Recent Posts
- You Should Know: Andreya Triana (Video Interview/Soul Bounce)
- Black Cab Sessions: Solange performing “Bad Girls”
- New Album Releases: May 7, 2013
- You Should Know: Onra (Video Interview/The Daily Motive)
- New Video: Janelle Monae & Erykah Badu – “Q.U.E.E.N.”
- New Album Release: April 23, 2013
- New Video: Leonard Friend – “Every Woman”
- New Album Releases: April 9, 2013
- New Music: The Hood Internet – “Suit and Commercial” (Justin Timberlake x Daft Punk)
- NYC: Alt-soul singer Maiysha performs at The Living Room, Mar. 29
Upcoming Album Releases
Categories
Archives
New Album Releases: July 31, 2012
Here are the new music releases for today, July 31, 2012:
Fool’s Gold Clubhouse V.2 [compilation] (electro-hip-hop/club/dubstep)
Joss Stone, THE SOUL SESSIONS, V.2 (neo-soul-pop)
Kendrick Lamar, “Swimming Pools (Drank)” [single] (hip-hop/rap)
Leela James, LOVING YOU MORE (IN THE SPIRIT OF ETTA JAMES) (soul)
Miguel, KALEIDOSCOPE DREAM: THE WATER PREVIEW EP (R&B/soul)
Rick Ross, GOD FORGIVES, I DON’T [DELUXE EDITION] (rap/hip-hop)
Vaughn Anthony, LIFE OF A PLAYER EP (R&B/soul)
New Music: “Love & Pain” – JMSN
Artist: L.A.-based singer-songwriter-producer JMSN (Christian Berishaj) | Song: “Love & Pain” (similar to The Weeknd minus the naughty) | Album: +Priscilla+ (in stores now)
“Black Dynamite” animated series now airing on Adult Swim on Sunday nights
Black Dynamite: The Animated Series
Can you dig it?
Michael Jai White’s 2009 cult classic Black Dynamite has now been transformed into an animated series on the Adult Swim cable network, which shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9pm to 6am. The first episode aired on Sunday, July 15, but for those who haven’t seen the movie, it’s an ode to 70′s blaxploitation films such as “Shaft”, “Dolemite” and “Superfly”. The title character is an ex-CIA agent-turned-vigilante who fights against kung-fu masters, drug-dealing pimps, and “the man.”
The series is executive-produced by Carl Jones (co-creator of The Boondocks), and co-written by actors Michael Jai White (“Black Dynamite”) and Byron Minns (co-stars as “Bullhorn”). In a recent interview with Shadow and Act, Minns and White says there will be differences between the film and the TV show, such as more in-depth character development:
Minns: “We were very respectful of the characters that we originally created. But the thing that makes the animated series special is that we’re able to delve into the characters in full. In the series, it’s like we have 10 movies and now we get to see who these people are in different situations, and it takes it so much further than we could in just one film.“
White added, “Of course it’s a different pace, and [in animation] your characters have to be larger than life. But the essence of the characters is still there. That strange family unit is still evident in the cartoon. It’s a whole lot of fun.”
Other characters in the film have returned too, like “Honey Bee” played by Kym Whitley and “Cream Corn” voiced by Tommy Davidson. In the clip below, the cast talks about the show at New York’s Comic-Con convention last October, but peep the trailer for the series as well. Hilarious.
Black Dynamite airs Sunday nights at 11:30pm EST on Adult Swim.
Grammy Museum debuts Whitney Houston exhibit on August 17
Whitney Houston circa 1987
LOS ANGELES – The Grammy Museum and Whitney Houston’s family will premiere a new exhibition for the late singer entitled “Whitney! Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Whitney Houston.” Opening to coincide with the premiere of Sparkle on August 17, the exhibit will include “a collection of artifacts, rare photographs and footage, and dozens of items from the private collection of the Houston family” to include stage costumes worn by Whitney, and albums and career scrapbooks from the six-time Grammy Award winner’s early career.
In addition to the display items, the Grammy Museum recorded interviews with artists and musicians who worked with Houston and who are influenced by her work.
“Whitney!” will be on display until February 2013. To find out more details, visit The Grammy Museum’s official website.
[Spotted at The Singersroom]
PBS streaming full episode of “ENDGAME: AIDS in Black America”
Magic Johnson getting his blood drawn by Dr. David Ho, an H.I.V./AIDS specialist, in the PBS-documentary “Frontline”, now airing on PBS.org. (Photo/New York Times)
PBS aired Frontline’s Endgame: AIDS in Black America” on July 10 (it’s now streaming on the site), which explores the many reasons why HIV and AIDS cases are so prevalent among the black community. In a review of the show, New York Times reporter Neil Genzlinger asks a perfectly appropriate question: “With so much known about the disease and so many years of safe-sex messages out there, how can anyone still be cavalier or uninformed about this subject?”
The documentary affirms that 30 years into the AIDS/HIV epidemic, African Americans make up half of the newly diagnosed cases in the United States, according to Frontline’s website. Blacks are only 13.6 percent of the U.S. population but account for 52% of all new HIV/AIDS cases. It is the leading cause of death among African-American women ages 25 to 34 and African-American men ages 35 to 44. The program also states that the fastest growing segment with HIV is ages 16-24 and it is highest among young black men in the 18-29-year old bracket.
I live in Houston, Texas, and through AIDS Foundation Houston and the local chapter of Hip-Hop For HIV –a national event to encourage young people to protect themselves sexually, I found some alarming statistics about my hometown:
- Houston ranks 8th nationally in the number of total reported AIDS case
- 27,650 individuals are known living with HIV/AIDS in Houston/Harris County
- 76% of all reported STD rates in Houston/Harris County were among 15-24 year olds
- 1 person in Houston is infected with HIV every 7 hours
- 6 out of every 10 diagnosed HIV infections in Houston/Harris County are African American.
CDC estimates that over a million Americans are currently living with HIV, and an estimated 25% of Americans living with HIV/AIDS are unaware of their HIV infection status.
This is tragic. While watching “AIDS in Black America” there are several individual cases made by women who contracted the illness from partners who were seemingly “upstanding and trustworthy”. But the problem like Genzlinger noted: All the males’ faces that were shown in photographs, were blurred out. Former NBA player Magic Johnson tells his side in the story of how he contracted HIV in 1991 but the why and how behind some of the other males isn’t really revealed. Though one can surmise it to be embarrassment.
In one of the cases, a wife discovered that her husband had known he was infected for over a year, and never told her–until she confronted him after finding his HIV positive letter in his bible in their bedroom. “AIDS in Black America” is an in depth visual with plenty of expert opinion and answers to questions we continue to ask. A must-watch.
Frontline
Endgame: AIDS in Black America
On PBS.org Produced by Renata Simone Productions for WGBH/Frontline in association with the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC). Written and directed by Renata Simone; producer Renata Simone. For Frontline: David Fanning, executive producer.
New Album Releases: July 24, 2012
Here are the new releases for today, July 24, 2012:
Big Boi “Gossip“ feat. UGK & Big K.R.I.T [single] (hip-hop)
DJ Audrey Napoleon, ORNAMENTAL EGOS (electro/dance)
Gaslight Anthem, HANDWRITTEN (pop-rock)
Hudson Mohawk & Lunice, TNGHT EP (hip-hop/bass)
Sean Paul “How Deep Is Your Love” feat. Kelly Rowland [single] (pop/R&B/reggae)
ALBUM review: Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, The Lion the Beast the Beat
Album in stores now.
Having seen alternative rocker Grace Potter jam out with Daryl Hall on Live from Daryl’s House earlier this year and most recently on VH1’s Storytellers and Good Morning America, hearing The Lion the Beast the Beat was a must for me.
Based in Vermont, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ fourth album is an amalgam of “big riffs and bellowing vocals”—basically, an eclectic project with no specific genre in mind. However, The Lion does stay somewhere along the pop-rock-country lane.
Potter, a multi-instrumentalist, has large vocal abilities and an almost cult following, so one does feel the tug of commercial success calling. Standout moments include “Never Go Back” and “Timekeeper” for their transparency. (original review at SSNYC)
Meshell Ndegeocello set to release Nina Simone tribute album; tracklist included
Releases October 9, 2012
Meshell Ndegeocello will be releasing Pour Une Ame Souveraine (“For a Sovereign Soul”), an album dedicated to the late Nina Simone, on October 9. In a statement on alternative music site afropunk.com, the singer-songwriter and bassist says, “ She had things to say, she protested. She was a loud, proud black, female voice during a time when black female voices were not encouraged to make themselves heard”.
If lead single “Be My Husband” featuring newcomer Valerie June is any indication of the sound of the project, it should be quite the sound experience. With appearances by Toshi Reagan, Sinead O’Connor, Lizz Wright and Cody ChestNuTT, I’m definitely looking forward to it. “Be My Husband” can be heard now via NPR.
Tracklist:
1. “Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”
2. “Suzanne”
3. “Real Real” feat. Toshi Reagon
4. “House of the Rising Sun” feat. Toshi Reagon
5. “Turn Me On”
6. “Feelin’ Good”
7. “Don’t Take All Night” feat. Sinead O’Connor
8. “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” feat. Lizz Wright
9. “Be My Husband” feat. Valerie June
10. “Black is the Color of My True Loves Hair” feat. Valerie June
11. “See Line Woman” feat. Tracy Wannomae
12. “Either Way I Lose”
13. “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” feat. Cody ChesnuTT
14. “Four Women”
Ice-T visits the UK to promote new doc “The Art of Rap”
Honest and raw account of hip-hop culture.
Rap legend Ice-T recently stopped by the UK’s Channel 4 news to speak on his new documentary “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap“. Having premiered at Sundance Film Festival this year, the movie is the rapper’s take on true hip-hop culture. Not the women, money or cars, but the true essence of the lifestyle: b-boying, emceeing, DJing, and graffiti writing. From its early beginnings in the 1970′s to present day, “The Art of Rap” is a peek into the mindset and heart of some of the realest emcees in the game, including Big Daddy Kane, Chuck D, MC Lyte, Nas, Rakim, and Snoop, just to name a few). And as always Ice-T keeps it real honest in this interview — talks much about his “colorful past”, which was part inspiration for the film.
If you have yet to see it, get thee to a theatre quick! It’s chock-full of insight and wisdom –and probably one of the illest freestyles you’d ever wanna see from Eminem.
[Spotted on Soul Culture]
Erika Alexander co-writes graphic novel with husband and brother
Luca, the black female heroine, on the cover of Concrete Park
Mostly-known for portraying Maxine Shaw on the 90′s TV series Living Single, Erika Alexander returns to the spotlight as co-writer for a new graphic novel called Concrete Park (Dark Horse Comics).
According to the novel’s website, the series was written, drawn, and colored by Tony Puryear, Erika’s husband, and co-created by the actress and her brother Robert Alexander. Set in the future (of course) where evil bodies threaten to destroy the world, the main characters include Luca, a troubled gang leader and her lesbian lover Lena, as well as a motley crew of co-stars: Isaac, a violent convict and Silas, an ancient demi-god. Concrete Park is in stores now.
[Source: Clutch Magazine]
New Album Releases: July 17, 2012
Here are the new music releases for today, July 17, 2012:
Citizen Cope, ONE LOVELY DAY (pop/indie rock)
Danny Brown + AraabMuzik, “Molly Ringwald” [single] (rap)
DJ Sneak, SNEAK’S IBIZA BOMBERS PT. 1 (deep house/tech house)
Donny Hathaway, LIVE/IN PERFORMANCE (soul/R&B)
Jimmy Cliff, REBIRTH (reggae)
Kinky Movement, NERVOUS EP (jackin’ house/deep house)
Matisyahu, SPARK SEEKER (pop/rock/reggae)
Nas, LIFE IS GOOD (rap/hip-hop)
Step Up Revolution Original Soundtrack (hip-hop/pop/dance)
Creativity in Motion
Two young fans observe a Katy Perry: Part of Me movie display at AMC Theatre in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, July 14, 2012. (Photo/ND McCray)
I love activity. Though daydreaming inspires a lot of my writing, being on the move, on the go really gets my creative juices rolling. I’m not talking in a social butterfly, “I Love the Nightlife” sort of way –but for me, I need to do things to create things. And that might be going for a short run in the park, finding an unusual art exhibit, visiting a local flea market, attending a concert, taking my dachshund to the dog park, or simply going to a movie by myself. Activity inspires my writing.
Yesterday I went and saw pop star Katy Perry’s Part of Me music doc, and I have to say: She has the concept of creativity and activity on speed dial. I mean the girl performs on stages with gigantic lollipops in the background. I respect that level of originality on and off stage. So while watching Katy Perry in 3D, I had the notion to Twitter-ask an artist or two about their creative and inspirational moments.
Once home, I looked through my Twitter followers and ended up with two creative souls in the spotlight: Musician-producer Hayling Price of neo-soul duo Columbia Nights and “Left-of-Soul” singer-songwriter Candice Anitra. I wanted to know what inspires them to create, be it music and/or writing songs. Here’s what each had to say:
Hayling Price: “I tend to listen to music and immerse myself in music situations that challenge me. Fresh ideas and innovative sounds can always spark inspiration for me. It could be a wrong note, and chord change, a strange sound … but all of that, combined with collaborators who push you and keep you on your toes, get those [creative] juices flowing!”
Candice Anitra: “Love, nature, challenge, gender and sexuality, spirit, art, music, family, depression, social justice, the grey/murky/in between. Often though, in the stillness, the center point, when I am with my breath –the words are speaking to me.”
Creativity in motion is inspiring to me in many forms. Be it watching Katy on the big screen or searching through Twitter and posing a question via DM to Hayling and Candice. For me, exploring different things in different formats is what fuels my creativity. My ideas come from everywhere. So I guess, they’ll always be there to move me.
To find out more on Hayling Price and Columbia Nights’ latest EP Dawn | Dusk, visit www.columbianights.com
To find out more on Candice Anitra and her newest LP Big Tree, visit www.candiceanitra.com
New Video: Danny! – “Goodbye Love”
Artist: Danny! aka D. Swain | Song: “Goodbye Love” | Synopsis: Short film of a slew of 90′s pop culture references with Tevin Campbell’s “Goodbye Love” as the connect. Pretty dope!
Tour Recap: Bassnectar, Dubstep Maniac
- Bassnectar shares the massiveness of what was his Spring 2012 “Vava Voom” Tour
In a 33-day, 22-show stint around North America, DJ and artist Bassnectar shares the behind-the-scenes madness of his Spring tour. In an interview with Rolling Stones magazine, the bass maker (born Lorin Ashton) says, “After playing Lolla[palooza] in Brazil, we hit the ground running with essentially five straight weeks of nonstop shows and travel and madness, and this little video shows a peek behind our biggest production to date.”
Bassnectar’s latest album, Vava Voom is in stores now.
New Music: Leah Labelle “Sexify”
American Idol Season 3 Semi-Finalist Leah LaBelle
Canadian singer Leah LaBelle’s debut single appeared in a scene on Monday night’s episode of VH1′s Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. The American Idol Season 3 semi-finalist is signed to a joint recording deal with L.A. Reid at Epic Records, Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Recordings, as well as Pharrell Williams’ new label, I Am Other.
“Sexify” –which was produced by Dupri and Williams, is now available on iTunes.
Frank Ocean streaming new LP “Channel Orange” on Tumblr
Frank Ocean is now streaming his new album, Channel Orange –in full via his tumblr, according to Brooklyn Vegan.
Scheduled for release next week on July 17, the R&B singer actually dropped the album on iTunes ”last night/this morning at midnight”. For more info, check out BV.
Book Review: “Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ” by Mark Katz
A new book exploring the evolution of the hip-hop DJ
Mark Katz gives appropriate shout-outs to Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, Jim Fricke and Charlie Ahearn, as well as Jeff Chang for their tomes on hip-hop culture and its early beginnings. But to again discuss the inception of the hip-hop DJ that books such as Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (1999), Yes Yes Ya’ll (2002) and Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (2005) have already covered in various amounts of detail, makes Katz –an Associate Professor of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, appear, well, repetitive in many respects.
But I digress, where other books simply told tales of those early years of hip-hop in the 1970′s, to include talks on, with and about the emcee, graffiti, b-boys and the DJ, Groove Music: The Art and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ uses web 2.0 technology to showcase the culture in 2012.
Digital technology is the major difference with this book. Though Katz still covers the humble start of a culture that’s now massively appealing –he also incorporates a companion website that includes an extensive collection of audio, video and interview clips by many of the greatest DJs in hip-hop history. Think: Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Grandmaster Caz, Flash, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Grandmixer D.ST, Q-Bert, Shadow, A-Trak, Jazzy Jeff, Questlove –you name them, they’re a part of Groove Music.
As a music historian, Katz’s research does come off highly academic at times but the passion, dedication and detail for which he has written Groove Music, makes it a worthwhile read for any hip-hop head or general music lover alike. Mark Katz is also a violinist, radio DJ and aspiring turntablist.
(Original review posted at shortandsweetNYC)
New Video: “Celebrate” feat. Whitney Houston & Jordin Sparks
About a week ago, Sony Pictures released the official music video for the Whitney Houston-Jordin Sparks duet “Celebrate”, which is the first single of the soundtrack to the film “Sparkle” –in theatres August 17, and the last song recorded by Houston.
In a recent interview with BET.com, Sparks describes the story behind the concept for the video: “We planned on it being Whitney and me, but she’s not here, so we wanted to make it a tribute to her. So it’s fun, upbeat and exciting — there are clips from the movie and the main cast is in the video, too. It’s me, Tika Sumpter, Carmen Ejogo, Derek Luke, Omari Hardwick, Goapele is in it and Mike Epps. We’re all just having a good time [and the premise is] they all come over to my house singing along to Whitney’s music. And we’re missing her and celebrating her as well. It’s actually pretty simple, but when you watch it and hear her voice along with it, it makes it so much more”.
New Album Releases: July 10, 2012
Here are the new music releases for today, July 10, 2012:
Aesop Rock, SKELETHONS (hip-hop)
Cutty Ranks, FULL BLAST (reggae)
Dirty Projectors, SWING LO MAGELLAN (alternative/rock)
Easy Star All-Stars, “Billie Jean” EP [Michael Jackson cover] (roots reggae)
Frank Ocean, CHANNEL ORANGE (hip-hop/R&B)
P!nk, “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” [single] (pop)
Twin Shadows, CONFESS (pop/new wave)
My Top Music Releases for April, May & June; shortlist of good stuff
Parisian beatmaker Onra’s latest EP “Deep In The Night”
With tons of new projects forthcoming and lots of dope music in my ear right now, I just realized I haven’t posted my favorite “new music” list since the beginning of April. For those who might of missed ‘em, here’s January, February and March –but the list is a short roundup highlighting my top LPs, EPs, singles, and mixtapes released throughout the month. Whether for deep lyrical content or strong production aspects, there were plenty who got play on my iPod.
Nonetheless, here’s a shortlist of my favorite releases that dropped from April 1 to June 30 of this year. In order of the most recent.
JUNE:
▪ Atlantic Connection, LOVE ARCHITECT (electro/soul/downtempo)
* Emeli Sandé, OUR VERSION OF EVENTS (pop/soul) #SwedishSoul
▪ Esthero, “Never Gonna Let You Go” (electro/pop) [single]
▪ HouseShoes, LET IT GO (underground hip-hop)
▪ Jarrard Anthony, READY TO LIVE (R&B/soul) #uplifting
▪ Lakecia Benjamin, RETOX (soulful/funky/jazzy)
▪ Liquideep, Alone [EP] (soulful house)
▪ Lissat & Voltaxx vs. Marc Fisher feat. Vanessa Ekpenyong, “Heat of the Night (Deep Disco remix)” (house) [single]
* Onra, Deep in the Night [EP] (electro/hip-hop) #dopeness
▪ Rocco Careri & Arturo Macchiavelli feat. Vanee, “Rock With You“ [Michael Jackson cover] (soulful house) [single]
▪ Tamia, “Beautiful Surprise“ (R&B/soul) [single] | video provided by Singersroom
MAY:
* B.o.B, STRANGE CLOUDS (pop/hip-hop) | 15 tracks/10 features #StillLikey
* Columbia Nights, Dawn | Dusk EP (neo soul) #sosmooth
* Karmin, HELLO (pop) #ultrapop #guiltypopleasure
▪ Mary Mary, GO GET IT (Music from the TV series) (contemporary gospel)
* Miguel Migs feat. Meshell Ndegeocello “Tonight“ (R&B/deep house) [single]
▪ Monophonics, IN YOUR BRAIN (soulful/heavyfunk/60′s rock)
* Rebecca Ferguson, HEAVEN [U.S. RELEASE] (pop) #BritishSoul
* Scissor Sisters, MAGIC HOUR (electro-pop-dance)
* Tank, THIS IS HOW I FEEL (R&B) #warning #pantieswilldrop
* The Hood Internet, MIXTAPE V.6 (hip-hop/electro) #crazymashups #FREEdownload
APRIL:
* Alabama Shakes, BOYS & GIRLS (rock/blues/soul) #lovelovelove
▪ Bassnectar, VAVA BOOM (dubstep)
▪ Blockhead, INTERLUDES AFTER MIDNIGHT (trip-hop) #instrumentals
▪ Bonnie Raitt, SLIPSTREAM (blues/country/rock)
* Jamiroquai, ROCK DUST LIGHT STAR [U.S. Release] (pop/rock/dance) #nearly two years after its European release. Can we at least get a U.S. tour? #justsayin
▪ Photek, DJ-KICKS (drum n bass/downtempo/deep house)
▪ SWV, I MISSED US (Soul/R&B) | Sisters With Voices are back!
▪ The Black Seeds, DUST AND DIRT (pop/rock/reggae)
▪ Yuna, YUNA (indie pop/rock/folk)
Bonus track: Matisyahu “Sunshine” [re-worked, pop version of 2010 single]
ALBUM Review: Aabaraki, THE EMANCIPATION
Photo/Aabaraki
Alternative-soul is one way to describe Brooklyn-based Aabaraki. But think “Gnarls Barkely meets The Black Keys”. The band’s newest release The Emancipation Part 1, mixes the sounds of soul, funk, social commentary and honest-to-goodness musicianship.
Consisting of Brian Forbes on guitar, Akie Bermiss on keys, Aaron Steele on drums, and bass man Ari Folman-Cohen, the name Aabaraki was born from an impromptu jam session at Brian’s studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn –where in order to separate the many sessions he led, the guitarist took the first couple of initials of each band members’ name, to craft what has now become the group’s actual stage name.
Check out a live recording of Aabaraki performing one of my favorite tracks, “What I Got”, at one of my favorite music venues in NYC, Rockwood Music Hall on the Lower East Side.
New Album Releases – July 3, 2012
Here are new music releases for today, July 3, 2012:
Chris Brown, FORTUNE (pop/techno)
Keyshia Cole, “Enough of No Love” feat. Lil Wayne [single release] (R&B/soul)
Liquideep “Alone” EP (soulful house)
Prodigy (of Mobb Deep), H.N.I.C. 3 (hip-hop)
Yelawolf & M16 – HEART OF DIXIE (hip-hop)
THEATRE Review: “The Poets” – a play about gay bullying & suicide
Marc Bush and Caleb White are “The Poets” (Photo/ND McCray)
We meet Santiago, a suicidal teenage poet, who recently moved to a new neighborhood with his newly single mom, Anita, at a difficult period in his life. “Santi” meets “Tommy”, a kid with a snarky sense of humor and powers to bring much-needed conversations to the fore. Thing is: Tommy’s not human. And Santi is being bullied in school for being a sensitive, caring and kind young man. They soon become friends.
Eleazar “Ricky” Catter’s The Poets: A Play in Two Acts centers on gay bullying and suicide. Now playing at Frenetic Theater –it follows the two teenage boys as they navigate topics that not only affect the kid being bullied but the family dynamic as well.
Santiago (Mark Bush) and Tommy (Caleb White) bring compelling, honest and engaging sensitivity to a story that’s making headlines around the world. With viral videos like the It Gets Better campaign (created to show kids things do get better after graduation), “The Poets” casts a wonderfully poetic light on the awkwardness on high school, first crushes and parental dysfunction.
Santi is dealing with not only being called gay, for which he is not, by school jock Darryl (Alex Rubit)–but he has a new girlfriend in fellow poet Audrey (Ashlie Elyse Sustaita), lives under the roof of his now-strong mother (Catlin Uhlig), who just left her abusive husband Juan (Al Bauman) aka Santi’s father.
Bringing humor into a storyline filled with intensity and at times heart-wrenching moments, director Stephanie Morris chose to give Tommy greater emotional depth as a gay ghost (with his own dark secrets) sent back to Earth to help Santiago get through this time in his life. Letting him know through poetry that it does get better. Bush manages to bring the teenage angst and know-it-all attitude to Santiago that’s often annoying but profoundly understandable in adulthood. White’s spot-on snark and honesty-to-a-fault persona shows the necessary realness to Tommy. While Rubit brings poignant reminders of Dave Korofsky machismo on Fox’s Glee, Uhlig and Bauman’s dynamic as the estranged couple signifies the dysfunction of abusive relationships in a way that makes one wince at the audacity and sadness in it all.
The sadness of bullying and the audacity that many schools still fail to protect gay kids is a true-to-life fact, but hopefully “The Poets” sheds light and starts much-needed dialogue with those who are severely affected –parents and teens alike.
The Poets: A Play in Two Acts runs through July 8. 8pm, Fridays and Saturdays; 3:30pm, Sundays. Frenetic Theater, 5102 Navigation. $20
A portion of ticket sales go to The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to preventing suicides among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered or questioning teens.
http://www.freneticore.net/theaterevents.html
