EVENT ALERT: Uptempo Booksigning March 24 and Pecong performed Friday - Sunday March 26-28

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

UPTEMPO BOOK SIGNING, WEDNESDAY MARCH 24 AT BROOKLYN'S DENIM LOUNGE

There is an old saying that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Don’t know who said it, but Nakia D. Johnson certainly must have been listening, and paying attention.

When she lost her job and joined the ranks of the terminally unemployed, she didn’t just sit on the couch moping, groaning and feeling sorry for herself. She wrote a novel!! It’s entitled UPTEMPO! published by iUniverse, Inc., New York. And it keeps you involved from page one all the way through the epilogue.

A rather prim, demure looking young lady, no one would take Ms. Nakia Johnson for a author of such a page turner.

The key protagonist, Bryon Jordon stays in more hot water than a Lipton’s Tea bag. It’s murder, conspiracy, romance, intrigue, fashion, culture, and Nakia wrote this all from the living room of her apartment. Are we Black women spectacular, or what?

Women for Annette Robinson in conjunction with Taurus Associates will host a Book signing in Nakia's honor FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 at Denim Lounge, located at 1223 Bedford Ave, near Halsey. (easily reachable by taking the B44 to Halsey; or the C Train to Franklin, and transferring to the B44 to Halsey). By the way, Uptempo is a good subway read. Pick your corner, sit back and get into the story. You know how we do.

PECONG AT NATIONAL BLACK THEATRE FRIDAY, MARCH 26 UNTIL SUNDAY, MARCH 28

Keeping the spirit of Dr. Barbara Ann Teer alive in Harlem and the world, TWAS (Take Wing and Soar) Productions is presenting Pecong for an all too limited run. It commenced on March 12th and ends March 28th. So if you’re going to catch it, this is the weekend to do so.

I saw the it last Friday, and totally enjoyed the adaptation of this play from a classic Greek tragedy to a Caribbean tale of caution. You know how our ancestors (and a few of our contemporaries have the capacity to work roots, astro travel, levetate, and cause general freakish things to happen when you cross them? Well this is one of those -- but with a lot of fun and tongue and cheek.

Starring Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, as the spell casting Great Granny Root, Kim Weston Moran and Joyce Sylvester are great as the nosy gossips who appear to be in everybody’s business; Lorna Haughton is spell binding as Mediyah, the sister you don’t ever want to cross.

Couple that with the music composition and direction of Afromusicologist, David Wright, and you have to resist the tendency to jump up to the Calypso and Reggae pumping throughout the performance.

Done in Afro-Caribbean dialect, the story unfolds, pulls you in, involves you from beginning to end. But I am not going to give away the plot, except to say, make it a mission to catch this performance, and have some PECONG PUNCH.

Pecong features: Phyllis Stickney, Kim Weston Moran, Joyce Sylvester, Natalie Clarke, Warren Jackson, Daralyn Jay, Aixa Kendrick, Paul Pryce, Lily Robinson, Roderick Warner & Karl O’Brian Williams. Directed by Authur French, associate Director Timothy D. Stickney. Playwright Steve Carter did a fantastic job adapting this play into a Caribbean tragic-comedy. The age old rubric that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned translates no matter what culture you're operating in. Right, sistuhs???

The National Black Theatre, which was founded by Barbara Ann Teer, is located in Harlem at 2031 Fifth Avenue (at 5th and 125th). Show time is 8:00 pm. Get there early so you can get some Pecong Punch. And enjoy the performances. They're stellar.

Stay blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson