Hey Circuiteers!

It’s a new day!  

We have a lot to be thankful for-The Tofu Chitlin’ Circuit is embarking on a revolutionary idea-create a conservatory for the people and by the people.  We are happy to bring to you our first production of “Black Thang” by Ato Essandoh.  It’s a romantic comedy about the differences that love can bring.  

Look for more promising collaborations and of course classes in 2010!  

Get your tickets early for our first production.  Space is EXTREMELY limited.  When it’s gone…it’ll be gone!  

Black Thang by Ato Essandoh

Black Thang by Ato Essandoh directed by Sydney Chatman

WHEN: FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 & 30, 2010

WHERE: THE APARTMENT 2720 W. WINNEMAC

TIME: RECEPTION: 7:00 p.m. CURTAIN: 7:30 p.m.

DONATION: EARLY $10; DOOR $20

Hey Circuiteers,

Join us tomorrow as we open our rehearsal to you!  Sit in the director’s chair and give us feedback our process, choices and intentions!  Afterwards stay for a fiery discussion on interracial dating, the “angry black woman syndrome,” and the tired black man.

WHEN: Tomorrow, Monday, December 28, 2009

WHERE: 2720 W. Winnemac (Lawrence & Western)

TIME: 7:30 p.m.

DONATION: Pay what you can

DIRECTIONS FROM LSD: Take LSD North to Lawrence

Head WEST on Lawrence to CALIFORNIA

Make a RIGHT onto CALIFORNIA

Make a RIGHT onto WINNEMAC

Hey Circuiteers!

Take a look at our promo pictures.  What do you think about when you see this?  

A sistas’ been bizzee!  Between the culmination of a performance for the whole school at the day job, Black Thang rehearsals and keeping up with The TCC.  I’ve been exhausted!  I have a sore throat to prove it too!  

Anyway-the Fan page of The TCC on Facebook has been heating up with several conversations on interracial dating, angry black women and the black man’s delimia.  Is the white girlfriend at fault?  Why is she to blame for the conflict between black men and black women’s relationships?  

I just finished watching Tim Alexanders’ Diary of a Tired Black Man which is part documentary/part narrative in style.  Mr. Alexander talks about these very same topics that come up in Black Thang.  Black Thang by Ato Essandoh was written over 7 years ago.  Isn’t it ironic that we’re still dealing with the same issues?  Are “strong black women” just “angry black women in disguise?”  When do black women realize that the pain, abuse, anger that they inherited can not sustain in a “real” relationship?  

Are black men just so tired that they seek love outside of their race?  Join us Monday, December 28, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. to discuss this very idea!  See you at our next A La Carte: The Open Rehearsal Edition!

WHEN: Monday, December 28, 2009

WHERE: 2720 W. Winnemac

TIME: 7:00-9:30 p.m.

DONATION: Pay what you can

Email us for more questions: tccircuit@gmail.com

OMG!  I can’t belive it! Did you see this?  Shawn Carter, Will & Jada Pinkett-Smith have done something REVOLUTIONARY! I can’t believe  it!  These hip moguls have done the ultimate in “supporting the arts” by signing up to be the newest producers of “Fela!” currently running on Broadway.  

This is a huge leap for theater; especially black theater.  When black producers with such clout and a huge built in audience decide to back a project like this you know it’s got to be special.  I think everybody should see this show.  It should be just as massive as ‘RENT’ or ‘WICKED’.  We have to support our own.  The arts aint dead yet!  Read the review here and let  me know what you think!  I’m really going to squeeze some penies together to see this show.  Not because they told me too, but because I love Fela the artist and this looks like a wild ride!  

Someone asked me the other day to give them some critic on their show.  Now, I go and see a lot of theater and all different types of theater performances for that matter.  I don’t know why I’m considered the quintessential hater. But for some reason, people automatically think that I won’t like certain plays because of their own purist ideologies of what theater should be.  But anyway-I’ve been given a bad rap.  I do have an opinion and I know that theater is subjective; but there are structural things that artists need to be aware of.  All I say is do whatever you want, buck the system but don’t try and create work that fits into the typical structure of theater and not adhere to it.  

But I digress.  I sat down to have this conversation and as I tried to be tactful but honest, I wonder do we really want criticism or are we fishing for compliments?  What’s wrong with being totally honest with someone?  Will that bruise their ego?  Is that ego too big? 

Sir Ken Robinson said (via his twitter)  ”If you’re not prepared to be wrong you’ll never come up with anything original.” Sometimes if we don’t fail then we never realize how hard we need to work to make our dreams a reality.  Sometimes we have to take constructive criticism that will push us harder.  I just hope I don’t eat my own words in January.  I hope I can back it up. Until then…don’t get too mesmerized by Beyonce’s gyrating booty…but heed [some] her words.  ”You got a big ego/Such a huge ego/I love his big ego/It’s too much/He can back it up…”

This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine.  I remember singing this song as a child and wanting to let my light shine so that people would see my good works.  I was thinking about this song and going back to church or as one of my students like to call it “Chuuch!”  I thought about Tyler Perry’s road to wealth, fame, and a mega-following.  He started out in the church; wrote a piece about the women folk in his life and has been hearing “Cha-Ching!” all the way to the bank.  But it’s not about the money of course, it’s about the audience that he had when he brought his work to the people; instead of asking them to come to him. (That’s a whole ‘nuther topic altogether.)

I thought about this last month when I went to see PJ Morton, a soul-stirring, genuine, passionate and uplifting singer from Atlanta by way of New Orleans.  PJ, as I like to call him, had a unique upbringing.  His mother and father are both ministers to “mega-churches.”  And for a while, the critics thought that PJ should sing “sacred” songs due to his upbringing.  He of course challenges these critics here:

Anyway, he persevered and I truly believe his ministry in those songs of love, devotion, triumph and pain move people in ways, even if you don’t go to church on Sunday, anyone could receive.

PJ has a loyal following.  He has a serious “church” following from what I’m told. A lotta “you betta sang PJ!” going on in the concert.  A lotta background added vocals from his parishioners I mean, concert goers.  But did he do it right? Did he start in the sacred of institutions to build a fan base?  I love PJ and I’m not one of the people that he would normally see on a Sunday afternoon.  But for some reason, I’m moved by his work.  His honesty, integrity, redemption, encouragement and love illuminates through his songs.

I often wonder about that.  How do I create an audience base when no one really knows me?  Is church the option? Will my light shine bright enough for people to follow it?  What do I have to say that will move people to join my vision?  Now, I’m not trying to make going to church trite but most of the plays that I’ve seen lately have a very large church member following.  I just want to know how do I get people to hear my words, believe in my passion and support me the same way many artist in music and theater have?  Help me out here.  What do you think?  And in the meantime, I’m going to work on my vision.  Someones gotta hear me.  “If you build it, then they will come!”

My niece, Jayla loves Michael Jackson.  How this phenomenon happened is beyond me.  For some reason she heard the music and was transfixed like so many of us.  I drove my grandmother to see my two nieces and sister about a month ago and this is how the story goes.

My sister turns on MJ’s Don’t Stop (Till you get Enough) and my niece looks around like she’s obligated to perform and is not really happy about it.  She sits around for a moment and then decides to move.  After Don’t Stop. my sister plays Thriller and this is when Jayla looses it.  She’s dancing, jumping, moving around to the beat (Yes, she can follow the beat.  See the rapping vid after the jump.)  But anyway, my sister walks out to grab something from her car and my niece follows her.  Now keep in my 70+ year old, Sanctified grandmother is sitting there trying to look amused but is bemused by all of the noise so I decide to turn it off.  I reach up and turn off the song as my niece, baby bully, comes running back into the living room and starts yelling at me.  “You turned down?” “You turned down?”  “No, Jayla, I turned it off, you walked away…it was too loud.”  “Don’t turn Jackson down!” “Down turn Jackson down!”  I never take Jayla’s rants for granted she’s a Capricorn and super serious at times; especially when someone has made her mad.  She was striking her fist in her hand as if she was going to hit me.  She very very upset.  This tiny tyke all of 2 was really upset, but I can’t help but analyze it as a theatrical performance!

This uninhibited, unabashed two-year old had taught her aunt a lesson. She had me question my own directing visions. How do I get my fellow actors to express such raw, uninhibited emotions on stage?  How do I not stiffle their instincts?  Should I just turn on MJ and let it rip?  I wish I could have filmed this rant but she probably would have stopped.  Which got me to thinking about my own work.  Because I didn’t go to the best university for directing, many people won’t see my work or know who I am.  Would recordings of my plays validate my directing in the same way that it would if I was in a LORT house? Or any house for that matter?  I don’t know…in the meantime, enjoy my nieces performance!

Don’t Stop!

Jayla Raps:

I’m really bad at this blog.  I simply can’t seem to be consistent with it when I have so many other things to do.  By day, theater teacher to the stars.  My little shining stars at the University of Chicago Charter School (NKO campus) and by night, part-time theater critic for Soleil’s To-Do and Co-Founder of The TCC.

I love theater, I really do. All of it.  From the gum under the seat to the sticky floors to the graffiti bathrooms in seedy places.  I love it all and I really miss it.  It’s been about a year since I’ve directed a play.  You’re probably wondering what have I been doing in that time?  I had a baby.  Not a human baby but a theater conservatory I like to call The Tofu Chitlin’ Circuit.

Here I go, starting over it seems with a new project called “Black Thang” by Ato Essandoh.  I’m really excited and nervous about it. Will people like it?  Will I be able to cast it?  Will people see the passion, love and respect for theater I have in this piece?  Will I be able to step out of the way to create a work that speaks to my vision as a director?

My baby is developing, we’re in the crawling phase.  Well not quite crawling yet, but kinda like that side ways,Vietnam elbow to the ground on your stomach drag.  I’m quiet humbled by the experience, the people and the creators grace this year, it’s taught me a lot about focus, strength and determination.

While you ponder your year and what it has brought to you, ponder this-sometimes we have to crawl back to what we love.  It’s the only way to enter into your greatness.

(And although Chris Brown may be going through his own trails, I really thought the song was powerful.  Even if he didn’t write it or even if it’s a sorta apology to Rihanna and all the many fans he’s hurt or lost.  He’s starting over…shouldn’t we as humans have a little bit of compassion?  Enjoy the words.)

I found out last week that I’m allergic to peanuts, shrimp, sesame seed and believe it or not soybean. Now, I’ve been eating soy for awhile…I even named a company after it.  So you can imagine the lack of options I currently have.  I don’t eat red meat or any type of scavenger fish so what is a girl to do?   I guess I’ll have to eat by bread and water alone or maybe Mr. Donuts; a Korean donut company that is made with tofu.  I didn’t know that tofu had so many options!  While I was perusing videos on youtube I found this.  I still like tofu and I may have to get a second opinion about eating it but in the mean time, check out this video.