Mixed Magic Presents The Spirit Warrior’s Dream for One Night Only “I have often been aware of the wolf behind the wall,” says Mixed Magic’s Ricardo Pitts-Wiley. “But the thing about the wolf, is that it must come out from behind the wall so that it may be defeated.” Pitts- Wiley makes this observation in the context of discussing the presentation of his musical, The Spirit Warrior’s Dream, which receives a live broadcast via Facebook for one night only on Sunday, November 4. “And when the wolf comes out, it does not mean sheep *won’t* be slaughtered, it does not mean that the wolf *won’t* survive for a while in the sun … but the longer it stays in the sun … it’s like the vampire legends – they can survive for a while but will get weaker over time.” The sun, specifically the “silver sun” is an image that runs throughout Spirit Warrior’s Dream, a piece that Pitts-Wiley (alongside co-creator Robert Schleeter) originally wrote in 1987 while artist-in- residence at the University of Rhode Island. There have been several productions over the decades, but this particular version, truncated due to infrastructure issues at Mixed Magic’s building in Pawtucket, is lean and focused primarily on the music and the story. A “post-apocalyptic look at America,” Spirit Warrior wears its many influences on its sleeve (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, maybe even a little bit of Styx’s Kilroy Was Here), but is, at its essence, a wholly original take on a tale of warring ideals — is it more desirable to destroy the past and rebuild from scratch, or should we embrace the better part of our history and patiently build a better tomorrow? In other words, “Is America an idea whose time has passed, or a yet to be fulfilled promise?” Although the story has evolved over the years, the current iteration of Spirit Warrior revolves around a powerful dictator (“Dreamkiller”) who has taken over the nation, enslaving minds and souls, controlling the will of the people and denying access to music. Through the chaos, two separate factions evolve who represent differing paths towards the future. One represents violence and discipline to bring about “peace” and believes that America was a “failed project” that needs a complete do-over. The second faction, holed up in a former prison called “Yesterday,” holds forth the ideal that America just needs time to evolve into its original promise. Pitts-Wiley tells Motif, “When I first started this piece, I thought I was writing fiction, but now, this shit is really happening!” While political allegories are evident, Pitts- Wiley stresses that the play (or “rock/soul opera” as its described) is ultimately about the roles of women in society, ambition, dreams and the “power of the will.” Also central to the story is the effect of apathy in a society where action is needed. “The Age of Apathy began, and The Dreamkiller destroyed the will,” is a prescient quote here, but Pitts-Wiley is careful to stress, once again, that the story is less about politics than it is about “human nature” and the varying means in which we express that nature. Apathy or action, all modes of response are explored via the varying musical styles employed throughout Spirit Warrior. “While I wrote the lyrics, each song fell into a particular rhythm that informs the song’s style,” says Pitts-Wiley. Bob (Schleeter) is a guitar player, so a lot of the music is very guitar-driven, but the show explores all the qualities of America, and Americana, that make this country great. There’s Gospel, but there’s also Punk and everything in-between. With this performance (on the 4th), there are slides, projections and text that aids in telling the story, but we’re less concerned about the ‘look’ of the piece as we are about the music.” Described as a “17-song, rock and rhythm” score, there is enough variety here to keep Spirit Warrior from being just another bloated rock opera. “It’s a live concept album,” says Pitts-Wiley, invoking several classic albums from years past, up to and including even Michael Jackson’s Thriller. And, like most concept album storylines, the story involves making a stand for your beliefs, regardless of the adversity. The Spirit Warrior fights for our soul, our will and our future, whatever shape that may take. And, as Mixed Magic Theatre faces its own adversity, they take their own stand by presenting their story live, anyway, using the only medium at their disposal. For them, apathy is not a choice. Mixed Magic Theatre presents THE SPIRIT WARRIOR’S DREAM — In Concert; Sunday, November 4th @ 7pm, broadcast on Facebook Live; facebook.com/events/296581344323997; Directed by Gregory Johnson and Kim Pitts-Wiley, featuring Jeannie Carson, Jonathan Grice, Amos Hamrick, Greg Johnson, Kaiasia, Habibah Quddus, Brayam Renovales, Kim Trusty and Seth Woodruff. Donations are accepted in the ticketing section of the Facebook event. Hip-Hop: Plug In: The Outlet lets new local artists shine Although 2018 is edging closer to its end, artists and curators are far from ending their grind. Just ask the folks over at This Is The Plug, more specifically Maddie D and Go DJ. Standing as one of the major outlets geared toward promoting artists on the local scene, The Plug has been making a number of moves in their lane for quite some time. In addition to their radio show, in which they consistently spin local music from the likes of Nino, Cam Bells, Flawless and more, Maddie and DJ premiered a new event titled The Outlet this past summer that featured four performances from some of the top artists around the state. This Is The Plug is returning to Dusk for a second installment of The Outlet on November 13 with a quartet of new acts: Reign Mercedes, Sabs, Cuphasol and Rah Money Ramon. I recently spoke with Go DJ and Maddie about The Outlet and This Is The Plug. We first discussed the strong relationships they’ve had with artists over the past four years and their hopes to build on those relationships. “What we’re working on now is transitioning into a PR company for artists, athletes and influencers. We are able to do this through the relationships we built with venues, media outlets, DJs and more,” they said. The Outlet is more than just a catchy name the duo thought of, they explained. “It stemmed from our name, The Plug. An outlet is a way of expressing one’s talents and emotions. We felt like it was time that we used our hosting skills, honed throughout the years, and create our own platform for artists to display their talent and connect with their supporters/fans.” By putting on events that allow artists to showcase their talents and playing their music on their radio show, they are simultaneously “the plug” and “the outlet” for the local music scene. I asked them what factors went into choosing the lineup for the upcoming show, and they told me that for this specific installment, they based their choices on “lyrical content and the unique sound and stage presence to ensure we put on a great show.” As they described how each artist caught their attention, I could see the cohesion they sought in this installation. They said they were really attracted to Reign Mercedes’ energy, recalling a surprise performance of his at their last showcase where, “he freestyle’d unexpectedly at our last showcase and we said, ‘Wow, that kid can rap.’” As for Sabs, it’s his wordplay that caught their attention. “He is witty with his wordplay and a man with many flows.” Another artist who caught their attention because of his flow was Rah Money Ramon, whose “voice is very distinct as he flows effortlessly over beats.” Hailing from Pawtucket and Providence and currently residing in Miami, his sound features elements from the three locations. RI is flush with talented artists waiting for a moment to shine from outlets (pun intended) like This Is The Plug. As for their goals as a brand, the duo revealed their plans to become somewhat of a home base for artists. “We want to push our culture forward and continue to create a platform for artists and grow to larger stages and cities.” The second edition of The Outlet will take place on Tue, Nov 13 from 8 – 11pm at Dusk, 301 Harris Ave, PVD. The Outlet will also be hosted by Go DJ and Maddie D of This Is The Plug and music will be provided by DJ Dymand. Jazz Insights: Catherine Pratte Jazz enthusiast and veteran violinist Catherine Pratte was born in Providence. Cathy, who now lives in Bristol, graduated Salve Regina University in Newport and went on to receive two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. She has played violin for more than 60 years, of which some 35 years were with the late famous Joseph Conte, who had dabbled in all facets of music, including jazz. Her background includes many years working for the Providence School Department as a music therapist, helping to solve local youth’s problems with unique musical approaches. Today Cathy is totally enthralled in the jazz art-form, following talented performers like the great and famous Mike Renzi. She has become a jazz critic, supporting local jazz venues, and we are lucky to have her and her following grace the current jazz events in Rhode Island. Jazz will survive, with the help of individuals like Cathy Pratte involved.