Greetings! Welcome as we officially open up GBE Black History Month 2013 with honor and respect to its creator, legendary, brilliant historian and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (www.asalh.org).
Theater
Woodie King Jr., producer and director of the National Black Touring Circuit, and Kim Weston Moran, associate producer, present the Black History Month Play Festival. The 2013 festival examines American history from slavery to civil rights through dramas focusing on the lives of African-American historical figures, including Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois and Adam Clayton Powell.
“Adam” will run Feb. 8 to 10 at the Dwyer Cultural Center, 258 St. Nicholas Ave. (entrance on 123rd Street). Starring Timothy Simonson as Adam Clayton Powell, written by Peter DeAnda and directed by Shauneille Perry. “He Who Endures,” set prior to the Civil War, will play Feb. 15 to 17 at the National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Ave. at 125th Street.
Starring Ralph McCain as Frederick Douglass, written by Bill Harris and directed by Ajene D. Washington.
“Dr. Du Bois and Miss Ovington” will be held Feb. 22 to 24 at the Castillo Theatre, 543 W. 42nd St., between 10th and 11th avenues. Co-starring Peter Jay Fernandez as DuBois and Kathleen Chalfant as Mary White Ovington, written by Clare Coss and directed by Gabrielle Kurlander. For more info, call New Heritage Theatre Group at 212-926-2550.
“Fried Chicken and Latkes”: Rain Pryor, daughter of late comedic genius Richard Pryor, stands on her own with a solo show, including a “parade of friends, relatives and tormentors,” plus impressions of her dad. She also reveals a surprisingly strong singing voice. Actors Temple Theatre at Congregation Ezrath Israel, 339 W. 47th St. Open run through Feb. 25. For ticket info call Telecharge at 800-432-7250 or 212-239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.
Music
Valentine’s Day (Thurs., Feb. 14) brings Anthony Hamilton and Chrisette Michele to NJPAC for an evening of romantic soul and R&B at 8 p.m. For more info or tickets, call 888-GONJPAC or visit www.njpac.org.
Charlie Wilson and Tyrese are up close and live at Madison Square Garden for one night only, Saturday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. For more info, call 866-858-0008 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.
Film
BAMcinematek presents “A Pryor Engagement,” an 18-film retrospective of Richard Pryor, the beloved comedian and national treasure, Feb. 8 to 13 and Feb. 19 to 21, featuring weekday double features and all films in 35mm. “A Pryor Engagement” starts Friday, Feb. 8, with “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert.” BAMcinematek, 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. For more info, call 718-636-4100 or visit www.bam.org/cinematek.
ArtMattan Films and Film Forum are pleased to present the U.S. theatrical premiere of “The Pirogue,” a drama of 30 men (and one woman, a stowaway) who set out on an illegal voyage to Spain, making the perilous trip in a “pirogue,” a boat resembling an oversized dinghy. Now through Feb. 5 at Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St., west of Sixth Avenue. For more info and showtimes, visit www.filmforum.org.
Exhibitions
The fourth annual Harlem Fine Arts Show returns to Riverside Church Feb. 7 to 10. The opening night preview, set for Thurs., Feb. 7, 6 to 10 p.m., salutes the late Percy E. Sutton, one of the nation’s most prominent Black political and business leaders, legal representative for Malcolm X, and also an avid collector and patron of the arts. The evening features performances by the cast of “Mama, I Want to Sing” and “Motown: The Musical.” The event benefits the Mama Foundation, a foundation for the arts dedicated to presenting, preserving and promoting gospel, jazz, and R&B. All of the events will take place at Riverside Church, 91 Claremont Ave. (between 121st and 122nd streets) in Harlem. For more info or to purchase tickets, call 914-980-4427 or visit www.hfas.org.
Community
The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 16th annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit (WSP) takes place now through Feb. 1 at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45 E. 45th St. This year’s summit, “Wall Street to Main Street: Economic Parity, the Struggle Continues,” focuses on access to capital, career development and labor. WSP will honor notable people in law, politics, music and entertainment such as famed attorney Willie E. Gary, music legend Berry Gordy and former New York Gov. David Paterson. Guests will be treated to a preview of the upcoming Broadway production “Motown: The Musical” during the annual gala fundraising reception honoring Gordy, who wrote the book for the show. Singer and actress Dionne Warwick and actor, singer and comedian Jamie Foxx will pay special tribute to Gordy. Special guests include former President William Jefferson Clinton, plus much, much more! To register, visit www.wallstreetproject2013.org or call 646-569-5889.
In observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, several community groups will present “An Afternoon to Reflect and Raise Consciousness Towards Prevention and Eradication,” Saturday, Feb. 2, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Brooklyn’s Restoration Plaza Skylight Gallery, 1368 Fulton St. on the third floor. Speakers include Sehu Jeppe, former administrator with the NYC/HIV AIDS Prevention Bureau; HIV activist Geneva Musgrave; Roberta Ross, affiliate services coordinator of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS Inc., plus many more. The event is free, but donations are requested. Free information and free testing will also be provided. For information, call 718-638-6700 or 718-622-5430.
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 or call 212-592-3279.