Coming Soon! A new Vintage Styled Umbrella with Images of LaBakair!

Josephine Tonight Part II

As promised here is part II of my review of the play.  All I can say is if you missed it, you truly missed something phenomenal!  From start to finish it was a theatrical delight. Each and every actor, the story line, the songs (backed up by a live orchestra) - each musical dialogue (Wally Harper) contained clever content and told a story that touched the heart..  And the costumes.... Oh! the costumres... Designer Reggie Ray outdid himself! All of the cast members were dazzling and dapper. However, two of the white ensembles worn by Zurin V. stick out in my mind. That white pantsuit and cloche hat would cause the real Josephine to smile.  An the final white ensemble was clearly well  reserched and almost perfectly duplicated to match the one worn by LaBakair herself.

As I sat in the audience watching the play for the third time, I had the biggest grin on my face - so proud
to see such a quality production and glad the story of my shero is being told with such dignity and grace.

Bravo!

Part I BBS Reviews the play - Josephine Tonight!

Josephine Tonight

A new play on the life of Josephine Baker up to the age of 24

          I have only had the opportunity to veiw the preview performance of this play sans costumes.

However as someone who has researched and studied Josephine Baker for more than six years, I felt

compelled to give my preview review.I was uber excited to attend the performance and was delighted to sit in the seat origionally reserved for thecostume designer for the production – Reggie Ray.  So to my delight  I ended up sitting next to the playwrite Mr.

Sherman Yellen!  After saying hello, we discussed his vision briefly. He told me that he wanted an

all black cast and that the play will travel under different names.  It was previously presented as

Tumpie’s Dance but few people know that Josephine was called Tumpie as a youngster. Josephine Tonight seemed like a better fit.

 When aksed if he had aspirations for a Broadway run, he was flattered at the thought, but said that

 he would rather have a great run off Broadway, than have a lukewarm response on Broadway. Josephine Tonight has a stellar cast including Howard University’s graduate Zurin Villanueva in the starring role and a full orchestra to boot!

     Knowing the full story of Ms. Baker’s life, I watched with a critical eye and when Mr. Yellen asked me

halfway through “So does it live up to your expectation of what you know about her?”  I answered, “So far

so good.”  Clear to me, was the fact that the play is a mixture of truth and creative license, but I love the story

that was told.  The fact that Josephine’s mother went to Paris with her in the beginning is not factual, but her

presence  provides a moral conscience and softens the attitude of Josephine who was scarred

by a race riot she witnessed as a child and other acts of prejudice. The songs and music in the production contain
 delightful lyrics and support the storyline perfectly.  The Choreography and Direction of Maurice Hines who I also
 had the pleasure of meeting was on point.  In the end all I could say to Mr. Yellen was “Brilliant! Simply Brillant!”

As someone who worked behind the scenes on historic research and costume research for this production, I cannot

Wait to see it again!

Stay Tuned for Part II of my Review

Josephine Tonight  January 26 – March 18, 2012    Alexandria Virginia    www.metrostage.org

I found this Tribute to Josephine Baker on YouTube. The person did a great job of pulling together the clips from about four JB movies. I own them all, but this is a great way to show various aspects of the Icon. Good Job!

Josephine the Charleston Queen

I knew nothing about the DC Tweed Ride until my friend Adrian Loving informed me.  It is a glorious bike ride through the streets of D.C. with riders wearing  vintage clothing...some riding vintage bikes and the like.  So when I looked at the Dandies and Quaintrells website I knew it was a great idea!  Looking at the pictures reminded me of a time gone by and a famous woman who was a popular figure but not so much in the U.S. So maybe folks don't know)  The pictures on the site showed me that the Tweed Ride participants gathered at a local pub to dine, chill and dance.  So when I saw pics of some of them doing the Charleston, I knew I had to be at the next event  to tell folks about the Queen of the Charleston - Josephine!

Keri Hilson - Pretty Girl Rock

beyonce live on fashion rocks deya vu