MET OPERA STAR PRODUCES FREE CHRISTMAS PLAY IN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham, AL – The holiday season provides a wonderful opportunity to impress upon everyone the spirit of giving. And, Metropolitan Opera Singer and Birmingham native, Ruth Randall, is doing just that. On Friday, December 4, 2009, her original musical, We All Come Bearing Gifts, will come to life at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and will feature talented children and adult actors from around the city of Birmingham. Since the economy is wreaking havoc on everyone’s wallet, the holiday extravaganza is free to the public, producers only requesting everyone comes bearing clothing and non-perishable food items to give to those less fortunate.

“This original work was designed to bring together a variety of art forms to create an artistic, musical extravaganza,” said Randall, who is a six-time winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions. “Our goal is to build up a decadent group of young people that will be better able to serve in the future.”

We All Come Bearing Gifts tells the story of the birth of Jesus through the eyes of Prophet Simeon and Prophetess Anna.  As told in the Bible, Prophet Simeon and Prophetess Anna could not die until they had witnessed the fulfillment of the prophecy of the birth of Jesus. This heart-warming and inspiring story will be retold featuring special guest students from the J. Lockhart Performing Arts Studio, Miles College and the Make It Happen Theatre Youth Ensemble. Sponsoring organizations include Make It Happen Theatre Company, What’s Happening Now Theatre Company, Arts-r-us4u, and Wordz & Rhythmz LLC.

We All Come Bearing Gifts will run for one night only on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Auditorium, 2612 Lane Park Road, Birmingham, AL 35223-1800. In place of an admission price, those attending are asked to bring clothing and non-perishable food items, which will be donated to those in need.

For more information about the We All Come Bearing Gifts musical, please contact Ruth Randall at 205.531.7796. For media inquiries only, please contact LaShanna R. Tripp at 205-821-0695 or via e-mail at LRP@WordzandRhythmz.com.

Life Interrupted

Life can sometimes get in the way of what you have planned. We always plan our days, knowing in our minds that the day will turn out the way we planned it in our heads or on a scribbled piece of paper. We most times don’t consider God in our planning; we may pray and tell God what we are going to do, never considering what God has already planned for you Himself. We treat God as an actor in our play, when we should look to Him as the Executive Producer and Jesus Christ as the Director—in this thing called life.

Look at Job, his life was just wonderful until things started to go south and his life was no longer simple, but complicated. Job lost everybody and everything—his life had been interrupted. Never in a million years would I thought or imagined that at the age of 35 I would be so dependent on others—I had it all planned out, until things in my life began to go south. Sickle Cell Disease or any disease for that matter that completely consumes your life is what I call a life interruption. These interruptions come at the most inopportune times. This funny thing called life has it peaks and valleys, highs and lows, and it is your decision to stay in the valley with your head in your hands crying or look to God for your help.

Life interruptions can cause one to become angry, depressed, left in disbelief, or even at the verge of giving up. During these times take an account of what is important to you, what battles are really worth fighting, or if it is worth the energy to be negative. Just start over! Come up with a new plan and this time include God, ask Him what does He think—be ready for the answers and move on. Don’t remain in that valley, crying your eyes out, but hold your head up high and wait for God this time. Don’t be surprised if there are more life interruptions; just know that God is there for you at each interruption in this thing called life.

By TKay (www.tinakay.net), the author of “Walking In Your Season”

Birmingham model, Temeca Freeman, featured in Black Men’s Magazine

Temeca Freeman is a native of Birmingham, Alabama.  She loves shopping, working out, spending time with family and of course modeling.  When asked her best asset, she responds, “My eyes,”…but others would say its her measurements 36-24-42…that is.  Temeca enjoys being in front of a camera and taking photos is her passion.  To date, Temeca has been featured in magazines, music videos, hosted several events, and recently landed a spread in one of the #1 Urban Men Magazines, BLACK MEN MAGAZINE. Winning the Black Men Atlanta model search and shooting for the magazine was a dream come true for Temeca.  She is appreciative of this once in a lifetime opportunity and will be forever grateful for the many blessings it brings her in the future.  Temeca is gearing up for 2010 and looks to accomplished her many goals of taking the modeling world by storm and becoming a household name that is never forgotten.

Single No More: Free workshop for single mothers

With 70% of black homes headed by single black women, the workshop objective is to empower single mothers with information that is essential in rearing black boys into motherhood.

Supreme Leadership Youth Academy will be hosting this FREE workshop on Saturday December 5, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. at the Boutwell Auditorium’s Exhibition Hall. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

The workshop is FREE and seating is limited. All workshop participants must pre-register by Thursday December 3, 2009. To register online please click here. For more information regarding the workshop, please call 205.223.0869.

Click here to download the workshop flier.

JASPECTS @ SPEAKYOSOUL LIVE! Review:

The SpeakYoSoul Live! event at Boss Ultra Lounge on Saturday November 21st was too awesome!!

there??

Man, if you weren’t then you missed a one of a kind event!  Let’s set the record straight here. When SpeakYoSoul Live! throws an event, it’s not just a regular event and calling it a party is not even doing it justice!  The best way I can describe their events is by calling it an “experience.”  So with that being said, let’s talk about last night’s

SpeakYoSoul Live! “experience.”  The featured act was the group Jaspects and the dj of the night was DJ Dynamite Dave Soul.  Let’s start with the Jaspects.  When you first see these cats and their instruments, you would think that they are just an average band; but don’t let the skinny jeans, vests, and checkered shirts fool you! These cats are way more than just a band hailing from Atlanta, GA.  These young men have three albums to boast about with their latest being “Polkadotted Stripe.”  My suggestion is to buy them all; the music is priceless!  Jaspects are a fusion of jazz, soul, funk, and hiphop and they supplied just that during their show!  These men started the show up with their intro from Polkadotted Stripe called “2012″
and slid right into “You Got Me Funked Up” which is from their first album called “Double Consciousness.”  From there on, the show just goes crazy! Their set took you on a musical timeline journey from now to the 70’s, 80’s and back to the present and beyond!  I’ll tell you, my heart, including everyone else’s in the lounge, absolutely melted when they played their rendition of “Pure Imagination.”  Yes my friends, the same song from the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie!!  The Jaspects has a way of moving a crowd to the point where you are constantly up and anxious to hear what’s next!  Their fusion of horns, drums, and keyboards are a marriage of sounds!  For me, the highlight of their set was the electric guitar riffs played by the keyboardist!  YES!!  This man was playing the electric guitar on his keyboard and he was wicked with it too!

Jaspects had us rocking out loud, doing the butt, rocking our bodies from side to side, and unifiying through UNIFUNK.  All while throwing our J’s up!  Let me tell you, if you’ve never been to a Jaspects show then you need to check them out at http://www.myspace.com/jaspects and see when they are coming to a city near you and get your ticket asap because it’s a show that you
definitely don’t want to miss!

Now after their set ended, the night wasn’t over! Oh no, not by a long shot!!  This is a SpeakYoSoul Live! experience!

DJ Dynamite Dave Soul, also from Atlanta, GA, was next up and he shut it down in a major way!  I’ve never experienced hiphop, afro beats, reggae, and house soul all in one dj set!  DJ Davey D held nothing back when he put his magic touch on the 1s & 2s.  Everybody was up dancing, clapping, soul train-lineing, and enjoying the sounds til the very end and none of it would have been remotely possible without the ladies of SpeakYoSoul Live!!

Congrats to you all!  You’ve definitely done it again.  And to those of you that missed it, you betta check for more “experiences” to come at http://www.myspace.com/speakyosoulbham.  I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. :o)

For more pictures click here.

by Celes Jonez

MAYORAL CAMPAIGN HEATS UP WHEN FIVE LEADING CANDIDATES ANSWER YOUNG BIRMINGHAM’S TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CITY

Leading candidates Attorney Emory Anthony Jr., Jefferson County Commissioner William Bell and Birmingham City Councilman Steven Hoyt face off answering the tough questions December 3rd 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at The Highland Conference Center, Vulcan Conference Room, 2012 Magnolia Avenue Birmingham, AL 35205.

Candidates Attorney Emory Anthony, Jr., Jefferson County Commissioner William Bell, Sr., Attorney Patrick Cooper, Birmingham City Councilman Steven Hoyt and Interim Mayor Carol Smitherman were invited to participate in this debate.  To date, Attorney Anthony, Commissioner Bell and Councilman Hoyt have answered the call.

The city of Birmingham finds itself at a crossroads. A few weeks ago a lively debate about the future of Birmingham politics broke out at downtown’s Surin West. The result? A group of young, working Alabamians decided to make their voices heard and organize a debate of the five leading candidates.  This informal group, led by Tracie A. Todd, included young African American lawyers, grass-roots organizers, bankers, teachers, politicians, and business professionals. The group has coined itself, “The Birmingham Roundtable.”  The Roundtable, in contrast to other groups/organizations, decided to host only the five leading candidates in an effort to effectively discuss the serious issues facing the city.

The Roundtable is dedicated to engaging young adults in the political and civic communities.  The number of participants is swelling as young adults are joining The Roundtable’s grass-roots campaign to put our generation’s voice back into the debate. Now is the time to get involved.  Join us at The Highland Conference Center on December 3, 2009 at 6:00 pm and evaluate our next leader. Calling all young adults in the city! It’s our turn to ask the questions.

This event is brought to you by The Birmingham Roundtable, a group of informed young citizens. We are always looking to add new voices and perspectives. If you are interested please contact Tracie A. Todd at tracietodd9@hotmail.com.

Langston Hughes’ BLACK NATIVITY

Aldridge Repertory Theatre, Alabama’s oldest minority-based theatre company, presents Langston Hughes’ Broadway Hit Musical Black Nativity. The “gospel song-play” tells the story of the birth of Christ through roof-raising gospel music, jazz infused Christmas carols, and African dance.

Aldridge Rep Artistic Director Anthony Mark Stockard directs. Stockard is no stranger to Black Nativity, as he has both directed and starred in the show before. “Birmingham is going to get a one of a kind top-notch celebration of Christmas this year,” said Stockard. “Around the world Black Nativity is warmly referred to as the African-American community’s Christmas card to the world. However this year no one will offer a production of Black Nativity as unique and soulful as Aldridge Rep’s.”

The family friendly show boasts a 60-member cast and a score that includes gospel-infused renditions of holiday standards such as “We Three Kings,” “Mary Did You Know” and “Joy to the World.”

The cast stars Birmingham natives Chant’elle Robinson as Mary, Brandon McCall as Joseph and Joycelyn Smith as Elisabeth.

Black Nativity runs Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 5 at 3 & 8 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham. Tickets are $15-$25 and can be purchased an hour before curtain or in advance at all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge by phone call 800-982-2787.

Can Birmingham become an art mecca?

Birmingham, Alabama … the Iron City and also a great medical town has received it’s fair share of self defining industries.  If you ask people from other states or countries abroad about Birmingham, Alabama they may immediately go into a conversation of the all so popular images of the 1960’s civil rights violence that continues to haunt the city today.

Although Birmingham has received many titles over the years there is a growing movement that is putting focus on sustaining and developing Birmingham’s art community.  The goal is to make Birmingham a recognized city for the arts and aid in creating economic opportunities built on a thriving arts community.

The arts which consist of just about all things creative and entertaining is a huge economic booster in most cities across the country and abroad.  Locally there is a growing movement to place more attention on local artist with several dedicated groups leading the way.  For years local artist have packed up their bags and moved to cities such as New York and Hollywood to pursue music and acting careers.  More recently southern cities such as Atlanta, Nashville and Miami have attracted musicians, performing arts and also visual artist.

The key according to many of those leading the charge in forming a thriving Birmingham arts industry is to provide artist with opportunities and outlets to share and showcase their craft.  The short list for this type of development consist of

• Development opportunities for artist which includes micro business loans, mentoring and financial and legal advice.
• Connecting artist with buyers and clients.
• Facilities dedicated to the arts that include affordable office space, galleries and live performance and practice venues.
• Recording studios that offer state of the art technology and tools such as post production and mastering.
• Opportunities to commission artist to help revitalize areas that have been neglected.
• Paid opportunities to offer in-school and after school programs for students to help sustain Birmingham’s art programs for future generations.

Organizations such as Code Red, The Birmingham Art Collective, Main Street Birmingham and many others have taken a hands on approach to support the arts and put many of these plans in motion. The Blue Market Gallery which will be located in Woodlawn’s Business District is a project of Main Street Birmingham that will offer creative space to artist for business, networking and entertaining.  This project is just the beginning of what will become a recognized arts district in the City of Birmingham.  Other groups are working on similar plans which includes a three-story art facility in Downtown Birmingham, renovated parks and recreational facilities influenced by art and more art focused festivals such as the Birmingham Art Walk.

A thriving arts community plays a tremendous role in economic development.  What many people don’t realize is that one of the most important areas of concern for companies relocating to an area includes art, culture and nightlife.  Companies realize this direct tie in with the arts is what also helps them keep and maintain top talent.

We encourage all artist and those that love various forms of art to look for ways to participate in the development of Birmingham’s art communities.  Your support as an artist, client or volunteer with any of the agencies working toward this goal is greatly needed.

MAYOR TO HOLD PUBLIC FORUMS

Interim Mayor Carole Smitherman will begin a series of public forums next week. “This is a chance to let citizens’ voices be heard. I want to get a feel for the needs, new ideas and different possible initiatives in our city. The best way that I know to do this is to meet with people and provide a forum to share ideas,” said Mayor Smitherman. The first meeting will be held on Monday, November 16, 2009  from 6pm to 7pm at WorkPlay (located at 500 23rd Street South Birmingham, Alabama 35233). Panelists including Interim Mayor Carole Smitherman, Councilor Jonathan Austin, as well as representatives from Alabama Symphony, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, Museum of Urban Art, and a host of others will begin an open dialogue.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 7:00 p.m., Interim Mayor Carole Smitherman will be @ the Rock Church (located @ the L.R Hall 424 16th street north Birmingham, AL 35203- downtown across from the Civil Rights Museum) reaching out to young people, taking suggestions and answering questions so “this city can become a city that is truly for the people by the people.” Mayor Smitherman is encouraging young people to “get in the game so that we change the game.”

M.A.D. Skillz Dance Company presents Art in Motion

Birmingham, Alabama (November 6, 2009) -M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co. and Winston Strickland is brings to you the most exciting dance extravaganza in Birmingham. “Art in Motion” is a dance experience you do not want to miss. The event will take place Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 7:00pm at The Alabama Theatre 1817 3rd Ave. N Birmingham, Al. 35203. Come out and enjoy theatrical hip hop, praise, and modern ballet dance like you have never seen before. The cast will include dancers from ages 6 and up. Special guest performances include Yung Vokalz & Precision Grooves and DJ Cj the Sticman. It’s going to be excitement for everyone.

M.A.D. (Music and Dance) Skillz Dance Co. is a countywide non-profit organization. M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co., founded by Winston Strickland (Artistic Director, has performed and brought positive high quality entertainment for all ages. While inspiring youth to be creative and explore the fine arts of music and dance, each member of the organization maintains a GPA of 2.5 and above. M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co. has performed for various community oriented events around Jefferson County along with performances at the Alys Stephens Center, Showtime at the Apollo, AIDS Awareness, Sickle Cell Foundation, BET 106 & Park, Bronner Bros. Hair Battle Royale, Chris Rocks’s moveie Good Hair, and the list goes on. With the talent of our youth, M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co. is The Next Generation of Dance.

M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co. sold out its last event at the Alys Stephens Center. So mark your calendars and don‘t miss “Art in Motion”. For tickets and more information log on to www.ticketmaster.com, www.alabamatheatre.com, and www.myspace.com/madskillzdanceco. If you would like to schedule an interview with Winston Strickland (Artistic Director) and M.A.D. Skillz Dance Co., contact 205-862-3244 or madskillzent03@yahoo.com.

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