obeson: Voice
ByR En
Corrupondent
Actor em ordinaire Avery
Broo pulled off the one-man,
two- ct portrayal of Phillip
Haye Dean's Paul Robeson,
. ch premiered at the elegant
Pi her Theatre on Tuesday
April 17.
Phillip Dean's endition of
the life of "Paul Robeson" w a
tragi-comedy revealing the ex­
tremities of racism in the early
1900s, and how he, an ctivist
and hero preceeding his time,
. stood up and fought for his
believed in.
Robeson was one of a kind.
Valedictorian of Rutgers.
Uni ersity class of 1919, he won
15 varsity letters in four sports,
and was named all American
twice.
Ro son was a graduate of
Columbia Law School, and was
admitted to the Bar. His law
career was short lived, with
other career paths proving
more interesting to him.
His career as an actor started
in 1920, with an appearance in a
YMCA production that led to a
Broadway debut the following
year. -
Robeson went on to become
one of America's most distin­
guished actors.
Among his stage successes
are: The Emperor Jones, The
Hairy Ape, nd his incom­
parable Othello.
Robeson began singing
professionally in the late 20's.
At many of hi concerts he
spoke out against racism and
refused to sing where Blacks
were barred entry into the con­
cert halls. In the 30's and 40's he
became the orld's leading
concert singer.
He starred in American and
British films during the 30's, but
voluntarily ended his film­
career in 1939. The rest of his
professional life was dedicated
to music and the theatre.
Failing health forced his
retirement in 1965. He died in
1976.
Robeson was many things ...
athlete, scholar, actor, writer,
publisher, folklorist, but above
all, his own man. - a message
today's audienes relish.
Brooks, also known as
"Hawk" from the television
series of the same name, posses­
ses the rare talent for bringing
his audience into the realities of
the era depicted.
And ... as if great singing and
fine acting were not enough, to
the audience's amazement,
Brooks portrays the character'
of Robeson While simultaneous­
ly narrating the story.
Brooks' similar voice pitch
and uncanny Robeson singing
ability, carryover well with
video-wise audiences familiar
with the real Robeson.
SEUUS
-MOTOWN - 2648 W. Grand
Blvd, Detroit, 867.()()91.
-GRAYSTO E JAZ2 - 3000 E.
Grand Blvd., Detroit, 871.()234.
- YOUTH HERITAGE HOUSE -
lUI:. � � � �� ( .\; '. . ;.:. � t� : ; :i
ith
110 E. Ferry, Detro • 871-1667.
-AFRICAN AMERICAN HIS·
TORY • 301 Fred ric Dougl ,
Detroit, 833-9800.
- NATIONAL AFRrCAN
AMERICAN SPORTS HALL OF
FAME Opens Monday-Friday, 9-5 on
the 4th Roor, Wayne County Bldg,
600 Randolph, Detroit.
CAMP DIRECTORY
A fr directory of more than 70
Michigan childr n'. ca�i now
av ila . Parents can r ive a f(i
copy by contacting th M chigan Sec­
tion, 3208 West. Rd., East Lansing,
MI 48823, or by calling 1-800-852-
8363.
Jack on
bla ts II e
aln tream"
NEW ORLEAN ,La. - Speaking
before the annual meeting of
the National Conference of
Blac Mayors in New Orleans
last week, Black political leader
Jesse Jackson ridiculed the
politics of the "new mainstream"
which is being promoted by
moderate and conservative ele­
ments within the Democratic
party.
Ho ever, by blasting "new
mainstream" politics J ac on
wu also in effect taking a slap at
recently elected Blac Virginia
Governor L. Douglas Wilder.
Wilder has joined white
Democrats in promoting "new
mainstream politics and fi cal
conservtism a the best way for
Democrats to capture control
of the White Hou e.
ButJack on aid the concept
fails to include m t Blac as-
ing area tically "For tho e
who arc n t in the mai tream,
d . it me n they will c left in
the bac atcr?" undam ntal­
ly cw mainstream" poli ic
aims to m e the Dcm crt ti
min ritie .
"Paul Robeson"
runs through
April 29 at
the Fisher
Theater
Attic
present
.prem le re
of II Codall
The Attic Theatre presents
the world premiere production
of Detroiter Bill Harris' play,
"Coda," a comedy with jazz,
opening at the Attic Theatr on
April 27 and runnin through
May 20. -
"Coda" is et in Detroit, at
Spo n's Lounge, shortly after
the d ath of the great bebop
saxophoni t, Charles Parker.
Th play i about African
American family's ties and th
changes within the family and
th music w rid of th 50 .
Th cast f " " inel udes
V n Washington Maddo, a
saxophon player returning to
his Detroi t home after three
years in jail; Boo - er Ib on
We therspoon, his friend of
many years and owner of
Spoon's Lounge, where all the
ction takes place; Wayne
Dav id Parker plays Royst, a
former musician, now a kid's
t evi ion sh h 1; and Judith
Milner is Theresa, Maddox'
20 -year-oJ d headstrong
- daughter, al 0 a musici n.
The play is directed by
Woodie King Jr., and Thomas
"Beans" Bowles is the musical
arranger.
" Coda," about the end of the
bebop era in music, was com­
missioned through a Rock­
efeller Foundation grant by the
Attic Theatre's artistic director,
Lavinia Moyer, whose interest
in Detroit jazz w stimul ted
by the Attic production of • Ma
Rainey's Black Bottom."
Performance days and times
for" Coda" are Wednesdays,
Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00
p.m.; Saturdays at 5:00 and
9:00; Sundays 2:30 and 7:00.
Preview performances will
be on Wednesday and Thursday,
April 25 and 26 8:00 p.m.
On the night of the Wednes­
day preview, there will be a
wine and cheese reception from
6 to 7:30 p.m. for playwright
Bill Harri at th Octroi Gallery
of ntem rary 'raft in th
I by of th ishcr Building.
Af er he perf irm ce of
there will t 'jazz c n rt t
lu cnta in he- Fisher Build­
in, i t h pi r ., 1 proceed
bcnefi in' h I tic hcatr.
