Thursday, October 5, 2023

2023 ST LOUIS URBAN LEAGUE GUILD SALUTE TO WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP GALA @ MARIOTT GRAND IN DOWNTOWN ST LOUIS SEPT 30

 PHOTOS BY MAATOLOGY AND ULSTL (CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)

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Yours Truly in dapper mode at the event.


My panoramic view of the event.




The honoree awards

The Masters of Ceremonies was Urban League St Louis President and CEO,  Mike McMillian 




One of the Lifetime Achievement Honorees was Grammy Award winning legendary singer Stephanie Mills. She also sang two of her classic songs, "Never Knew Lobve Like This Before" and "Home" from the Wiz. 


Mills giving her speech to the crowd while her son, whom she also thanked, looks on.


A brief vid clip of Mills leaving the stage after performing. 






Another Lifetime honoree was National Urban League First Lady and CBS National Correspondent Michelle Miller who gave a bubbly speech of thanks and appreciation.


Another Lifetime Achievement Honorees was actress Victoriua Rowell who gave a very powerful speech of equality and inclusion of black representation behind the scenes of entertainment. 


Rowell looking on during her award presentation along with Urban League staffers and legendary Civil Rights Movement icon Xernona Clayton (in shimmering silver jacket).The staffers on stage were Keith H. Williamson, Juanita Logan and Michael Moehn


Actress Kym Whitley taking a photo of her receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award with Urban League staffers.




Whitley was deeply humbled during her speech and bringing her funny to the ocassion.



BELOW ARE THE OTHER HONOREES

President and CEO of Nine PBS, Amy Shaw.


Senior Vice President of Technology Hub Mastercard, Wendy Richardson. 



Urban League CEO of the Year  Nancy Flake Johnson, who is currently President  and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Atlanta



President and CEO of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Marie Helene Bernard


Urban League Woman of The Year, Barbara B Bowman who is currently the Vice President, Controller and Director of Facilities at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.



President, CEO and Director of Focus St Louis, Yemi Susan Akande-Bartsch 


CEO and Chairman at First Bank, Shelley Seifert



Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Calares, Amy Hunter 




Public Relations Director of Sista Keeper and co-host of On Your Own Show, Yolanda Lankford

Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at  Alberici, Patricia R. Coleman


Guild Member of the Year, Nakischa Joseph, who is the Founder/CEO of God's Anointed Beauties



President and CEO of DOORWAYS, Opal M. Jones

President and CEO of RX Outreach, Julie Erickson



A special honor was given to the only living survivor from the Birmingham Bombing of 1963, Sarah Collins Rudolph. 



BELOW ARE ATMOSPHERE  PICS OF THE EVENT










BELOW ARE PICS FROM THE RECEPTION BEFORE THE CEREMONY






NOTE: This event was held in the Majestic Ballroom at the Mariott Grand in downtown St Louis and it was definitely one for the records for St  Louis!  Reportedly, around one-thousand people attedned this formal gala from socialites to dignitaries and celebrities.  Speaking of celebrities, other notable people who attended were former awardees Good Times star Bern Nadette Stanis, Welcome To Sweetie Pies reality star/restaratuer Robbie Montgomery  and KBLA Radio personality Areva Martin.  It was also like a family reunion of sorts hobnobbing with people before the ceremonies and mingling about. Some other notable St Louisans spotted were former KMOX radio personality Carol Daniel, 100 Black Men President Jacque Land and his wife Leata, fashionista Raqelle Wallace, Better Family Life's James Clark and event promoter and entreprenuer Larry Blue, Jr.  

The highlights included honoree Kym Whitley's shock of the elaborate gifts she receievd along  with her award including a china set and an accustomed made gown from the late Queen Elizabeth's collection, Victoria Rowell's riveting  speech about diversity in entertainment and rounding out the event with Stephanie Mills performing two "impromptu"  songs from her classic hit catalog "Never Knew Love" and "Home" (Soon after the event was over, Yours Truly saw Mills and her entourage of close to twenty people whisk her away to either her hotel room where the event was held or her ride to the airport. Some eager fans who saw her shouted out that she did an excellent job performing and she slightly averted her head toward  the fans and told them of her gratitude as her handlers continued to take her away.)

St Louis Mayor Tishuara Jones gave the greetings to the crowd  and actor Richard Gant, who is an Urban league veteran,  was the announcer of the awardees. A total of eighteen women were recognized this year (One of the honorees,  Honorary U.S. House of Representative Cori  Bush,  was not in attendance). 

 AS AN ADDED BONUS, OUTSTAGN WOULDNT BE ON BRAND IF FASHIONS WERE NOT MENTIONED. BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR PICS OF BEST DRESSED FROM THE EVENT



BEST DRESSED LADIES






                                                






BELOW ARE THE BEST  DRESSED COUPLES  






BELOW ARE THE  BEST DRESSED MEN





-30- AND FIN.

Thursday, August 10, 2023

MAATOLOGY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION STAGEPLAY PROGRAMME (AUGUST 18-20, 2023)


CLICK ON PICS BELOW TO ENLARGE













JUST ADDED IS HENRY L. HILL (UNDERSTUDY FOR STANLEY)

5PM CAST 

LATOYA SIMONE as CLARA FITZGERALD

DEMA LUYINDULA as STEWART FITZGERALD, JR.

JATUAN GILBERT as LINDELL LAVINGWAY aka  D-LAV

ANTHONYSHA WARFIELD as DENISE LAVINGWAY aka COFFI BROWN

JEFFREY L. FORD, SR. as MISTER STANLEY

CHRIS SAKYI  (LINDELL UNDERSTUDY)


8PM CAST

LATOYA SIMONE as CLARA FITZGERALD

CHRIS SAKYI as STEWART FITZGERALD, JR.

JATAUN GILBERT as LINDELL LAVINGWAY aka D-LAV

OTTEA O'CONNOR   as DENISE LAVINGWAY aka COFFI BROWN

WILLIAM PENNIX, JR. as MISTER STANLEY

DEMA LUYINDULA as THE ASSISTANT

CAST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

NOTE: MARY WISDOM HARRIS IS NO LONGER A CAST MEMBER




SNAPPERS ALLIANCE/ STAFF

MARCUS MA'AT ATKINS...DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER

ANDREA JACOBS...CO-DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER

LEANNE JOSHUA..ACCOUNTANT/ASSISTANT

NICOLE PLESHETTE...ASSOCIATE MEMBER

JARON HICKS...CONSULTANT

BRYAN L . TUCKER...ASSOCIATE MEMBER

WESLEY L. HUBBARD...ASSOCIATE MEMBER

DAVID ALEXANDER...INTERN

HENRY  L. HILL...PRODUCTION ASSISTANT





MAATOLOGY PRODUCTIONS IS AN EMMY-AWARD NOMINATED COMPANY WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY MARCUS MAAT ATKINS IN 1999 IN ST LOUIS, MO. THE COMPANY HAS CREATED PROJECTS INCLUDING THEATER,  FASHION EVENTS AND PHOTO CALENDARS

SOME HIGHLIGHTED PROJECTS 

MISTA COUTURE STYLE CONTEST (1997-2018)

OBSDN MEN OF COLOR CALENDAR (2014-2019)

SNAP HONEY STAGE PLAY (HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL 2018)

SNAP HONEY STAGE PLAY (GOOD ACTING STUDIO, MARIETTA, GA. 2019)

3 WAY LOVE  STAGE PLAY (HOLLYWOOD FRINGE AT HOME/VIRTUAL PRODUCTION 2020)

THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION STAGE PLAY (ORLANDO FRINGE FESTIVAL, MINNESOTA FRINGE FESTIVAL, HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL, 2021)

PICK OF THE FRINGE AWARD FOR THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION
CINCINNATI FRINGE FESTIVAL (2022)

THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION AT BROADWATER IN LOS ANGELES




TO GET ON OUR LIST  AND GIVE FEEDBACK ON OUR SHOWS 
EMAIL US BY CLICKING   SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM










ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ARTEGO

BLACK BROADWAY MEN

BROADWAY WORLD 

GYB BYRD


TODD AND FAYE CHILDS 

FRANTZ DAUTRUCHE

CATHI EASTERLING

NICOLE GALVIN

JATAUN GILBERT 

HENRY L HILL

LEANNE JOSHUA

ROBERT KING, JR.

DEMA LUYINDULA

PAMELA  LLJUNBO

THE MOMENT MATTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

TANYA NEELY


TIA O'CONNOR

CHARLES PATTERSON

WILLIAM PENNIX, JR.

PROFESSIONAL SECURITY AND GUARD

PUSH PUSH ARTS/TIM HABEGER

LATOYA SIMONE

AQUIAL SMITH

DERRICK  VIDRINE 

SNAPPERS ALLIANCE

AND 

THE SUPPORTERS AND TICKET BUYERS!

WE ALSO ACCEPT DONATIONS TO OUR PRODUCTION COMPANY FOR OUR FUTURE PROJECTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE AS A TAX WRITE OFF

GO TO  


ZELLE: SNAPHONEY2011@GMAIL.COM




DONA

THIS PRODUCTION IS IN LOVING MEMORY OF FAYE W. ATKINS
(1948-2023)










Friday, July 21, 2023

MAATOLOGY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS THE RETURN OF THE DEFINITION ASSOCIATION STAGEPLAY AUG 18-20@PUSHPUSH ARTS




The DEFinition ASSOCiation is a dark comedy/“mental horror” about two “25 to 34” neighboring couples. One is sophisticated, The Fitzgeralds—a well to do husband and wife. The husband, Stewart, is a straight-laced, stiff shirt who is a successful business owner of security installments for businesses and residences. His wife, Clara, classy yet snooty, is a successful syndicated fashion columnist and fashionista who focuses more on her etiquette skills than her husband’s needs.

The others are The Fitzgerald’s neighbors, the unsavory Lavingways. The husband, Lindell aka D Lav is an on the grind hip hop music producer with an arrogance to match and his wife/manager is Denise aka Coffi Brown, an around the way event producer/host who takes no prisoners when it comes to telling people off.

So when The Lavingways first meet The Fitzgeralds after an outside loud scuffle their personas are challenged. They discover they have more in common than their differences after secrets are revealed with un/intended force.

The DEFinition ASSOCiation will take you on an emotional journey all the way to the denouement where you will even wish there was more to what is revealed. It was written and directed by Emmy Award nominated writer  Marcus Maat Atkins.




WHERE: Push Push Arts, 1805 Harvard Ave, College Park, Ga. 30337

PERFORMANCE DATES 

FRIDAY AUG 18 (PREVIEW) 5pm ET

               AUG 18 8pm ET

SATURDAY AUG 19 5pm ET

SATURDAY AUG 19 8pm

SPECIAL LIVESTREAM SHOW AUG 19 5pm (West Coast) 7pm (MIDWEST) and 8pm ET (East Coast)

SUNDAY AUG 20 5pm ET

SUNDAY AUG 20 8pm ET

RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MIN. (WITH 15 MIN INTERMISSION)

TICKET PRICE $20 ADV/$25 AT DOOR

FOR TICKETS GO TO: https://shopmystuff.store/