Ashleigh Smith Is Singing 'In The Rain'

ARLINGTON (22 NOVEMBER 2023): The title of singer-songwriter Ashleigh Smith’s new single, “I Can’t Help It,” aligns with her identity as an artist. Her recordings are unapologetic and unabashed amalgams of straight-ahead jazz cadences and soulful R&B grooves with sophisticated pop appeal that when knitted together, result in genre-defying tracks best labeled modern vocal jazz. Her newly released TopCat Records single is an act of defiance in itself because there’s no question that it’s a straight-ahead jazz cut yet that radio format doesn’t release singles. That little detail wasn’t going to prevent Smith from issuing her version of the tune penned by Stevie Wonder and Susaye Greene, which she produced and arranged with bassist Nigel Rivers.

Clearly, Smith is comfortable in her own skin. She studied classical music on a full scholarship in college, won the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, which demonstrates her remarkable skills as a jazz singer, and grew up in a musical household where she fell in love with classic R&B and pop as performed on “real instruments.” Each element adds to the distinctive alchemy that converges organically to form her own unique brand.

While “I Can’t Help It” is a song about romantic love, for Smith, the lyrics serve as affirmations, declarations empowering her individuality. Floating her emotive croon atop the brisk straight-ahead jazz rhythms constructed by Rivers’ elastic basslines and Mauricio Barroso’s staccato percussion beats, Smith’s single is illumined by the astute piano and Rhodes keyboards from Daniel Marandure and Pete Clagett’s probing trumpet. Adding melodic touches to the track are Max Townsley (guitar), Chelsea Danielle (vibes), and Jordache Grant (keyboards). Smith has been performing “I Can’t Help It” in her live set for years with many of the musicians on the recording.

“After years of performing it with my band, different sections and parts of the arrangements started to form organically. Honestly, it was only decided that it would be a single because of audience demand. After every show, fans ask where they could purchase that arrangement. So, I decided we would give the people what they wanted. One of the qualities that I’m most proud of when it comes to my music is that everything I do is always organic and natural. Even down to the musicians I choose to record with. The musicians on this record, and on all of my recordings, are musicians I play with regularly. They are people who have been a part of my musical journey from the beginning, so the synergy is a given. I love that everything I put out is made with love with people I genuinely love,” said the Dallas-based Smith who grew up in Augusta, Georgia.

“I Can’t Help It” previews Smith’s sophomore album, “In The Rain,” which is due to arrive next spring. Although this single is a reimagination, all the other songs on the collection are originals that Smith had a hand in writing. She debuted in 2016 with the “Sunkissed” album that was released by Concord Records, which offered a mix of originals and covers.

For more information, please visit https://www.theashleighsmith.com.

 

Alex Edelman's 'Just For Us' Is Just For Everybody

By Darlene Donloe

Alex Edelman Just For Us, the latest show at the Mark Taper, is a hilarious ongoing conversation and one-man show about Jewish identity. 

Created five years ago by Edelman, who is considered to have one of comedy’s most distinctive voices, Just For Us, which did very well on Broadway, is an exploration of identity and mankind’s collective capacity for empathy.

It lands somewhere between stand-up at a comedy club and a play. It actually doesn’t matter which one – at the end, you feel like you’ve learned something. 

Given the tension in the world today, this is either just the right time – or the worst time ever to be starring in a one-man show about anti-Semitism.

The metal detector everyone had to walk through to get into the theater may have something to do with that.

From the moment the 34-year-old Edelman, the king of the one-liners, took the stage with only a single chair as a prop, he had the audience in the palm of his hand as he briskly walked back and forth sizing up the audience while the audience simultaneously did the same with him.

He opened with some bad jokes about a bear and about a horse.  Having warmed up the audience, from there he took off on a 90-minute set that left the audience in stitches! 

Edelman, an Ashkenazi Jew, describes himself as neurodivergent and admits he has been tested 11 times to find out why he is the way he is.  

After that eleventh test, Edelman said he overheard his mother say, “What do you mean, he’s fine?” 

Now that’s comedy!

But wait, there’s more. 

Edelman goes on to do hilarious bits about his hometown of Boston, Jewish names, wedding practices, family relationships, Robin Williams, and even how his family, at the behest of his mother trying to help out a friend – celebrated Christmas one year.

Every story bests the previous one. 

Alex Edelman

Just for Us is inspired by Edelman’s experiences as an Orthodox Jewish man attending a meeting of White Nationalists in Queens, NY (and, somehow, trying to have a meet-cute). The story of how he comes face-to-face with the people behind the keyboards is brilliant.  All of the stories in Just For Us are hilarious.

‘Just for Us’ is just what Los Angeles needs right now. It’s super funny! 

Edelman is no stranger to the comedy scene in the city of Angels, having workshopped his show in various spots across L.A. 

Originally from Boston, Edelman has had a broad writing career—from writing for television to producing documentaries for the U.S. State Department to writing speeches for both the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers—alongside a career as an award-winning stand-up comedian and performer.

Edelman, known for his extremely personal storytelling and humor, is no stranger to unpacking his Jewish identity and heritage in his work. In his solo shows, Millennial in 2015 and its sequel Everything Handed To You in 2015 and 2016, Edelman also wrote about his experiences growing up and celebrating holidays with his family. 

Just For Us opened Off¬-Broadway in 2021 and was extended six times before a successful run in London. The show finally opened on Broadway in 2023, playing its last performance in August.

‘Just for Us’ is a brilliant, entertaining, and thought-provoking night of theater.

It’s a great way to understand a culture that, for centuries, has provoked brisk dialogue.

‘Just for Us’ is written and performed by Alex Edelman, and directed by Adam Brace

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likable), O (oh, yeah), and E (excellent), “Alex Edelman Just For Us” gets an E (excellent). 

“Alex Edelman Just For Us,” Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA, through November 26.

 

'From a Yardie to a Yankee' Opens During Black History Month

 

Theatre West is celebrating Black History Month with its presentation of From a Yardie to a Yankee.       

Sardia Robinson is originally from Jamaica. Wikipedia defines “yardie,”: ‘In the  most innocuous sense, "yardie" can simply refer to a Jamaican national; as "yard" can mean "home" in Jamaican Patois, Jamaican expatriates who moved abroad to countries such as the U.K. and U.S. would often refer to themselves and other Jamaicans as "yardies".’

Born into a poverty-stricken Jamaican neighborhood where crime, gangs, and political revolution were the norm, Sardia had to step over corpses in the street on her way to school. Then an unplanned pregnancy led to yet more hurdles. Sardia’s engaging and unique storytelling style takes audience members on an emotional rollercoaster ride fraught with peril, pain, and suffering, but also filled with humor, endearing characters, and the undeterred spirit to survive.

This vivid presentation portrays writer and performer Sardia Robinson’s epic struggles from the murderous streets of Kingston, Jamaica to the deadly consequences of Chicago’s drug wars. The one-woman show starring Robinson is full of colorful characters (she portrays eleven different roles), powerful portrayals, obstacles overcome, and heartwarming humor. This show will grip your heart and imagination.

From a Yardie to a Yankee has won awards across the country, among them the Best in Show Award at the TAG Studio Solo Festival,  the Innovative Women in Theatre Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival), and Best Solo Production Award (Broadway World),  It was listed as one of the Top Ten Shows to see in Los Angeles by Broadway World. The show recently toured New York, London, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Sardia received the Great Black Women Alumni Award in recognition of her contributions to young performers from Chicago’s Mahogany Scholarship Heritage Foundation. Her recent credits include Justice Delayed, in which she stars as Amy Jaques Garvey, wife of activist Marcus Garvey; and the hit sitcom currently airing in the Caribbean, House Out of Order.

Proceeds from this event will support the ongoing artistic and educational activities and programs of Theatre West, a 501c3 non-profit organization.

WHAT:  From a Yardie to a Yankee. The award-winning show.

WHO: Written, directed, and performed by Sardia Robinson. Produced by Dina Morrone for Theatre West.

WHERE: Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West,  in Los Angeles, CA 90068.

WHEN: Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 8 p.m. Sunday, February 11 at 2 p.m.

ADMISSION: $40 in advance; $45 at the door.

RESERVATIONS: (323) 851-7977.

ONLINE TICKETING: www.theatrewest.org

CONSUMER ADVISORY: For ages 11 through adult.

Reception with Jamaican food follows the performance.

Richard Wesley's "The Talented Tenth": A REVIEW

 

By Darlene Donloe 

Black consciousness is called out in Richard Wesley’s contemporary drama, The Talented Tenth, the latest production by the Robey Theatre Company in Theater Four at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles. 

The show, directed by Ben Guillory, is considered a classic of Black American dramatic literature. 

First produced in 1989, the play borrows its title from a 1903 article by scholar, activist, and social reformer W.E.B. DuBois, in which he described the likelihood of one in 10 Black men becoming leaders of Black people by continuing their education, writing books, or becoming directly involved in social change. 

“The Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men,” said renowned Black sociologist W.E.B. Dubois at the beginning of his pivotal 1903 essay.

The play focuses on graduates of Howard University who have succeeded in life with their big houses, new cars, and lavish vacations.

Ben Guillory

The play opens with a Black male executive (Griggs) reminding a potential younger Black male employee (Bernard) of his duty to become the best of the Black race.

Nic Few 

Bernard, played vibrantly by Nic Few, feels conflicted about betraying his original activism principles. At one time while he was a student at Howard University, he was a civil rights activist down for the cause who had a brown-skinned African queen by his side with whom he was deeply in love. Unfortunately, she was killed on the continent while trying to push the movement forward. It's something that Bernard, years later, continues to struggle with.

Tiffany Coty

Now, in his 40s, he’s a determined executive at a small chain of Black radio stations. His programming decisions have boosted the stations’ ratings and significantly increased their commercial value.

Then, boom. Bernard is blindsided with a career crisis he didn’t see coming. He finds out his mentor, Griggs (Director Ben Guillory), the owner of the chain of stations, is considering selling it to an international white corporation. The thoughts send Bernard into a rage because it would spoil his plans for the company. Now, his world is turned upside down and he feels betrayed by Griggs – who didn’t give him a heads up or a chance to buy the stations himself.

Bernard’s life outside of work is becoming problematic, too. He has a beautiful, capable wife named Pam (Tiffany Coty) and four children.

Jessica Obilom

Obviously going through a mid-life crisis, Bernard also has a younger mistress named Tanya (Jessica Obilom), who is determined to be his next wife.

Bernard, a whiny blowhard, has 99 problems, and, having one too many women is one.

Julio Hanson

Why Bernard has two women fighting over him is hard to fathom. He isn’t loving, nice, or caring to either woman. In fact, he tells them both he doesn’t love them – and damn the consequences.

Monte Escalante

His band of friends, all of whom used to be activists before they traded it in for the American dream and a more affluent life, includes Rowena (Monte Escalante) her husband, Marvin (Julio Hanson), and Ron (Stirling Bradley). While they all exhibit a bit of the familiar Black frustration, all are now part of the Black elite and free of guilt for having made it to the other side of the tracks. 

Stirling Bradley

Ron and Bernard don’t always see eye-to-eye. There’s a bit of tension between the two men who both are in love with Bernard’s wife, Pam.

Marvin and Rowena are the voices of reason in the group – mostly to no avail. Marvin tries to convince Bernard to leave his mistress – and to think twice about trying to buy the company at which he’s worked for years.

While taking in a spa day together, Rowena speaks freely to her friend Pam about her husband’s infidelity and about owning her part in the relationship. Their debate on colorism, which rings of authenticity, is a highlight of the show.

Rogelio Douglas III

Save for Few’s energetic performance, the show lacks passion and any sense of urgency or energy.

It’s strange because the show has capable actors, they just don’t sell the material.

That falls squarely on Guillory’s shoulders. While he makes good use of the stage, Guillory’s direction doesn’t move the needle forward.

While Wesley’s prose is brilliant, in this production it drags. The show could literally be cut by 30-45 minutes.

"The Talented Tenth," directed and produced by Ben Guillory, stars Nic Few, Tiffany Coty, Jessica Obilom, Monte Scalante, Stirling Bradley, Julio Hanson, Rogelio Douglas III, and Guillory.

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

Running time: Two (2) hours, including a 15-minute intermission.

“The Talented Tenth,” The Robey Theatre Company at Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre Four, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013, 8 p.m., Thurs.- Sat. 3 p.m., Sun. through December 10, Dark November 23 (Thanksgiving), $40, Students, group tickets, seniors, and veterans with ID, $25. Q&As will follow Sunday performances. For information: http://therobeytheatrecompany.org (213) 489-7402/ info@therobeytheatrecompany.org

 

 

 

POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE"

LOS ANGELES (November 15, 2023) – Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its Los Angeles premiere of the three-time Tony Award-nominated play POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, written by Selina Fillinger (Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, Something Clean) and directed by Jennifer Chambers (The Cake, The Enigmatist).

Ito AghayereBy Emily Sandifer

The cast includes Ito Aghayere (Junk, Bernhardt/Hamlet) as Chris; Maria Bello (Beef, A History of Violence) as Bernadette; Alexandra Billings (Wicked, Transparent) as Margaret; Lauren Blumenfeld (The Assembled Parties, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Stephanie; Shannon Cochran (A Doll’s House, Part 2; Bug) as Harriet; Jane Levy (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Suburgatory) as Dusty; and Elizabeth Rodriguez (Orange Is the New Black, The Motherf**ker with the Hat) as Jean.

Previews for POTUS begin Wednesday, January 17, 2024, in the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, January 25, 2024. 

A derogatory comment, a summit gone awry, an anal abscess—it’s a bad day at the White House. When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, it inevitably falls on the seven women he relies on most to clean up the mess. Take a raucous romp through the halls of the West Wing in a riotous and irreverent farce about the men who hold the power vs. the women who get the job done.

POTUS: OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE is written by Selina Fillinger and directed by Jennifer Chambers 

Previews: January 17, 2024 – January 24, 2024

Opening Night: January 25, 2024

Closing Night: February 18, 2024

CAST

Ito Aghayere as Chris

Maria Bello as Bernadette

Alexandra Billings as Margaret

Lauren Blumenfeld as Stephanie

Shannon Cochran as Harriet

Jane Levy as Dusty

Elizabeth Rodriguez as Jean

PRODUCTION TEAM 

Set Design by Brett J. Banakis

Costume Designer Samantha C. Jones

Lighting Designer Elizabeth Harper

Original Music & Sound Design by Lindsay Jones

Associate Director Emily Moler

Fight Director Julie Ouellette

Intimacy Director Amanda Rose Villarreal

Dramaturg Olivia O’Connor

Production Stage Manager Darlene Miyakawa

Assistant Stage Manager Colleen Danaher

Casting Director Phyllis Schuringa, CSA

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Monday, Tuesday          No performance

Wednesday – Friday      8 p.m. 

Saturday                       3 and 8 p.m.

Sunday                         2 and 7 p.m. 

LOCATION

Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse

10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets currently priced at $30 - $129. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply. 

All Geffen Playhouse productions are intended for an adult audience; children under ten years of age will not be admitted.

Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $35 General/$15 Student.

COLLEGE AUDIENCES

Through a variety of events and other opportunities, Geffen Playhouse welcomes college students to experience the live storytelling presented on our stages. We are proud of our association with UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and open our doors to all college students throughout Los Angeles. More information is available at www.geffenplayhouse.org/college.

Stevenson Spends 'Christmas Time With You'

 

LOS ANGELES: R&B/jazz singer Erin Stevenson has a joyous holiday treat for listeners filled with cinnamon kisses and time spent with loved ones. The Innervision Records artist wrote and produced the finger-popping, swinging, bluesy, retro sleigh ride “Christmas Time With You,” a cheerful new single boding to become a seasonal standard. Now available from iTunes, Amazon, and other major retailers, “Christmas Time With You” will begin collecting playlist adds on November 27.

All year round, Stevenson radiates the energy and excitement of Christmas morning thus composing and recording her own standard feels apropos. Inherent in her glee is a sense of gratitude, strong sentiments that permeate the single’s lyrics.

“‘Christmas Time With You’ offers a happy slice of real life packaged as a classic Christmas song guaranteed to make you smile and get you in the holiday spirit. It will make you feel a tad bit closer to the ones you love,” said Stevenson who recruited keyboardist Christopher Thomas, guitarist Kay-Ta Matsuno, bassist Keith Eaddy, and drummer Arthur Thompson to decorate the festive track.

Stevenson has been working on her sophomore album, “CoverGirl Uncovered,” which is slated to drop next April. She jokes that “Justin is financing the album,” a reference to the breaks she takes from recording to perform with Justin Timberlake, one of the many A-listers she has toured and performed with, including Pharrell Williams, Duran Duran, Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Ciara, Rihanna, and Camila Cabello. Her solo recording career has been on an upward trajectory, having most recently peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard chart with the single “Smooth Soul.”    

“My career has been taking off and I believe it’s primarily due to my live performances. I don't take for granted that my band is a critical component of that, which is why I put them on my records and in music videos. I'm happy, Christmas makes me happy, and my band makes me happy. That’s exactly what you get on ‘Christmas Time With You,’” said Stevenson, a force of nature performer who will play with her band on Friday (November 10) at Spaghettini south of Los Angeles.

Hailing from Houston and now based in Southern California, Stevenson debuted as a solo artist in 2006 with the Billboard Top 5 dance music single “Sweat.” She dropped her first album, “Naked,” in 2017, paced by the British top 10 single, “Hangin’.” A series of singles followed – “Make It Last Forever,” “You Gotta Be” and “Never Too Much” - the latter of which won Stevenson a People’s Choice Indie Soul Award in 2021.       

Although she’s effervescent and jolly, Stevenson knows this time of year can be challenging for others. Her sense of empathy and compassion is why her message in “Christmas Time With You” resonates

“For some, the holiday season is dreadful because everyone else is so doggone happy. Whether it’s a lack of finances, loneliness, or family problems, some people lose sight of the gifts right in their midst. It’s true, the best gifts in life are free - like time and living in the moment. I'm a strong believer that if you want to be happy, only do things and surround yourself with people who make you happy,” Stevenson said.

Spiritually grounded, Stevenson keeps sight of the true meaning of Christmas by maintaining a humble outlook that reflects her feelings of appreciation.

“Jesus will always be my reason for the season, but that also comes with lots of good food, good wine, and, of course, my family. Anything more is simply a bonus.”

For more information, please visit https://www.erinstevensonmusic.com.

Chaka Khan To Play Luckman Fine Arts Complex

Chaka Khan

LOS ANGELES, CA - The Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA will present one of the music world’s most celebrated icons, Chaka Khan —Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 8 p.m. 

Tickets are on sale Thursday, October 19 at 11 a.m. PDT, with pre-sale for premium packages available starting Tuesday, October 17 at 11 a.m. PDT. 

A singer, songwriter, actor, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and activist, Chaka has influenced generations of music creators during her four decades as an artist. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, her musical range includes R&B, pop, rock, gospel, country, world music, and classical. 

During her legendary career, Chaka Khan has released 22 albums and racked up ten #1 songs on the Billboard charts, seven RIAA-certified gold singles, and ten RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums. Her prolific recordings have resulted in more than 2,000 catalog song placements. She is revered by millions of fans and her peers for her timeless, unmatched vocal style and image. The late, great Miles Davis noted that she “sings like my horn.” Aretha Franklin said that she “is a one-of-a-kind, premier vocalist.”

This performance will coincide with the start of celebrations and events commemorating the 30th anniversary of The Luckman, details about which will be announced later this fall.