Newspapers / Elizabeth City State University … / Nov. 13, 1998, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 The Compass Friday, November 13, 1998 photo courtesy of Department of Dramatic Arts The Grant family from the University Players production of Look Homeward. Angel. (Seated left to right) Lamar Frasier, Marsha Lynn Williams; (standing left to right) LaVonne McClain, Shaunell McMillan, James Welton, and Stacy Brock. Angel: a heartfelt interprelalion The University Players, Elizabeth City State University's drama troupe, wiU present the Pulitzer Prize winning play Look Homeward, Angel as the opening production of its current the ater season. Based on the acclaimed novel by North Carolina author Thomas Wolfe, the comedy drama will be presented in the University's Little Theater on Nov. 4,5 and 6 at 8:00 p.m., with a 4:00 matinee on Sunday, Nov. 8. Widely considered to be an authen tic American classic. Look Homeward Angel centers aroimd a 17-year-old, Eugene Grant and his family as they struggle through love, joy and sorrow in 1916 Asheville, which Wolfe called Altamont in his autobiographical novel. Eugene is the prototype of a young man desperately searching for his iden tity and longing for independence. Ri chard Watts, New York Post drama critic, hailed Look Homeward, Angel as being "one of the finest plays in American dramatic literature." Shawn Smith, director of the produc tion, has assembled a talented cast of community, student, and faculty actors to fill the play's twenty roles. James Michael Weltin, an ECSU sophomore from Elizabeth City will appear as Eugene. A Pennsylvania na tive and Currituck County High School graduate, Weltin is making his first ap pearance with the Players. Eugene's strong-willed mother, Eliza, is being performed by stage veteran Marsha Lynn Williams, last seen with the Play ers as Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Lamar Frasier will play W. O. Gant, Eugene's stone-cutter father, and Stacy Brock will appear as Eugene's love in terest, Laura James. The rest of the Gant family will include Zack Hawkins as Ben, Shaunell McMillan as Luke, LaVonne L. McClain as Helen, and Joel Parker as son-in-law Hugh Barton. Other prominent roles will be per formed by Celina Gray, C. Jeff Meads, Christopher Breakfield, Rose B. Griffen, Lasindra Webb, Amanda Chastine, Dru Scerbo, Kimberly M. Carter, Davis Th ompson, Jerome Brothers, and Chris tine Crosland. Sets and lighting are being designed by Randy J. Bery, while costumes are being designed by Susan Mahaffey. Admission for the production is $5 for the general public, $1.50 for ECSU faculty/staff, and $1 for ECSU students. message By Ronel Brewer This era of the copycat, synthesized and track-looped R&B artist, a vision ary stands out. Nicole Renee has got it all, and her music is as sweet as the title of her first hit single, "Strawberry", which is part of her debut CD release. "Live musicianship is a dying art, but she's got it. And she has a lot of PhiUy Soul in her. She's a mix of rock, soul, and R&B," says Craig Kalknan, Atlantic executive Vice President. She is all that and then some. You'll hear it in the soulful ballad "Heaven" that's set against a background of soft strings and guitar. The piano and ac companiment set the mood for this sen sual ballad. But of all the sounds blended together, it's her voice that will strike you most. She's a veritable fe male Brian McKnight. The live band she uses in all her songs gives a re freshing sense of musicianship and demonstrates her years of classical study. Renee covers the concept of love from all angles, and this self-titled LP is a collage of rock, blues and soul. "She's got so much soul. And all the material she had written herself. We thought we were sitting across from the next Prince," said Kalknan. Renee's stardom didn't occur by lucky chance. She was an original mem ber from the cast of BET's Teen Sum mit. She not only sings, she also writes. Tickets will be available at the door. For reservations and information, phone the University Players' office at 335-3436. produces, and plays her own music and she wrote 200 songs by the time she was ready to record her debut al bum for Atlantic Records. She's not the ordinary "I can carry-a- tune" girl from church. She has Talent. Her range is unbelievable. Her vocal talent is displayed in every sense of the word. Her diversity is comparable to that of the greatest of the great art ists. Renee merges the reakn of spiritual ity with that of sexuality. She rims from operatic siren calls to suggestive moans almost as effortlessly as breathing. In the song "Cocaine Lane" she makes the comparison of a drug addict's rela tionship to cocaine with that of the one she maintains with God. She poses the question to the addict: "What is it about this drug that would cause you to steal from your mother and lie and hurt the people you love?" And the addict responds, "It's some thing that's always there, something that loves you unconditionally." That's the way she says she feels about God, and this insight alone pro vides us with enough recorded musi cal and spiritual fact to convince the listener to see that she is not all music. She is deeper than the pretty face you see on the cover. Nicole Renee is the real deal, and you can bet the house that you'll be hearing a lot more from her. photo courtesy of Atlantic Records Nicole Renee Visionary songtress offers music with a
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