Newspapers / Winston-Salem State University Student … / May 1, 1997, edition 1 / Page 9
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The News Argus May 1997 Page 9 ENTERTAINMENT Vibes, Beats and Drama Students Take Trip To New York City BY VINCE WOODY Staif Writer Share My World Mary J. Blige The reigning queen of soul, Mary J. Blige has elevated her vocal skills to that of a Whitney Houston or a Patti Labelle. Share My World, Blige’s junior effort has more mature beats and developed vocals. It’s almost as if Blige is trying to attract a more mature audience and yet keep the same audience with a diversity of material. The producers on this CD are different from Blige’s past efforts. * ' C? £ Newcomer Rodney Jerkin of R.J. Productions produced the CD’s first single, “Love Is All We Need.” She also worked with the award winning hit producers Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. There was BY SHEMEKA REVEES Guest Reviewer Murder At 1600 Wesley Snipes(Harlan Regis), is a Washington, DC police detective who is called when a woman is found murdered in the White House. He gets into a territorial struggle with Nick Spikings(Daniel Benzali), the head of the Secret Service detail. The suspects in the movie include: the president’s son, who was one of the dead woman’s lovers; and perhaps President Jack Neil (Ronny Cox) himself. Alvin Jordan(Alan Alda), the national secmity adviser, seems to be the voice of reason in the situation. Detective Stengel(Dennis Miller) also wants to be involve with the murder case. To solve the murder, Regis and Nina Chance(Diane Lane), his partner, must break into the White House and explore a series of tunnels that lead into the White House’s basement. Volcano This disaster flick features lava that boils out of the La Brea Tar Pits. The lava threatens a stretch of Los Angeles less hip hop and more soul in the key element on this CD. Blige is considered to be the “queen of hip hop soul.” 1 guess it was time for Blige to take it to the next level. I wonder who’ll bite her now. Although Blige slightly departed from the hip hop feel, she still has it in songs produced by Poke and Tone of Trackmasters (Nas, LL Cool J, Foxy Brown). “Seven Days,” “It’s On” (featuring R. Kelly), “Missing,” and “Not Gon Cry” are the albums stand outs. I have to say it was a pleasant surprise to hear the maturity in Blige’s ygice. It was also a breath of fresh air to see Blige’s update in fashion, image and overall appearance. 1 would advise those who are heavily into hip hop soul to try this CD with an open mind. If you are an R&B fan this is well worth your investment. Wilshire Boulevard and takes a short cut through the city sewer system. Mike Roark(Tommy Lee Jones), is the chief of the city’s Office of Emergency Management. He is at ground zero when the pit erupts and lava flows down the street, melting fire trucks. Like in most disaster flicks a group of people ban together to help other victims of the disaster. Roark, also, has his companions which include: his daughter, Kelly Roark(Gaby Hoffman), who comes along for the ride; the female scientist, Dr. Amy Bames(Anne Heche), who trys to warn them about the impending eruption; Roark’s black sidekick, Emmitt Reese(Don Cheadle), the Asian-American female doctor(Jacqui Kim), who provides first aid and evacuates Cedars-Sinai Hospital; and the dog, who barks at the lava approaching the front door and grabs his Doggy-Bone and runs out of the back door. Lt. Ed Fox(Keith David), tries to keep everyone calm and safe. The movie has one good line: “This city is finally paying for its arrogance!” The special effects in the movie aren’t as good as they could have been. You can definitely tell where the movie’s special effects were shot first and then when the actors were edited into the movie. If you enjoy disaster flick you will probably enjoy this one. BY CHERYL CASH Staff Writer Winston-Salem State University students enrolled in DRA 3321- Play Production took a trip to the “Big Apple” last month to see the Broadway hit, Bring In Da’ Noise, Bring In Da’ Funk! Lorenzo Meachum, a member of the Department of English and Foreign Languages faculty, teaches the class. “We don’t have computers so we cannot get on line and see what good theater looks like. 1 don’t have the key to the theater. I don’t have money to buy material to build a show,” he explained. “ 1 cannot show them excellence in theater and we were about to do a play. 1 have been here for four years trying to do plays; and trying to get people to understand what excellence in theater looks like. The best thing I could do for them was take them to New York. I wanted them to see something that was excellently done.” Meachum explained that “the story is the African- American story done in rhythm. Slave ship rhythm, black migration rhythm, Harlem Renaissance rhythm. It exemplified the genius of young African American’s culture. When they returned to Winston- Salem, the students had a lot to say about the play and their experiences in New Yoric City. “We stayed in Manhattan. It was beautiful. Even though it was cold and raining any time of the day it was awe inspiring. The play topped it off,” said Holly Griffin, a Chemistry major, who had never been to New York. Christopher Sistrunk, a Biology major, who says he is not accustomed to clapping his hands during any performances, was converted into a hand- clapping, shouting fan. “The guys on the stage were defeating all the odds. Because the oldest one was 23 and because we (young Black men) are supposed to be dead or in jail. To see these guys perform on that level (of excellence. We (blacks) were the minority in the crowd. No one could believe they were doing what they were doing.” Sonya Doughty, an accounting major said, "Their talents were extraordinary. It was amazing bccausc 1 wondered how does an actor portray a lynching through tap without a rope, without any props, using just his feet and his body.” ‘There were no fancy sets, no fancy anything. It was just them, the lap shoes and the music. Whenever he shook (his body to imitate death), the audience was spellbound. It was pure energy on the stage and it sucked us in,” Griffin added. “We watched six - seven young men that had nothing but the paint buckets, the shoes on their feet, and their mamas discarded pots and pans, hold the entire theatrical world in New York in awe,” said Meachum. They all agreed that the play’s best actor was, Choreographer Savion Glover. Adjectives used to describe his performance were, “outstanding” and “excellent.” “Our tickets were paid for after the first scene. They could have made us leave and we would have gotten our money’s worth,” said Sistrunk. Meachum said that the wonderful challenge for him and his students was that “in spile of the condition that we are in, where we come from, and who we are, we can take the stuff that is around us and create wonderful things with it” Griffin expressed how much she appreciated Meachum’s efforts to lake their class to New York City. “He dug deep, up under the ground to get us to New York to see the show. It was well worth every drop of sweat that poured from his brow,” she explained. Rams, Before You Leave Town Stop By The SPRING FAIR May 9-17 at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds Movie Revieivs
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