Prime Tyme Soul Cafe
Welcomes the Black Arts Festival
From August 3rd -August 8th
Photo by Donna Rogers
Prime Tyme Soul Cafe on University Parkway already is welcoming the
National Black Theatre Festival before it starts on Aug. 3.
Expected
from page Al
plays that are based on var
ious aspects of life.
"Letters from Zora: In
Her Own Words," which is
based on Zora Neale
Hurston, is one of the
plays. It stars stage, screen,
television actress and
dancer Vanessa Bell
Calloway.
In an interview last
week (see article on Page
Al), Calloway said she is
engergized while at the
NBTF.
Some plays also are
based on books.
One play, "The Bluest
Eye," is based on a book by
Toni Morrison. That book
is on display in a mega
bookstore in Winston
Salem as one of the books
everyone must read.
Plays will not be the
only links to The Arts dur
ing the festival. Films will
be shown, an international
colloquium will be held,
tributes and awards will be
given and workshops will
take place.
Even youth will have
plenty to do during the fes
tival, including attend
Midnight Poetry Jam, in
which poets of all skill lev
els can sign up immediate
ly before the event to per
form on stage. Youth also
have other activities,
including Teentastic activi
ties on Aug. 6 through 8.
(See details in the
National Black Theatre
Festival tab inside The
Chronicle.)
Some of the activities
will be free, but most will
cost admission. Estimates
are that $10 million will be
pumped into the Winston
Salem economy next week.
One business is already
welcoming the NBTF.
Prime Tyme Soul Cafe
on University Parkway,
already has fliers and signs
that say it "welcomes the
Black Theatre Festival."
and "Black Arts Festival ."It
is advertising entertain
ment next week and its soul
food plate.
Winston-Salem Delta
Fine Arts Inc., is sponsor
ing a 'late night blues din
ner fundraiser1 during the
National Black Theater
Festival.
And 56 friends are trav
eling by bus from St. Louis
to attend the festival. The
group plans to attend the
production of "At Last: A
Tribute to Etta James"
while they are here.
Photo courtesy of OPAS
Vanessa Bell Calloway on stage as Zora Neale Hurston.
Calloway
from page A1
Zora," written by Gabriella
Pina, is about the life of
Zora Neale Hurston, who
was a renown African
American writer who wrote
thousands of letters to her
closest friends. The play
reveals through the letters
written by Hurston a side
of her that was not widely
known about her. Hurston's
letters, which were not
widely known about, fol
lows Calloway navigating
Hurston's life from her
childhood to her death with
the use of Hurston's letters.
Calloway, who has
been a part of the National
Black Theatre Festival
before, said, "I have been
coming to the National
Black Theatre Festival for
years. Winston-Salem is
such a great place that
makes you feel special and
wonderful."
Calloway also talked
about the NBTF and her
joy of seeing everybody
along with the people who
really appreciate the plays,
and the energizing feeling
she gets while at the NBTF.
When asked how long
it took her to become
Hurston, Calloway said
before the first time she
performed the play, it took
her a month to learn the
dialogue and then two
months to become her.
Calloway who has been
doing this play for four
years, said every time she
does the play she always
finds something new in it,
along with the playwright
Gabrielle Pina.
Calloway said she
looks forward to seeing her
friend Debbie Morgan's
one-woman show "The
Monkey on My Back!"
along with Rain Pryor's
play Fried Chicken and
Latkes that will both be
performed on Thursday,
Aug. 6. Calloway said she
would love to see more
plays, but since she is
working as well it leaves
her with limited time to see
many plays.
| NBTF Briefs |
Late Night Blues Dinner
Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts Inc., is sponsoring a 'late night blues dinner fundrais
er1 during the National Black Theater Festival, featuring Big Ron Hunter on Thursday,
Aug. 6 at 10 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at door. Join us for fish and grits
and more. On the walls of the art gallery: "We Are The Music Makers", a photography
exhibit featuring the pioneers of Southern music through August 29. The Delta Fine Art
Center is located at 2611 New Walkertown Rd. For more information visit
wwwxieltaartscenier.org or call 336-722-2625.
Friends of St. Louis travel for NBTF
What began as a couple of friends from St. Louis, Missouri attending the first NBTF
in 1989 has developed over the years to 56^ friends traveling by bus to attend the 2015
NBTF in Winston Salem, NC. \
When Shirley Ann Williams attended the firstYestival with members of the St. Louis
Black Repertory Theatre she started a two-year pilgrimage to Winston Salem. This tra
dition has continued over the past 26 years, although Shirley Ann died 2014.
On Aug. 6, Friends of St. Lxiuis will celebrate her contributions by hosting a "Shirley
Ann Day" at the Hampton Inn on Summit Square. This day will reflect on the love that
Shirley Anne had for the NBTF and the friendships that have formed due to the NBTF.
A banquet has been planned. Sylvia Hamlin, executive producer of NBTF, will greet
and inspire the group. Following dinner at WSSU. These friends look forward to return
ing to Winston Salem for the southern hospitality, educational experiences, food, friend
ships and theatrical productions.
Kids
from page Al
of partners, agencies, families themselves, the faith community, business community, it's
going to take them all....
Every comer of our community has to feel this and believe this."
"This is a game-changer for our community," said Leslie Hayes, Business Banking
Division Manager at Wells Fargo Bank, which is the trustee for the Trust and represents
the business community. "It's our children and our future."
Great Expectations will invest in strategies to increase community engagement, such
as encourage community members to read to children; improve the systems that serve
families, share knowledge and lessons learned and build provider capacity.
The initiative also will focus on direct services to children and adult caregivers in the
following core priority areas:
'Improving child and family health.
"Improving self-regulation and executive function among children and adults.
"Improving parent-child interactions and adult caregiving capacity.
"Supporting children's oral language and vocabulary development.
"Building systems and strengthening families.
To start the initiative off and expand Great Expectations work around the community
the Trust announced over $1.4 million in grants to two government agencies and a busi
ness:
*$330,000 to Forsyth County Public Library to establish Great Expectation cor
ners for branches and two mobile units that cater to preschool students.
*$640,000 to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools to improve the play
grounds at 23 Title One elementary schools. The playgrounds are open to the com
munity after school, so the community will benefit, McNeil-Miller said.
*$430/100 to First Book, a nonprofit organization that gives children from low
income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The granl
will allow First Book to give 1,000 educators books for children of preschool age in
disadvantaged areas.
Children from Winston-Salem State University's Head Start program took part ir
story time and refreshments, and each child attending was to receive a free book.
Carolyn Wood, a grandmother who works in the public library system, said during
the presentation that community members can help with the initiative by reinforcing chil
dren's reading skills, such as reading to them at schools.
"They need an adult that makes the commitment to teach the children to read," she
said.
Denise D. Adams wins 30th District Prince Hall Affiliated 2015 Miss OES contest
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Denise D. Adams, a member of Rose
McCloud Chapter #608 Order of the Eastern
Star in Walkertown, won the 2015 Miss OES
Queen's contest for the 30th District Order of
the Eastern Star, P.HA.
The contest was held on Saturday July 18, at
the Prince Hall Masonic Temple on East 14th
Street.
The first runner-up was Tonya Woods, a
member of Meridian Chapter #308 and second
runner-up was Shannon Fulp, a member of
Sisters of Bivouac Chapter #530.
Other members who participated were
Marcelle Shell, Worthy Matron of Beauty of the
West Chapter #36; Janice Ramandan, member
of Queens of Olympic Chapter #620; and
Jacqueline McKoy, member of Sisters of James
H. Young Memorial Chapter #592.
Adams has been a member of Rose
McCloud #608 for over 29 years and currently
holds the position of secretary.
She is a member of Emanuel Baptist
Church. She is a graduate of Moigan State
University and is a lifetime member of the Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Adams has served as the Winston-Salem
City Council member for the North Ward since
?
2009. She serves on many committees and
boards for the city and other organizations.
Worthy Matron Latasha Wilson-Lane was
mistress of ceremony for the program
Gwendolyn Joyner, district deputy grand
matron of District 30, presented the contestants
with gifts and certificates and gave closing
remarks.
A reception for the queen and her court and
the guests was held immediately after the pro
gram in the Masonic Temple fellowship room.
Past Matron Carolyn Jones and Past Matron
Cynthia Acker were the co-chairs for the 2015
Miss OES contest.
Adams
k T
F I
? 336-750-3220
*