Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / July 30, 2015, edition 1 / Page 39
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1 The Eve of Jackie Arts Council Theatre Tues, Aug. 4 8 p.m. Wed, Aug. 5 3 p.m. Wed, Aug. 5 8 p.m. Thurs, Aug. 6 8 p.m $48 Sept. 29, 1975 was not unlike any other day for Jackie Wilson. "Mr. Excitement" was on stage showing an audience in Cherry Hill, N.J., just how he earned his moniker. Over the last 20 years, the Detroit-born singer had established himself as one of the planets foremost entertainers, with a string of hits and a stage act that was awesomely gravity-defying. It wasn't all roses for Wilson: The womanizer was nearly shot to death by one of his paramours; the IRS was a constant foe; and alcohol and drugs (were his constant companions. But by most accounts, Wilson still had the magic when he stepped onto the stage that night. Sadly, though, it would be his last performance. He suffered a heart attack on stage while performing his signature hit, "Lonely Teardrops;" reportedly, he had just vocalized the song's well-known refrain - "My heart is crying, crying" - when his heart stopped beating. He was revived, but remained virtually comatose until his death in 1984. In "The Eve of Jackie," Chester Gregory takes audiences backstage at the Latin Casino on that fateful night. They will see a side of Wilson few knew about. In bittersweet fashion, Mr. Excitements peaks and valleys are recounted; all along the way, his hits are delivered by Gregory, whose stage presence has been likened to Wilsons and Michael Jackson's. A native of Gary, Ind. (yes, he is from Michael Jackson's hometown), Gregory became a star by playing Wilson, breaking onto the scene in 2001 when he shined in the Black Ensemble Theater's "My Heart Is Crying, Crying... The Jackie Wilson Story." The show was a sell-out when it came to the 2003 NBTF; it returned to the festival in 2005. Gregory, known as Chess to his friends, also made his Broadway debut in 2003 as Seaweed in the Tony-winning musical "Hairspray." His other Broadway credits include "Tarzan," "Cry-Baby" and "Sister Act." In 2009, he embarked on a tour of "Dreamgirls," picking up a Best Supporting Actor NAACP Theater Award for playing Jimmy Early. Gregory has also released three CDs, "In Search of High Love" and mixtapes "Breakbeat Karaoke" and "If U Onfyr Gregory's many acting and musical gifts were honed at Chicago's Columbia College, where he received a BFA in musical theatre and earned the lead role in the school's production of "Jesus Christ Superstar." The school gave Gregory a huge pat on the back for all of his success in May, awarding him with an honorary doctorate at its Spring commencement ceremony. Gregory debuted "The Eve of Jackie" in 2013 and has performed the show in sold out venues around the country - and at the 2013 NBTF. The show is presented by his company, Chess, Not Checkers, Inc. He co-wrote the musical with Crystal Lucas-Perry. ? ^atoriffla// Memphis native Katori Hall made history in 2010 when she became the first African American woman to win the Olivier Award for Best New Play for her instant classic "Mountaintop." The play centers around Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the hours before his assassination. "Mountaintop" won critical acclaim after it debuted in London in 2009. It came to Broadway in 20TI, with Samuel L Jackson and Angela Bassett in the lead roles. Hall, who is also an actress and journalist has degrees from Columbia and Harvard. The 34-year-old's other stage credits include "Hoodoo Love" and "Hurt Village," the 2011 Susan Smith Blackburn Award winner. "Hurt Village" is a gripping and gritty drama about life in a Memphis public housing community. Hall is directing a big screen version of her play. In 20TI, Hall was chosen as one of the "Residency Five" by New York's The Pershing Square Signature Theatre. Her second play of the residency, "Our Lady of Kibeho," debuted last November.
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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July 30, 2015, edition 1
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