White America Discovers Marvin X--fifty years later!

Monday, August 9, 2010

White America Discovers Marvin X








White America Discovers Marvin X--Fifty Years Later


MarvinX and his Academy of Da Corner rocked the San Francisco TheatreFestival today. Not only did the largely white audience enjoy his veryfirst play Flowers for the Trashman, 1965, produced by the dramadepartment at San Francisco State University, but they enjoyed as wellhis current production of The Wisdom of Plato Negro, Parables/fables.

Additionally,the audience was blessed with the productions of his two top dramastudents, Ayodele Nzingha, Lower Bottom Playaz, and Geoffrey Grier, SanFrancisco Recovery Theatre. Both playwrights, actors and directorsevolved from the mentoring of Marvin X.

Ayodele as actress,director and producer was consummate in her rendition of Opal PalmerAdisa's Bathroom Graffiti Queen. Since an actor can only excel whengiven a proper script, we must acknowledge the fine writing of OpalPalmer Adisa. But the actor takes the script to the next level ofexcellence and Ayo surpassed the script with her acting ability.

HerLower Bottom Playaz performed in grand manner Marvin X's first playFlowers for the Tashman. The playwright was totally pleased with theyoung men who delivered the drama in the classical form it deservedafter a half century in the Black Arts Movement.

Ayo's Mama atTwilight remains a touching story of denial and faith in the familydrama about HIV/AIDS. The Lower Bottom Playaz of West Oakland, childhoodhome of Marvin X, have had time to become well skilled in thepresentation of their repertory. All the actors must be congratulated.Someone mentioned they were especially happy to see the young men'sperformance in Flowers for the Trashman.

Geoffrey Grier's plays,Jet, The Spot, and Night at the Blackhawk, are equally honorable andworthy of praise. We especially enjoyed his production of Amiri Baraka'sDutchman. The audience enjoyed it as well. Even though we may havewanted a younger actor to perform the role of Clay, the person who didit was so skillful we excused his age.

It was amazing to see thatFlowers for the Trashman and the Dutchman are indeed classics thathave withstood the test of time. Fifty years later they are stillrelevant and powerful dramas of black consciousness in America. Lulasaid to Clay that it's all about your manhood. And so it is.

Theday ended with the Wisdom of Plato Negro, Parables/fables by Marvin X.The mostly white audience sat in anticipation as members of Academy ofthe Corner Reader's Theatre gathered on stage. Marvin X opened withsinger/guitarist Rashidah Sabreen's original song A Real Love, joined byMarvin's poem What is Love. The audience sensed they were in forsomething different.

Paradise Jah Love came with Parable of thePenguin, then Parable of Oakland's Day of Absence, recounting the daythe Oscar Grant verdict was announced. It was a communal ritual readalso by Talibah, who joined with her drum. It the background was themusic of Elliott Bey's synthesizer. Rashidah added dance numbers. Thegroup held up poster pictures of Oscar Grant.

Mechelle LaChauxperformed Parable of the Cell Phone. The audience went stone wild.Mechelle is an actress and singer, so her linguistic flexibility isunmatched. Marvin X's language will put Tyler Perry in pre-school.Critic Wanda Sabir said his language will "knock the socks off oldladies." Well, there were several senior women in the audience whodidn't miss a linguistic beat.

We think the hottest piece wasParable of the Woman in the Box, performed by choreographer/dancerRaynetta Rayzetta, accompanied by Rashidah. Raynetta is X's favoritechoreographer/dancer. She had the audience inside the box with her, assomeone said.

X ended with his poem You Don't Know Me, accompanied by a Rashidah Sebreen original song.

White America has discovered Marvin X! Yes, fifty years later!

The USA's Rumi...the politics of Baraka, the ecstasy of Hafiz, the wisdom of Saadi....
--Bob Holman, Bowery Poetry Club, New York City

Ifyou want to learn about motiviation and inspiration, don't spend allthat money going to workshops and seminars, just go stand at 14th andBroadway, downtown Oakland, and watch Marvin X at work. He's Platoteaching on the streets of Oakland.
--Ishmael Reed
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