Category Archives: Theater

Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen presents Back to Our Roots!

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Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen (MHHK) is a multifaceted hip hop event designed to showcase women artists, especially women of color. MHHK serves as a social justice community-organizing platform that educates and empowers women of color on issues that impact their lives, including HIV/AIDS and reproductive justice. Our mission is to create a dynamic interactive exchange and safe space for all women of color to express themselves through their art.

Invitation From the Event Organizers:

MHHK Volume 3, Back to Our Roots, will be honoring International Women’s Month by bringing together educators, students, environmentalists, djs, emcees, b-girls, poets, visual artists, dancers, healers, pastors, organizers and activists to collectively express our solidarity with women’s rights!
We hope that you can join us at this free and family-friendly event. Local organizations and businesses focused on these and/or related issues are encouraged to participate by tabling or simply attending.
When: Saturday, March 6th, 2010 @ the Hostos Center for Arts and Culture 450 Grand Concourse (at 149th St.) Bronx, NY (Main Theater)

Time: 2-5pm

This event is FREE and open to all ages.

For more information about the event, please visit our website @ http://www.mhhk.org or email hiphopkitchen[at] gmail.com. Organizations interested in tabling can register at http://mhhk.org/vol32010/tablingapplicatipr/

T’Keyah Crystal Keymah stars in “Crowns” February 27, 2010

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T’Keyah Crystal Keymah is best known for her role on the ground-breaking sketch series, “In Living Color,” with the Wayans Brothers. She’s worked in a number of other television, stage and film roles since then.

On February 27, 2010, Ms. Keymah will return to the stage in the role of Mother Shaw in “Crowns,” at Florida A & M University.
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The Florida A & M University Essential Theatre and the FAMU Lyceum Series Present Crowns by Regina Taylor based on the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry. This production features FAMU students, faculty and graduates of its music and theater programs including famed alum T’Keyah Crystal Keymah who plays Mother Elsie Shaw. The show is a family friendly, vibrant and moving gospel-infused musical about faith, family, fellowship… and hats!

T'Keyah Stars in Crowns at Florida A & MFriday, February 26 at 7:30PM; Saturday, February 27 at 2PM and 7:30PM and Sunday, February 28 at 2PM – Lee Hall Auditorium, 1601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on FAMU’s campus. Shuttle buses will run from the east side of the Bragg stadium parking lot to Lee Hall every 15 minutes starting at 6PM on Friday and Saturday and at 12:30PM on Saturday and Sunday.

The first 450 FAMU student tickets per show are free (tickets must be reserved in advance), Thereafter FAMU students: $5.00, Non-FAMU Students: $7.00, Seniors: $12.00, General Admission: $15.00, Preferred Seating: $25.00. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to www.famu.edu/lyceum or call (850) 561-2425 or (850) 599-3413.

The Business of Show Biz: Career Intensive for Actors

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Only a very small portion of an actor’s time is spent acting.

The successful actor spends the majority of his or her time pursuing work. The business of acting is this pursuit.

While there exists a dizzying array of acting classes, it is difficult to find a class or workshop that covers the work getting, marketing tips and techniques that are the tools for building a career.

Without these tools it is possible to continue acting every now and then as a hobby indefinitely. However, if building a career is your goal this workshop is for you. In this class you will:

*Create an effective Picture and Resume
*Organize your life around your goals
*Avoid industry scams
*Meet with a SAG/AFTRA franchised Talent Agent
*Learn to market yourself and more

When:
8 Wednesdays, March 3 – April 28

Where:
The Phoenix Theater Annex
414 Mason Street, San Francisco

Time:
11am – 2pm

Fee:

  • Before 2/17/10 $250. per month Early Bird Special!
  • After 2/17/10 $275 per month
  • Register early, class size is limited
Velina Brown is a busy stage, screen, and voice over actor, with credits at the Tony and Obie award winning San Francisco Mime Troupe, ACT, Berkeley Repertory Theater, and the Magic Theater among others. Recent screen credits include Trauma, Bee Season, Maladaptive, and Milk.

For the past two years she has also been a career advice columnist for Theater Bay Area Magazine.

Velina@businessofshowbiz.com
(415) 928-0592

www.BusinessofShowbiz.com

Alvin Ailey’s Judith Jamison Preparing to Move On

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For all of you danceophiles and balletomanes, you’ve watched that quintessentially American modern dance company, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (click link for videos and more!), flourish, wane, and then flourish again over its 40 year history. The company started in 1969, under the leadership and artistic vision of dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey. His company was revolutionary for its time because: 1) there were virtually no modern dance companies with Black dancers, 2) he used Black dancers in his company and 3) though the dance vocabulary was strictly from the modern genre, he infused the dances and the body language with Black vernacular themes and movements.

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From his company, Judith Jamison became the Ailley’s version of a prima ballerina. She was not the usual dance type of that time (or this), which was short, waif-like, and, invariably, white –or passably white. Ms. Jamison was tall and lithe, curvy, and dark-hued. She was also a strong, aggressive dancer who attacked each movement. Audience members seemed to understand that her dance was speaking to a much larger issue than just movements.

[picappgallerysingle id="2622406"]Mr. Ailey created a dance to highlight her essence and her long limbs, and it became a standard dance for the company, and can still be seen today. She performed the solo Cry, which was supposed to be a piece within the larger dance called Revelations. Her performances brought audiences to their feet, and her fierce dancing spoke about the struggles and life of a Black woman –a topic that was never approached previously.

The Ailey company also produced such renowned dancers as Carmen De Lavallade and Masazumi Chaya, in addition to Ms. Jamison.

Unfortunately, in 1989, Mr. Ailey passed away. The company faltered while it tried to get its foothold. There were struggles regarding the direction of the company, and who should lead. During that same year, Ms. Jamison became the Artistic Director of the company.

Under her direction, the company grew, and continued Mr. Ailey’s vision, while also acquiring a new, state-of-the-art facility on West 55th Street.

According to AOL Black Voices, the company has been seriously searching for a new director for the past three years. Ms. Jamison is trying to gradually move on, while she is committed to a seamless process of knowledge transfer. From the same article, she states, “This company is about past, present and future, and I’m seriously reaching into the future,” she shared. “I am not going be around here forever. I want 50 years more for this company, and while I am here, I really want to do this process.”

Regardless of who they select, the vision of Ailey has been in capable hands for 20 years. Hopefully, the vision will continue, as will the spirit of Alvin Ailey, himself.

Actress Alaina Reed Hall Dies of Breast Cancer

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Over the weekend, TV actress Samaria Graham delivered some sad news that actress Alaina Reed Hall passed away. Mrs. Hall played Ms. Graham’s TV mother on the hit television series “Blossom.”

Mrs. Reed –a stage, film and television actress– was well known for her roles on “Sesame Street” (as Gordon’s little sister, the photographer), and her recurring roles on “227″ and “Cleghorne.” Mrs. Hall was 66 years old. She will be sorely missed.

(Re-post from AOL Black Voices – http://www.bvnewswire.com/2009/12/22/alaina-reed-hall-actress-dies-breast-cancer/)

Alaina Reed Hall, the beloved actress who starred on ‘Sesame Street’ and ’227′ after appearing on Broadway, lost her battle to breast cancer on Dec. 17 at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 66.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Reed Hall was diagnosed with a terminal form of the disease in 2007.

Following her humble beginnings in the 1974 off-Broadway production ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on the Road,’ the Springfield, Ohio, native joined ‘Sesame Street’ in 1976, where she played a professional photographer named Olivia.

In a 2004 interview, Reed Hall described the pivotal role as “the best job I ever had.”

Looking for Talent!! Conscious female rappers/artists/dancers/poets, etc…

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DISCLAIMER: This event is NOT sponsored or hosted by the IBWFF. This is a re-post. As with any audition or casting call announcement, you are strongly encouraged to use your best judgment in attending an audition or casting call. It is your responsibility to contact local authorities if you suspect illegal activities, exploitation or violence from the hosts, attendees or other parties in attendance
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DEADLINES:
**PLEASE APPLY BY JANUARY 5TH, 2010 FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION**
**LAST DAY TO APPLY IS JAN. 12TH, 2010**

Are you a FEMALE MC with a slick flow, crazy style, and great stage presence? Or are you a FEMALE VISUAL ARTIST, SPOKEN WORD POET, or DANCER? Are you also politically conscious and inspire others through your work?

If so please apply for Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen, Vol. 3: Back To Our Roots, Environmental Justice, Education Equality

We are looking for conscious female rappers/artists/dancers/poets, etc… Who are interested in performing on:
Saturday March 6th, 2010
at Hostos Community College
in the Bronx
for
Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen, Vol. 3: Back To Our Roots, Environmental Justice, Education Equality

If interested please apply by:

  1. Going online to www.mhhk.org
  2. Click on “Vol. 3: 2010”
  3. On the left hand side of the page you will see the link “Participant Application”
  4. Click that link, and apply!

Please email hiphopkitchen@gmail.com if you have any questions

**PLEASE APPLY BY JANUARY 5TH, 2010 FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION**
**LAST DAY TO APPLY IS JAN. 12TH, 2010**

Description of the Event:
Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen Volume 3, Back to Our Roots, will be honoring International Women’s Month by shedding light and creating awareness on Environmental Injustices and Educational Inequalities and their impact on women of color.
Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen will bring together women of color educators, students, environmentalists, djs, emcees, b-girls, poets, visual artists, dancers, healers, pastors, organizers and activists. We will come together through a hip hop showcase to express our solidarity with women’s rights!

The South Bronx is a community that has been in constant resistance, seeking justice in education and the environment. It is a community resisting pollution, asthma, toxic wasteland, and budget cuts for art, music, and gym programs. It is a community that lacks access to healthy fruits and vegetables, adequate health care and after school programs. The South Bronx’s need for reproductive and sexual health education is highly reflected in its high levels of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections.
In place of access to healthy alternatives, the South Bronx has an over abundance of jails and prisons.

However, the South Bronx is not lost. It has experienced a period of healing through leadership guided by community organizations and collectives. This leadership has lead to the creation of new parks, food co-ops, recycling programs, and successful cultural community centers. We have won many amazing victories as a community!
Join us as we fuse our energy, our politics, our ancestry, our traditions, art, song and dance into a brew for Environmental Justice and Education Equality.

Turn Up the Heat and Let the Soul Simmer, as We Stir this Soup for the Hip Hop Soul!

SAVE THE DATE

Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen, Vol. 3: Back To Our Roots, Environmental Justice, Education Equality
When: Saturday, March 6th, 2010
Where: The Hostos Center for Arts and Culture
450 Grand Concourse (at 149th St.) Bronx, NY
(Main Theater)
Time: TBA (most likely 2-5pm)
This event is FREE and open to all ages.
for more information about the event, please
visit our website @ http://www.mhhk.org
or email hiphopkitchen@gmail.com

Kathleen Adams and Lah Tere, Founders of Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen

Momma’s Hip Hop Kitchen (MHHK) is a multifaceted hip hop event designed to showcase women artists, especially women of color. MHHK serves as a social justice community-organizing platform that educates and empowers women of color on issues that impact their lives, including HIV/AIDS and reproductive justice. Our mission is to create a dynamic interactive exchange and safe space for all women of color to express themselves through their art.