“Life? She come and she go” Nobody famous said that, I just made it up. But, it applies to the last six months working on “B-Side Man”. And now, it’s over. The shows in NYC were wonderful, as were the performances with the Charm City Fringe Festival.

It was hard work because it took me completely OUT of my normal life. Funny as that may seem. But I developed a commitment to learning the lines in my own rhythm, and having lines, action and sections of the play (it’s a 20 pg. monologue) work seamlessly. Of the four performances at the Stillpointe Theatre Saturday night was out of this world. Great audience, and I think I nailed it. At least a critic who saw the preview for “B-Side” was pleased. Not having acted in quite some time, it “took a minute” to re-establish what kind of presence I’d bring to the play, even though it was my own dang play! You ask yourself all kinds of questions, from “how do I look onstage,” to what positions, motions and tone are the best for the moment. But from June to November I was entirely INVESTED in the process. Frequently, running lines in my head right before falling asleep. I wouldn’t have traded this for anything in the world. As we mature, we absolutely NEED things that challenge us. Mentally and physically. When we respond, it reassures us that what we thought were mountains were really, molehills. I expect that sometime down the road I’ll be doing the play again. That little voice inside tells me so.

This week “B-Side Man” opens at THE TANK in NYC, and I’m feeling, as they say, JACKED! Why shouldn’t I? It’s 80 minutes of me talking, and hopefully acting. And, on November 9th, I do 4 performances with the Charm City Fringe Festival. Working on “B-Side” definitely has been the proverbial “labor of love.” I started memorizing in late July, and I’ve been working on this thing for what feels like EVERY WAKING MOMENT. It’s been a very consuming project. Not just because of it’s length, about 20 pages non-stop, but because there are so many nuances and emotional tidal waves in the play. There are some “easy” coming-of-age moments, the end of the play dives into a kind of unknown territory. Not gonna say what the play takes issue with, but it does involve the loss of my son. But, that’s way down the line. We have to get through a little roller-coaster ride to arrive there. I always think of works like this, not just my own, as having a lead character who goes into “the forest.” The issue is how he comes out of the forest. Ahhhhh, there’s the rub. How we tackle maturity. Adulthood. And we all arrive there in different vehicles, don’t we now. Wiffee Nicole has also jumped into the rehearsal/editing process with both barrels blazing. I think her comments and suggestions have been “sooooo money.” She’s been very natural and confident in having her voice heard and sticking to her guns. I knew this collaboration would inherently arrive with this production. It was building after “Zulu Fits,” and now it’s full-blown. I told her I can see her on a panel talking about her experience(s) with theatre.

I have high hopes and have been using the fall colors and sunshine to propel me into the right mental space. Where will the play land in the future? Who knows! Who cares! It’s just doing it right now that matters.

I’m diving into my own script. Yes, I’ll be performing at The Tank in NYC at the end of October. “B-Side Man” will be performed right in the heart of the theater district. The Tank is an intimate space that should serve the actor (Alonzo!!!) well.

I’m thinking of this as the first “leg” of the “B-Side Man” journey. My instinct tells me there might be more performances down the line. Even after the 4 performances I’ll be doing for the Charm City Fringe Festival in November. But if you happen to be in New York for Oct. 29th and 30th, I highly recommend you see my show. What’s it about?  Read below. And buying tickets is easy as pie!

 

Yes! Alonzo is performing his very own “B-Side Man” in October and November. In October on the 29th and 30th I’ll be at The Tank in New York City. Not sure of the time’s yet, but that’ll be coming along. And I’m also performing in the Charm City Fringe Festival in Baltimore in November.We (Wiffee Nicole and I) just finished having the artwork finalized by the very creative Christopher Jones (brownhornetdesign.com) who also currently produces work for the New Day Campaign.

Behold!

This one is for Charm City Fringe. We’ve also got something that talks about “Mumbo Jumbo Productions.” Nicole and I have used “Mumbo Jumbo” once or twice in the past when we’ve presented shows by Alonzo.

Here’s the “hook” for “B-Side Man” —

“One African American Man speaks on his journeys, transformations, segues, stories, love, loss, dark days, belly roll laughter and that goddamn playwriting bug. Storytelling that could bewitch Quasimodo! Storytelling that could cure erectile dysfunction then bring it back. Laugh-a-minute? No!!! Think-a-minute? Yes!!! Hear B-Side Man tell the tale.”   

We think both of these capture the fantastical essence of the play. It’s one thing to be memorizing and performing the work, when you have artwork that highlights what you’re involved with, it feels like you’re “armed” with a power bow and  a full bag of arrows.

More to come!

I had a FANTASTIC time at the WVU Writer’s Workshop. Yes, that’s me sporting my saddle shoes and lookin natty. That’s David Hasslet to my left and Ethel Morgan Smith to my right. We had such an emotional panel. Tears were shed after I’d mentioned “The Telling Project,” and my work with Telling. There was a gentleman in the audience who was a Veteran and he started talking about his father, who was also a Vet. I recounted how when I worked with Telling we did short excerpts in several Baltimore City schools. We’d have a Q&A afterwards and when students spoke about a relative who’d be in the service “nobody ever asked them” about what they’d done.  

This struck a huge chord with the Veteran in the audience. And he started crying, as he recalled his father. And in responding to him I started crying too. It was the culmination of working with Telling and hearing their stories. Who knew all this would show up several years later at the West Virginia Writer’s Workshop.

From their blog, here’s a blurb about our readings:

All-in-all, I couldn’t have been more pleased about my contributions to the Workshop, and can’t say enough good things about Mark Brazaitis, Director of the Workshop and Professor of English at WVU, Renee Nicholson, Multi and Interdisciplinary Studies and Dominique Bruno, Graduate Assistant and Major Social Media Queen of the Workshop. All were particularly helpful and encouraging.

And reading an excerpt from “B-SideMan” was pure icing on the cake. I loved being on a panel where folks had questions about Playwriting as an art form, and also questions about the business side of Playwriting. I hope a few more of these are in my future. And I met two of the kindest people, Howard and Karen Owen. Howard Owen is a detective writer who wins awards faster than anybody I know. I was totally entranced by his latest book, “Grace,” coming out in October. “Grace” has that Walter Mosley/Raymond Chandler feel. And I find that a good detective story carries me away.

 

I was fortunate to take in the first rehearsal of “Monifa’s Kiss” cast in Hagerstown. The Potomac Playmakers are producing “Monifa’s” in September and the cast and I had a lil’ meet n’ greet. So below here’s Whitney Bowie, a.k.a “Monifa”….

Monifa, like the others, has a big dramatic turn only her’s is traumatizing. In desperation, she calls upon an old emotional memory.

And Karilee Grossnickle…(below) 

  is ShaRonda. Karilee and Whitney seemed to just “fit” during auditions. Later I found out they were friends. Makes sense. Karilee’s ShaRonda drives the confrontation, and from what I saw she’s got just the feisty chops to take the play into the dark side.

April Fox is LaRue, and she’s a little bit of a wild card. “Monifa’s” may be a very different experience for her. Though April has done theater, this play is a tad unconventional in terms of language and tone. LaRue is a bit of a diva, and also a bully. But, it’s an adventure for everyone, even Mr. Playwright.

Speaking with my Director, Andrea Robison, we think the stage business may be the biggest challenge for everyone. All the activity takes place on a subway car, and the girls are borderline out-of-control teens who have no problem getting in each other’s grill for even the slightest diss. I’m not worried about the age of the characters, as long as they bring some attitude. Make that: bring lotsa attitude. I wonder how things are going. I said I’d see them on opening night, but can Alonzo actually stay away till then? It’s awfully tempting to check back in with them. I guess because this is still a relatively “new” play that hasn’t gotten it’s share of productions. So it’s still “me widdle baby.” Like most of my plays, for an audience it’ll be a shock to the system. Though it’s a one-act and won’t take that long, it should pack a punch.

 

July puts me in the full swing of things. So the NEW DAY CAMPAIGN held their 2016 kick-off, and I spoke with a big voice. The Kick-Off was a fund-raiser and awareness event so I tried my best to deliver the goods. Here I am giving props to the crowd. It was a splendid event, and as always with NEW DAY, the performers were just so goddamn inspirational.

The joint was jumping with dancers, singers, storytellers, poets and everyday people giving their own testimony about dealing with addiction, mental illness and trauma. Sometimes, nothing beats reality. Take a look at words and pics from the evening.  I credit all this to Charles (my son who passed) for implanting the “delayed” reaction of using his death as an emotional catapult to be more involved and engaged in all things creative. Whatever I have as an artist doesn’t have to be restricted to the PURE pursuit of my own enhancement. That’s the moral of that story…..

Last week I was up in Hagerstown, MD. for auditions. The Potomac Playmakers are doing a production of “Monifa’s Kiss,” in September — the 9th, 10th and 11th.

Chas Rittenhouse is making this happen. To be fair, it’s an evening of three one-act plays, “Monifa’s” will be performed 2nd. My Director is Andrea Robison, and her ideas for production are spot-on. I hope to make it back for the first rehearsal. Monifa’s will definitely be a change-of-pace from the other plays. The style could be described as “urban,” and (as always with Alonzo) the language is eye-catching.

That’s Angela and Chas, (sorry for the bright light). Isn’t the stage a delight. I’ve been speaking with Holly and Jason from who comprise “LimeStone Connection,” (their play “50 Miles” is also being done) about adding some segue music between the plays. Limestone is a a pretty kick-ass duo who use poetry, prose and plays to compliment their music and performance. I actually met them when I was a judge for Maryland’s “Poetry Out Loud” contest in Frederick, MD.

In a couple weeks I’ll be headed out to West Virginia for the WVU Writer’s Workshop. I’m excited as all-get-out about having another opportunity to read (from “B-SideMan”) and to participate in a panel discussion. More to come, more to come my friends.

“Wear Shades,” of course.

As they say…”it’s been a minute” since I was last in touch. But summer is bringing good news. First up, “Monifa’s Kiss” my award-winning play (The Frostburg One-Act Play Contest) is being performed by the PotomacPlaymakers in Hagerstown, MD. I’m going to auditions in early July, the production is scheduled for September.

Also, I’ve been invited to the West Virginia Writer’s Workshop. I’ll be on a faculty panel discussing public performance (prose, poetry and plays), and doing a reading of “B-SideMan” for another session.

And this year I’m serving on the Advisory Board of the New Day Campaign. Our 2016 kick-off is in a few days, and it’s tremendously exciting to be a continuing part of New Day. Don’t know if I’ll be a participant when things kick into gear, but for now that’s alright. I think, like many who’ve continued on with New Day, the “rewards” are far more personal than philanthropic or professional. For me, New Day finally allowed a reconciliation within myself for Charles and his passing. Though it’s been six years, as I discovered, it doesn’t matter how long or short the time is. Grief isn’t something that involves time, it involves so much more than that. It’s confession, admission and all stops in-between. So off I go with New Day again.

As I write this, it’s Father’s Day and wiffee Nicole found (tucked away in the attic) several old holiday cards from Charles that were the most touching Father’s Day “presents” I could ever, ever imagine. When you haven’t see something that “takes you right there,” and then you do, it feels like the most fragile of moments….

Happy to report that I had a truly wonderful experience working with Manuela Reyes, a visual artist in her own right) and several other artists for this multidisciplinary project at the National Aquarium several nights ago! The event was staged in and around several places at the Aquarium, it had a sound installation, a video music and poetry created just for this one moment. It was a tribute to the oceans and designed to create dialogue and reflection about our resources.

I was part of the “poetic” element of the event, along with Michelle Antoinette Nelson (aka “Love the poet”) and Tyrone Requer, my theatre partner in crime. Our theme was developed by Pablo Helguera who’s the Director of the Education Dept. of the Museum of Modern Art. Pablo  wanted to use Edgar Allen Poe’s “The City In The Sea” as a stepping off point to connect the poetry of myself, Michelle and his own poem, ready by Tyrone. So I read Poe’s poem along with my own re-imagination of the poem, with the theme being the recent 2015 Baltimore “explosion” and unrest. Tyrone read a poem from Pablo, who couldn’t attend and  Michelle knocked it out of the park with her poem “Ebony Black.” We were staged at different places, each of us had a mike, and we just went for it. I hadn’t written a poem in ages, matter of fact I can’t remember the last time I EVER wrote a poem. But I was proud of my contribution, “The City by The Bay.”

Many other artists were involved, Kevin Pinder and the Rhythm Ensemble played great jazz (!!!) and Manuela kept everything on point.

I got brought into the project by George Ciscle, so many thanks to him for putting my name out there for someone to know. George was my art teacher at Cardinal Gibbons H.S. many, many moons ago. Funny how life turns around and around. I’m thinking of adding “The City By The Bay,” to my archives. I think it well worth hearing again. But HAHAHA, I feel that way about everything I touch! If you’re a writer, you better.

I’m so grateful for having opportunities come to me that spring out of nowhere. I’ve become, in my later years, a big proponent of kismet and synchronicity. Things that present themselves to you, and you never see it coming. Somewhere out in the universe someone is saying your name, and it could be days or months later and that ripple arrives to your ears. Sometimes this works in reverse. Someone who should have your name on their tongue, and it never comes to pass. Maybe it’s best if we never know the circumstances of that reverse process…..

I’m waiting to hear some specifics about “Monifa’s Kiss” being performed in the fall. But I’m not no way concerned about that now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So my beloved birthday month of March has come and gone, I loved every minute of it. As I’ve been heard to say, “I just can’t say no to Alonzo during my birthday month.” Translation: I do what I want. (within reason!) And so, it was a VERY good month. I can’t quite explain the euphoria behind the month of March. So I won’t!

But new projects are now on my plate, and so we’re off and running. I was asked to re-interpret an Edgar Allen Poe poem, “City In The Sea,” for an experiential exhibit at the Baltimore National Aquarium titled “The Ocean We Inhabit.” This is the area we’ll be using.

   I’m coordinating with 2 other readers and we won’t be utilizing a traditional stage, we’ll each be about 30-40 feet from one another, right in the midst of the audience, using microphones. Sort of a “call and response” vibe. This will be a very interactive exhibition featuring video art projections by Joan Jonas a narrative performance by Pablo Helguera, sound art by Bernardo Demony Rosa and installation by David Brooks. There will also be workshops by Martha Raquel Herrera where the children from Baltimore will create their own extemporaneous dance. My contact, the woman who’s putting this together is Manuela Reyes, a well-known artist in her own right, and it’s an ambitious project that I think will work extremely well. It’s all happening April 28th. “City In The Sea” will be “re-imagined from the perspective of all the Freddie Gray unrest. So much as there’s an eternal underwater sea-of-change, there’s also one currently happening in Baltimore. How did this all happen? My long-time buddy who head of the Curatorial Practice Department at the Maryland Institute College of Art, George Ciscle, recommended me. Waaaaaay long ago, George was my art teacher at Cardinal Gibbons High School. So we go back, my friends.    

Also, a one-act play of mine will be performed this fall by the Potomac Players in Hagerstown, MD. My play, “Monifa’s Kiss”  won 3rd place at the Frostburg One-Act Play Festival back in 2010. The play dates are September 9th, 10th and 11th. I haven’t had a full production of “Monifa’s,” but I think it has knockout capability.

The summer is off and running! And what’s also right around the corner is a ride through the city with bikemaryland.