Entertainment

A Star-Studded Tribute to Blacks on TV, Yesterday and Today

Published

10 years ago

May 14, 2015

Kerry Washington, left, and Cicely Tyson, attend the The Paley Center Tribute to African-American Achievements in Television at Cipriani Wall Street on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)

Frazier Moore, ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — When Oprah Winfrey was a youngster, the mere sighting of an African-American on television was occasion to alert all the neighbors, she recalled.

“We would call them to say, ‘Colored people are on TV! Colored people are on!'” The only black child she was ever likely to see telecast was the unflattering role model Buckwheat on the ancient “Little Rascals” comedies, Winfrey added.

Things are different today, which was part of the reason for Wednesday’s gala thrown at New York’s Cipriani Wall Street by the Paley Center for Media, paying tribute to African-American Achievements in Television. Not only was the event meant to highlight current inroads by blacks in every area of TV, but, as Winfrey told those gathered, “part of the power of this evening is to honor our history” — which, in fact, stretches back seven decades and more, to the birth of TV.

“Olympian Jesse Owens was the first black person shown on the nation’s earliest experimental TV transmission,” Winfrey said, as an example. That was in 1936.

The evening was divided into TV drama, sports, news and talk, music, and comedy, and dug into the Paley Center’s archives for dozens of examples past and present.

On hand to introduce segments were Kerry Washington and Lee Daniels, Julius Erving and Michael Strahan, Wynton Marsalis and Shemar Moore, plus Phylicia Rashad, as well as the co-stars of this season’s new comedy, “black-ish,” Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross.

At age 90, Cicely Tyson was saluted for her distinguished career, which included a breakthrough role for a black actress in the 1963-64 CBS drama “East Side/West Side” — for which she took heat for insisting that her character wear her hair natural — a TV first.

In today’s world, Tyson told the room with satisfaction, African-Americans have now come to understand “our pride and glory is our hair” — though she reminded everyone, “that doesn’t mean you can’t wear your hair the way you want to.”

Larry Wilmore and Gwen Ifill also were on hand, with the satirist-host of Comedy Central’s “The Nightly Show” telling the PBS newswoman that, standing beside her at the podium, he felt “like a Chinatown Rolex next to the real deal.”

“I AM the real deal,” she replied with a smile, which seemed to be a theme of the night.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

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Arts and Culture

Promise Marks Performs Songs of Etta James in One-Woman Show, “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Theater in Berkeley

“The (show) is a fictional story about a character named Etta, aka Lady Peaches,” said Marks. “She falls in love with Johnny Rhythm, leader of the Rhythm Players Band and headliners of Madam G’s Glitta Lounge.” Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo Courtesy Of Promise Marks.

Special to the Post

It was “A Sunday Kind of Love” at the Black Repertory Group Theater in Berkeley on Saturday night, Dec. 7. The one-woman musical based on the music of Etta James featured the multi-talented singer Promise Marks

Marks, who wrote and directed the musical, also owns PM Productions.

Marks channeled the essence of Etta James, singing favorites such as “Sugar on the Floor” and “At Last.”

In between her soulful songs, Marks narrated impactful moments of the love story and journey of blues and forgiveness.

Marks sultry voice carried the audience back to an era that echoed with the power of Black music and a time of great change.

Marks said James shared love for the Black community by singing at gatherings during the Civil Rights Movement uplifting the people.

“She spoke to the movement, spoke to the people, and let her music speak for itself,” Marks said.

Backing the musical’s monologues, images and videos of Etta James are projected for the audience to view. While the production is fictional, Marks infused script with the unfairness and heartbreak James experienced while performing.

Marks performed gospel artist Donnie McClurkin’s “We Fall Down” as she narrated acts of reconciliation and forgiveness among the characters at Johnny Rhythm’s deathbed.

Marks, who regularly sings for the Miss America Pageant, was asked to perform as Etta James last year. “(At the event) a lady yelled out to me: ‘You’re Etta James!’ And then the audience went crazy. I said to myself, ‘I may have something here,’” she said.

Within 12 months, Marks created the musical production, which featured a dozen songs honoring “the great legacy of Etta James,” she said.

Marks says she was saddened to see how Etta James was often judged by the struggles in her life and wanted to offer attendees a more layered view.

“Etta’s life was so big. I want people to know that she was more than her drug addiction,” said Marks. “We can’t make that her legacy. Her catalog is too amazing. You can’t just be that and have the catalog that she (created). I don’t want the addiction to be the focus: I want her music, her element, her sassiness, and what she brought to be the focus – her woman-ness, that she was strong, and I wanted to honor that.”

Set Designer Nora Burnette says she created the set segments to mirror James’ life story. A set designer for BRG since 2016, she explained that her process of researching the scenario and the character serve as her inspiration for her design.

“I try to design a set as close to real life as possible so that the actress can deliver the performance sincerely,” said Burnette. “By creating the right setting, it helps the actors release the true essence of a character.”

The set brought the story to life and absolutely floored Marks. “Once Promise (Marks) saw the actual set, she understood my vision: ‘Wow, you get me. You get it,'” Marks told the designer.

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, Etta James, began her career in 1954 and gained fame with hits such “At Last” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.” She faced a number of personal problems, before making a musical comeback in the late 1980s with the album “Seven Year Itch.”

Co-producer and BRG Development Director, Sean Vaughn Scott, works with Overseer Production. According to producer Pamela Spikes, “Marks talent truly does Etta’s life story justice.”

Pam Jacobs of Hercules, a friend of Marks’ mom, Jackie Smith, said, Marks “was fabulous and sang all of those songs flawlessly.”

“I’m so proud of my daughter,” said Smith.

Marks, who has served as an instructor for BRG, will return on Feb. 21- 23 for an encore run of the musical.

“It’s an honor to be a part of the BRG (Black Repertory Group) family and continue our executive director Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott’s vision for the Black Repertory Group theater,” said Marks.

The Black Repertory Group Theatre is located at 3201 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA 94703. For information, visit: BlackRepertoryGroup.com