Phierce Pholks

J Edward — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:13:04 -0400

'Memphis: A New Musical' Interview with AP-Red

Of the new musicals coming to Broadway this season, I am very excited to see Memphis the Musical make it's way to New York! With an original story by Joe DiPietro, writer of the Off-Broadway smash hit I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change and score by David Bryan of Bon Jovi, Memphis looks to be a great success!

Jason Drew of AP-Red, got the chance to interview Montego Glover & Chad Kimball, the stars of Memphis, at a barbecue sponsored by VH1 in Shubert Alley! He did a wonderful job as always.

AP-Red is my favorite place to go for entertainment and industry news. It runs in partnership with AuditionPortal.com. If you're an agent, casting director or performer (actor, singer, dancer, comedian, etc.), register for free for access to castings and direct access to talent!.

Be sure to check out Memphis on their official website!

I Live for "The Cambria"

J Edward — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:05:44 -0400

On Wednesday, September 16th, I had the honor of joining the lovely Christine Cullen, who is the Accounts Administrator for the Irish Arts Center, to view their production of The Cambria, a play in two acts dedicated to a beautiful chapter of Frederick Douglass' life. Unfortunately, it is a story that remains left out of the education of Black American history and, I learned, Irish history.

Skillfully crafted by Donal O'Kelly, The Cambria recounts the days Frederick Douglass spent at sea, seeking asylum in Ireland after publishing his autobiography, making him a wanted man in the United States for being an escaped slave. The ship, after which the play was named, finds itself setting the stage for Douglass, who discovers he cannot escape his identity nor his destiny.

Performed by O'Kelly and Sorcha Fox, the pair progress through a myriad of characters and do so meticulously. I found myself in awe of how they both would have to switch between several characters in one scene - sometimes having to share characters - yet they are still completely connected to the essence of each individual. The sea captain, a choir director, a crew man, a slave owner, his daughter, Frederick Douglass and more give us their voice throughout the piece.

I have to admit, it took me a while to come to terms with O'Kelly's portrayal of Douglass, as neither resembles the other... by a long shot. However, watching the depth and tenderness the writer took as he brought one of my historical heroes to life was honest and so committed to truth that I felt honored to watch it.

What I found most interesting were the times that the structure of the play seemed to breakdown into a more abstract nature, though never deviating from the integrity of the play. At these moments, I found that there was a rhythm moving the play forward that reminded me of African dance, drawing me in. There were moments I was nearly driven to tears as stories of the trans-Atlantic slave trade were shared, reminding me of my how my own family came out of slavery and I am the result.

It was an educational experience as well, as I learned about Frederick Douglass' travels in Ireland, who welcomed him with uproarious acclaim, refusing to return him to the United States. This initiated his two year tour through out Ireland and Great Britain, during which his freedom was purchased from his slave-owners.

I give the Irish Arts Center's production of The Cambria my highest recommendation and hope this piece continues to evolve and enjoys growing success. Get out and see it before its run comes to a close on October 25th!

The Irish Arts Center, in association with Classical Theatre of Harlem, presents:
The Cambria
(performed in rotation with Frederick Douglass Now)

Tue-Fri 8 pm | Sat 2 pm & 8 pm | Sun 3pm & 7 pm
Presented on alternating evenings and matinees through October 25th only.
Each Performance : $50* general, $42* IAC & CTH members

Thanks so much to Christine Cullen, who also represents the Irish Arts Center on Twitter (@IrishArtsCenter), for the invitation, conversation and hospitality! You truly are one of the Phierce Pholks out there in the world!

'Til next time beautiful people,

Stay wonderful!

Inspirations - Patsy Rodenburg - Why I do Theatre

J Edward — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:40:20 -0400

Out of my desire to infect the creative community with the desire to pursue excellence and truth in our respective crafts, I'd like to share these little pearls of wisdom and inspiration that I stumble upon. When you are a creator with the desire to work as a professional in your craft, nearly everyday you ask yourself, "Why the hell do I want to do this?" I'm hoping these occasional droplets of inspiration will help you to stay committed to following your dreams.

A little background: Patsy Rodenburg is a renowned voice and acting coach throughout the world. In this video, recorded at the Michael Howard Studios here in my home city of New York, she is actually getting ready to speak about her book, The Second Circle (which I'm dying to get my hands on). She veers off topic for a moment before she begins to speak about what the Second Circle is, but what she has to say is extraordinarily powerful. Even if you're not an actor, I suggest you watch this video. I believe it speaks to all of us as creators.

'Til next time,

Stay Wonderful!

Bash'd: A Gay Rap Musical - 10s Across the Board!

J Edward — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:59:00 -0400

So, about two weeks ago, out of the blue, I get an email from one Jessica White, inviting me to come see Bash'd: A Gay Rap Opera. I'd been seeing advertising for a couple of weeks and was curious to go check it out. Being just a tiny bit broke was the main thing keeping me from seeing it. So I was pretty Phreakin' excited when I got the email from Jessica!

Saturday night, Paul, the Miranda to my Carrie, and I went to see Bash'd. Paul was just ecstatic to have the chance to see a musical! Not just a musical, a rap musical! And not just a rap musical... a GAY rap musical! We get to the Zipper Factory Theater and it has the most amazing lounge ever; like Harry Potter meets 21 Jump Street. The theatre space itself is just Phenominal! A great stage and about 200 seats. The seats are all like car seats, padded two seat benches and theatre chairs; sooo Phreakin' Phierce!

More after the jump!