Rhoda A. Blount, who was honored with a SHERO AWARD at Warmdaddy's in Philly, on Sunday, March 26, 2017, by the Philadelphia and Delaware chapters of the National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment (NABFEME), was both thrilled and overwhelmed. "This is the first time I've been recognized by my own Black people," she stated emotionally, "and this is so much an honor that I can't contain myself. I've received honors from other organizations, but when your own people applaud you, that's something special."
In case you're not familiar with this brilliant sister's work, let me share it with you now: For nearly 20 years, Rhoda A. Blount has been the Education/Outreach Director at The Mann Center, creating multicultural programs in theater, music, and dance for young people. Under Blount’s leadership, the annual free “Young People Concert Series” has attracted more than 247,000 enthusiastic youngsters throughout the Delaware Valley region. She created the “Connecting Arts-N-Schools” outreach initiative project, exposing more than 25,000 inner-city children to the performing arts. In April 2007, she created 6-new expanded educational programs at the newly built Field Education & Outreach Center at The Mann introducing more than 3,500 children with Master Class/Workshop Series, Meet the Artists Series, In Touch w/Tiny Tots Series, and the Greenfield Performance Treasures Series.
Blount’s mission is to give every young person the opportunity to be exposed, inspired, and enlightened by the performing arts. “I want our young people to experience the sights, sounds, and rhythms that celebrate the magic and richness of the performing arts from around the world.”
In 1982 she was the Promotional Coordinator for the Kool Jazz Festival. She's also worked with working with such legendary artists as Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Art Blakely, Lionel Hampton & Orchestra, Sarah Vaughan, Mongo Santamaria, Freddie Hubbard, Carmen McRae, McCoy Tyner, Joe Williams, Wynton Marsalis, Odetta, Diane Schurr, Tito Puente, Patti Austin, Mavis Staples, Celia Cruz, Tania Maria, and many others.
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| RHODA RECEIVES ACCOLADES FROM MS. JOHNNIE WALKER |
She served as Jazz Program Director at the Afro-American Historical & Cultural Museum, and produced the “Jazz Live Series;” and the 12-hour jazz marathon, “Jazz ‘Til Sunrise” - which featured: Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Aminata Moseka, Betty Carter, Abdullah Ibrahaim, Cecil Taylor, Randy Weston, Hugh Masekea, Don Cherry, Archie Shepp, Terrance Blanchard, Chicago Art Ensemble –among others.
She served as Artistic Director for the 10 day, citywide festival, the PECO Energy Jazz Festival, which featured Nancy Wilson, Cab Calloway, Eartha Kitt, Count Basie, Duke Ellington Orchestra, George Shearing, Ramsey Lewis, Pharaoh Sanders, Miriam Makeba, Jon Lucien, Regina Carter, Clark Terry, Jackie McLean, James Moody, Heath Brothers.
As a producing consultant with Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, she produced such acts as: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gerri Allen, Clarence Carter, Gloria Lynne, Horace Silver, Marion McPartland, Mahotella Queens, Joe Zawinul, Les McCann, Johnny Griffin, Donald Byrd, Joe Lavano, Branford Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, Jimmy Heath and others.
Blount offered her talents as consulting artistic producer to such institutions as Thomas Jefferson University; Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau; Mellon Jazz Festival; Odunde Festival; WDAS-Unity Day; Volunteers of America; Philadelphia Folklore Project; Black Family Reunion Cultural Festival and the Black Theater Festival. She also served as Special Projects Director at New Freedom Theatre, and Development Director at Temple University’ Public Radio station WRTI-FM. Blount also toured throughout the U.S. and Europe as a singer/dancer with the legendary Sun Ra & his Arkestra.
SYLVIA TRAYMORE MORRISON
DR. SYLVIA TRAYMORE MORRISON
When you see Sylvia Morrison, you're actually looking at Wendy Williams, Diana Ross, Mo’Nique, Whoopi Goldberg and First Lady Michelle Obama all rolled into one! And at an evening's performance featuring her unique, hilarious comedic antics and impressions, you'll have a difficult time not rolling all over the floor laughing your behind off.
No wonder NABFEME gave her their FIRST award! As the FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE IMPRESSIONIST, she is comedic genius of the highest order.
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| SYLVIA MORRISON RECEIVES NABFEME'S FIRST AWARD AT WARMDADDY'S MARCH 26, 2017 |
Originally from Washington, DC, Sylvia is the first African American Female Impressionist in the country. She was the first solo artists to tour and open for Whitney Houston in over 24 shows and in 28 major U.S. cities. Morrison's career in Hollywood is legendary, even if not well known. Growing up in DC, not too far from the White House, she stated she always wanted to see what people from the White House looked like, but no one ever seemed to be home.
She actually got her start when she was called to host a live Roast for Muhammad Ali at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, USA. The iconic Redd Fox recognized her talent early on and signed her to her first management deal. As the result of her comedic antics on stage, Garrett Morris was so impressed with her that he took her to Lorne Michaels, where she was hired asthe first Black female comedy writer for Saturday Night Live.
When heavyweight boxing champ Muhammad Ali was in his prime, Sylvia was asked to host a Roast of the Champ at the legendary Apollo Theater. The hosting job was so prolific and the imitation of the World Heavyweight Champion was so spot-on that he looked at her in amazement and said, “You'’re doin’ me? A woman doin’ me? That’s awesome!”
As a result of that roast, Sylvia was offered a position as an associate-writer for one of America’s longest-running TV shows, Saturday Night Live. She is one of few African American Women offered that position.
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| SYLVIA AS MELANIA TRUMP - PLEADING "HELP ME!" |
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| SYLVIA AS DIVA SUPREME DIANA ROSS WHOSE BIRTHDAY WAS MARCH 26, 2017 |
Sylvia has also been recognized for her work in presenting her autobiography Almost There, Almost:The Many Faces of Sylvia Traymore Morrison, which, according to its readers, reads like a roller coaster ride filled with thrills and chills. The book was selected by the American University's Public Relations Department as a project for the senior class. It is rare that a book is selected in that capacity. Almost There, Almost is one of the most riveting autobiographies in the 21st Century. Morrison shares her experiences of a time when being a Black Female Impressionist was unheard of. However, games change when determination, faith, belief and raw talent intercede. Her's is a story that takes you to growing up 12 blocks from the White House, to signing with Red Foxx to entertaining the US troops to 30,000 seat arenas as Whitney Houston's opening act in over 28 cities to roller coaster rides that will have you not being able to put the book down! It is a story of courage, dignity, drive and inspiration. She's also complete her first fictional novel, Jellybeans From Heaven.
The Livin' On Laughter Gospel Comedy Association presented Sylvia with the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to entertainment industry. The proud mother of two daughters, Jasmin and Michelle, she is presently performing throughout the country, where she is being honored for her many contributions to the industry, while also advocating domestic violence, HIV/AIDS and Cancer awareness.
On July 23, 2016 Sylvia was conferred with her first Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Breakthrough Bible College and Theological Seminary. She's a lot of fun to watch! Make sure to catch her live soon. In the meantime, here's a link to a clip of her on a local TV news show in DC: https://youtu.be/PGF36MapWAc
BETHEL BATES:
Novelist,
Playwright, and Songwriter, born in Philadelphia, profiles her work
mostly through the eyes of the urban experiences. Her life growing up
on the Northside of Philadelphia gave way to a strong literary voice
for which she expresses herself and her everyday living experiences
in a journal of short stories, songs, and poems.film.
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BETHEL BATES -
AUTHOR, PLAYWRIGHT, PRODUCER, MOVIE MOGUL TO BE |
Born
Bethel Sheppard, she was born and raised in the northside community
of Philadelphia where she wrote her first poem at the age of ten.
She's been writing ever since, and Philadelphia's urban experience is
the inspiration for her stories, novels, poetry, songs and plays.
She founded a
multicultural community production theatre company called THE GARDEN
OF EDEN PRODUCTIONS (GOEP) a little over ten years ago, whose goal is
to recruit youth from the streets and teach them to transform their
negative activities into positive constructive acting and theatre
arts.
The
program uses the theatrical stage as a vehicle of therapy and a place
of creative expression to help youth redirect misplaced energy
towards the stage. The forum is used to encourage all participants to
write, direct, and produce stage plays and short films that resemble
the stories of their own lives and the lives of their family and
friends.
In
December 2009 Bethel published her first book, “Hot
Buttered Biscuits And Jam: The Memoirs Of Seven.”
While the story had a mouth-watering title, it was actually about
“....lineage.
And breaking the curses that stem from her mother, all the way
back to her great grandmother - the one thing they all had in life
was that they all had really bad men. And then she finds
herself in that same situation. But now she wants to break that cycle
because she has three girls of her own that's ready. And what
she has to do to make sure it doesn't happen to them,” according
to Bethel.
The
woman analyzes, love, friendship, faith, forgiveness, and the 17-year
miserable relationship with her husband, and how the relationships of
the women who have proceeded her in her family lineage had been
handed down to her.
Her
other book, of which she is equally proud and enthsiastc, is
entitled. “Insignificantly
Unique -
I've
finished the screen play on it. This is a wonderful story about
a 14 year old; her name is Unique, and this appeals to everybody.
What this book does I like because it teaches people not to judge,
without knowing what a person is going through. So, Unique
loses her father when she was 7; and then she loses her mom to the
streets. And loses her mother because her mother can't handle
the death of the father. So at 14 years old - she begins to leave and
not come back; then leave and come back, until one day she leaves and
doesn't come back. So she's 14 and her brother is 10. So
she doesn't want social services to find out they're living in this
apartment alone, so she becomes overprotective. So in a way she
becomes his mother. So it's about her journey with raising her
ten year old brother, and all the things she has to do
to make sure that he doesn't end up in the streets. And that
includes prostitution, drugs, and all these other things. So
when she gave up on her own life to sacrifice her life just so
her brother could live. And they talk about her tragedy.”
Amont
her growing lists of credits are: "The Aftermath Trilogy”
(2016); "The Judgment” (2016); "A Man Ain't Supposed To
Cry” (2015); "Darkest B4 Dawn" (2015); "BLOCKERS"
(2014); "SCORNED" (2014); "Cross Roads" (2013);
"The Color Of Aids" (2010); "My Tormentor" 2009.
After
watching the second of the AFTERMATH: THE SAGA, I had an opportunity to
interview Bethel briefly on what her next moves were. The play, by
the way was riveting, and left you wanting to see Part Three
immediately. That, however, according to Bethel, would not be for
some time: “Well the trilogy is coming, actually - it's written;
it's on its way, it's about booking a venue. We happen to like the
Performance Garage. It's home to us anyway now until we outgrow it.
And they're booked all the time now, so the next time we'll probably
be able to be in the Performance Garage might be in September or
October. Isn't that awful - unless they have an opening. So we're
just hoping like - this is a very popular place. Once
upon a time they didn't even allow theatre in here - it's for
dancing; and so I'm one of the first ones to have plays here.”
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BAR SCENE IN AFTERMATH FEATURING THREE OF THE FOUR VIETNAM VETS -
EACH OF WHOM IS GOING THROUGH HIS OWN PERSONAL PTSD |
For
those who have not yet had the privilege of seeing Aftermath, it's a
story based on real life occurrences, depicting the horrors and
traumas experienced by VietNam Vets who return to the US after the
war and not only have to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
but hatred and lack of sympathy and understanding on the part of
their own nation. Her brilliant mind and deep understanding of what
they face is now depicted by the actors.
According
to Bethel, “Well, I'm trying - what I want my audience to get
from this I that I want them to actually see and feel what
actually our soldiers went through. We don't talk about the
women as much and I tried to address some issues surrounding
what they went through and experienced during the war and after they
came home. A lot of it is mental and though they have families
that love them, they just simply can't deal with the issues.”
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AFTERMATH - WHERE ONE OF THE FOUR VIETNAMESE VETS IS HAVING A WAR FLASHBACK
AS PART OF HIS PTSD, WHILE HIS FAMILY TRIES TO BRING HIM BACK TO REALITY |
She
continued, by saying that she is a family business – her daughters
help her with the production, her son does the musical themes, and
where there is no appropriate music, he composes his own, so it is in
a very real sense a family affair.
“I
have a lot of elderly people who like to come out - and we don't
use a lot of profanity - or any profanity at all, so we are really a
family theatre; and we put out issues that are associated with
family. (Again in reference to the Performance Garage as her
venue of choice) So in the family you have the elderly, and we
have a big group of people that make up the over fifty crowd, we have
teenagers all the way through our seniors. We have plays in other
places, but they seem to like this place the best. A lot of they
don't want to climb stairs; so I just try to accommodate
everyone. But we are open to other venues - I don't want us to forget
what the story line is and wait so long. But you can see
what kind of story line it is, we did a small recap at the beginning
of the second series; and we'll be doing the same thing in the final
episode. We find a new way to bring to mind what
happened previously.”
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| CHOREOGRAPHED NUMBER FROM AFTERMATH PERFORMED AT THE PERFORMANCE GARAGE, MARCH 11, 2017 |
When
asked if she had had any communications with the Mayor's Commission
on Veteran's Affairs, replies, “We have, but haven't had much
response from them thus far.”
She
enthusiastically mentioned that the script for Aftermath: The
Trilogy, “Actually won an award from Powerhouse Inc. for the Local
Arts Award. So, it's a winner - it went up against other scripts.
We were happy about that. What happened in Aftermath I you are
introduced to all the characters and their issues; in Aftermath II
you actually saw some of the things that were actually affecting
them, and how it was affecting their families. So number
three, which is going to be Revelation, two was SAGA, three will be
REVELATION - meaning it's going to reveal some things.
Some things will be resolved, and some things won't. Such as
life - in life you don't just don't get all happy endings. The
veteran's life is not a happy one.”
With
that sad note, I asked what was next on her plate – thinking that
she would take a breather, but, NO! She is in the process of writing
a TV Series called THE CHAIN, which is going into rehearsals. It
will be filmed and produced entirely in Philadelpia, using mostly
local talent, and centers around the lead character, Bryce, who is a
Black forensics expert, who uses his skills, knowledge, talents
abilities to not only prove that innocent victims are being sentenced
by corrupt judges, but to also find out who his real parents are.
Per
Bethel, “THE CHAIN - where we're going to be bringing the
technical tricks of forensics and law enforcement - this show
is going to be different from any other show because it's going to be
awesome!”
When
I asked her how it would be different from the other forensic series
that have gained popularity, she responded: "How
will it be different? First of all I work in forensics.”
Which
just took me totally by surpise, I'm sitting there interviewing a real
live forensics expert – a brain, one who can look into the
microscope and see all the stuff the human eye has a tendency to
completely overlook – so I said, “You mean you're a real
live forensics expert? Not a made-for-tv forensic???” -
“I'm
a forensics science technician,” with that matter of fact smile of
confidence that is part and parcel of her persona of confidence.
Where in the world does this sista find the time to do all this and
hold down a full time job as a forensics expert, highly placed in her
union (who knew forensics experts had unions??), and write plays,
head a non profit, be a mom and a grandmom, choreograph dances, and
now produce a movie. Wow – Talk about a woman deserving of
accolades and recognition.
Now
I know you want to know more about this marvelous sister, and the
upcoming projects that she is working on – for the full interview,
check it out in my next Blog installation
If you are interested in the activities of NABFEME or are interested in becoming a part of this wonderful organization, you can visit their website: www.NABFEME.org
The Philadelphia Affiliates can be reached via nabfeme.phillygmai.com
and
New York Affiliates can be reached via nynabfemeevents@yahoo.com
Check out their WOMEN WHO JAM - and other events
The organization is currently in 12 major cities and growing.
I started writing this on Thursday, March 30 - however, when writing about dynamic BLACK Divas, who are accomplished each in their own right, you don't want to relegate it to just sound bytes. These are our Sheroes and they deserve our admiration respect, support and emulation. There are so many more out there who are likewise making their indelible marks on the world - please do take some time to find out who they are, how you can help them, show them your appreciation. They may, or may not, have their names in light, or have conquered the world. They may be a mom making sure their son or daughter have the best, be the best, and do the best they can possibly be. Whoever they are, make sure you show them some LOVE.
THANKS SO MUCH
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria
