Greetings! On the horizon of GBE Black Arts Month 2011, it’s the 16th annual “Million Man March: Holy Day of Atonement” in Philadelphia, with the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam, Sun., Oct. 9 at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The nation will unveil the monument to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the Mall in Washington, D.C., on Oct 16, the day after a “National March for Justice and Jobs.” The irony is that King’s honoring takes place on the day of the 16th anniversary of the Million Man March. God is winking.
Theatre
- New Heritage Theatre Group and Take Wing And Soar Productions are proud to produce Esther Armah’s “SAVIOUR?” a provocative new love story about white privilege, Black women, sex, betrayal and power, directed by Passion. “SAVIOUR?” will play a limited engagement at the Dwyer Cultural Center, 258 St. Nicholas Ave. at 123rd Street, between St. Nicholas Ave. and Frederick Douglass Blvd., from Fri., Oct. 7 through Sun., Oct. 30. For tickets, call (212) 352-3101 or visit www.takewingandsoar.org.
- The Classical Theatre of Harlem, in conjunction with the Hip-Hop Theater Festival, presents the world premiere of “Seed,” a story of Harlem in the ’80s and ’90s. “Seed” begs the question: How far are you willing to go protect the future of a community and its children? Running through Sun., Oct. 9, at the National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Ave. at 125th Street in Harlem. For tickets, call (866) 811-4111 or visit www.seedtheplay.com.
- “Black Angels Over Tuskegee,” the story of the pioneering first African-American fighter pilots, now playing at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 W. 47th St. between Eighth and Ninth avenues. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.
- Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Angela Bassett and Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson star in the Broadway debut of “The Mountaintop,” Katori Hall’s Olivier Award-winning drama, directed by Tony Award nominee Kenny Leon (“Fences,” “A Raisin in the Sun”). Performances on now, with the official opening on Oct. 13. Featuring original music by Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and Tony Award nominee Branford Marsalis. At the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. For tickets, visit Telecharge.com.
- “Mama, I Want to Sing: The Next Generation,” by Vy Higginsen, with original music by Wesley Naylor. Now playing at the Dempsey Theater, 127 W. 127th St. between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Malcolm X boulevards. For more information and tickets, visit www.mamafoundation.org.
- “Baby It’s You” follows the creation and rise of the independent record company that gave us the popular girl group the Shirelles, the Isley Brothers, Dionne Warwick, Chuck Jackson and more. At the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St. For more information, visit www.babyitsyouonbroadway.com.
- “The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith.” Now running on Broadway at St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.stlukestheatre.com.
- Whoopi Goldberg’s “Sister Act,” the stage musical based on the 1992 movie of the same name, features funky, soulful songs by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and presents the dynamic debut of Patina Miller. At the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway. For more information, visit www.sisteractbroadway.com.
- “The Lion King.” The Disney spectacle continues to roar as a landmark musical event on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, 1515 Broadway at West 45th Street. For more information, call (212) 840-3890 or (800) 714-8452 or visit www.minskofftheatre.com.
- “Memphis,” the musical with a soul music score as its foundation, explores racial integration in 1950s Tennessee, the heart of the South, with compelling performances. At the Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St. For more information, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.memphisthe musical.com.
Music
- Jazz at Lincoln Center presents Grammy winner Cassandra Wilson, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. at the Rose Theatre on Broadway at 60th Street. Coming Oct. 12-15 to the Rose, it’s “Wynton Marsalis at 50”. For more information, call (212) 721-6500 or visit www.jalc.org.
- WBLS-FM and WLIB present the Circle of Sisters expo, New York’s largest expo saluting women of color, Oct. 8-9 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. The expo presents a wide variety of star-studded events, celebrity speakers, author seminars and the best of R&B and gospel music entertainment. This year’s expo is the biggest ever. For more information and schedules, go to wbls.com or wlib.com.
Film
- “The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975.” Racial activism in reel time captured by Swedish film crews. Check your local listings for showtimes.
Community
- Families of Strength and Encouragement Spirit of Life present “Stop the Urban Youth Violence, Keep the Peace” Part 4: “Why Are Black Youth So Violent?” Hosted by 12th grader and aspiring criminal defense lawyer India Oglesby, featuring other outstanding youth guests and special guests Mark Johnson, author of “Basketball Slave: The Andy Johnson Harlem Globetrotter Story”; the Hon. Theresa Freeman, district leader; and Dennis Rahim Watson, motivational speaker and chairman of the National Youth and Gang Violence Task Force. Thurs., Sept. 29 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Harlem Branch Library, 9 W. 124th St. between Lenox and Fifth avenues.
- The Campaign to End the New Jim Crow and Attica is All of Us invite you to an organizing meeting to stop the New Jim Crow, Sat., Oct. 1, 1-4 p.m. at Assembly Hall. Join in building a movement inspired by Michelle Alexander’s book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness,” and get involved with the campaign’s various activities. At Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Dr., entrance on Claremont Avenue between 120th and 121st streets. All are welcome! For more information, call (212) 501-2112 or visit www.endnewjimcrow.org.
- The 25th anniversary celebration of Esmeralda Simmons and the Center For Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, Sun., Oct. 2, 4:30-7:30 pm. Performing live will be Tulani Kinard at For My Sweet, 1103 Fulton St. between Classon Avenue and Claver Place. Refreshments and entertainment for all, donations are required. For more information, visit www.clsj.org.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM daily with “Imhotep’s On-Air Guide to Black Events” and “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., and on WLIB-AM with “The GBE Mind Flight,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight (simulcast on WLIB-AM/WBLS-FM from 7-8 p.m.). The full show can be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with the GBE 2.0 “Global Black Experience” and “Global Beat Experience,” Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. We are archived online with both shows at www.wbai.org. To reach us about your event, email gbemail2@yahoo.com, find Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at GBELIFE.