverent comedy infused with heart, alongside an iconic ensemble voice cast and a stellar team of elite producers and writers,” said Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi. “This comedy is 50 years in the making and we are thrilled to have it debut on Tubi as our first original animated comedy, marking a new step for Tubi as we expand our adult humor offerings.”

“As we continue our expansion into original animation, a cornerstone of the FOX brand, we’re thrilled Tubi is joining the party with its first original animated series,” said Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, FOX Entertainment. “With its counterculture roots, anti-establishment comedic POV and, as Adam said, an all-star team of cast and producers, THE FREAK BROTHERS is the perfect complement to Animation Domination and provides the ideal opportunity to not only grow Tubi’s audience but take the animation genre to the next level in AVOD. Stay tuned for more original Tubi animated content soon.”

“We’re pleased to partner with FOX and Tubi on a new paradigm for distributing original animation to our consumers,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer.  “The timeless humor of ‘The Freak Brothers’ has resonated with audiences for years, and this edgy comedy gives it a fresh and inventive spin for a whole new generation of fans.”

THE FREAK BROTHERS is based on comic book legend Gilbert Shelton’s “The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.” Critiquing the Establishment, while satirizing counterculture at the same time, the comic sold more than 45 million copies in 16 languages and was hailed by The Comics Journal as “One of the 100 Greatest Comics of the Century.” Starburns Industries and Pure Imagination Studios, the studios behind “Rick & Morty” and “The Simpsons: Brick Like Me,” handled the animation.

THE FREAK BROTHERS is executive-produced by Courtney Solomon (“AFTER,” “Mr. Church,” Cake”) and Mark Canton (STARZ’s “POWER UNIVERSE,” “300,” “Den of Thieves”), along with award-winning producers Alan Cohen and Alan Freedland (“King of the Hill,” “American Dad”). Woody Harrelson, Tiffany Haddish, Pete Davidson, Adam Devine, Blake Anderson, Gilbert Shelton, and Manfred Mroczkowski also serve as executive producers on the series. 

THE FREAK BROTHERS’ theme song was created and performed by TDE recording artist Ray Vaughn. Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith, the Grammy Award-winning producer and founder of TDE, one of the most notable music labels, produced the music for THE FREAK BROTHERS and is an executive producer on the series, along with Mike Concepcion.  

THE FREAK BROTHERS will anchor Tubi’s expansion into adult animation on FOX Entertainment’s free streaming platform, joining nearly 7,000 comedy movies and TV series on the platform, ranging from stand-up specials featuring classics like “Def Comedy Jam” and Jim Gaffigan to live-action and edgy comedy including “Let's Be Real" and classics like "Weekend at Bernie's" and "Grosse Pointe Blank" and adult animation like “The PJs" and Australian sensation “Regular Old Bogan,” which is exclusively on Tubi, and additional titles to be announced for November. 

For more information on THE FREAK BROTHERS, please visit www.thefreakbrothers.com.