Black Voices
Black Voices
Act Reel Theater Company
By L’Tanya Van Hamersveld
Brown Venue, Orlando International Theater Fringe Festival, Orlando, FL</strong>
The stridence of the Civil Rights days has faded a bit, but there’s still a rich tapestry of black culture that main stream America either ignores or isn’t aware enough to seek out. Act Reel Theater Company presents a beautiful sampler of the Black Experience, ranging from the better know musical traditions of blues and gospel to the sorts of novels and poems you might not encounter without a few credits in Black Studies.
There’s a gospel opener sung by Leon Young and Rudy Porter who both look as if they are equally at home ina church choir and a juke joint full of sinners. The entire company joins them, some sporting afros last seen in the mid 70’s. “This Joy” transition into “I’ve been so Black and Blues”. and we are off into the world of Dashikis and discrimnation. While music punctuates the show, it the readings of ex-slave’s life stories and Langston Hughes’ high life in 20’s Harlem and Zora Neil Hurston’s tales of the work camps that form the backbone of the story. Punctuating the slices of reality are love poems like “Homage to Hips” and “Beautiful Black Men.” Things might be bad, but Black life isn’t all about the Blues. While this isn’t exactly Sunday service, “Black Voices” can lift your soul.
More information on Act Reel may be found at http://www.myspace.com/actreeltheatre or www.myspace.com/actreelincThis show is presented as part of the 17th Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival. Information on times, tickets, and venue location my be found at http://OrlandoFringe.org/ <p
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