LaVilla

10 Questions courtesy of our friends at the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville: According to the League of American Orchestras, fewer than two percent (2%) of professional classical musicians in the United States are African-American.  The 2010 Census, which is the most recent Census survey, showed that individuals who identify as African-American represent roughly thirteen percent (13%) of the US population. The disheartening statistic related to the number of African-Americans professionally involved in classical music is one of the motivators that led to the founding of the Ritz Chamber Players. Founded in 2002 by , the stopped charging admission to their concerts …

is the new home for Jacksonville’s longest running African-American production company, Stage Aurora Theatrical Company. Stage Aurora has produced over 100 theatrical productions including Pulitzer Prize Winners Driving Miss Daisy, To Kill A Mockingbird, Fences, and The Piano Lesson, and Tony Award Winners The Color Purple and A Raisin in the Sun. Other classics include Crowns, Miss Ever’s Boys, Mama I Want to Sing, Disney’s High School Musical, and a community favorite, Darryl Reuben Hall’s Frat House. The Company just wrapped a three week performance of The Wiz at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre and are preparing to produce Dreamgirls at …

The Ritz Theatre and Museum’s current feature exhibition, Through Our Eyes: Sensory Perception 2016, not only focuses on sight, but all sensory perception, in a collection of works from local African-American artists. As people walk in, they are taken through pieces of art that embody sensory perception in some form. Curator Lydia Stuart discussed the exhibition with me. “The inspiration behind this year’s exhibition was a result of a couple of things. One inspiration came from a couple of volunteers that were visually impaired taking visitors through the gallery and talking about the artwork. It showed me that we rely …

A-Train Live: The Experience makes history as being the first and only comedy series to take residence at the historic Ritz Theatre & Museum. This unique comedy experience will allow guests an opportunity to enjoy a pleasant atmosphere, as A-Trainplays host to some of the funniest comedians from around the country. He will also conduct brief Q&A sessions with each featured act at the end of each show. These Q&A sessions will allow audience members to gain a more intimate understanding of the men and women behind the jokes. Jacksonville native and resident, comedian A-Train hosts the ultimate entertainment experience …

STAGE AURORA THEATRE COMPANY REVIEW DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM [email protected] Downtown Jacksonville was a busy place on Sunday afternoon on June 19, 2016, as the presented an original musical, “Harlem of the South,” on the stage of the Hicks Auditorium in the downtown public library. A large and enthusiastic Father’s Day audience was entertained by a vibrant cast of singers and dancers in a show conceived by , CEO/Executive Director of Stage Aurora. The show was possible as Stage Aurora was a recipient of a Spark Grant and was sponsored in part by The Cultural Council of Jacksonville and …

THE LION KING JR MUSICAL LaVilla School of the Arts Drama Department Review Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom [email protected] presented Disney’s “” for a three-day run during November 19 – 21, 2015 at the school in Jacksonville, Florida. The Lion King roared as a cast of twenty-eight students and one adult non-student appeared on stage in an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical created especially for middle school students. LaVilla’s production played to an almost full-capacity audience on the Saturday afternoon when we saw the play. The Broadway version debuted in 1997 and was based on Disney’s earlier animated film …

  Event: The Hip-Hop Nutcracker Venue: The Ritz Theatre Date/Time: Nov 29 at 3 and 7pm Tickets: $25-40 Contact: www.ritzjacksonville.com   A contemporary work set to’s timeless music,  is a holiday mash-up featuring special guest and rap pioneer and hip-hop interludes remixed and reimagined by DJ Boo. Directed and choreographed by , artistic director of Brooklyn’s all-female hip-hop crew , and adapted by , executive director of United Palace of Cultural Arts in New York City, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is staged for two performances at 3pm and 7pm Nov 29 at the (www.ritzjacksonville.com). The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an evening-length production performed …

The second wave of Jazz Discovery Series artists is rolling in this fall at the . The series is curated by The University of North Florida graduate and jazz arranger, producer and artist . “Jacksonville loves jazz,” says Lumpkin. “The Jazz Discovery series introduces our community to amazingly talented musicians that are leading the next generation of jazz.” His band will serve as the house band for the newly created venture. In addition to being on staff at and , Lumpkin holds a Master’s Degree from Florida State University and has shared the stage with notable musicians, including Delfeayo Marsalis, Wycliff …

After an eight year hiatus, Grammy-nominated neo-soul duo (comprised of singers/songwriters and ) has reemerged on the music scene with a reunion tour at the . Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart are the funky divas behind the neo-soul duo Floetry. Ambrosius and Stewart emerged in the mid-’90s as songwriters in demand. They’re behind some of the new millennium’s biggest hits, too. The pair has written tracks for Michael Jackson, Jill Scott, Glenn Lewis, and Bilal. While they’re highly respected behind the scenes, Floetry is their way of moving up front. Ambrosius is the songstress to Stewart’s spoken word impresario or “floacist” …