Thursday, May 19, 2005

Author! Author!

Hey Soul Mates,
I got to Atlanta in one piece.

What fun to be first-nighters. The world premiere of my Dad's play Street Rhythm was a success. Opening night jitters aside, the actors & musicians were all solid. Special kudos for Eugene Russell and
Charles Black who played the tragi-comic characters of doomed be-boppin' Luther and the older, but not always wiser Buster, respectively.

Dad seemed very pleased with the show. We sat right up front and occasionally he would comment to me how well a scene worked or what songs the duo were playing. Jazz musicians Syl Spann & Rick Denton were particularly tastefully. The theater itself is a nice space that seats about 100 and the play was well attended. Quite good for a brand new production opening on a Thursday night. The cast and crew are all energetic and eager thespians. They are all genuinely warm people and they are pleasure to know. Bravo.

Tomorrow morning, Dad has a radio interview on a local NPR station at 8. That's a bit early for yours-jet-lagged-truly, but I'll be up. I wouldn't miss any of this for the world. I'm very proud of my Dad for getting the play produced. Street Rhythm is a well-written character study and slice of life of Harlem in the '50's: an age underrepresented in popular culture. It ain't easy to mount a 2 act play on any level and director Carol Mitchell-Leon has done commendably. We'll be back at the Push Push Theatre tomorrow for performance 2.


l-r: Me, Eugene (E.H.) Russell, actress Tia Reece, Dad, Charles Black.


Playwright & Son.


Playwright & Different Son.


Syl Spann & Rick Denton


The Kelseys at the Theatre.

Love, Power, Peace from Atlanta

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