There’s a lot to love about the Pasadena Playhouse. It’s a gem of a theater, beautifully renovated, intimate and not a bad seat in the house.
The current production at the Playhouse was written by August Wilson who won the Pulitzer Prize for “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson.”
We saw it last night. It’s called “Jitney,” the story of cab company owner Becker, as he tries to stop the city from tearing down the building while also dealing with the homecoming of his son who is returning after serving 20 years in prison for murder.
“Jitney” is part of Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle, a 10-play tribute to his home city. The plays are each set in a different decade and together they paint a vivid picture of the Black experience in the 20th century.
Wilson once said that his plays offer a different way to look at Black Americans by showing the commonalities of life’s experiences.
Listen to my conversations with Charlie Robinson, who plays Becker, and Sheldon Epps, artistic director of the Pasadena Playhouse and find your way to the theater to see “Jitney.” It was well worth staying up late on a Thursday night.
Jitney closes July 15, 2012
Tickets at www.pasadenaplayhouse.org or call 626-356-7529
Last night was breathtaking. We assembled on the beach in Malibu in our beach chairs and on blankets for the annual 4th of July picnic/extravaganza. The more adventurous donned wet suits and paddled out to sea on their surfboards and in kayaks as the barge belonging to Rick Caruso, owner of The Grove, positioned itself for the big show.
We had to wait for the fireworks at nearby Paradise Cove to finish before beginning, and believe me, it was worth the wait! While little kids teased and chased the waves, we grownups caught up with each other and passed around barbecue and libations. Kids wrote their names and made patterns with sparklers under the stars. It was as Norman Rockwell as Malibu ever gets.
Then, around 9:30, the REAL show began. Stunning fireworks of every stripe turned night into day and black skies to searing orange…and the barge was so close we felt as though the fireworks would rain straight down upon our heads! So, so incredible. The oohing and ahhhing just added to the utterly special atmosphere, and when the surf started rolling in closer and closer to our blankets, we found ourselves scampering to safety.
Couples kissed under the sparkling skies, and once again, we all remarked that nature–along with a little help from Chinese fireworks creators–is the best artist of all.
I hope you had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July–which is one of the finest traditions we have in the U.S.!
Please share your experiences with us here–we’d love to hear how you spent your day of Independence.
Had a delightful time over the 4th of July holiday hanging with guitarist, singer, songwriter and award winning producer Paul Brown and his lovely wife Jacqui.
We had a delightful dinner, drank lots of fine wine and heard some amazing music that Paul is working on with a couple of exciting new artists you’ll soon be hearing from and one of our all time favorites, Patti Austin.
While we were there, Paul let me hold the Grammy he won for producing Norman Brown’s award winning release Just Chillin’. Those Grammy awards are really heavy!
Keep listening for new music from Paul Brown coming later this year.
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