3 minute read
THE A.R.T.S.
by Edith C. Berry
The production of The North Carolina Theatre’s “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” was the last production I saw at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at The Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Many songs you may have heard over the years written by Carole King and co-writer Gerry Goffin include “Up on the Roof”, “The Locomotion”, and “One Fine Day”. You may be more familiar with the song Aretha Franklin sang called, (“You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”. The performers were mostly from New York City and our local artists. The North Carolina Theatre Conservatory utilized our young people as overture singers to give exposure to performing on stage.
“A Piece of My Heart”, is a true story of six women, five nurses and a country western singer booked by an unscrupulous agent who went to Vietnam. It portrays their lives before, during, and after their tour of duty. Each woman leaves a personal token at the memorial wall in Washington, DC. This production held at The Firebox Theatre in Wake Forest, NC, portrayed the important roles women held in the army to support troops previously held by males.
Black History Program Tri-C Ministries had a goal to incorporate the arts from the community. They had Comedian DWissh, a national artist, Thespian Gerald Lou Campbell as Rev. Reginald Mabry in the production of Chicken and Biscuits at NRACT, Randie Forne presented Angry Black Blood, and yours truly presented Carrie Watts from the production of The Trip to Bountiful.
The Triangle Friends African American Arts showcase African American productions for their upcoming season annually at Raleigh Little Theatre. This venue allows theatre companies to perform snippets of their staged play which would encourage theatergoers to patronize upcoming productions.
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” performed at The Leggett Theater in a production by Pure Life Theatre in Raleigh, NC. Ma Rainey’s career inspired a film and portrayed a dramatic role of a recording session in Chicago during the 1920s.
“Mahalia: A Gospel Musical” is a celebration of the life and music of Mahalia Jackson produced at North Raleigh Arts Creative Theatre (NRACT) depicted her background from New Orleans to Chicago and her travels globally sharing her faith and beliefs. She became the musical voice of the civil rights movement during a time when our country endured racial segregation and discrimination.
“Skeleton Crew” was performed by The Justice Theatre Project in Raleigh, NC. It portrayed auto factory workers on the brink of closing in Detroit, Michigan in 2008. The foreman must make a challenging decision as the blue-collar boss to enforce rules implemented by his white-collar bosses.
“Always...Patsy Cline” was performed at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre about the life and legacy of country singer and member of the Grand Ole Opry. Patsy Cline became the first female performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973. She died in a plane crash in Tennessee at the age of 30.
