Acting Up!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
2013 Let's Be About Doing
Friday, October 21, 2011
Remembering what matters
In one conversation my year changed. I was preparing to make my Broadway debut in January, counting the checks before they posted and planning for a posh time, when my phone rang in the middle of Party City looking for Smurf accoutrements for my son for Halloween. The main producer called to say, it is not happening, maybe next fall. Crushed! I then realized, "Wait a minute! What an opportunity to reinvent this brand! " I have decided to invest fully into those projects that I have been working on creatively. I have always been very uncomfortable with being at the whim of others, especially professionally. Thus this Divine opportunity to explore independence. Walk with me children and don't you get weary. This is what we must remember. DON'T GET WEARY.
Big Love!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Diving Into Social Media
This is just a heads up to let those of you who are following this blog, irregular though it may be, that I am jumping into this notion of letting you know what I am up to and my thoughts on a few things. I'm asking you to forgive the typos because most of this will be done from a hyper-sensitive phone that thinks it knows more than I!
Big Love
Monday, March 28, 2011
Representations of Africa and Africans
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Happy New Year/ Super Moon/ Been Too Long!
I have been grappling with the content, because I know I am in the throws of making many of the decisions that we are presenting in the play. I am now asking myself, "Why are black actors still relegated to more modern stereotypes, but stereotypes nonetheless?" Black women are still not perceived as beautiful enough, interesting enough or financially viable enough to be leading ladies. I am trying to think of one Black woman who has been a leading lady in the last five years other than Halle Berry. Wait! Gabourey Sidibe was the leading lady in Precious, a film that was art house.
Please share any leading ladies that you can think of, and if you can't tell me why you think they don't exist.
Enjoy the Super Moon Tonight!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Is it Treason or a Critique?
As an artist community, one of the ways that we grow is through discussion. One of the ways that we create is through conversation, and the wonderful thing about talking with artists is that no one opinion reigns supreme. I want to encourage us to have more open discourses about our art community. I know I am not the only one who feels that mediocrity reigns supreme or that we have dumbed down our art until it is almost unrecognizable. Can we go back to the coffee houses and lounges and discuss our art, fight about it and in the midst of the brawl, reclaim it?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Showing Up!
Though there is a daring nature to having Antony be a man of color, this particular racial dynamic is very comfortable to most audience members. It feeds into a stereotype that has been in place since slavery. A black man who covets the prize of the white race, its woman. What we see less of, and what I believe is more unsettling, maybe even unbelievable for audiences, is a White man loving a Black woman. Robert De Niro has been doing it for decades!!! Watching the very symbol of patriarchy desiring and loving a Black woman could be devastating to patrons of a certain generation...if you know what I mean. I assume theatres might fear losing those patrons as a result; however, I believe truly lovers of the arts will fill the seat to capacity to watch unfold relationships that they fear to imagine or even about which they fantasize. I am getting goose bumps just thinking about that beautiful scene unfolding. We would all hold our collective breaths, bite the communal bottom lip and wait with bated breath to see every scene unfold.
Imagine if you will, Cleopatra, a beautiful African woman, strong in will, love, lust, and the desire for power being swept up in. Can we dare to even envision ourselves as such? If we can, let's make this happen. I'm showing up. I hope you will too!