The young actors who portray the orphans in the production.
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At 81, Bill Cobbs is still one of the hardest
working stars in Hollywood. Only those
who have been living under a rock for
the last 40 years are unfamiliar with
Cobbs' work on stage and television
and in films.
The Cleveland native and Air Force
veteran gave up a promising career
in business to pursue his dream of acting when he was in his
? late 30s. He made his debut at Cleveland's Karamu House
Theater in Ossie Davis' "Purlie Victorious." By 1974, he had
? made his film debut in the classic "The Taking of Pelham One
Two Three." His ever-growing film credits now include "The
* Bodyguard," "Ghosts of Mississippi," "The Hudsucker Proxy,"
? 'That Thing You Do" and the "Night at the Museum" movies.
? He has made memorable appearances on television shows like
? "Six Feet Under," "The Sopranos," "I'll Fly Away" and "Go On."
Cobbs shows no signs of slowing dowa He has six films in either
pre-production or post-production, including "The Great Gilly
Hopkins," with Glenn Close, Kathy Bates and Octavia Spencer.
Americas favorite little redhead will sing and
dance her way into theatergoers' hearts at this
years festival.
THE POINTE! Studio of Dance and the Elise Jonell
Performance Ensemble, both based in nearby
Greensboro, N.C., is promising an energetic good
time with "It's a Hard Knock Life: A Dance Adaptation
of'Annie."
Thefe have been many adaptations of Annie since the
ginger orphan first appeared as a comic strip character
in the 1920s. In the 1930s, her tale became a popular
radio show and a film; a Broadway musical opened
in the 70s; Hollywood remade the story for the big
screen in 1982, 1999 and 2014, when Oscar-nominee
Quvenzhane Wallis became the first African-American
girl to play the character.
"It's a Hard Knock Life" is breaking more ground.
Featuring a bevy of kids of color, the production is
being billed as a ineatncai tsaiiei tnai uses rap, )azz,
contemporary, hip-hop and other styles to pay homage to the '82 film, a cult classic.
"It is our own interpretation of this beloved story," THE POINTE Executive Producer Gina
Tate and Elise Jonell Performance Ensemble Executive Producer Robin T. Rich-McGhie said
in a statement. "We have re-imaged the storyline by adding, cultural music and art to this
rag-to-riches tale."
The productions tide - "It's a Hard Knock Life" - comes from the best-known tune from
"Annie," the musical. The song, which is also performed in the film versions of "Annie,"
gained a new generadon of fans when rapper Jay-Z sampled it in 1999 for his Grammy
winning hit "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)."
There is acting in the production as well and creative movement through pantomiming.
Tate and Rich-McGhie are pros at this style of entertainment Their dance-infused versions
of "The Wiz" and "Cinderella" have been big hits among residents of the Triad (the Winston
Salem/Greensboro/High Point area). ?
i '?
, ? m 9 ? "
FIt's a Hard KnockT
Life: A Dance
Adaptation of
R.J. Reynolds
Memorial
Auditorium
Tues, Aug. 4 3 p.m.
Wed, Aug. 5 3 p.m.
I Wed, Aug. 5 8 p.m.
I Thurs, Aug. 6 3 p.m
Kids make up most of the players in "It's a Hard Knock Life."