NBTF Bits I
Rose remembers Hansberry
Legendary Broadway producer Philip Rose said he was
overwhelmed by receiving the Sidney Poitier Lifelong
Achievement Award
al this year's National
Black Theatre Festi
val. Rose, who is
white, cleared a path
for blacks to the Great
White Way when he
brought such hits to
Broadway as "A
Raisin in the Sun" and
"Purlie Victorious."
"This has now
become the most
exciting time that I
have ever had." Rose
said about the 2003
festival.
Rose said several
times this week that
the only thing that
could have made the
Philip Rose holds his book.
occasion better was if Lorraine Hansberry had lived to see it.
Hansberry. who died of cancer in I %5 at the age of 34. wrote
"A Raisin in the Sun" after Rose convinced her to give up her
job as a waitress to pursue other interests.
"Without her. there would be no "A Raisin in the Sun' and
no Philip Rose to some extent," he said.
Rose has compiled many memories from his stellar career
in a book, "You Can't Do That on Broadway." He is signing
copies of the book in the lobby of the Adam's Mark Hotel this
week. On Saturday, he will have a book signing and discussion
at Borders in Thruway Shopping Center at 2 p.m.
Two minutes goes by fast
When National Black Theatre Festival organizers told
celebrity guests that they would have only two minutes to
make their acceptance speeches at Monday's Opening Night
Gala, they were not kidding. The 16 people who were hon
ored for their decades of work on the stage, in television and
film were not so tactfully reminded when they exceeded the
time limits by a pumped-up sound system playing the Kool
and the Gang hit "Celebration."
Festival officials said a tight ship was needed for the pro
gram to end on time. Gala guests were treated to a perform
ance of Lillias White's "From Brooklyn to Broadway II"
after the gala, and organizers wanted to make sure that the
show began as close as possible to its scheduled 9 p.m. start
time.
Several award winners were cut off by the festive tune,
including trailblazing actress Diahann Carroll, who received
the highest honor of the evening. So many people's speech
es were interrupted by the music that it became a running
joke. Bette Howard, who picked up an award for her decades
of directorial work, sped through her thank-yous.
"1 (am) going to (finish) before two minutes because I
don't want to get the music," Howard said.
Margaret Avery; right, with Lynn Hamilton.
Free speech
In addition to prov iding a load of entertainment and social
activities, actresses Margaret Avery and Janet Hubert say the
festival also provides an environment where they can speak
freely and be embraced for doing so. The women say Holly
wood doesn't appreciate outspoken people, especially black
folk. Avery, best known for playing Shug in '"Hie Color Pur
ple." said she has heard through her representatives that she
has not been considered for roles because the powers that be
think she is too outspoken.
Hubert was the original mother on "The Fresh Prince of
Bel-Air" before leaving the show during the height of its suc
cess, reportedly over a dispute between producers. Hubert
facetiously alluded to her departure from the show during a
news conference this week.
"We all know that I have an attitude in Hollywood." she
saW.
Both women urged blacks to put the billions of dollars
they control to good use. by supporting the programs they like
and by writing producers to let them know their favorite
shows. Avery said she leaves the NBTF rejuvenated and
encouraged by the kind w ords ?f her theater peers and theater
lovers.
"We will take back with us what you have given us." she
said.
Poetic ventures
. Welisi Baraka has lived in several cities over the course of
his young life, but Winston-Salem is a special place for him.
"This is home for me." he said Tuesday. Baraka lived here
for many years and worked with Larry Leon Hamlin's N.C.
Black Repertory Company in the early 1990s. Baraka is in the
city this week to help make one of the National Black Theatre
Festival's newest ventures, the Mid
mgni rix-try jam. a success, i ne jams
provide young poets with an audience
to express themselves.
Baraka helped behind the scenes
with the poetry jams at the 2(X)I NBTF.
which was the initial year for the jams.
Baraka said people can expect an event
just as exciting this year.
Baraka is working with actor Mal
colm-Jamal Warner and Helena Lewis
of New York's Def Poetry. Baraka. who
now calls New York home, also works
Baraka
with Def Poetry, although he doesn't recite poetry himself too
often.
"I like working behind the scenes," he said.
Baruka attended Winston-Salem State University, where he
won the coveted "Mr. Ram" title in 1993.
The Midnight Poetry Jams have been held since Tuesday.
The last two jams will he tonight and Friday at the Adam's Mails
Hotel.
I Carroll 's short visit to the
NETF filled with fanfare
BY COl'RTNEY GAILLARD
THE CHRON1C11
Diahunn Carroll's one-day
slop at Ihe 2003 National
Black Theatre Festival proved
that she is indeed an entertain
ment legend. Standing ova
tions and gasps from onlook
ers followed her wherever she
ventured. And a flurry of
requests for photographs with
fans and fellow actors indicat
ed that she remains one of-lhe
brightest stars to grace '-our
time.
Carroll, who was awarded
the 2003 Sidney Poitier Life
long Achievement Award
along with legendary Broad
way producer Philip Rose at
the Opening Night Gala, said
she was "thrilled" to receive
an honor named for someone
she called "one of the finest
actors we've had."
"For my name to be con
nected to this award is an
honor." Carroll said.
From the Broadway stage
to Las Vegas to motion pic
tures to television. Carroll has
performed with other great
artists such as Natalie Cole,
the late Frank Sinatra. James
Earl Jones and Vanessa
Williams, to name a few. Few
can forget Carroll's pioneering
roles in hit television series
such as "Julia" and "Dynasty."
This Tony Award and Golden
Globe Award winner also has
made a name for herself in the
humanitarian and business
sectors.
This was Carroll's first
visit to the festival due to work
commitments over the years.
Carroll began in the musical
theater in New York during the
mid-1950s and considers it to
have been the best education
she could have gotten.
"I thought theater would
always be my life. Television
wasn't as interesting in the
1950s, and 1 had no way of
projecting what would happen
with television," Carroll said.
"Theater is very important.
Photo by Brace Chapman
Diahann Carroll gives her acceptance speech Monday night.
and you must go back. I think
almost all actors who are seri
ous about their craft...they go
back to theater, and it reminds
you of what you wanted to do
and to be in the first place."
While Carroll is proud of
her work in television, she
cites the exhaustive schedules
that television often demands,
which in turn makes theater so
much more appealing to
actors. Television, she said,
has become powered by the
dollar, which seems to be dic
tating the direction of pro
gramming.
"I find that television
(today) is an exact reflection
of our culture. I call it the Taco
Bell era. We've allowed our
minds to become almost
dead...so the quality (of televi
sion) is not what it was....If we
stop turning on shows about
nothing, then they won't make
them." Carroll said.
Carroll left the day after
the Opening Night Gala to
travel to California, where she
planned to spend some time
with family.
I Catching Up
Photo b> Kevin Walker
Actors Malik
Yoba, far left,
and Rockmond
Dunbar of the
hit Showtime
series "Sou/
Food" took a
few minutes to
chat in the lobby
of the Adam's
Mark Monday
morning. Yoba
is best known
for the series
"New York
Undercover."
Lorey's
World
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
A popular adage claims that
one can never go back home
again. But home is coming to
L&ey Hayes.
The N.C. A&T State Univer
sity graduate is expecting a bus
load of folks from her hometown,
Wallace, when she opens her one
woman play, "Little Lorey's
Song." on Friday.
On stage. Hayes will bring to
life the Wallace - a hamlet just
outside of Wilmington - of her
childhtxxi by taking on the per
sonas of people who gave the
town its originality. Hayes is con
vinced that every city, especially
small towns, has its own version
of the people with whom she
grew up.
"We
didn't
have a lot.
hut what
we had
some of
the most
fascinat
ing char
acters,"
Hayes
said Tues
day.
Hayes
Hayes dreamed of being an
actress for as long as she can
remember, even though her fami
ly did not get a television until she
was well into grade school. Hayes
has made those adolescent dreams
come true. She has appeared on
such television shows as "Judging
Amy." "Another World," and
"Sister. Sister." On stage, she has
shined in a number of produc
tions. including the starring role in
"Miss Evers' Boys." which she
recently took to London.
Hayes made history at A&T
before embarking' on her acting
career. She became the school's
very first theater major after turn
ing down a full nursing scholar
ship to UNC-Chapel Hill.
Hayes has not called 'North
Carolina home for some time'. But
she can envision leaving behind
her show biz life in Los Angeies,
if only temporarily, to come back
home to teach the craft she loves
to young people.
Hayes, though, is not ready to
give up acting completely any
time soon. She developed "Little
Lorey's Song" just last year with
the help of director Irene Pinn,
who helped develop Lily Tom
lin's one-woman show.
While Hayes feels special that
people from her hometown are
coming half way across the state
to see her perform, she is also a bit
nervous. Though the names in her
play have been changed, she
knows there is a chance that some
of the material will hit close to
home for some Wallace natives.
"I don't know what I am
going to do; they are going to rec
ognize themselves," she joked.
"Little Lorey's Song" will be
staged at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on
Friday and Saturday at The Ring
Theatre, on the campus of Wake
Forest University. A ticket costs
$35 and includes a performance
of "A Song For You." For tickets,
call 723-7907 or log onto
wnvv.NBTF~.org.
| Downtown restaurant names drink, dessert for Hamlin
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
[111 ( HRONK I I
LuiTy Leon Hamlin, founder and artistic
direetor of the National Black Theatre Festi
val. has been honored in many different ways
and by many different people.
His hometown. Reidsville. has given him
the key to the city. The Hollywood/Beverly
Hills chapter of the NAACP presented him
with its Community Service'Award in 2(X)1.
And the city of Winston-Salem has erected a
permanent marker dovVntown to honor the
theater gum in front of the Stevens Center.
But Hamlin joked last week that he feels
he has finally arrived now that a downtown
restaurant has named a dessert and a martini in
his honor.
This week, the Auction House Bar and
Grill is serv ing up lots of l-arry I con Hamlin
Marvtastic Martinis and a similarly named
sweet treat.
Restaurant owner Drake Joyce came up
with the idea for the menu items after Hamlin
came to his restaurant in March, soon after it
opened. The dessert is a puffed pastry with
grapes and an assortment of berries. The mar
tini includes vodka. Hennessy and an assort
ment of flavored liquors. Both the dessert and
the martini are purple. Hamlin's signature
color. They also hear the Hamlin-coined term,
"marvtastic." a fusion of the words marvelous
and fantastic.
"We are the only ones in town that I know
of who are making a purple martini and a pur
ple dessert." Joyce said.
The Auction House Bar and Grill, which is
ad jacent to the Sawtooth Center, has extended
its hours for the festival. The restaurant will he
open until 2 a.m. this week, serving dinner
? i . , ..... Photo hy Kevin Wtlker
Drake Joyce nurses a Larry Leon Hamlin Marvtastic Martini.
until midnight and desserts and appetizers
from midnight until 2.
Joyce was a fourth-generation tobacco
warehouse owner - hence the name Auction
House - before selling the warehouse and get
ting into the restaurant business. Although,
according to statistics, a restaurant is more
likely to fail than succeed. Joyce is confident
that he can sell people on the Auction House.
"I love challenges. I never fail at any
thing." he said. Joyce said the restaurant has
been on a roll in its first few months.
Those who want to try the Hamlin
inspired creations should hurry. After the final
curtain falls on the 2003 National Black The
atre Festivah so will the purple dessert and
martini.
"Saturday night when we close, there
won't be another Marvtastic Martini made
until the festival comes back," Joyce said.
The Auction House Harand Grill is at 226
/V. Marshall Street.