Actors Grind 

Week two was a good one as the UE cast began exploring the characters a little more. Beginning the session as usual,we had a discussion concerning how each person felt towards the character they would be portraying. For many they already saw the relation of how these characters can be someone in their lives. From utilizing life events many saw themselves as a mother loosing her child or a trash man or teacher talking to kids trying to help them onto a straight path. With the vision of stepping in these shoes life was able to be brought to these characters.

 
For the vets reprising roles was both easy and hard as it becomes a moment of generating that emotional felling back up but first it needed to be summoned through the memory of words to cast life once again.  

In some cases it became more of a call to stepping up that would prove to be the challenge as it would be more so about them being able to lead and getting others to follow. However as the path is laid out seeing the emotion of all will prove to be the tops of the actors grind. 

The Art of Telling a Story 

  
There is a place of understanding when it comes to writing and Kash has shown that when it’s in honesty people will come out to see it. Over the weekend I had the honor of taking in Mr. Goins play VtoX with an ensemble cast that showed they have what it takes to bring characters to life this show about the many faces that are placed into the judicial system all connect in someway as we learn that this is and always will be big business. What audience, this was definitely worth as wild as it was shown in and interactive state allowing them to be part of the action and with in the breath of the play for many it is probably ring true to home with stories surrounding rape molestation wrongful incarceration abuse and again business. These stories were made to make you cry make you laugh and more than anything make you think to wear as you only can see one thing and that is the truth within the story.

Wanted

  Photo by Julia Formisland Creation by Roxette words by Brorha Train
All he wanted was acceptance 
All she wanted was acceptance 
All they deserved was acceptance 
All they cared for was love 
All they wanted was love
All they got was bruises 
From the many that couldn’t understand 
All they got were bruises 
Submitted in ink saying words like abomination 
All they felt was pain 
Injected into everyday eye contact 

that had no reason to give a negative 
All they received was shunning 
Of those that swore they understood biblical scriptures but never took the time to actually read the script
All they cared for was acceptance 
In the form of an embrace embedded in a hug that in many ways managed to remove the bruises and pain
All she needs is your love
Her as a person 

Her as a woman 

Her as she is 

Not what you want her to be 

But as a person 

So remember this is all she needs..

Allen Brotha Train Clark 2015

Me and My Momma: Watching “Empire”

  
I am not a fan of Empire so I’m not going to be here taking shots at the show just give an insight to me and my momma Wednesday’s. 

Mom: Allen turn my show is on!
Me: Mom it’s not on yet.
Mom; Yes it is you don’t know. 
Me: what time does it come on? 
Mom: 9.
Me: And what time is it? 
Mom: 8!?
Me: See.

(Hour later)

Me: Mom your show is on.

(Mom rolls into the living room)

Mom: ohhh!! I can’t wait for my Cookie. 

(Show is on mom is glued on show. Cookie makes a comment concerning her being arrested mom begins laughing)

Mom: Ha ha ha!! That girl is a mess!! 

Me: This is stupid writing mom.

Mom: You don’t know what your talking about. Look at this one of the top shows on tv is a black cast show. It’s entertaining and filled with drama be happy for them. 

Me: But the writing sucks mom lame jokes, one line zingers, simple stuff. 

Mom: And its equivalent to Dynasty, a family in chaos among each other. That’s called good tv. So give it props!

Me: Ok mom your right but it still sucks…😜

A Drummers Hymn 

 

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A drummers hymn will always bring life to you 

a drummers hymn will always bring life to you 

Listen to the beat as it resides in you 

Listen to your ancestors as they talk to you

A drummers hymn will always bring life into you 

A drummers hymn will always bring life into you 

Listen to the cry of children coming through 

Listen as your people make a war cries

They are crying 

Little girls are crying 

As they scream in anger still wondering why someone wanted to burn them behind church walls 

Listen as little boys cry out to you 

He wonders why they hung him when he did nothing special all

Listen to the drum 

Their spiritual is dance rides callus tips

Listen to the percussion as it is the little voices asking why 

Listen as its tap are little voices wondering why 

A drummers hymn will always bring life to you 

A drummers hymn will always bring life to you 

Listen to the beat as it resides in you 

Listen to your ancestors as they talk through you

Lost Soul Syndrome

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We live in a future that the average minority youth believes his life has a limitation. For many that means never seeing pass the ghetto, never imagining themselves as college graduates, never envisioning living, loving, breathing or just being. These thoughts are not limited to black or Latino children but many minority children within inner cities. The need for positive role models should not be limited to sports players or those in entertainment but even the Brother managing a bodega, the brother getting a masters in science to change the world, the brother working as a teacher in a system that wants to give up on children and the brother sitting in the park with his kids and lady teaching them how to ride a bike. Truth is these are the images that can change a life, these are images that resemble real life, these are the images many need to understand these men have a strive worth becoming why because it involves integrity, consciousness and wanting to build. These are images that speak choice and tell you what you can become and that you can climb out of the syndrome of lost souls…

Colors

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As minority men we are always seen as the murderer,the drug dealer, the thief, the abuser, the killer, but never the innocent, the victim, the punished, the abused.. These moments aren’t about banding together for one death but for the many wrongs that have been subjected to us as a people African American, Latino, and any other melanin that’s always fitting a profile, under a police officers stick, held at gun point, stopped and frisked, followed in a store or just plainly seen as a threat because of your skin. All we really want to know is when will it change?