Don't Miss The Elaboarte Entrance of Chad Diety

Even if you are not that into wrestling, chances are you will come away liking Kristoffer Diaz’s The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety (EEOCD)--which is more about the fakery and hyperbole in wrestling than about wrestling.

For one, this play makes skilled usage of a refreshing blend of African American, Latino, Asian and Caucasian cultural imagery---not usually the case on and off Broadway. EEOD is also very well acted and keeps the audience’s interest from start to finish. And though the Pulitzer Prize nominated EEOD is chock-full-of heavy socio-political and ethno-cultural commentary, its satirical slant, flashy interludes, and high flying action lighten up the atmosphere just enough so that is not preachy or over the top with is stinging observations and profound insights.



Now playing at Second Stage, EEOCD under the brilliant direction of director Edward Torres (finally a Latino director that we can write about), who knows how to glamorize and electrify a production. Kudos to an outstanding design team - Brian Sidney Bembridge (set), Christine Pascual (costumes), Jesse Klug (lights), Mikhail Fiksel (sound) and Peter Nigrini (projections). Together they were able transform the theater into a bona fide wrestling arena complete with wrestling ring and large screen video screens to amplify the ENTRANCES and EXITS of some hilariously flashy, actors in tights. Chad is played brilliantly by Terrance Archie—a brother who loves himself, his chiseled body, his fame, not to mention his money that literally falls from the sky (or ceiling in this case) as he makes his elaborate entrance. Equally mesmerizing is the performance of Vigneshwar Paduar (Usman Ally), a low-key multilingual Indian-American hipster from Brooklyn who must now be recast as “The Fundamentalist,"—a Middle Eastern if he is to become a nationally known wrestler--- one of many body slams EEOCD dishes out to American marketing, greed, ignorance and cultural insensitivity.

Be prepared to be fully engaged with extraordinary narrator, Macedonia Guerra ( Desmin Borges) who jumps in and out of the action to tell the true story.

BOTTOM LINE: EEOCD is simply not to be missed. Loads of fun!!!! Worth your time and money.

BAW

Kicking it Off with Black Girl at the New Federal Theatre

Tonight's reading of J.E. Franklin's BLACK GIRL-- a deceptively simple play on intraracial oppression, family of origin dynamics, and the unique personal choices black human beings confront in answering the call of destiny--marks the grand opening of a month long series of readings celebrating great black plays and playwrights, at the innovative New Federal Theatre in New York.

GIST OF THE PLAY: Caught in web of inextricable dead ends, Billie Jean dreams of being a ballet dancer. She quits school to secretly take a job as a local bar dancer as a first step in realizing her dream. But her ambitions bring her into conflict with her envious sister and her mother. Billie Jean must also navigate a weave of prejudices - family, sex, colour, class and economic - to win an education and achieve her own identity. No easy task-- but anchored by her grandmother's strength and trust, Billie Jean breaks free, establishing a theradbare but promisng relationship with her mother and setting sail on life's big sea on her own.

ABOUT PLAYWRIGHT: " J.E Franklin was born in Houston, TX on August 10, 1937. She received her B.A., University of Texas; Graduate hours, Union Theological Seminary, NY. It was this play, Black Girl (1971) that earned her acclaim and a following. The play later became a movie with Ossie Davis as director and Franklin as screenwriter. Initially, the play was produced by Woodie King, Jr., this very theatre and later moved to the Theatre de Lys.

In addition to her produced plays, Franklin has many unpublished and unproduced works. She has contributed articles to periodicals and written a book entitled Black Girl, from Genesis to Revelations (1977), which details the writing of the play, her confrontation with the theater world, and the pains and promises of converting the play into a television production and later a film.

Franklin's talent has been rewarded with the Media Women Award (1971); the New York Drama Desk Most Promising Playwright Award (1971); the Institute for the Arts and Humanities Dramatic Award from Howard University (1974); the Better Boys Foundation Playwrighting Award (1978); the Ajabei Children's Theater Annual Award (1978); the National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship (1979); and the Rockefeller Grant (1980). In her works, she is realistic, presents multifaceted African American life from a female perspective, and demonstrates her belief that the theater should educate, be socially aware, and present feelings and options to the viewers.

BOTTOM LINE: Excellent choice to kick off this month long tribute to great black plays and playwrights. On some level this plays theme of swimming upstream "against seen and unseen forces and odds," parallels the troubled journey of black theatre--and black performing artists--in the relentless struggle for validation,ascendancy and identity.

Do try to make over to the New Federal Theatre this month. At $10 dollars a reading, this is not a bargain but a steal!!!

Visit http://www.newfederaltheatre.org/ for more information and to browse the June calendar.

BAW
http://blackartsentertainmentwhisperer.blogspot.com/

TONIGHT'S DIRECTOR: Passion

SOURCES

http://www.answers.com/topic/j-e-franklin

Fred Beauford, “A Conversation with Black Girl's J. E. Franklin,” Black Creation 3 (Fall 1971): 38–40.

Carole A. Parks, “J. E. Franklin, Playwright,” Black World 21 (Apr. 1972): 49–50

Black History Month in June? Selected Readings of Great Black Plays and Playwrights at New Federal Theatre

Wow-- it's not Black History Month where this kind of event would be typically showcased. So this celebration is indeed a first on many levels. Thanks to the ever innovative and cutting edge leaders at the Woodie King's New Federal Theatre, New Yorkers and tourists will be treated to a month's worth of black theatre history this summer. And at 10 bucks a pop, this is a steal.

For the entire month of June the Woodie King, Jr.’s New Federal Theatre will present a month long reading series of Great Black Plays and Playwrights. This electic series, running every Friday through Monday in June, features many of Black theatre’s most celebrated dramas.

Many of the plays, presented at the Castillo Theatre and the National Black Theatre, have achieved ntable uccess on other stages and have won several awards. As per the press release, half of the readings will take place Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street. The other half will be read at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays and at 7:30 p.m. on Mondays at National Black Theatre. 2031 Fifth Avenue. Readings will be held throughout the month of June, 2010. I have included the first this weekends schedule below. Remember readings will be every day this month!



Fri June 4 (7:30pm)
Black Girl
By: J.e Franklin
Director: Passion

Sat June 5 (2pm)
For Colored Girls Who
Have Considered
Suicide…
By Ntozake Shange
Director: Trezana
Beverly

Sat June 5 (7pm)
Tod, The Boy Tod
By: Talvin Wilks
Director: Talvin Wilks

Sunday June 6 (2pm)
Robert Johnson: Trick
The Devil
By: Bill Harris
Director: Ed Smith

June 6 (7pm)
Mom, How Did You
Meet the Beatles?
By: Adam P. Kennedy
& Adrienne Kennedy
Director: Imani

Monday June 7
Do Lord Remember
Me
By: James deJongh
Director: Regge Life

As per press release, other plays that will be read during this historic reading series are: A Recent Killing by Amiri Baraka, Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage,In the Wine Time by Ed Bullins, The Amen Corner by James Baldwin, Black Girl by j.e. Franklin, Flyin’ West by Pearl Cleage and Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Lonne Elder.

Some of the other renowned playwrights represented in the varied and diverse line up are Phillip Hayes Dean, Richard Wesley, Bill Harris, Alice Childress, Wesley Brown, and Laurence Holder.

Directors participating in the series include TalvinWilks, Clinton Turner Davis, Dean Irby, Elizabeth Van Dyke, Nathan George, Marjorie Moon, and Reggie Life. The plays will be read by illustrious casts of actors.

Kudos to the folks at the crew at the New Federal Theatre for this ground breaking event in African American theater. You can bet the Whisperer will be there soaking it all in-- and will be signing up with and supporting the theatre!!!

TICKETS are available at www.theatremania.com (866-811-4111)
Each Play Reading $10.00/New Federal Theatre Members admitted FREE by presenting their membership card For further information call: 212-353-1176 or visit www.newfederaltheatre.org

BAW
http://blackartsentertainmentwhisperer.blogspot.com/

ScottsBoro Boys Coming Back

How exciting to hear that this piercing and challenging musical is making its way back to New York this Fall--most likely October 2010 at the Lyceum Theatre. (You may recall it played to a sold out audience every night at the Vineyard Theatre in New York). With music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb (“Cabaret,” “Chicago”), the musical centers on a group of black men who are convicted in Alabama on false charges of raping two white women. Lead actor, singer, dancer, and Tony Award nominee, Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple), will not be in the Fall showing as he has been snatched reportedly to play Ray Charles on Broadway (a bittersweet reality, selfishly speaking, as I have written about in previous blogs-- because of the amazing intensity and integrity hepoured into his role). Nonetheless, every black male in this musical is a triple threat-sing, act, dance--which guarantees a powerful performance everytime!

BAW
http://blackartsentertainmentwhisperer.blogspot.com/