The News Argus May 1997 Page 9

ENTERTAINMENT

Vibes, Beats and Drama Students Take Trip

BY VINCE WOODY To New York City Staif Writer______less hip hop and more soul in the key element on this CD. Blige is considered BY CHERYL CASH Staff Writer Share My World to be the “queen of hip hop soul.” 1 Black men) are supposed to be dead or in Mary J. Blige guess it was time for Blige to take it to jail. To see these guys perform on that the next level. I wonder who’ll bite her Winston-Salem State University level (of excellence. We (blacks) were now. students enrolled in DRA 3321- Play the minority in the crowd. No one could The reigning queen of soul, Mary J. Although Blige slightly departed Production took a trip to the “Big believe they were doing what they were Blige has elevated her vocal skills to that from the hip hop feel, she still has it in Apple” last month to see the Broadway doing.” of a Whitney Houston or a Patti Labelle. songs produced by Poke and Tone of hit, Bring In Da’ Noise, Bring In Da’ Sonya Doughty, an accounting Funk! Share My World, Blige’s junior effort Trackmasters (Nas, LL Cool J, Foxy major said, "Their talents were has more mature beats and developed Brown). Lorenzo Meachum, a member of the extraordinary. It was amazing bccausc 1 vocals. It’s almost as if Blige is trying to “Seven Days,” “It’s On” (featuring Department of English and Foreign wondered how does an actor portray a attract a more mature audience and yet R. Kelly), “Missing,” and “Not Gon Languages faculty, teaches the class. lynching through tap without a rope, keep the same audience with a diversity Cry” are the albums stand outs. “We don’t have computers so we without any props, using just his feet and of material. I have to say it was a pleasant cannot get on line and see what good his body.” The producers on this CD are surprise to hear the maturity in Blige’s theater looks like. 1 don’t have the key to ‘There were no fancy sets, no fancy different from Blige’s past efforts. the theater. I don’t have money to buy anything. It was just them, the lap shoes ------* ' C ? £ ygice. It was also a breath of fresh air material to build a show,” he explained. and the music. Whenever he shook (his Newcomer Rodney Jerkin of R.J. to see Blige’s update in fashion, image “ 1 cannot show them excellence in body to imitate death), the audience was Productions produced the CD’s first and overall appearance. theater and we were about to do a play. 1 spellbound. It was pure energy on the single, “Love Is All We Need.” She 1 would advise those who are heavily have been here for four years trying to do stage and it sucked us in,” Griffin also worked with the award winning hit into hip hop soul to try this CD with an plays; and trying to get people to producers Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and open mind. If you are an R&B fan this is added. understand what excellence in theater “We watched six - seven young men Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. There was well worth your investment. looks like. The best thing I could do for that had nothing but the paint buckets, the them was take them to New York. I shoes on their feet, and their mamas wanted them to see something that was discarded pots and pans, hold the entire excellently done.” theatrical world in New York in awe,” Meachum explained that “the story said Meachum. Movie Revieivs is the African- American story done in They all agreed that the play’s best rhythm. Slave ship rhythm, black actor was, Choreographer Savion migration rhythm, Harlem Renaissance Glover. Adjectives used to describe his rhythm. It exemplified the genius of performance were, “outstanding” and Wilshire Boulevard and takes a short cut BY SHEMEKA REVEES young African American’s culture. “excellent.” “Our tickets were paid for Guest Reviewer through the city sewer system. Mike When they returned to Winston- after the first scene. They could have Roark(Tommy Lee Jones), is the chief of Salem, the students had a lot to say about made us leave and we would have gotten the city’s Office of Emergency Murder At 1600 the play and their experiences in New our money’s worth,” said Sistrunk. Management. He is at ground zero when Yoric City. Meachum said that the wonderful the pit erupts and lava flows down the Wesley Snipes(Harlan Regis), is a “We stayed in Manhattan. It was challenge for him and his students was street, melting fire trucks. Washington, DC police detective who is beautiful. Even though it was cold and that “in spile of the condition that we are Like in most disaster flicks a group called when a woman is found murdered raining any time of the day it was awe­ in, where we come from, and who we are, of people ban together to help other in the White House. He gets into a inspiring. The play topped it off,” said we can take the stuff that is around us and victims of the disaster. Roark, also, has Holly Griffin, a Chemistry major, who create wonderful things with i t ” territorial struggle with Nick his companions which include: his had never been to New York. Griffin expressed how much she Spikings(Daniel Benzali), the head of the daughter, Kelly Roark(Gaby Hoffman), Christopher Sistrunk, a Biology appreciated Meachum’s efforts to lake Secret Service detail. who comes along for the ride; the major, who says he is not accustomed to their class to New York City. The suspects in the movie include: female scientist, Dr. Amy Bames(Anne clapping his hands during any “He dug deep, up under the ground the president’s son, who was one of the Heche), who trys to warn them about the performances, was converted into a hand- to get us to New York to see the show. It dead woman’s lovers; and perhaps impending eruption; Roark’s black clapping, shouting fan. was well worth every drop of sweat that President Jack Neil (Ronny Cox) sidekick, Emmitt Reese(Don Cheadle), himself. Alvin Jordan(Alan Alda), the “The guys on the stage were poured from his brow,” she explained. the Asian-American female national secmity adviser, seems to be the defeating all the odds. Because the oldest doctor(Jacqui Kim), who provides first one was 23 and because we (young voice of reason in the situation. aid and evacuates Cedars-Sinai Hospital; Detective Stengel(Dennis Miller) also and the dog, who barks at the lava wants to be involve with the murder approaching the front door and grabs his case. Doggy-Bone and runs out of the back To solve the murder, Regis and door. Lt. Ed Fox(Keith David), tries to Rams, Before You Leave Town Nina Chance(Diane Lane), his partner, keep everyone calm and safe. must break into the White House and The movie has one good line: “This Stop By The explore a series of tunnels that lead into city is finally paying for its arrogance!” SPRING FAIR the White House’s basement. The special effects in the movie aren’t as good as they could have been. You can May 9-17 Volcano definitely tell where the movie’s special effects were shot first and then when the at the actors were edited into the movie. If This disaster flick features lava that you enjoy disaster flick you will Dixie Classic Fairgrounds boils out o f the La Brea Tar Pits. The probably enjoy this one. lava threatens a stretch of Los Angeles