JULY 15-21,1910
Afro-American -Festival
won't miss a beat
The Afro-American
Music Festival (formerly
known as the
Afro-American Festival)
will salute Detroit's Black
youth ith jazz, blues,
gospel, nd a medley of
Black music July 13-15 in
Hart Plaza. Detroit's own
in terna tionall y-acclaimed
trumpeter and music
educator, Dr. Donald Byrd,
has come home to serve as
Fe tival Co-Ch irman.
Byrd will be joined by
other jazz great including
George "Sax" Benson,
Alma Smith, Teddy Harris,
Jr. nd the New Breed
Be-Bop Society, Ken Cox
and Kim Weston for some
of the most unforgettable
performances during the
Afro-American Festival.
The Afro-American
Festival is putting on a new
face but won 't give up
traditon by popular
demand. Barbeque rib,
southern-fried chicken
,
greens, cornbread, bean pie,
red beans and rice,
macaroni and cheese,
black-eyed peas, candied
yams, sweet potato pie and
peach cobbler will satisfy
any hankerings for
"down-home" cooking.
While in the food area,
festival goers should stop to
see the "Musical Salute to
Detroit's Black Youth"
exhibit in the Cultural
Gallery.
Festival hours are 11 :30
a.m. to midnight, Friday,
July 13; noon to midnight,
Saturday, July 14; and noon
to 11 p.m. Sunday, July 15.
For more information on the
Riverfront Festivals'
schedule, call 224-3428.
In Living cotor
1LilaC
Hard Work Pay Off
For Ke e e a Ivory
W y' Actor
producer ... film
ma er ... comedian - - his
credits in the business are
two numerous to mention.
Mo t remember the name
from "I'm Gonna Get You
Sucka", which he wrote,
directed and produced in
1988.
Lately, there's n� reason
to believe anyone will
forget Keenen Ivory
Wayans, especially if the
rating of his new series, "I
Living Colors" continue to
get bim bigh mar in tbe
ratin .
ot surprisingly, no one,
could be appier tban
Wayans. "All 1 e fears
, everybody bad about t e
bo have been prove
nfounded. Fqrs that t ere
mig t not be an audience for
a ow Ii e thi and our edge
might be a little 100 t:d,
b t it seems as thougb it's
bat people ere looking
for. Tbey're aving a good
time ac iDg it, a d e're
aving a ood time doing it. •
He believes the g r e a r
reviews from critics have
come because of his
. willingness to take chances.
"Critics tend to applaud
anyone who sort of steps on
the line and is willing to fail
in order to succeed. We did
that and tbey supported u
for doing it."
Wayans plays down bi
own role in the actual how
itself. "My real priority",
Wayans ays, "is not 0
muc a performer, but in
making sure t t t _e voice of
tbe s ow is w It it's
sUppQsed 10 be. It's more of
a big bro r role tban being
part of the cast. T t's more
fun for me." As lO i being
a overnig t success, be
maintai I, "in 0
, e only thing t at
appe s overnigbt is
people's awaren' of you.
It's bee a long, 10Dg Ii
aDd I'm giad that it's fa ally'
payi goff.·
tre
A : Recently in Lo
Angeles, tbe Beverly
Hil -Hollywood Ol peer of
eNAACP, bosted i Tbird
An II Tbeatre A ard ,
'RISING BLACK STARLE'fS' - SIMring the common traits of beauty, patience,
rf/dis and determination, today's new wave of "Rising Black Starlets" have
chosen a diversity 0/ paths 0 realize their dreams of big-screen success.
Not content to sit around a�d wait for Hollywood estalJlishment to acknowledge
their talent, up-and-comillg Black actres es including AJ. Johnson, who
appeared in the hit film, "House Party," Cree Summ r of TV's "A Different
World" and "Harlem Nights" star Lela Rochon, ar carving out niches ftJr
themselves in areas including television, film ; modeling commercials and music
videos, in preparation for that first "big break.
Encouraged by the tremendous success of black filmmakers such as Spike Lee,
Eddi� Murphy, Robert Townsend and Reginald and � rrington H utllin, theses
actresses and others are broadening their skills alld ke�ping their optiolls open,
as new challenges and opportunities continue to come t�eir way.
honoring those entertainers
who help to support and
develop community theater,
Among those on hand were
Robert Guilliame (formerly
of "Ben on" , who walked
away with the "Trailblazer
Award), Louis Gossett,
Taurean BI cques, Ted
Lange, and Esther Rolle,
wbo received tbe Lifetime
Acheivement Award. Jayne
Kennedy and her busband,
Bill Overton (w 0 are
founders of a local theatre iD
the Los Angeles area) served
as emcees. Among tbose
picking up awards for their
wor in eq ity production
ere Brock Peters and
Ric ard La son.
Lee'.La .R
One will ver be able to
accuse aclOr Ifilmma er a d
director Spike Lee of not
Irying e thin . Fact i
all t' moDtb Lee ill be
earl I yet a 0 er t a
e rece tly took over full
control of the editorial
.content of Spin Magazi e a
g est editor: Accor-ding to
p blisher Bob G ccio e Jr,
Lee is i cbarge of
everytbin i cludi story
a signment
aaticipation i
publication's tober issue
bicb ill sh wease Lee's
publishing t lents. Tbe
issue will inc ude a feature
o Washin ton Mayor
M rion Bar y. After hi
sfnt as editor Lee is set to
begin pre-p ucuon on is
ne t film, • J �gle Fever"
w icb is set 0 roll the
anD
Rjvlera.
, I tor
ICH AN CITIZEN PAGE21
IV:JA
on former Motown monarch
Berry Gordy.
,I Tbe boo , "Be r r y ,
Motown & Me" was
utbored by his second wife,
Raynoma Gordy. Just one
of the many subjects
covered is the inf mous
affair between Gordy aDd
superstar Diana Ross. That
alone will ma e it worth e
price of admi ion for most.
Atl aDY rate, the book i due
early t . f: ll, ,
Mean ne, M
Free.. 0 recently
completed ·Boafire of t e
VaDitie ., ba no teamed
witb Tracy Ullman for
"Taming Of The S rew· at
tbe Ne Yor Shakespeare
Fe tival in New York'
Central Park.
Next we_: A. IIpdIzU Oil
tlte IIi,lt-fl,illl career 0/
Va e WUlituIu.
in