Some Reviews For You

By: Natalie Couture— Staff Writer (CSU Intern), The Drive Student Blog

2021 has been a wiiiiillldddd ride so far, folks. Time seems to fly and yet crawl by at the same time, there’s no rhyme or reason for anything, and I can’t seem to stop procrastinating, so here’s a couple things I’ve read and seen to pass the time.

Photo by Da Capo Press.

First up is When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago. This book is a glimpse into the colonization of Puerto Rico, gender norms and values that shape a story’s setting, and one girl’s journey to becoming a señorita.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

“Clear-eyed, quietly powerful, and often lyrical: a story of true grit.”

Kirkus

If you’re a fan of novels and a fan of memoir (or maybe even one or the other), Esmeralda Santiago’s When I was Puerto Rican feels like both of these genres combined. As a vulnerable, personal story that reads like a well-crafted novel rather than a reflection of one’s own experience, When I Was Puerto Rican takes readers into the world of Negi’s childhood, where she learns to become her own person in a world of imperialism and the expectations of society and others. Santiago deliberately structures her story in the truest form to her development, seamlessly cataloguing her perspective at various moments in her childhood as she delves into the events of her years “growing up” without giving too much of a glimpse into who she will yet become.

From several moves, to and from different schools, cities, and the like, to a final stop in Nueva York that Negi only heard stories about as a child, Santiago recalls the political climates in Puerto Rico, how they change in the midst of election season to show “care for la gente” only to disappear after the results are in, and how her family works to meet its ever-growing needs as time goes on. Kirkus review the story and calls it “Cleareyed, quietly powerful, and often lyrical: a story of true grit.” Kirkus

Photo by HBO from Chronophlogiston.

Next is Chernobyl, the 2019 5-part series from HBO that shows a story of mankind’s follies, determination, and will to live.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

…Eye-opening, exposing, and meticulously crafted.

Chernobyl catalogues the disaster that occurred in Pripyat, USSR in April, 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. For those who may have grown up after this disaster, only to hear briefly about the event in history books, this series is eye-opening, exposing, and meticulously crafted. World Nuclear Association

Chernobyl, though a fictional reenactment of the events that occurred both during and after the Chernobyl disaster, which stemmed from a safety test gone wrong that caused an explosion in Reactor 4 at The Chernobyl Power Plant. The disaster resulted in an official death count of between 30 and 40 individuals, although the exact number of deaths resulting from the event is still unknown. The series provides a unique perspective on historical events that showcase humanity and its heroes and expose the Soviet socialist systems that worked to cover things up. World Nuclear Association

By the end of the first episode, you’ll be reciting “How, exactly, does an RBMK reactor explode?” and by the end of the series, you’ll probably want to visit the site. (According to my research, it’s open for travelers, and you can even stay in a nearby hotel. If you’re looking for an up-close look in the comfort of your home, check out the TikToks made by @victoria_chernobylguide.)

Photo by Pietro Jeng on Pexels.com

Brooks People to Show at The 13th annual Global Mixx Music and Film Forum

By: Micaela Shambee–Editor, The Drive

Chicago Director, and Chicago State University MFA Alumni, Shahari Moore will be one of the noteworthy Chicago Directors showing films at the Global Mixx Music and Film Forum next weekend.

Image Credit: SouthSideWeekly.com

Brooks People will show along with notable films from Chicago directors including:  “A Sisterhood of Signatures” Okema Seven Gunn, Director; “Training Wheels” Sanicole Young, Director; “Totally Becky” Dre Robinson, Director; “American As Bean Pie” Liz Toussaint, Director; “Burden” Nathan Hale Williams, Director; and “Blackorea” Christine Swanson, Director.

Moore, known for her directorial debut Swimmin’ Lesson (2011), which was chosen as an Official Selection of the Short Film Corner at the Cannes International Film Festival in France, has since created the critically acclaimed films B Love (2015), Brooks People (2017) and, Chicago Guy (2019).

Read more about Brooks People, Shahari Moore, and watch the trailer here: thegwendolynbrooksfilm.com

Learn more about the Music and Film forum and the weekend’s events below:

Global Mixx Music and Film Forum

GlobalMixx™ Founder and Executive Director, Mary Datcher says, “The GlobalMixx™ Music & Film Forum has been at the forefront of bringing quality industry panels, workshops and showcases to great talent in creative media fields since 2005. We are pleased to continue our mission by creating partnerships with independent and major corporations by connecting young people with local and national influencers. To ‘power creative minds’ is to strengthen the bridge to a world of hope and resources.”

Notable Speakers

There are several unique components at this year’s film forum. Southside native and Film and  Television Director Carl Seaton (Fox’s Snowfall, Showtime’s The Chi, NBC’s Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., C.W.’s SuperGirl, C.W.’s Dynasty and BET’s Rebel) will serve as the keynote speaker on Saturday, November 2.

Other notable speakers at this year’s film forum include Director of T.V./Theatrical at SAG/AFTRA Chicago, Kathy Byrne; Director of The Chicago Film Office, Kwame Amoaku; Writer, Sylvia Jones (OWN’s Cherish The Day, Lifetime’s The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel, CBS All Access’ Tell Me A Story, USA’s Pearson, Showtime’s The Chi); Writer, Felischa Mayre (BET’s Bigger:Creator/Co-EP, Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, Amazon T.V.’s drama series College).

Panel Discussions and Workshops

This year the GlobalMixx™ Music and Film Forum continue the tradition of presenting informative panel discussions, workshops; film and artist showcase, along with Speed Mentoring Sessions introducing attendees to some of the best in the business world.

One-on-One Conversations

Veteran agent, Claire Simon, CSA (President / Director of Casting for Simon Casting), will have an in-depth one-on-one conversation about her career and give insight on current trends in casting. Veva Riley (Owner and Principal Agent at Promote Talent Agency) will present a workshop for aspiring actors called “Get Repped. Get Booked!” tackling the Do’s and Dont’s of securing agency representation and “I Love The Pitch” a masterclass taught by Chicago native and writer Leon Hendrix (C.W.’s Two Sentence Horror Stories) will explore the essentials of the cinematic pitch and getting ‘the deal’.

The 13th annual Global Mixx Music & Film Forum is being held in Chicago from November 1 through November 3. The Hilton Garden Inn McCormick Place Hotel will be the headquarters for two days featuring film panels and screenings on Saturday, November 2 and music panels and masterclasses on Sunday, November 3, 2019.

Presented by ComEd, this year’s conference, “Powering Creative Minds” will be in the historic Motor and Record Row district and paying tribute to the burgeoning landscape of labels who graced Chicago’s South Michigan Ave. nearly six decades ago.

Over the past 13 years, GlobalMixx™ has had some of the top industry luminaries involved including Grammy-award winning producer/rapper Kanye West; Oscar and Golden Globe award-winning actor/artist Common, Sr. V.P. of A&R—NO I.D.; Hip Hop legend—DJ Kool Red Alert, Columbia Records Sr. V.P.—Cynthia Johnson; Naughty By Nature, Television Producer and Writer—Wendy Calhoun for Empire; HBO’s Black Lady Sketch Show Creator and Star—Robin Thede; George Daniels, Grammy award remixer—Maurice Joshua, Grammy-nominated remixer Steve Hurley; Television Producer—Carlos King; Hip Hop recording artist—Twista; Revolt T.V. V.P.—Kelly Griffin, DJ SNS, SESAC Songwriter of the Year—Bryan Michael Cox; Justice League, DJ Pharris, DJ Drama and MC Serch—just to name a few.

For more information, visit: www.globalmixx.org

Facebook: GLOBALMIXX Twitter: GLOBALMIXX Instagram: GLOBALMIXXMUSIC Youtube: GLOBAL MIXX MUSIC & FILM FORUM

HASHTAG: #GLOBALMIXX2019 #PoweringCreativeMinds

-And remember,

Stay Informed, open-minded, and driven.

Want to see your story or event featured? E-mail your submissions to thedrivestudentblog58@gmail.com.

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: Racial Tension

By: Micaela Shambee– Editor, The Drive

Photo Credit: CourtTheatre.org

–Romanticism, Realism, and Modernism converge in Marti Lyon’s 2018 production of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which chronicles an interracial couple’s request for approval to marry from their parents. Despite the weight of this request, the play’s premise rushes the parents and the audience through each scene to a final climactic decision, which must come before the couple departs to New York together. Driven by both a metaphorical and literal timer (10 days to fall in love and 24 hours to make a decision), the racial tension in the play rises to a boiling point at Dr. Prentice’s (Michael Aaron Pogue) dialogue with his visibly angry, work-ridden Black father (Dexter Zollicoffer), then slows to a heart-stopping beep, only after Matt Drayton’s (Tim Hopper) monologue, where he finally bestows his blessing upon the mixed-race couple. Though the play is very similar to its predecessor, the 1967 film by Stanley Kramer is different in its approach to setting, plot (scenes) and character.

Photo Credit: IMBD.com

Surprisingly, the 1967 film, which Todd Kreidler’s 2012 play was adapted from, does not have the same sense of urgency. The film has moments where the characters can at least enjoy quiet introspection, usually coupled on the terrace with colorful bushes in the background or in Mr. Drayton’s cozy study. Lyons’ adaptation, however, is marked with the added tension of a stark-white setting, a quickly defunct art deal, and Mr. Drayton’s secret vice, his smoking habit, picked up by Dr. Prentice to calm his nerves after his explosive argument with his father. The smoking adds another layer of tension to the already tense atmosphere, which is a noticeable deviation from the original screenplay.

“Lyons makes up for these deviations by essentially adding tension between cigarette puffs, the actor’s speedy delivery of lines, and demanding more of supporting characters to bring outside tension in.”

 

In fact, the play tends to deviate from the film in a multitude of ways. Most notable is the obvious deletion of any scenes outside of the Drayton’s home. Considering the constraints of theater, director Marti Lyons’ choice to exclude scenes from the original screenplay, such as the mixed-couple’s lengthy walk and cab ride from the airport to the Drayton’s home, and Mr. and Mrs. Drayton’s (played by Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn) trip to the Ice Cream Parlor, where Mr. Drayton is forced to confront racism through the choice of a bunch of ice cream flavors (that leads to an accident with another African American man), are understandable, given the lack of the play’s physical mobility. However, the deletion of these scenes makes the play lose the influence of outside forces upon the couple and their parents’ decision (which the movie relies on), ultimately losing the slow build of rising racial tension that makes the 1967 film feel authentic. Lyons makes up for these deviations by essentially adding tension between cigarette puffs, the actor’s speedy delivery of lines, and demanding more of supporting characters to bring outside tension in, such as Mrs. Drayton’s outspoken assistant Hilary St. George (Rachel Sledd), and Irish, liberal-religious Monsignor Ryan (Dan Waller). By focusing all the tension between three spaces of the Drayton’s home, the setting feels claustrophobic, which actually parallels the racial tension of the plot quite well.

Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune

However, in certain moments the plot moves along as if it were the movie, especially in characterization. The actors’ quick comical banter reveals irony and paradoxes in the play in a palatable manner, just as Sydney Poitier’s debonair suaveness soothes racial tension at every turn in the 1967 film. Katherine Hepburn (Mrs. Drayton) and her niece, Katherine Houghton’s (Joanne) emotive eyes reveal as much about hope, liberalism, and romanticism as Mary Beth Fisher (Mrs. Drayton) and Bryce Gangel’s (Joanne) performances render. The elegance of the Drayton’s home and decor, the characters’ stylish costumes, and wit all resemble that of the 1967 film.

Despite the nostalgia, the play is effective in its approximation of the screenplay, successfully capturing the sympathetic tone the film made about interracial marriage in 1967. The play comically manifests liberal hypocrisy in Mr. Drayton, somehow finds a way to bring Mr. Drayton and Mr. Prentice Sr. together, despite their obvious difference in attitude towards race, and gives the women of the play (apart from “Tillie”) a chance to explore hopeless romanticism, despite the peril of the couple existing as an interracial couple, which was a bit more sensational in 1967. Doctor Prentice and Tillie seem to be the only two that are able to look at the problem of race in the marriage with a balanced, realistic viewpoint. The characters are thus separated into three groups: those that believe the marriage is doomed, those that believe the marriage will be a success (because real love exists within), and those who are on the fence, unable to look away from the real pros and cons of the situation. However, special scrutiny is needed for Matilda “Tillie” Binks, the Drayton’s maid.

Photo Credit: New City Stage

Tillie (Syndey Charles) is a special character in the play. Syndey Charles’ take on Tillie seems to slightly rewrite the 1967 loving, realistic, but stereotypical “Mammie” character Beah Richards made famous. Charles’ Tilly dishes out tough love, and fierce skepticism about Dr. Prentice that nearly makes one believe that the doctor is a trickster (and that Tillie may harbor internalized racism). Charles’ performance thus allows Tillie to move within the Drayton’s family drama as a person both hyper-aware of her race and also as a race-invisible family member. (Whereas Beah Richards’ Tillie wears her race on her sleeve at all times).

Photo Credit: Sidney Poitier and Katharine Houghton in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Photo: Columbia Pictures. NYMAG.com

Despite the obvious deviations from the original film, the play does not seem to improve the original story, but rather reinforce the same message. What Lyons allowed Sydney Charles to do with Tillie, should have been done with each of the characters as the others are quite similar to the original characters in the film. Sydney Charles’ Tillie, being one of the more modernistic characters in the play, departs from the stereotypical character just as a Modernist would break from sudden tradition, and that is where the play truly shines. A more modern approach to the other characters would have been appreciated, considering the six year difference of the film’s screenplay. However, the play and the film’s setting, characterization and plot create enough tension to offer a tantalizing race issue, enough to nearly wage a gender driven war.

∗∗∗∗ 4 out of 5 stars∗∗∗∗

Did you see the play? Do you remember the movie? What did you think? Sound off in the comments below!

 

–And remember,

Stay informed, open-minded, and driven.