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Article Archive/July 2013
Updated July 1, 2013
National Black Theatre Festival 2013! Pg. 1 of 2
A Winston-Salem, NC, Tradition!
 By Jay Whipple/Trend Magazine Online™
It is that time of every two years folks when the North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NCBRC) presents the National Black Theatre Festival which was founded in Winston-Salem, NC, in 1989 by the late Larry Leon Hamlin (1948 – 2007) -- a.k.a. “Mr. Marvtastic.” This go round I was privileged to be invited to two pre-event media sessions by Mr. Brain McLaughlin their National Media Relations Director. On Monday March 11, 2013, this year’s co-chairs were introduced by Mabel Robinson (NCBRC Artistic Director), and Ms. Gerry Patton (NCBRC Executive Director) at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downtown Winston-Salem, NC.  Co-Chair Dorien Wilson, who has participated in the festival many times in the past, is well known for his character Professor Stanley Oglevee on the hit TV series The Parkers from 1999 to 2004 – which also starred comedian/actress Mo’Nique. Of late he has received national media attention for his “I ate the bones?” line during the latest promo for KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). Unlike other Black celebrities, he has not been rebuked for starring in a commercial about one of my favorite meats – fried chicken.
 Co-Chair Tonya Pinkins won Broadway’s 1992 Tony Award as Best Actress for “Jelly’s Last Jam,” and was subsequently nominated twice as Best Actress in a musical for “Play On!” (1997) and “Caroline, or Change” in 2004. She also won the 2005 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for her performance in “Caroline, or Change.” Both celebrities were in attendance at the media event and each one seemed equally enthusiastic about their impending roles as Co-Chairs of this year’s festival. We were also treated to a high-energy, emotionally charged, and striking rendition of the late crooner Jackie “Sonny” Wilson (1934 – 1984); by Mr. Chester Gregory -- more about him later.
The second media event was held on Monday June 3, 2013, once again at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downtown Winston-Salem, NC, which will be one of the host hotels for this year’s event as well as the adjoining Marriott Twin City Quarter. It is pretty neat that these two hotels are literally connected via an overhead walkway (catwalk) that really comes in handy when the ambient temperature rises; not necessarily from the more than 70 celebrities and 60,000 attendees on hand. During this event we were treated to several samplings of the more than 100 performances by 30 of the best Black theatre companies from the U.S., Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean; slated to jump off Monday July 29 through Saturday August 3, 2013.
 Our first sampling was courtesy of the play CROWNS; which will be presented Tuesday July 30, @ 8 PM, Wednesday July 31st, @ 3 PM and 8 PM, and Thursday August 1st (My birthday), @ 3 PM. These very colorful (Figuratively and literally) women sing and quip about the well-known social dynamics of life in a Black church as so eloquently portrayed by the late comedian/actor Clerow “Flip” Wilson (1933 – 1998) whose famous line “loose lips sink ships” still resonates on the minds of many (Me included) who were indeed privileged to watch him perform. Next up was a funny guy who could instantly morph from one character into the next at break neck speed and with the artistry of my favorite comedian Bill Cosby.  Mr. Ralph Harris’s one-man show -- called MANish BOY -- is a reflection of his childhood memories after a revelation that he fathered a child nearly two-decades in the past. It will be presented Friday August 2nd, @ 3 PM and 8PM, and Saturday August 3rd, @ 3 PM, and 8 PM. This one is on my wish list to see and review.
 Finally, we were treated once again to a very impressive rendition of the late Jackie Wilson by Mr. Chester Gregory -- award-winning stage actor and singer -- in his play THE EVE OF JACKIE: A Tribute to Jackie Wilson. He actually wrote this play that presents a raw look at the late singer’s next to last live performance where he felt compelled to share details of his extraordinary, yet troubled life in 1984. This cat is very entertaining and I do plan to be in the house for one of his high-energy performances scheduled for Monday July 29th, @ 9 PM, Tuesday July 30th, and Wednesday July 31st, @ 8 PM; and Friday August 1st (My birthday), and Saturday August 2nd, @ 8 PM. Other performances that I plan to peep and review are ADAM: The Story of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the very popular KNOCK ME A KISS -- a play about the 1928 marriage of Black scholar-intellectual W.E.B. DuBois’ daughter Yolande to Harlem poet Countee Cullen; SEARCHING FOR WILLIE LYNCH – if you are not familiar with him, shame on you! THE BALLAD OF EMMETT TILL – same here! and SPEAK OF ME AS I AM:PAUL ROBESON – dah? I am a history buff so needless to say I am extremely ecstatic that this year’s festival includes historically educationally-themed plays as well as those featuring drama and humor.
Among the many celebrities that I hope to bump into at this year’s festival are: Mr. Hal Williams – well known for his Drill Sgt. L.C. Ross Role in Private Benjamin (1980) also starring actress Goldie Hawn – have not heard from her in a while. Rain Pryor; if the last name sounds familiar, yes, she is his daughter! Mr. Antonio Fargas, b.k.a. Huggy Bear from the hit TV series Starsky and Hutch (1975 – 1979) also starring David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser -- who had that sliding across the hood of their car thing down to a science; also, Ms. Debbi Morgan, who I have simply adored since her role as Elizabeth Harvey in the then popular miniseries (By the late Alex Haley [1921 – 1992]) Roots (1977), and Roots – The Next Generation (1979) , which also starred Louis Gossett, Jr., Irene Cara, Ed Asner, Dorian Harewood, and a plethora of other well-known actors – Black and white. I just learned that Ms. Morgan is from Dunn, NC, a small country town just north of Fayetteville; home of the Ft. Bragg Army base where I was stationed from the late 1970’s until the early 1990’s. I once had a business meeting in Dunn with the wife of James “Buster” Douglas – one time Boxing Heavy Weight Champion of the World on February 11, 1990, after KO’ing the then unbeatable Mike Tyson in Tokyo, Japan.
Note: Glynn Turman Pic Courtesy of NBTF
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