Entries from June 2004 ↓
June 8th, 2004 — Politics
Keith Boykin is running to be the American Candidate.
What? Hes running for office?
No, not exactly. Hes running for the The American Candidate. Its almost like running for President, except its not. Its only for 10 weeks and its just a reality television show on Showtime. But it will give several people their 15 minutes of fame–presuming they havent already used theirs up–plus a shot at $200,000 and a national platform to espouse their political views during an election year.
Not bad…
Sure, if you dont mind being followed around by a tv crew and having your private life exposed to the whole world.
Gee, I hadnt thought of that.
Yeah. And they make you do stuff too, like every reality show. First feat was to hold a rally announcing your candidacy. Which ever two candidates had the lowest turnout, got dropped from the race. Keith held his Tuesday night at the Center. It was a really good turnout on 24 hours notice. Thank God for email. But the whole thing was kinda weird.
Weird?
Yeah, weird. Some of this citys most visible grassroots activists, folks who regularly work for gay rights, or HIV/AIDS, civil rights and other progressive causes, all showed up to support.
Whats wrong with that?
HELLO. Its a TV show! Its not like if he wins he can get more government money for their causes or anything. Its a freakin TV show!
Oh…
Sitting there, I couldnt tell if I was part of the reality or the show. A couple of friends and I were joking that were all so sick of the bizarre world Bush has created that weve decided to create our own and live there instead. I just hope all those people who turned out Tuesday night will remember to vote in the REAL election in November.
Good point. Anything else to add?
No, just that I ran into a few other bloggers and a bunch of other people I havent seen in years. Nothing like the hint of a little tv exposure to get folks to turn out. Everybody loves a party.
Must have been real interesting.
It was surreal. Kind of like this blog entry.
June 7th, 2004 — Sports
Some friends of mine and I are organizing another sky diving trip for mid-July. Its at a place in northwest New Jersey.
If youre in the area, or dont mind traveling, and youre interested in joining us, write to me at Bernie@bernardjtarver.com by June 11 and I can give you specifics.
This is me from last years trip. Im strapped to the guy who operates the chute.
June 7th, 2004 — Theatre
The Broadway theater community handed out their highest honors at the 58th Annual Tony Awards Sunday night. Among the winners was Anika Noni Rose (shown here) as Best Featured Actress in a Musical, for her performance in Caroline, or Change.
Phylicia Rashad’s win for Best Actress in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun,” made her the first African-American actress in Tony history to win the prize for a leading dramatic role. Her co-star, 33-year-old Broadway vet Audra McDonald, whose Best Featured Actress in a Play award marked a remarkable fourth Tony for her over the last decade.
June 7th, 2004 — Theatre
Say the words musical theatre and you will probably think of bubbly, upbeat tunes, a light-hearted story of love and romance with a show-stopping song and a happy ending.
If you enter New Yorks Eugene ONeill Theatre looking for that same old song and dance, you wont find it. What you will find is cutting edge theatre and you wont be disappointed.
Caroline, or Change is one of the most consciously innovative and engaging productions this season. The brainchild of Tony Award winners Tony Kushner (Angels in America) who wrote the book and lyrics, director George C. Wolfe, former Artistic Director at The Public Theater, the shows producer, and Jeanine Tesori who wrote music, Caroline takes this concept of change and spins it in many ways.
Its November 1963 and Caroline Thibodeaux (Tony nominated Tonya Pinkins) is the maid for the Gellmans, a Jewish family in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Her work is long and dreary, mostly spent in the basement–the only one in below-sea-level Louisiana–where she washes, dries and irons clothes day in and day out. She barely makes enough to support herself and her family and sees no way out of this life.
The change relates to the loose change she often finds in the laundry from the pants pockets of young Noah Gellman (Harrison Chad). Noah has grown moody since his mothers death and attached himself to Caroline, despite her indifference. His stepmother Rose Stopnick Gellman (Veanne Cox), a transplanted New Yorker, is having a difficult time gaining his trust and teaching him the importance of money. Shes having similar difficulty with her new husband and Noahs father, Stuart (David Costabile) who also longs for his late wife. Uneasy change is happen upstairs as well.
But change mostly relates to whats going on in the world. The civil rights movement is threatening the natural order of things in the south and emboldening young Black people, like Carolines daughter Emmie (2004 Tony winner Anika Noni Rose), a high school student not content to stay quiet over Jim Crow laws and limited futures. Emmie represents opportunities Caroline never had as a single mother of four with little education. She is outspoken and determined. Carolines friend and fellow maid Dotty Moffett (Chandra Wilson) is also trying to improve herself, going to college at night.
Everyone is moving forward except Caroline, and this has made her a bitter and angry woman. It also makes this a play of dark complexity with a tension not usually found in musicals. The manner in which this story is told represents change in theatrical terms as well, for it is really less a musical and more an operetta. Nearly the entire play is sung.
Dont expect to come away humming a number from the show however. The selection of songs, singers, and musical genres are less about creating a memorable piece and more about setting mood or enhancing the drama.
A clever and entertaining device is the voice given to inanimate objects, who play a Greek chorus or represent Carolines subconscious thoughts. Tracy Nicole Chapman, Marva Hicks and Ramona Keller shine as the radio, a kind of Motown-like girls group; Capathia Jenkins is a gospel singing washing machine, while Chuck Cooper is both a soul singing dryer, and a mournfully spiritual city bus the day John Kennedy is assassinated. There are no bad singers in this show, and in fact quite a few very good ones.
Detractors may take issue with the fact that this play doesnt follow convention. It doesnt offer a typical storybook ending and for audience members, it actually requires some work. Putting what amounts to serious subject matter in a musical format is a courageous step that not everyone may appreciate.
But if one believes new ideas should at least be encouraged and supported, then this change is a good thing.
Good point. Anything else to add?
