Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / April 22, 2010, edition 1 / Page 6
Part of Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Ph?*??s b) I JtfV* I arnurr Scott Parker and several of the teen actors rehearse earlier this week. Having Their Say Teens preparing to debut latest Black Rep production BY LAY I. A FARMER I Ml CHRONIC"! I The North Carolina Black Repertory Company will showcase the talents of some of the city 's next generation of thespians beginning April 30, when members of the NCBRC's Teen Theatre pro gram will stage the original play "Valued Voices." Penned by Elon University Professor Dr. Jean Rohr, "Voices" is centered around the experi ences of Jamal Harris, a 16 year-old ninth grader who is intellectually bright but otten misunderstood by his teachers. "Not only is it entertain ing. hut it's educational." Artistic Director Mabel Robinson said ot "Voices. "...It's a play that is of great value to see.'' The NCBRC launched Teen Theatre in 2CK)8. in hom age to the NCBRC s late founder Larry Leon Hamlin's lifelong dedication to educat ing youth through theatrical experience. The program is presented in two 6-X-week sessions that include a stage production as well as dance, acting and speech classes for participants, who range in age from 13-18. The group presented a reading of "Voices at Elon College last fall, but the spring showing marks the first time the full production has been brought to the Teen Theatre stage. Robinson said. "1 think it's outstanding," said 1 8-year-old Chris Harper, who stars as "Jamal" in both productions. "It s very realis tic. and it's true. It's very inspiring and I teel that it s something that everybody can enjoy." Chris, a junior at Winston Salem. Street School who has worked with Teen Theater for three years, says he doesn t have to look far to find his inspiration for the role. "It's like I'm playing my self because 1 relate to the character." he commented. "He's 16 and in the ninth grade: 1 was also 16 in the ninth grade ... so I kind of understand what the character is going through." Tom Williams plays Ms. Washington, the main charac ter's grandmother who is rais ing him. in the play. Williams. 54. says she has performed as a singer since she wa-s a child but didn't delve into the the ater world until she was in her early 30s Williams has played in several Black Rep productions, including "Don't Bother Me. I Can't Cope," "Mahalia" and "The Black Nativity." Williams, a language arts teacher at Meadow lark Middle School, says she jumped at the chance to appear in "Voices." "I was glad when they asked me to be a part of this because as a teacher. I live it everyday," said Williams, who has more than 20 years' class room experience. "Hopefully, it will be well attended so the message can get out. because that's what's important " Robinson says she seeks out productions that she believes will resonate with the actors and the audience "In all the productions, we try to find something that is going to be a learning process, something that they will encounter in the community or in school," she said. ". We look for the right forums, the right methods, something that we think will be valuable for the community to know and for the young people to learn." Scott Parker plays the Harper teacher, Barry Strickwood, Parker, a longtime actor, has appeared in more than 50 films and plays. The Greensboro resident's debut on the NCBRC stage occurred earlier this year, when he starred in Ted Lange's "Four Queens. No Trump." Parker describes being in "Four Queens" as "one of the highlights of my life." "I had such a wonderful experience with Mabel and the actresses," he related. "There are certain groups that you want to work with, and this is definitely one of them." seventeen year-oiu ^ ayia Mahome. a junior at Parkland, says working with Teen Theatre has boosted her confi dence off-stage as well as on. "I've become more of a leader," related Cayla. a mem ber of the Winston Lake Family YMCA's Jazzy Jumpers and Parkland Marching Band's DIB (Dancer in the Band) squad. "I think I inspire a lot of people because I've gotten a lot of my friends in this (program)." Working with experienced talent like Williams and Parker gives the youth a deep er understanding of and respect for the craft* Robinson believes. "It's been exciting for me to see the young actors and the mainstream actors come together to communicate because that's what we are try ing to do," Robinson remarked "...It's a good thing to see them grow, and that's what's been happening during this production." "Valued Voices" will be staged on April 30 at S p.m.. May I at 3 pm. and S p.m. and on May 2 at 3 p.m. at the Arts Council Theater. 610 Coliseum Drive. Tickets are $10. For more information, call (336) 723-2266 or visit www.nhtf.orf( . Griffins from page A1 Finkeiman spent over two years researching the case against brothers Thomas and Meeks Griffin, two wealthy African Americans who were execut ed in South Carolina in 1915 for allegedly murdering a white Civil War veteran. Wake Forest Law Professor Michael Curtis called Finkeiman, the President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law and Public Policy at Albany Law School, "one of the preeminent legal histori ans of slavery and race in America." Finkelman's research helped secure a posthumous pardon - the first one ever granted in the slate of South Carolina, and possibly the nation - for the Griffin brothers last year. The brothers, who were only 24 and 26 years-old at the time of their executions, were the great uncles of radio talk show host Tom Joyner. Harvard Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. discovered the men's story while researching for the PBS doc umentary show "African American Lives 2." The par don made international headlines when it was grant ed. "I see this as a victory for all people who have been wrongfully convicted," Finkeiman said. "...I think it's a pretty important prece dent. If you are concerned about the killing fields of America, then it's worth not ing that at least South Carolina is saying. 'We made a mistake.'" Finkeiman believes the Griffin brothers were vic tims of circumstance. They Michael Curtis had recently inherited over l(K)-acres of land from their father, making them likely the wealthiest African Americans in the Chester County, SC, where the mur der of former Confederate Army soldier John Lewis occurred. The motive for the crime was said to be rob bery. Based on later discov eries, Finkelman believes the Griffin brothers' wealth was -what led their accuser Monk Stevenson - who Finkelman said was likely involved in the crime him self - to choose them as his scapegoats. "Monk Stevenson fig ured out a way to avoid exe cution and that is to cast blame on two people who are prominent, people who are black," Finkelman said "(Stevenson) later said ... I gave the police their names because they are the richest black people in the world." He figured they could afford to get an attorney and get off." What made the case unusual. Finkelman said. was that the Griffin brothers were well liked and respect ed by members of both the black and white communi ties. The injustice of their trial caused an outrage that was virtually unheard of in those days, he said. "They are described in the most laudatory ways from blacks and whites in South Carolina," Finkelman revealed. "In the newspa pers of South Carolina they had literally hundreds of sig natures of white citizens in South Carolina ... saying that they were innocent. 1 have never encountered a situation where significant numbers of white people are petitioning people in power for clemency for an African American who was convict ed of killing a white person." The South Carolina gov ernor ignored the pleas of the public and executed the two young men in 1915, Finkelman said. "In some ways, it was worse than a lynching because a lynching is the act of a hysterical mob," he declared. "This was some thing that was thought out and weighed and yet it played out the way it did." Finkelman is hopeful that the 2009 pardon will be food for thought for modern pros ecutors across the nation. "What I would like to see is that people who are involved in prosecuting cap ital cases ... realize that human frailties, vindictive ness. racism, mistakes and economics all play a func tion in convictions and exe cutions. and that these cases are sometimes wrong," he said. "...Even if you have no ethical problems with a state taking a life, you want to make sure that you get the right life." HURRY IN FOR THIS WEEK S SPECIAL VALUES Prices valid 4/22/10 - 4/26/10 unless otherwise noted. A 20otf SPECIAL ORDER ?PATIO DOORS ?ENTRY DOORS ?GARAGE DOORS ?INTERIOR DOORS ?WINDOWS Discount taken at time of order Offer applies to product only Excludes Pella 750 Designer Series windows and patio doors Offer valid 4/18/10 - 4/26/10 See store for details COMMERCIAL APPRECIATION DAYS 3 DAYS ONLY v_ LUNCH FROM 11AM - 2PM ON FRIDAY THE 30? SPECIALVALUE! now $CO 60 was oo *67 tr Interior Flat Finish Paint #30104 that 's only ?10" per gallon $1647 each 15/32" x 4' x 8' 3- Ply Sheathing Plywood ?12192 *398 2" x 4" x 10' Kiln-Dried Whitewood Lumber #27172 SO 97 mim each 5/4" x 6" x 8' Standard Treated Decking *21210 Pncmg and selection for commodity items may vary due to market conditions. We reserve the nght to limit quantities tor every $499 purchase of in-stock Owens Comng Oakndge 30- year stimgles Otter valid 4/22/10 ? 4/26/10. See store tor details Kf&r SPECIALVALUE! now *4997 SP 60' Volt-Guard Fish Tape #179459 120' Volt-Guard ' VALUKI Fish Tape now was #133604 $67.93 *79.93 HITACHI Eszsnsaini ?99 ZS 10" Compound Miter Saw ?15-amp *5.000 RPM ?Includes 10" 24-T cartMde blade ?1 16704 *149 was *179 - 18- Volt Lithium Ion Cordless Drill/Driver and Flashlight ? 1/2" keyless chuck ?460 in -lbs torque *300255 CONTRACTOR PACK SAVE 27% $44 66 uotwinnu 1 1 wn?a#m?i *699S w Front Battery Load Smoke Alarms ?1?8493 Front Loading Smoke Alarm ? 183814 $15.97 each 10 3 80 LB CONCRETE MIX #10385 | p liVltfiill* i S^I* !?I!C Discount taken at register Offer valid 4/22/10 - 4726/10 See store for details Items and brands vary by market BUY ONE GET ONE FREE 7-1/4" 24T WELDTEC CIRCULAR SAW BLADE *290578 Offer valid 4/22/10 - 4/26/10 Discount taken at register See store for details Find hundreds of NEW LOWER PRICES in store. Details on our oollcies and services Pnces mav varv after 4/26/10 If there are mar*et variations "Was" prices in this advertisement were in effect on 4/15/10 and may vary based witSwes Everyday Low Price policy See store for details regarding product warranties We reserve the nght to limit quantities While Lowes strives to be accurate unintentional errors may occur We reserve the right to correct any error PrKie^r^promotioris ^ UStoatiOTS only, and are available while supplies last C 2010 by Lowe's* All rights reserved Lowe's and the gable design are registered trademarVs of LF.LLC (R100491-1 LEFT) 001/T004?1/1?3
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 22, 2010, edition 1
6
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75