HYDE SUNSET + NIGHTINGALE kicked off NBA All Star Weekend with a bang. And there was plenty of excitement.
Bageot Dia
From Jackie Robinson to Little Rock, there’s little doubt Sheen Center is killing it this year.
Sheen Center for Thought & Culture, located on Bleecker Street and home to events and memorabilia of the Catholic faith, took it upon themselves to tell the stories of Black America’s greatest – just in time for the February shine. It all started with simple conversation.
“Race in America: Telling our Stories” took place in the Loreto Theatre at the Sheen Center on Feb. 20th. With those attending being prominent figures in their field of narrative flair, they include: Major Jackson, Sapphire, and Patrick Phillips. The flavor of the night was on our differences. You could otherwise translate that to: “how can we make our societal offenses as a people into a lesson to be learned?”
The orators chose to speak of their personal struggles in relation to their work. For Major Jackson, his poems and essay collections. For Sapphire, her bestselling novels “Push” and “The Kid”. For Patrick Phillips, his novel “Blood at the Root” and his poetry collections. The repertoire of content behind these names speaks for itself, as Race in America promoted sensible discussion on racial terror and exploitation behind the common man. Going further into this, how do we learn from the sorts of uncomfortable experiences we come into contact with? The events of Little Rock back in the 1950’s says we achieve this by paying attention.
“Little Rock: The Staged Reading” rang home the indisputable fact that being Black is tough. The play premiered last week Thursday, with general management from Walker Communications, and had special guest Carlotta Walls-LaNier, a member of the nine, attend the event. It was something. But if the play had any say, it was that being Black in the 1950’s seemed a social death sentence; capital punishment complete with the mockery of your peers from the White majority and the ire of those in power towards your very existence.
Little Rock took the power of theatre to the next level, exemplifying the potency of the insults, environment and existential standing towards your typical Black student in an atypical environment – the all-white high school. Of course, in a modern day setting, nothing comes close – but there was something magical in the immediate dejection and vexation of every usage of the “n” word from the audience, as our Little Rock heroes came face to face with every-day dangers, most notably from their own student body. But that’s alright. After all, it’s because the Little Rock Nine proclaimed “We shall overcome!” that their struggles made history.
“Jackie Robinson: The Faith Behind The Legend” premiered last Tuesday. Robinson, of whom valued respect over all, was a peculiar figure in Black American history. Unlike the peace advocated by King, Robinson spoke back against oppression and personally attacked those who wronged him. Although far from the extreme Black nationalism that defined Malcolm X, Robinson simply wasn’t a fan of insults towards his character. That charisma was a defining trait of the Civil Rights Movement. And it was Robinson’s robustness and tenacity that certainly fancied author Ed Henry, man behind the book “42 Faith: The Rest of the Jackie Robinson Story”. For Henry, faith proved essential in Robinson’s physical and mental prowess on the baseball field, breaking the color barrier and attributing success to his creator. Henry, who struggled to procure information from primary sources regarding Robinson’s life, nevertheless conjured brilliance.
And it was all certainly worth the time.
Opening nation-wide on April 27th, ‘KING’ stars Oscar winner Halle Berry and Daniel Craig.
For context, Rodney King was an African-American taxi driver, whose ill-famed recorded beating by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1991 sparked civil unrest – starting the Los Angeles riots soon after. It was highlighted that King’s beating was a prime example of the abuse of police experienced by the African-American community in Los Angeles at the time.
According to distributor The Orchard: “As the civil unrest in Los Angeles grows following the acquittal of four of the officers accused of beating Rodney King, Millie and Obie must navigate the chaos that surrounds them in order to ensure her children’s safety. KING focuses on the fragility of family relationships and touches on turmoil and tensions of the past, which sadly prove to be more relevant than ever in today’s social and political climate.”
The riots lasted for 5 days, causing the deaths of over 63 people, and injuring thousands. Cast include: Lamar Johnson, Kaalan “KR” Walker, and Rachel Hilson. The film is directed and produced by Deniz Gamze Ergüven and Charles Gillibert respectively.
Tracy Morgan is back with new show “The Last O.G.”
“The Last O.G.” is a comedy series co-produced by Morgan and Jordan Peele of Get Out fame. The show will premiere April 3rd on TBS.
According to TBS: The Last O.G. centers on Tray (Morgan), an ex-con shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison for on good behavior after a 15-year stint. Returning to his newly gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, he discovers that his former girlfriend, Shay (played by emerging, breakout star actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish), has married an affable, successful white man (Ryan Gaul) who is helping raise the twins (Taylor Mosby & Dante Hoagland) Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with his kids, but having neither the money to support them nor himself, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet while treading on unfamiliar territory.
In addition, “The Last O.G.” also stars Cedric the Entertainer as the head of the halfway house where Tray is staying, and Allen Maldonado as Tray’s cousin Bobby.
The comedy-centric show doesn’t spare anything as far as we can tell. It’s obvious Morgan and Peele are a good match.
The trailer for “The Last O.G.” can be seen below. Further information regarding the show can be found here.
Dwayne Johnson Presents New Athletic Competition Show ‘Titan Games’
Dwayne Johnson announced his new show in collaboration with NBC called “Titan Games”
Johnson showcased ‘Titan Games’ alongside Dany Garcia, and according to NBC, will offer everyday people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in head-to-head challenges to reach your potential greatness.
The show was inspired by Johnson’s desire to motivate global audiences to reach their fullest potential, as the competition welcomes men and women who are strong enough to believe in themselves and simultaneously confident enough to test their own abilities by taking on physical challenges of epic proportions. “Titan Games” will not only test the competitors’ physical strength, but also their mental and emotional endurance. Taking place in a thrilling arena, determination will be rewarded as a new breed of heroes will emerge.
NBC states that: “in each episode, competitors from across America will step inside an electrifying arena and put themselves to the ultimate test by facing one of six reigning Titans. They will battle their opponents in remarkable feats that will require both mental stamina and physical strength.” ‘Titan Games’ will be 10 episodes long.
The trailer, shown below, depicts The Rock in his usual, body-building environment, promoting “Titan Games” as a revolution in the making.
For more information on “Titan Games” and how to apply for the show casting, click here.