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http://www.thecharlottepost.com ®I)e Charlotte ^ost THURSDAY, SEPTMBER 28, 2006 D True believers Section Hip hop crowd drawn to ‘Scarface’ Production of ‘Eye of God’digs into cults and terrorism PHOTO/WADE NASH Actors (seated) Jonavan Adams, Moraya Orija, (standing) Dana Weldon, Carman Coulter, Jai Lavette, Aman- daRae Nicastro and Tonya Rogers perform a scene from “The Eyes of God” at a recent rehearsal. By Chens F. Hodges cheni.hodgeiS'friechortoffeposf.com Playwright Ann Marie Oliva had always wondered what would make a person take someone else’s beliefs and become a follower. So did many of the actors in the play “The Eyes of God.” “It’s weird timing,” said Morayo Orijah, one of the actors. “It seems like in the news now you’re hearing about a lot of these cults — that may be a judgmental word — but a lot of these organizations around the coun try and I think America as a whole has not paid a lot of attention to these groups. I can’t think of any play in Charlotte that has touched on this topic.” Oliva’s play centers around Joan, a young woman living on the streets of Montreal. She’s robbed of her last possessions and accepts shelter in the church home of a religious cult. At the same time, Canadian pohce and the American FBI are investi gating the group for possible terror ist activity Ohva said what while the play is about a cult, that word is used only once in the production. It’s more about the human element that draws people into this kind of orga nization. “I view religion as searching for your humanity,” she said. While Oliva said she respects all religions, she doesn’t want anyone to try to sell her their way as the only path to salvation. Dana Weldon, who said that he Please see EYE/2D Wilson follows passion of education opportunity By Sandy Seawright THE CHARLOUE POST It was a night that featured proclamations from politi cians, speeches from xmiversi- ty presidents, and check pre sentations, all in the name of education. But you didn’t have to ask your neighbor to know that it was Nancy TOl- son who was the highlight of it aU. She sparkled, she bubbled, and sang with ease, without GALLERY REVIEW any trouble. No sjie didn’t sing “Them Thaie Eyes,” but' Wdson still left the house wantu^ more after she per formed at the BeUc Theater for “In Concert With Educa tion.” The event, hosted by the Charlotte Crown Jewels and Piedmont chapters of the Links, was a fundraising ben efit to endow scholarships at 51 historically black colleges and universities. For the 10,999 national members of the Links, the event offered an opportunity to get clos^ to their original goal of $500,000. At the start of the concert. Southern Area Links President Margaret Thomp- son-Johnson announced more than $250,000 had been raised, and the new goal must be $1 million T beheve in a level playing field for children,” said Wil son. “I’m here for our youth-..for education. That’s all this is about, and ail that matters. I do a lot of things for education, because I am a mother and a grandmother and I think it is absolutely necessary I’m glad to see that we as a people are seeing too that our children are educat ed, that’s vital.” Wilson has been involved with the United Negro Col lege Fund for many years. Please see WILSON/2D PHOTO/CELEBRITYS.COM Al Pacino stared as the obsessive drug lord in the film classic “Scarface.” By Chens F. Hodges cheris.hodges®1hechartot1eposr.com Often times I’ve wondered what is the hip-hop genera tion’s fascination with the 1983 flick “Scarface.” Until Monday, I’d never seen the movie. I’d only known about the famous catch phrases hke, “say hello to my little fiiend.” But watching the platinum edition of the movie on DVD, I saw that it has been sorely misrepresented in hip-hop culture. “Scarface,” despite aU of its violence, drugs and sex, is a morality tale. Here we have Tbny Mon tana, a Cuban immigrant, who comes to the U.S. seek ing riches and wanting the American Dream. But he was rotten when he got here, so he linked up with drug lords imtil he could start his own empii'e. But when you make a deal with the devil ...Montana learned that every thir^ has a price and he paid a hi^ one. Despite his money and vio lent behavior, Tbny paid the ultimate price and went out in a horrific way That lesson is obviously lost on those guys and some girls who walk around with the Please see SCAREFACE/2D Basket exhibit follows form, funetion By Sandy Seawright THE CHARLOTTE POST Woven Worlds Basketry from the Clark Field Collection Mint Museum of Craft & Design 220 North Tryon Street This exhibit can be viewed fix)m three different perspec tives. It’s a collection of 142 North American baskets that all have a functional use includ ing everything fium carrying a baby in a woven cradle, encasing abottle or carrying a large amount of grain or whatever in what is called a Cherokee burden basket that is a foot and a half taU. Even thox^ these baskets are primarily functional the Indians always took time to make them in a beautiful design. For example, a gift basket made by Choctaw Indian Fannie Battiest in 1937 features a diamond pat tern women into the basket. A large cylindrical basket made by the TUngit Indians fea tures in the design large orai^ shapes like the captal letter I. In additicai to beauty, these baskets also have humor The gizzard basket, whose name alone is funny is named for an internal part of a bird is made to rest on a surface and to have air below part of its There are b^kets for every imaginable function. From the Cheyenne Indians is a Neville’s quite ordinaiy in ‘Bring It On Home’ producer Burgundy Records Aaron Neville’s voice will always amaze me. How does something that sweet come out of someone who looks so gruff? As sweet as his instrument is, it’s not enough to lift “Bring It On Home - The Soul Clas sics” out of the ordinary The CD is a great idea. NeviHe uses music to express his undying devotion to hurri cane Katrina’s affect on New Orleans and the cleanup effort that will eventually restore the city The songs he’s picked are imdeniable clas sics. They are songs of hope, of tragedy of love, of lost love and evaything in between. There couldn’t be a better October is month of TV show releases Includes ‘Gimme A Break,’aM ‘The A Team’ The late NeU. Carter gets another nui on Oct. 3 when “Gimmie A Break, The Com plete Second Season” is released. Carter as the big and happy maid to a some what boring family was lik- able, but came off too much hke a mammy Mr. T and all those gold chains jingles his way through season five of “The A Tfeam.” That was on TV five years? Wow. That’s on Oct. 10, on which Chris Rock’s very funny ‘Everybody Hates Chris” is also released. The first season was hit and miss funny, but worth getting. CBS dusts off “Simon & Simon” and releases the pleasant “Numb3rs” the same day. Cartoon lovers may appreciate Cartoon Net work’s ‘Ed, Edd & Eddie,” which also releases Oct. 10. Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N’ Out” gets a second season on DVD'Oct. 17. The best part of this vapid show is the hilari ously fimny Kat Williams. He’s worth the cash for this set. CBS’s long-running “Murder She Wrote” is only up to the fourth season, so Jessica Fletcher has about a zillion more cousins, nephews and nieces to be accused of murder. Alyissa Milano and crew show up for season six of “Charmed,.” which seems much more interesting in syndication. The Justice League loses one member and adds about a thousand Oct. 24 when “Justice League Unlimited” is released. It says season one but it’s actually the first two seasons under the new name. This includes the Cadmus story arch and is the best sea son this Emmy-nominated animated series produced. If you really want fantasy, try “Flavor Of Love.” Twenty women vie for the affections of, yep, Flavor Flav. Even George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic couldn’t come up with that special effect. Sixties television favorites “The Adams Fami ly” and “Bewitched” release sets on Oct. 24. PHOTO/MINT MUSEUM Navajo-stylke bowls and trays will be on display at the Mint Museum of Craft -i- Design. woven gambling tray. With the establishment of a Please see WOVEN/2D selection of songs to reflect the feefings of the country on Katrina - a mixed bag. But it’s also the songs that point out the CD’s shortcom ings. These are such classics that there’s not much you can do to improve them. Some have been done to death - Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Tbgether,” the Tfemptation’s “My Girl” and Sam Cooke’s ethereal ‘You Send Me” - and should be retired. Others, such as Brooke Benton’s “Rainy Night In Georgia,” Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Love’s A Woman” and the Impres- Please see NEVILLE CD/2D Why? No stars - A mess lO
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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