ZEUS REBEL WATERS BIRTHDAY PARTY CONCERT CELEBRATION@ THE DARK ROOM INSIDE GRANDEL THEATRE JUNE 3

Photos by Maatology

There's Yours Truly with music artist Zeus Rebel Waters fresh from performing on his energetic birthday show.

Dark Room promoter Alonzo Townsend, of Townsend and Three Agency, greets the eagerly awaiting guests of  STL based music artist, Zeus Rebel Waters, to the venue.

The birthday recipient, Waters (wearing shades) in the cut during the opening moments of the show.

STL organizer Black Rose, of Black Rose STL, on the mic talking  about the importance of mental health during June which is Mental Health Awareness Month. 

BELOW ARE PICS FROM THE MUSIC GROUP,  

WEIRDO GANG 

The crowd during the event.

BELOW IS ANOTHER  PIC FROM WEIRDO GANG

Another crowd scene

Hot 104.1's DJ Raymond brings up the b-day man of the hour to the stage before playing Sam Cooke's classic, "A Change is Gonna Come" on the digital 1s and 2s.

Waters thanking the crowd for coming to his birthday event and told them that he appreciates their support over the years.

Waters doing what he does best accompanied by Josh B on the keys.

A fan giving Waters nothing but smartphone vid during his set! He also gave the crowd some nostagic Rucka Puff performing his St Louis classic, "Turkey Ham."

BELOW ARE TWO VIDS DURING WATERS' SET

Waters brought on popular wordplay STL artist Yerrty G (right) and his homeboy, Rep on stage giving a snippet of his skills to the crowd.  

Ghaniana Afropop artist Law Music was brought up to the stage to give the crowd a few of his bops. 

A long shot of Law Music on stage.

Waters brought on the robe moment on his set performing his solid joints including "Drugs," "Fat Boy" and "That's My Baby."

Waters doing this smooth man moments for the ladies on stage using classic soul songs in his mix including, Rick James' "Mary Jane," The Delfonics, "La La Means I Love You," and Teddy Pendergrass' "Come Go with Me."

Waters getting into his iconic shirtless vibe.

Waters in his groove.

 Waters also brought up STL poet Shy The Poet to perform her poem, "Do You Love Me."

A show wouldnt be a show without Waters moving around on the floor antics! 

Last to perform was artist YP.

Overall, this entertaining show was definitely a  moment for Zeus Rebel Waters' fans. His eclectic music style mixing rock, hip hop and rap and his enegetic, free flowing  performance style kept the audience's attention as much as he humanly could during his two hour set. His guests of performers also did their thing during Waters' intermissions away from the stage, but it was  definitely Waters' memorable nite!

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THE BLACK REP'S EUBIE! DAZZLES WITH JAZZY FLAIR@EDISON THEATRE OPENING NIGHT MAY 5

PHOTOS BY MAATOLOGY PRODUCTIONS (FIRST PIC) AND PHILIP HAMER

Yours Truly in the seats prepared to see EUBIE!

The St. Louis Black Repertory  Company is closing out its 46th Season with an adaptation the Tony Award-nominated musical, EUBIE! which showcases the historic music of the late jazz/swing composer, Eubie Blake.

The musical, which was orginally conceived by theatre director Julianne Boyd in 1978, is currently being staged at The Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University-St Louis until May 21. 

FROM LEFT: Coda Boyce, Robert Crenshaw and Venezia Manuel in the opening scene from Eubie!

Directed by Producing Director Ron Himes and Musical Director Joe Dreyer, the two-hour musical, which is mainly comprised of songs from Blake's 1921 color-barrier breaking show, Shuffle Along, began with an opening scene where some of the cast members simulated elegantly  dressed mannequins coming to life as through there was a time machine jump to the 1920s (The same sequence also ended the play.).

Cast in the opening number, "Shuffle Along." 

The standout of EUBIE! was the elaborate costumes worn by the ensemble cast (designed by Marc W. Vital II) that highlighted the time period of radiant flapper dresses, dapper evening gowns and top-hat tuxes. Another was the dazzling and eye-striking tap dance numbers and the outstanding choreography (orchestrated by Vivian Watt and Heather Beal) that helped to tell the story of black people during the Harlem Renaissance. A third was the eye-catching stage set, (designed by Tim Jones) that was also a key factor to the play's aesthetic with orchestra risers and a artistic backdrop which gave the stage a feel of a sophisticated yet subdued supper club.

Crenshaw and Evann De-bose performing the song, "I'm Just Wild About Harry."

As  far as the individual performances, two members of the cast were highlights. One was Robert Crenshaw who wowed each time he was on stage especially with his mesmerzing leg jumps and tap dancing skills (which he also choreographed) and Tamara Pilar who was fantastic in her sultry voice and naughty bits during her solo number, "Daddy" in Act One. 

FROM LEFT: J'Kobe  Wallace, Manuel, Deante' Bryant  and Coda Boyce in the number, "Baltimore Buzz."

Tamara Pilar performing the sultry number, "Daddy."

Pilar and Carvas Delano Pickens in the risque number, "My Handyman Ain't Handy Anymore."

Evann De-Bose in the bluesy number, "Gee, I Wish I Had 

Someone to Rock Me in the Cradle of Love."

As far as the actual story, there was none in particular, but the songs helped the throughline of the production. The songs defined the "high society" era of black language, double consciousness and entendre. There was, however, somewhat of a story line in Act Two when the cast performed a comical vignette during the song "If You Never Been Vamped by a Brown Skin, You've Never Been Vamped At All," (from Blake's musical  Shuffle Along) about a wife (played by Coda Boyce) seeking a divorce from her husband (played by Carvas Pickens) because of his affair with a vamp (played by Venezia Manuel) and their going to a court of law  with a judge (played by J'Kobe Wallace), baliff (played by Serdalyer Darden) and jury members (played by Crenshaw, Samantha Madison, DeAnte Bryant and Tamara Pilar).

FROM LEFT: Samantha Madison, Boyce and Manuel in the flapper number, "I'm Just Simply Full of Jazz."

Crenshaw and Wallace in a showstopper moment during, "I'm Just Simply Full of Jazz."

Cast in the plantation number, "High Steppin Days/Dixie Moon." that opened ACT TWO of EUBIE!

Other moments from Eubie! included songs that depicted excellently the everyday life of black people from plantation life, sugar shacks, and The Cotton Club After Five spots especially in Act Two with songs like, "High Steppin Days," "Roll Jordan," and the closing number, "Goodnight Angeline." 

Wallace performing, "Dixie Moon."

Pickens in a solo number during, "Roll Jordan."

 Serdalyer Darden and Manuel in the medley, "If You Never Been Vamped by a Browkskin, You've Never Been Vamped At All."

The cast in the Brownskin Medley,"Wife and Husband/Judge/Baliff/Jury."

Cast during the Finale.

Overall, EUBIE! was a head-bopping, foot-stomping, feel-good musical, a great piece of black nostalgia and definitely deserving of a ticket purchase while it is still on stage!

Cast and crew of Eubie!

EUBIE!

@The Edison Theatre

On the Campus if Washington University-St. Louis

Until May 21, 2023

For tickets go to www.theblackrep.org

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BLACK REP'S SKELETON CREW WORKS OVERTIME WITH WORKING CLASS STORY @ BERGES THEATRE AT COCA ST LOUIS

 PHOTOS BY MAATOLOGY AND PHILLIP HAMER

YOURS TRULY HOLDING A PROGRAM OF THE STAGE PLAY 

(PHOTO BY MAATOLOGY)

THE PROGRAM 

(PHOTO BY MAATOLOGY)

After seeing Tony Award-nominated playwright Dominique Morrisseau's The Skeleton Crew,  which is running until April 16 at the Berges Theatre at COCA St. Louis , it was evident that there's more to the struggles of the black working class than what is assumed, especially when ones personal life is added to the mix. 

FROM LEFT: CARMIA IMANI, OLAJUWON DAVIS AND VELMA AUSTIN 

(PHOTO BY PHILLIP HAMER)

Staged by The St. Louis Black Repertory Company, The Skeleton Crew, directed by Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) Assistant Acting Professor Geovonday Jones, tells the story of an fledgling auto plant in Detroit in 2008, on the verge of closing and how it affects three of its employees: stalwart and openly gay, Faye (played by Black Rep alum Velma Austin), hard-nosed and dreamer, Dez (played by Black Rep vet Olajuwon Davis) and whimsical and very pregnant, Shanita (played by Detroit native/Black Rep Fellow Carmia Imani) and their by-the-books supervisor,  Reggie (played by Peoria, Illinois native/Black Rep Fellow/staffer Brian McKinley) whose late mother was longtime lovers with Faye ever since he was a child.

 AUSTIN AND BRIAN MCKINLEY 

(PHOTO BY PHILLIP HAMER)

Despite a few minor line flubs from some of the actors during the show's Opening Night (March 31), The Skeleton Crew's actors were solid in their roles especially Austin who embodied the role of Faye with every fiber of her teeny frame involving her angst regarding with her declining health, homelessness and grieving her lover. 

What also was a highlight of the production was each characters' dramatic monologues within comedic dialogue which included Faye's tales of her battle scars, Dez 's surviving a near death car accident, Shanita's anxious-ridden life visions and Reggie's dream to kill his boss.

AUSTIN  IN A SOLO MOMENT 

(PHOTO BY PHILLIP HAMER) 

One drawback of the play, however, was trying to figure out the actual time span between Day One when we met the workers until Faye's fate as an employee at the auto shop. It would have been helpful if there were some sense of days past, but the distraction did not interfere with the flow of the  story.

Additionally, the set of The Skeleton Crew, produced by Margery and Peter Spack, gave a great sense of realism of a blue collar working class break room--simple and quaint. Plus, the action video of a working factory shown throughout the production on the cyclorama screen gave artistic breath to the stage as well as height and depth. 

The music design, produced by Lamar Harris, also was worth merit during each mini--break throughout the production with the music selections. The songs uplifted the story and were congruent to the play's setting especially the songs of Aretha Franklin ("Ain't No Way, " A Deeper Love") which, obviously, were an homage to the Queen of Soul who was raised and lived in Detroit. 

A LONG SHOT OF THE ACTORS ON STAGE

 FROM LEFT: DAVIS, IMANI. MCKINLEY AND AUSTIN

(PHOTO BY PHILLIP HAMER)

Overall, The Skeleton Crew gave a very biting, unapologetic,  urban existentialist perspective of the working class and how the economy can force people to change their lives when their jobs are threatened. 

So, be sure that you get the chance and check out this play.

It will be well worth it! 

THE  ST LOUIS BLACK REPERTORY COMPANY'S 

THE SKELETON CREW

UNTIL APRIL 16 

@THE BERGES THEATRE AT COCA-CENTER 

OF THE CREATIVE ARTS 

6880 WASHINGTON AVE.

ST. LOUIS, MO 63130

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE 

AT WWW.THEBLACKREP.ORG 

OR

BOX OFFICE 314.534.3807

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PAYPAL: www.paypal.me/maatology

ZELLE: snaphoney2011@gmail.com 

THE OPERA OF ST LOUIS GAVE STANDOUT PERFORMANCES IN A COLLECTIVE WORK@BERGES THEATRE AT COCA MARCH 17

PHOTOS BY MAATOLOGY (UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE)

Yours Truly in the audience holding up the program for the musical opera.

The New Work Collective, directed by Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, presented  its inaugural piece--a three collaged musical opera where three different works by various composers and librettists were staged at The Berges Theatre MARCH 16-18 located at The Center of Creative Arts (COCA) of St Louis. The works, which were produced by  the Opera Theatre of St Louis, told stories involving Black Woman Empowerment, Asian American hate awareness, and the Black Queer culture.

FROM LEFT: Olivia Johnson, Flora Hawk and Kimwana Doner-Chandler  in a scene from Cook Shack (Photo by Opera Theatre of St Louis)

The first opera, Cook Shack, told the story about a timid 11-year -old student, Dayo (played by Flora Hawk), and her getting bullied at school. She received her confidence after taking a school field trip to the St. Louis Griot Museum where she learned about three African American women who made historic feats in America in the "Superheroes of Invention" exhibit. The women featured were Annie Malone (played by Ardeen Pierre), Marie Van Brittan Brown (portrayed by Kimwana Doner-Chandler) and Dr. Patricia Bath (performed by Olivia Johnson). Each woman from the exhibit came to life and had spoken to Dayo about their experiences and their Black Girl Magic power.

This piece, which was written and produced by Samiya Bashor and Del'Shawn Taylor, was excellently executed as far its production and the main actress, Hawk, is delightful in her role as the winsome nerdy student-cum-supergirl enhanced by her angelic soprano voice. The standout of this piece was the fantastic visual photos of historical black women throughout time projected throughout the performance.

Matthew Pearce in a scene from Slanted: An American Rock Opera (Photo by Opera Theatre in St Louis)

After the first intermission, the next piece staged was Slanted: An American Opera, which told the story about a rock musician named Simon Tam (played by Matthew Pierce) who, along with his lawyer stood before the Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginzburg (played by Dorothy Gal) fighting for his right to trademark the name, "The Slants," for his Asian American based rock band. The conflict arose when the Solicitor General (performed by Keith Klein) claimed the name is hate speech.

This was a very moving and empathetic musical heralded by the invigorating singing of Pierce whose tenor voice captured the essence of being  heard and seen as a minority. Another standout was Klein who gave a comedic, bumbling performance along with his booming bass voice. The display of photos of different Asian American struggles (WWII camps) and triumphs (the recent Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan) throughout the production enhanced it as well.

Namarea Randolph-Yosea (main), Olivia Johnson (center) and Kyle Oliver (right) in a scene from Madison Lodge (Photo by The Opera of St Louis)

After the second intermission, the last piece of the night was Madison Lodge written by Tre'von Griffith. Set in the summer of 1928, X (played by Yosea) arrived in Harlem from Alabama to live their life, truth and dreams. When they reached their sister's house (played by Olivia Johnson) who, unbeknownst to X, was a drag king performer. Thus, their sister had taken them to one of the popular drag balls where she worked (Madison Lodge). Conflict occurred when the police raided the venue and X and the cohorts there raised money to get the sister out of jai. As a result, X received courage to come out as gay and a drag queen.

The standout of this piece were the dazzling costumes (designed by Davario Simmons)that depicted excellently the 1920s Harlem drag world with sparkles, tuxes and flapper outfits. Yosea was marvelous as the doe-eyed dreamer with an enticing tenor voice to match, The only drawback was it was the shortest length of the three pieces and most of the story felt a bit edited for time and rushed.  However, the background photos, that were displayed on screen behind the performers  of various heroes to the black queer movement (Stonewall, singer Sylvester) and the two male dancers (Ka Thomas and Kelly Marsh who also danced in the other two pieces staged) who dressed in flapper drag with their lean and lanky dance routines were added touches.

Additionally, orchestral music throughout the operas was conducted by Darwin Aquino and students from the COCA Theatre Artists Pre-Professional Division, read poems at the end of each intermission before each staged piece were performed. Also noteworthy was the video designer Tom Ontiveros who produced the splendid display of photos throughout each staged show. 

AFTER THE SHOW

There was a Q and A with the librettists and composers of each opera FROM SECOND LEFT of Moderator: Joe X. Jiang (Slanted), Samiya Bashir (Cook Shack), Tre'von Griffith (Madison Lodge),  Del'shawn Taylor (Cook Shack) and Simon Tam (Slanted)

The producers introducing themselves to the audience.

Griffith explaining to crowd about his piece Madison Lodge.

RANDOM BITZ:

Coming to theatres April 21 is the sci-fi film SPACE WARS: QUEST FOR THE DEEPSTAR. It also will be on Blu Ray May 2.

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