"Creativity and All That Jazz"

All work and no play...well, you know the rest. This weekend it was all about creativity and jazz. Creativity in the form of enjoying and dissecting the complexities of an August Wilson play - King Hedley II on a cold Friday night at the Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, DC. The characters were very engaging in bringing to light the plight of Black folks struggling to make it in life especially making choices which would set them back.

This play runs from February 6 - March 8, 2015 and is definitely worth it's 3 hours in gold! Two thumbs up! See photos of King Hedley II and costumes from two of August Wilson's play - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Piano Lesson displayed in area surrounding the Catwalk Cafe on the third floor of the Mead Center.

Synopsis:
King Hedley has returned, but to reign for how long? With an angry scar down the length of his face and seven years of prison haunting him, King has a chance to lock away his past and achieve an entrepreneurial dream. But Pittsburgh's Hill District is an unforgiving place, and the return of Elmore, a scheming conman armed with a derringer and family secrets could strike a fatal blow to King's second coming. The ninth installment of August Wilson's acclaimed play cycle examining Black America, King Hedley II is one of the most stirring and ferocious explorations of fate, honor and the daily struggles of American life.

Cast Members:
E. Faye Butler - Ruby (King's mother)
Andre De Sheilds - Stool Pigeon
Jessica Frances Dukes - Tonya
Kenyatta Rogers - Mister
Michael Anthony Williams - Elmore
Bowman Wright - King

On Saturday, it was time to kick back and enjoy some smooth jazz at Blues Alley in Washington, DC. The performer was none other than Roy Ayers who ROCKED the house. Although it was a cramped setting, nobody seemed to mind. I was up close and personal and saw every sweat that he wiped from his brow. The crowd sang and laughed out loud especially when he did "Everybody Loves the Sunshine" and added the twist of "Freak, what I freak, when I freak, what I freak, when I'm freakin', in the sunshine." YES! Now that's what I'm talking about!

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