March 28th 2005

Thesis Project

Grammy's Story

Spring 2005 Show

My Spring Show is going to be about a little old lady that could be anybody's grandmother. I call her "Grammy".She is a character that I made up during the Fall Show "The Barbary Coast Extravaganza and I portray her as Zenobia all grown up and gotten old. While attempting to tap dance she hangs up her shoes and and sighs... "Well. ain't that bad for an old lady".

Some viewers told me she was very clown like, maybe it's because she is a slow moving, elderfy senior citizen who happens to be toothless chewing tabacco, spitting and reads Tarot Cards. Really I modeled her after my very own grandmother, my mother's mom who lived for 103 years. I do miss her very much during these types of holidayz and I can even smell lemon meringue pie, baked potatoes, greens, macaroni and cheese, pot roast and german chocolate cake in the kitchen. Instead we went out for brunch yesterday and I have left overs. But more about that later, see pic below. Anyway Grammy is the main focus of this Spring Show.

Let me give you a little outline about this project.

It is about how people always come to me asking WHY SUCH & SUCH HAPPENED TO ME! When all the while it is their own actions that caused these things to happen. (Albeit being a buddhist monk knows of the 3 kinds of karma. Not just the kind you make in this lifetime. Ask later if you want to know.) Back to the show....

Somethings in humankind always remain the same. Such as Dance, Song and Spirituality. For an African American they go hand in hand. I can't help but tap my toe or clap my hands, not to mention jumping on top of any given table for a display of LET's Everyone Do the Hully Gully.... and THIS is How you Do It! Ok ok... I understand, some of you may come from a different esthetic. Ask me about Dance Lessons Later.. tee hee

So, in this show... That's exactly what I'm going to do.

Not the dancing on the table part... But to show How Some Things Haven't Changed that Much. I'm going to begin with ME.. as Grammy sitting with a client reading the Tarot Cards and a Crystal Ball. I'm going to sing a song that I wrote called "Simple Things". Then I'm going to look through the door of the past, and my client is going to do an African Dance. I have a congo drummer and I'm going to sing a song I wrote called Africa Oh Africa. After all of that, I'm going to do the ancient form of divination with Cowrie Shells. This section is called, The Ancient Ones.

As I toss my last shells and sing exerpts of Africa song... A Gospel choir will come through the door of the present, with my nephew (Naje) who is going to be the preacher, my soloist (Al) who performed in the Fall Show, and a congregation of church goers. This section is called "Finding Faith". Then perhaps IF I'm feeling up to it I'll do a holiness dance or kind of a modern Alvin Ailey (pic: me at Ailey Show last week) type reminscent of "Revelations". Gosh... I'm not that good but hay.... I'm gonna try.

Then the last section is called "The Dream". As the choir exits from the last scene singing and clapping they're hands. Grammy is going back to her rocking chair maybe home to eat some of that fried chicken with green beans and rice with brown gravy. For dessert, Strawberry Shortcake! OK, Ok... it's MY Dream Alrighty! As she dreams... the video screen comes on with scenes that I video taped of San Francisco, the music is a rap beat that my other nephew (J) wrote. Naje is going to do a rap that he and I are writing and the extras from the show will be onstage dancing, while Grammy sleeps. At the end of The Dream... Grammy wakes up and says.... OH, I thought I heard something, then she falls back asleep as the lights fade.

This is Grammy's Story..... I'm working right now editing the video footage and thinking of going out this week to do a bit more taping while the weather holds up. Wish you could be here for the show, as having a supportive audience really helps me perform better. And givin that I'm still recovering from that awful coughing fit. I hope that this show comes out ok and good enough to become an Emmy Winning Broadway Show that eventually makes it to the BIG SCREEN and Wins an Oscar!

Ok.. Ok.... I can DREAM, can't I?

This show is meant to show the history of the African American people from the Past, Present and Future and that although the times have changed. We as a people, must retain our spirituality as our strength. Guiding each other and all people, regardless of skin color, beliefs or level of society... that we are all ONE... living on ONE Planet and are of ONE TRIBE... the tribe of HUMANITY.

Remind me to tell you about my cousins new love interest that took us all out to brunch Easter Sunday

(me at brunch) to a lovely hotel in the city.... Preview: He bought her a brand new BMW Convertible!

Sorry, I gotta go for now as nitely prayers are calling me. Hugz n Lub everyone, Bebe da FairyGodMum