Arts & Lifestyle
Of Interest ...
Poitier opens up in magazine
Known for styui^ away from the spotlight, Sidney
JPwjfier open* up about experiencing racism firsthand,
the state of black actprs in Hollywood, the importance
of his family, and why he's a
Self-described loner in a rare
one-on-one interview with
"AARPThe Magazine."
, As he approaches his 82nd
birthday, Poitier reflects on his
rise from a semi-literate dish
washer to venerable actor, his
> isolated childhood on tiny Cat
Island in the Bahamas, and the
racism he first experienced at
Poitur age 15 when his family moved
to Miami. He also discusses
his successful 40-year marriage, the lessons his moth
er taught him. his new book Life Beyond Measure:
Letters to My Great-Granddaughter, and how he care
fully chose each of his 56 film roles during his pio
neering career.
Featured on the cover of the September/October
issue of AARPThe Magazine? which hit news stands
nationwide July 24 ?the Oscar and Golden Globe
winning actor also comments on having a black man
as the presidential candidate for a major political party
saying, "I imagined it. I was always aware that it
might not come in my life. It just goes to show you
how far we have indeed come."
"AARP The Magazine" has been called the defin
itive voice for Americans 50 years and older. It is the
world's largest-circulation magazine with more than
34 million readers.
Veteran black journalist
to replace Tim Russert
NEW YORK (AP) -Mark Whitaker has been
named to replace Tim Russert as head of NBC, News'
Washington Bureau.
The former Newsweek editor, who joined NBC
last year as senior vice president of news, will assume
many of the off-camera duties held by Russert. who
died of a heart attack in June.
As bureau chief, Whitaker will be in charge of
"Meet the Press," as well as NBC News' election and
political coverage. He also will make occasional
appearances as an on-air analyst, the network said in
its announcement Monday. -
Whitaker, 50. worked as a summer intern at
Newsweek while at Harvard University in the late
1970s and did a v ariety of jobs at the magazine before
serving as its editor from 1998 to 2006.
While there, he supervised the growth of
Newsweek's Web site, which is affiliated with NBC
News' MSNBC.com. He was president of the
.American Society of Magazine Editors from 2004 to
2006.
With Whitaker s appointment, another decision
remains m filling the gap left by Russert. legendary as
a tnufc-tasker Who wall be the permanent "Meet the
Press' Thrvxigh the November election, the
semirecrevi Tom Brakaw. who in the past anchored
"SBC Nsjtoriv Ne-a-s.* has stepped into the role
Tanya Rivera to co-anchor
??Good Morning Show"
Grcensboro-hased WFMY News 2 has picked
, Tmya Ri\era to co-anchor the "Good Morning Show"
{ vmh Rosemary Plvbon beginning Aug. 4.
"We ;ux extremely excited
*pout giving lanya tnc nwra
ing anchor position. Her pro
fessionalism, personality and
sense of humor are perfect for
the Good Morning Show," said
Station Manager and President
Deborah Hooper. 'Tanya and
Rosemary are a great team and
we know viewers will enjoy
me energy incy create logetn
Itlvfrj
Rivera joined the station in
2(X)2 and most recently served
as a "2 Wants to Know" reporter and weekend news
anchor Her work has earned an Emmy and numerous
other honor* from Gannett news company and North
Carolina Associated Press.
More than a year after her award-winning
"Apartment X" investigation, she still speaks to com
munity groups about online safety. She also serves as
aeminif leuder and teacher through the worldwide
Bible yudy faUitfcHur organisation.
R i fern is ?<?<*? Irfl ot id. i native and a graduate of
the University oM4o?kl.i She serves on the advisory
board for the University of Florida College of
Journalism and Communications
Matron at Winfrey's
school says she is innocent
SKBOKK.Nd, South Africa ( AP) - A former dor
mitory matron at Oprah Winfrey's school for poor
South African girls pleaded innocent Tuesday to
charges that she indecently assaulted and otherwise
abused si* teenagers and a fellow matron at the acad
emy.
Tiny Virginia Makopo. 28, looked nervous and
sullen at the start of her trial, and she and her lawyer
gave no indication what her defense would be.
Judge Thelma Simpson granted a prosecution
request for the rest of the proceedings, expected to last
all week, to be closed to the public She aim is allow
ing the teenagers to testify through close -cuvuit TV' to
save them the trauma of confronting their alleged
?-in court.
Ebenne Venter described the girls as
Md very, very emotional "
Young artists to stage "apSOUListe
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The talented teens of the Winston-Salem
Youth Arts Institute are gearing up to present
their 2008 Commencement Engagement,
"apSOUListe"
A hodgepodge of monologues, poetry and
other forms of expression, "apSOUListe"
will be staged Aug. 7 - 8 at 7 p.m. in the
Kelly Auditorium of First Baptist Church,
501 West Fifth St., and on Sunday. Aug. 10 at
3 p.m.
Thirty local youngsters, between the ages
of 12 and 19, will take part in the perform
ance, the latest in a string of well-received
artistic showcases put on by students of the
Winston-Salem Youth Arts Institute.
Founded by playwright/ actor Nathan
Ross Freeman, WSYAI is an intensive, six
week summer program that gives young per
formers the tools they need to express them
selves in a variety of artistic disciplines,
including writing, film, dance and song. At
the end of the summer, and in community
performances throughout the year, the youth
present their works.
In a joint statement, the young people
described "apSOUListe," as "a live sensa
tion, where teens create and present abstract,
uncensored and true works of poetry, mono
logues, raps, editorials, essays and lyrics
from their hearts. We engage our audience,
not for applause or standing ovations, but to
Photo by Cheryl Schirillo
Quayshaun Hall rehearses for the upcoming show.
change your life and make a difference."
Tickets to the show are $10 each and are
available at the door, but reservations are
recommended by calling 336-749-1317 or
going to www.wsyai.org.
Photo courtesy of Beck's Baptist Church
The members of the Rejoice Ringers will join handbell performers from around the globe.
Handbellers to attend international event
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT . -
Rejoice Ringers, the popular handbell group based at Winston
Salem's Beck's Baptist Church, has been selected to participate in the
prestigious 13th International Handbell Symposium next month in
Orlando. Fla.
Hosted by the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, the
biennial event brings together more than 8(H) handbell ringers from 10
countries. It will take place Aug. 4-8 at Orlando's Rosen Shingle
("reek Resort. This will be the first, time since 1996 that the
Symposium has been held on U.S. soil. It will not return to the United
States until 2020.
The Rejoice Ringers is one of three handbell groups at Beck's. All
of -the groups have grown under the direction of Deborah S. Rice,
director of the handbell ministry at Beck's and the head of the
American Guild of English Handbell Ringers.
The groups often provide entertainment at hospitals, rehab cen
ters, nursing homes, retirement communities and correctional centers.
The groups also perform benefit concerts and have performed abroad,
most recently in Great Britain.
During the International Handbell Symposium, members of the
Rejoice Ringers and other performers from around the globe will
work toward a shared goal of building better communication among
ringers, maintaining high musical standards of ringing and perform
ance and encouraging continued interaction among countries. One of
the highlights of the event will be joint performances by 800 ringers
under the batons of directors from across the globe.
For additional information on the symposium or AGEHR, visit
www.agehr.org.
Outdoor film series returning
Reynolda House will show several New York-themed movies
CHRONICLE STAFF RKPORT
Reynold* House Museum of American Art is bringing back its popular
outdoor mo\ie screenings. " Cinema Under the Stars." starting Saturday
Aug. 2) with the Blake Edwards's classic "Breakfast at Tiffany!s."
It will be the third year for the
rvcnmg film scries, which is
.osponsored by the School of
Pilnunukintt of the North
Carolina School of the Arts. This
year's series celebrates New York
GB^STBUSTERS
[ ity in anticipation of the muse
um's fall exhibition. "Seeing the
City: Sloan'cNew York." which
>pens (X't. 4.
Bused on the novel by
Truman Capote and featuring the
Oscar-winning song "Moon
River," "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
?tars Audrey Hepburn and
George Peppard. All the films
will be screened at "i p.m. outside
?n the lawn of the museum and
i ik' I tide a pre- screening talk by
local scholars In the case of the had weather, the screenings will be held
indoors.
Other movies slated as part of this year's series are:
? "King Kong" (1933) on Saturday. Aug. 9. The film stars Fay Wray and
Robert Armstrong and. of course, a 30-foot tall gorilla with a soft spot for
blondes.
? Woody Allen's "Manhattan" ( 1979) on Saturday. Aug. 16. The film stars
* Socfllm* on All
1 1 1 , I D^tiln,, f>. ,1 in I
rusaonc DfrniMn ran mofo
A view of some of the park's natural beauty.
Bethabara nature guide in the works
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Historic Bethabara Park will
showcase its animals, plant life
and other aspects of the park's
natural history in a guide that
will be created with a $ 15. 000
grant that has been awarded by
the Winston-Salem Foundation.
A National Historic
Landmark, Historic Bethabara
was the first Moravian settle
ment in North Carolina in 1753.
It is the founding settlement of
the Wachovia Tract, which
encompasses all of modern-day
Winston-Salem and most of
Forsyth County.
Waterford Press will pro
duce "The Bethabara Pocket
Naturalist Guide." which pro
vide a simplified, easy-to-use
reference to what everyone
should know about the park's
familiar plants, animals and nat
ural history.
Most of the park has been
untouched over the last two cen
turies The flora and fauna found
in the surrounding flood plain
forest and adjacent uplands
remain similar to the wilderness
environment of the colonial
frontier settlement. Grounds,
gardens, and trails in the 175
acre park are open, free of
charge year-round. The park is
at 2147 Bethabm Road.