Last year, Cora Bissett's Roadkill, an immersive play about sex trafficking was one of my favorite productions of the year. I was so moved by the St. Ann's Warehouse production that I later attended a forum sponsored by the British Council and NYU Law School just so that I could participate in a conversation about this topic about the victimization of young girls and women. This year, Nikkole Salter continues the conversation by exploring sex tourism and the demand for this sort of sex in her play Carnaval, now playing at the National Black Theatre in Harlem. The play takes place in the 1990s. Three young men from Brooklyn head to Rio to live large and partake in the sex tourism industry there. Eventually, things falls apart in Rio for the men and their friendship is forever tested. If you have an interest in this topic, Ms. Salter's play is a must see. It is an interesting perspective. I can't say that I understand the demand to exploit poor young girls and women any better after seeing her play, but I definitely appreciate that this topic has returned to the New York City stage. Carnaval opens tomorrow and runs through November 16th. Other Posts The "Roadkill" Forum: Stop the Demand to Purchase the Bodies of Victims
Now this is what I call workmanship. There is nothing on earth more exquisite than a bonny book, with well-placed columns of rich black writing in beautiful borders, and illuminated pictures cunningly inset. But nowadays, instead of looking at books, people read them. A book might as well be one of those orders for bacon and bran that you are scribbling.~ The Nobleman in George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan
Tucked in Parliament Hill in Ottawa is one of the most exquisite libraries I've ever seen. A must see if you are ever in Ottawa!! Unfortunately though, you won't get a chance to touch the books, inhale the paper, finger the trims, and best of all browse through them. No, you won't. But if you are a book lover - physical books, ebooks, any kind of books - you can check out Random House's Open House. A few times each year, Random House opens its doors, invites book lovers in, and gives them an opportunity to hang out with other book lovers and chat with authors and editors. The event costs $60 and the next one takes place on November 14th in Midtown.
...I feel most alive when I'm holed up in some corner, writing things down. I pick up a pen, and almost immediately everything seems to take shape around me. I love to write. I love writing my parents because then I become the ideal son. I love writing essays for English, because then I am for a short while a true scholar. I love writing letters to the newspaper, notes to friends, Christmas cards, anything where I have to put down words. I love writing you. You most of all. I always have. I feel like a true lover when I'm writing you. This letter, which I'm writing with my own hand, with my own pen, in my own penmanship, comes from me and no one else, and is a present of myself to you. It's not typewritten, though I've learned how to type. There's no copy of it, though I suppose I could use a carbon. And it's not a telephone call, which is dead as soon as it is over. No, this is just me, me the way I write, the way my writing is, the way I want to be to you, giving myself to you across a distance, not keeping or retaining any part of it for myself, giving this piece of myself to you totally, and you can tear me up and throw me out, or keep me, and read me today, tomorrow, any time you want until you die.
The audience tonight at the 92Y did not get a vocal master class from 72 year old "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin. We were however treated to quite a listening party of tracks from the Queen's upcoming album - Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics. And you know what...it was pretty special watching the Queen bounce to her covers of some very popular diva tunes. Check out the track list... 1. At Last 2. Rolling In The Deep 3. Midnight Train To Georgia 4. I Will Survive 5. People 6. No One 7. I’m Every Woman 8. Teach Me Tonight 9. You Keep Me Hangin’ On 10. Nothing Compares 2 U
And thanks to Clive Davis, I raced home from the UES, opened youtube and watched her memorable Clinton inauguration performance of I Dreamed a Dream.
