Black Theatre festival in Winston And Some Personal Thoughts and Reflections

Once again, I had the pleasure last week of going down to Winston-Salem and enjoying the National Black Theatre Festival.....Even when things change like the host hotel...I remember when the festival was in the Adams Mark but now that is the Marriott and of course change in namnagement change the nature of hotels, the festival itself is such a homecoming with so many wonderful things happening that it doesn't matter whether you are checking out Reader's Theatre, one of my favorites, since I love watching plays develop and also watching the reactions from audience to new works and the interpretations in readings that the directors and actors choose to give these new works that for the vast majority of them they are just now seeing when they are picked to read the scripts...The poetry jams are also very popular, and though some of the best poets were in West Palm Beach, Florida there were still some great ones that came into the area and performed and this was my first time checking out Malcolm Jamal Warner's musical group and I found them to be very talented musicians.
Also it was fun going to Bird's party for the second festival in a year, and once again, it was definitely a fun party with lots of great dancing and great socializing happening at that event.
But, like I said earlier, one of my favorite reasons for going to the festival is because it offers me an opportunity to catch up with folks I know consider colleagues and friends...Folks like Garland Thompson and his son Garland, Jr. who organize the Readers Theatre, Weusi Baraka, Renee Nixon, and that's just to name a very few....And of course, every year, I met new friends and have the opportunities to possibly collaborate with them on upcoming events and of course there is always the strong possibility of grooming and developing new clients...Of course there are also great plays that happen at the festivals as well and I was fortunate enough to catch my friend Ayinde's play Nappy Journeys and I am hopeful it will have an opportunity to be seen in the Triangle area since he is a NCCU graduate, and I also saw a great play about Teddy Pendergrass. And these were just some of the great productions that were there.
And of course both me and my Hayti Film Festival co-hort Angela Ray were making sure that folks were aware of our festival for 2010 and even talked to some celebrities who said they may be interested in attending that festival....I will keep you informed how things develop.
So you know I am already excited about 2011 and who knows what new adventures will happen at that festival...
And on the personal side, I have been reflecting on a couple of things...One believe it not, 2012 the half century mark will be here for me and I know I have a lot of goals and aspirations I would love to have at least in motion by that time...For example, I want Lee Entertainment to me much further along than it is, and I might even want my own my multi dimensional recording, film and theatre place by then or at least having some ducks in the row so it can happen since like all things these take capital, and a lot of capital...I am also hopeful that by then, a lot of my friends will have their projects much further along than they are now.....Maybe I will get lucky and win the lottery (oh wait a minute, you have to play regularly and be REAL LUCKY in order for that to happen) and can set up a Artistic trust fund...That will be real cool.......
And on the family side, my brother just had his second child making me an Uncle to the second power...I couldn't explain it if I had to, but I have some feelings that both Langston and Julius are destined to do great things in their life......For one things, they have some great parents and some really cool grandparents, not to mention a half bad Uncle...SMILE.......They already have great legacies to build on...I think of all the great work both my brother and his wife have done working with troubled youth here in the area, I think about the Radio Station both my parents were involved in starting up in Warrenton, I think about the great art my Dad continues to develop and all the great Foundation work my Mom did at both Golden Leaf and Z. Smith, and the things I have learned working with festivals and media, and the fact that we all are students of the world and I know they will be inspired and challenged to learn as they grow up and develop....Oh well enough musings.........Until the next entry, hit me back and let me know what's on your minds...