Sunday, June 19, 2005
You Go Girl! Away?
Pedophilia and the pompous behavior of Boy's Choir of Harlem director Dr. Walter Turnbull aside, did you even know that there is a Girl's Choir of Harlem, scandal-free, bursting with talent and largely ignored and overshadowed by its older "brother."
Complaining in the Ideas and Opinions section of the New York Daily News, LION CALANDRA wrote that the boys perform for U.S. Presidents, the Pope and Nelson Mandela. Sing at Yankee Stadium, appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" and show up at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You can buy t-shirts and CD's on a website. In short, the young men are a cultural and musical institution, touring the world before regular folk and royalty.
Not so with the girls says CALANDRA.
Personally, I never heard anything about a girl's choir. No friend or family member has so much as mentioned one word about them, while some know the boys 'bootstrap' story. This is because the girls are often relegated to upstate New York trips, and singing at a graduation here or there. Their CD's are not promoted, no international trips booked, according to CALANDRA.
I don't know if that is true or not, but if you visit the website the images and copy are virtually all-boy, with one link that says Girl's Choir. In fairness, there is a loop at the top of the webpage that promotes The Girl's and Boy's Choir of Harlem and God's by Design, The Album.
Interestingly, CALANDRA points to a trump card that could tip the situation in favor of the girls. Enter the NYC Department of Education, which has both choirs under its domain, due to a unique cultural-education partnership which includes a school, The Choir Academy. Specifically CALANDRA noted that the city's contract with the school is up at the end of the school year and that education officials should demand changes or threaten to close the school.
The Academy, Intermediate School/High School #469, is one of several small public academies created during the tenure of Schools Chancellor Joseph Fernandez. It has 560 students - 300 girls, the rest boys - in grades 4 through 12 attending classes (and rehearsals) from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Girls compete for about 100 positions in the girls choir and 35 positions in the performing choir. Boys compete for a similar number of spots.
Last year, Frank Jones, an assistant choirmaster, was initially supported by Dr. Turnbull, the choir's founder and embattled director, when it was reported that Jones had initiated inappropriate sexual relationships with boys in the choir.
Jones was convicted in 2004 and is serving a two-year sentence for these charges.
As for the girls, it's time to shine a bright light on what was described as "... 35 talented, hardworking young ladies - whose singing was described in Vogue magazine in 1997 as what it might be like if a band of angels had floated down to Earth to raise their voices for a brief moment in time..."
Complaining in the Ideas and Opinions section of the New York Daily News, LION CALANDRA wrote that the boys perform for U.S. Presidents, the Pope and Nelson Mandela. Sing at Yankee Stadium, appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman" and show up at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You can buy t-shirts and CD's on a website. In short, the young men are a cultural and musical institution, touring the world before regular folk and royalty.
Not so with the girls says CALANDRA.
Personally, I never heard anything about a girl's choir. No friend or family member has so much as mentioned one word about them, while some know the boys 'bootstrap' story. This is because the girls are often relegated to upstate New York trips, and singing at a graduation here or there. Their CD's are not promoted, no international trips booked, according to CALANDRA.
I don't know if that is true or not, but if you visit the website the images and copy are virtually all-boy, with one link that says Girl's Choir. In fairness, there is a loop at the top of the webpage that promotes The Girl's and Boy's Choir of Harlem and God's by Design, The Album.
Interestingly, CALANDRA points to a trump card that could tip the situation in favor of the girls. Enter the NYC Department of Education, which has both choirs under its domain, due to a unique cultural-education partnership which includes a school, The Choir Academy. Specifically CALANDRA noted that the city's contract with the school is up at the end of the school year and that education officials should demand changes or threaten to close the school.
The Academy, Intermediate School/High School #469, is one of several small public academies created during the tenure of Schools Chancellor Joseph Fernandez. It has 560 students - 300 girls, the rest boys - in grades 4 through 12 attending classes (and rehearsals) from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Girls compete for about 100 positions in the girls choir and 35 positions in the performing choir. Boys compete for a similar number of spots.
Last year, Frank Jones, an assistant choirmaster, was initially supported by Dr. Turnbull, the choir's founder and embattled director, when it was reported that Jones had initiated inappropriate sexual relationships with boys in the choir.
Jones was convicted in 2004 and is serving a two-year sentence for these charges.
As for the girls, it's time to shine a bright light on what was described as "... 35 talented, hardworking young ladies - whose singing was described in Vogue magazine in 1997 as what it might be like if a band of angels had floated down to Earth to raise their voices for a brief moment in time..."
Friday, June 17, 2005
First Fundraiser Will Set the Stage for the Apollo Foundation
As reported in Crain's New York Business, the Apollo Foundation's first fundraiser is a few days away with a gala benefit scheduled for Monday evening, June 20th.
The event will feature performances by singer Vanessa Williams, gospel star Bebe Winans and R&B group Boyz II Men. Honorees include Sandy and Joan Weill, Charles Rangel and Spike and Tonya Lewis Lee.
It has been reported that the world-famous theater had been experiencing years of financial troubles. Said the Apollo's new president, Jonelle Procope, the new, not-for-profit foundation "... is dedicated to the preservation and development of the theater."
Proceeds will go to fund the general operations.
The event will feature performances by singer Vanessa Williams, gospel star Bebe Winans and R&B group Boyz II Men. Honorees include Sandy and Joan Weill, Charles Rangel and Spike and Tonya Lewis Lee.
It has been reported that the world-famous theater had been experiencing years of financial troubles. Said the Apollo's new president, Jonelle Procope, the new, not-for-profit foundation "... is dedicated to the preservation and development of the theater."
Proceeds will go to fund the general operations.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
The Most Erotic Forty-Something of All Time
On Monday, the acting world lost 73-year old Anna Maria Louise Italiano, more commonly known as Tony and Academy-Award winner Anne Bancroft after succumbing to uterine cancer on Monday (06 06 05). Her husband, movie director Mel Brooks, was at her bedside.
Bancroft appeared in some of Brooks' comedies: Silent Movie, a remake of To Be or Not to Be and Dracula: Dead and Loving It. She was also the one who suggested that he make a stage musical of his movie The Producers. Her recent return to the stage was triggered watching Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick rehearse The Producers. In 2002 she returned to Broadway for the first time since 1981, appearing in Edward Albee's Occupant.
Paying homage, lights were dimmed on Broadway last night and many theaters plan to dim the lights before tonight's shows.
As reported on FemaleFirst.co.uk the husky voiced, Bronx-born actress was nominated for five Oscars and made more than 60 films. The story goes that either the former Ms. Italiano, b. 1931, found her surname too Italian, or too ethnic or the studios did. To attract and maintain the conservative, American movie-going public, her agent, managers and the studio offered up vanilla-WASP name options. She reportedly chose Bancroft in the 1950s "because it sounded dignified." Her marriage to Mel Brooks gave her yet another name, but that switch was years into her career.
The actress was often quoted as surprised (read annoyed) that her body of dramatic work was upstaged for her entire career by a single film character played in Mike Nichol's 1967 hit, The Graduate. Much to her chagrin, Ms. Bancroft made the icily cool and sexy 'Mrs. Robinson' the all-time, middle-aged, femme fatale. Not nearly as racy, her most recent parent role was as Ben Stiller's mom in the 2002 film, Keeping the Faith.
In chrnological order, her other work included:
"Don't Bother to Knock," 1952
"Tonight We Sing," 1953
"Treasure of the Golden Condor," 1953
"The Kid from Left Field," 1953
"Gorilla at Large," 1954
"Demetrius and the Gladiators," 1954
"The Raid," 1954
"New York Confidential," 1955
"Nightfall," 1957
"The Restless Breed," 1957
"The Girl in Black Stockings," 1957
"The Miracle Worker," 1962
"The Pumpkin Eater," 1964
"The Slender Thread," 1965
"7 Women," 1966
"The Graduate," 1967
"Young Winston," 1972
"Lipstick," 1976
"The Turning Point," 1977
"Fatso," 1980
"The Elephant Man," 1980
"To Be or Not to Be," 1983
"Garbo Talks," 1984
"Agnes of God," 1985
"'Night, Mother," 1986
"84 Charing Cross Road," 1987
"Torch Song Trilogy," 1988
"Rigby, You're a Fool," 1989
"How to Make an American Quilt," 1995
"Antz," 1998
"Up at the Villa," 2000
Along with Brooks and their son, Ms. Bancroft is survived by her mother, two sisters, a daughter-in-law and a grandson.
Rest in peace Anna Maria Louise Italiano.
Bancroft appeared in some of Brooks' comedies: Silent Movie, a remake of To Be or Not to Be and Dracula: Dead and Loving It. She was also the one who suggested that he make a stage musical of his movie The Producers. Her recent return to the stage was triggered watching Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick rehearse The Producers. In 2002 she returned to Broadway for the first time since 1981, appearing in Edward Albee's Occupant.
Paying homage, lights were dimmed on Broadway last night and many theaters plan to dim the lights before tonight's shows.
As reported on FemaleFirst.co.uk the husky voiced, Bronx-born actress was nominated for five Oscars and made more than 60 films. The story goes that either the former Ms. Italiano, b. 1931, found her surname too Italian, or too ethnic or the studios did. To attract and maintain the conservative, American movie-going public, her agent, managers and the studio offered up vanilla-WASP name options. She reportedly chose Bancroft in the 1950s "because it sounded dignified." Her marriage to Mel Brooks gave her yet another name, but that switch was years into her career.
The actress was often quoted as surprised (read annoyed) that her body of dramatic work was upstaged for her entire career by a single film character played in Mike Nichol's 1967 hit, The Graduate. Much to her chagrin, Ms. Bancroft made the icily cool and sexy 'Mrs. Robinson' the all-time, middle-aged, femme fatale. Not nearly as racy, her most recent parent role was as Ben Stiller's mom in the 2002 film, Keeping the Faith.
In chrnological order, her other work included:
"Don't Bother to Knock," 1952
"Tonight We Sing," 1953
"Treasure of the Golden Condor," 1953
"The Kid from Left Field," 1953
"Gorilla at Large," 1954
"Demetrius and the Gladiators," 1954
"The Raid," 1954
"New York Confidential," 1955
"Nightfall," 1957
"The Restless Breed," 1957
"The Girl in Black Stockings," 1957
"The Miracle Worker," 1962
"The Pumpkin Eater," 1964
"The Slender Thread," 1965
"7 Women," 1966
"The Graduate," 1967
"Young Winston," 1972
"Lipstick," 1976
"The Turning Point," 1977
"Fatso," 1980
"The Elephant Man," 1980
"To Be or Not to Be," 1983
"Garbo Talks," 1984
"Agnes of God," 1985
"'Night, Mother," 1986
"84 Charing Cross Road," 1987
"Torch Song Trilogy," 1988
"Rigby, You're a Fool," 1989
"How to Make an American Quilt," 1995
"Antz," 1998
"Up at the Villa," 2000
Along with Brooks and their son, Ms. Bancroft is survived by her mother, two sisters, a daughter-in-law and a grandson.
Rest in peace Anna Maria Louise Italiano.
Monday, June 06, 2005
And the TONY goes to...
Best Play Doubt
Best Musical Monty Python's Spamalot
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre Adam Guettel for The Light in the Piazza
Best Revival of a Play Glengarry Glen Ross
Best Revival of a Musical La Cage aux Folles
Best Special Theatrical Event Billy Crystal 700 Sundays
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Bill Irwin for Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Cherry Jones for Doubt
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Norbert Leo Butz for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Victoria Clark for The Light in the Piazza
Best Direction of a Play Doug Hughes for Doubt
Best Direction of a Musical Mike Nichols for Monty Python's Spamalot
Regional Theatre Tony Award® Theatre de la Jeune Lune Minneapolis, Minnesota
Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Edward Albee
I always get teary when men do the 'thank their better half' part of the acceptance speech. Nice going Mike Nichols, Billy Crystal and yes, Edward Albee. To be politically correct, let me not forget Ms. Jones.
Africana news ... 2005 was not last year's celebration with Ms. Rashad being the first Black woman to win Best Actress in a drama. Instead we saw Al Sharpton goof the answer in the Putnam County Spelling Bee and had to suffer through Ms. Franklin's labored version of 'Somewhere.'
Oh ... check out the http://www.livejournal.com/users/shpshows> Lazy Fish blog.
Best Musical Monty Python's Spamalot
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre Adam Guettel for The Light in the Piazza
Best Revival of a Play Glengarry Glen Ross
Best Revival of a Musical La Cage aux Folles
Best Special Theatrical Event Billy Crystal 700 Sundays
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Bill Irwin for Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Cherry Jones for Doubt
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Norbert Leo Butz for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Victoria Clark for The Light in the Piazza
Best Direction of a Play Doug Hughes for Doubt
Best Direction of a Musical Mike Nichols for Monty Python's Spamalot
Regional Theatre Tony Award® Theatre de la Jeune Lune Minneapolis, Minnesota
Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Edward Albee
I always get teary when men do the 'thank their better half' part of the acceptance speech. Nice going Mike Nichols, Billy Crystal and yes, Edward Albee. To be politically correct, let me not forget Ms. Jones.
Africana news ... 2005 was not last year's celebration with Ms. Rashad being the first Black woman to win Best Actress in a drama. Instead we saw Al Sharpton goof the answer in the Putnam County Spelling Bee and had to suffer through Ms. Franklin's labored version of 'Somewhere.'
Oh ... check out the http://www.livejournal.com/users/shpshows> Lazy Fish blog.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Gangsta' Rap
HOTEL RWANDA star DON CHEADLE replaces DENZEL WASHINGTON in the upcoming movie, AMERICAN GANGSTER as reported on ContactMusic.com.
WASHINGTON was the first pick to star as 1970's Harlem, New York drug lord FRANK LUCAS. Now with a new deal in place, CHEADLE is in and the project has the green light once more.
WASHINGTON was the first pick to star as 1970's Harlem, New York drug lord FRANK LUCAS. Now with a new deal in place, CHEADLE is in and the project has the green light once more.
