Lorraine Hansberry Theatre Presents "A Joyful Noise"

Lorraine Hansberry Theatre presents:
“A Joyful Noise”
A Gospel Celebration of Christmas

Featuring Robin Hodge-Williams with Andre C. Andree
Directed by Buddy Butler

This is a limited run with only 14 performances from December 10-31, only!

Opens Friday, December 10, 2010

Fort Mason, Building D
San Francisco, California

As you may know, the two founders of the theatre, Stanley Williams and Quentin Easter, passed away in April and June of this year. LHT has decided to honor their legacy by making sure the theatre survives and continues to excel.

Groups of 10 or more may take advantage of a 16% discount which can increase up to 25% based upon number of the group and date to attend.

For more information:

www.lhtsf.org

415-345-7575

California Elects Its First Female Attorney General - It's Official - Kamala Harris Won!

Three weeks later, Steve Cooley concedes which officially makes Kamala Harris the new Attorney General for California!


You go, girl!!


Read more at:

www.sfgate.com

Dionne Warwick "My Life As I See It"

"For 50 years, the name Dionne Warwick has been synonymous with elegance, perfection and brilliance. Warwick, who hailed from a musically gifted family, came along at a time when computerized studio tracks were virtually non-existent, and the voice - accompanied by live music - was what made a hit record. Warwick broke new ground in music as the first "cross-over" artist from R&B into the pop genre and paved the way for generations of performers. What began for Warwick as being dubbed the "demo queen," recording the work of songwriters for the purpose of showcasing to record executives, has evolved into one of the most historic, pionering, and long-standing careers in show business."

(from inside flap)

www.simonandschuster.com

(Book review coming soon)

"My Life As I See It" - Dionne Warwick (with David Freeman Wooley)

Dionne Warwick's new autobiography, "My Life As I See It," is now for sale at bookstores and online.

Lest We Forget. . .Remembering Jonestown

Dr. Dick Gregory Leads Prayer Vigil at
32nd Annual Official Jonestown Memorial Service

Survivors, Families and Friends of Victims, and Community Leaders Take Part


OAKLAND, CA - On Nov. 18, 1978 the world as we knew it was changed forever. 918 adults and 305 children--including 40 infants--lost their lives along with U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan and a United Press International film crew. The place was Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana--that Paradise of Pain founded and led by James Warren "Jim" Jones, forever rendered infamous by its name "Jonestown."

Comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory said, "As a family man with ten children and 12 grandchildren, I can feel the pain of that tragedy and I want to share the sympathy with family and friends."


Dr. Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory
Prayer Vigil at 32nd Annual Jonestown Memorial Service
Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010 | 11:00 a.m.
Evergreen Cemetery
6450 Camden St. (at Foothill Blvd.)
Oakland, CA

WHY: To honor the victims and remind the public of the tragic murders of hard working and generous people, who had been in search of better lives for themselves and their children, were killed by Jim Jones.

COST: FREE w/refreshments served

SPEAKERS: Professor Oba T'Shaka, former San Francisco State University chairman, representatives from Congresswoman Barbara Lee's office, Dr. Edgar Boyd, Dr. Jynona Norwood, and survivors and loved ones of victims of this tragedy



Dr. Jynona Norwood is founder and executive director of Jonestown Memorial Services and Wall. On that fateful day, her family lost 27 loved ones including her beloved mother and three-month-old cousin Charles Garry Henderson--the youngest child to perish in Jonestown. "Throughout the last 32 years I have paused to reflect on the sparks of life that God created who perished in Jonestown," commented Dr. Norwood. "After losing 27 vibrant loved ones, my family and hundreds of other affected parties will come together to say, "Love never dies, but lives on in our hearts and deeds." The Jonestown victims deserve a fitting Memorial Wall in their honor."

Community, civic and ministerial leaders will honor the memories of all victims of the Jonestown massacre.

www.jones-town.org

PRESS CONTACT
Dr. Jynona Norwood
310.292.5800

Kim Burrell In Concert on November 19, 2010

The BMC Worship and Fine Arts Ministry presents A Concert Experience featuring:

KIM BURRELL

Friday, November 19, 2010
7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)

Ticket Donation $30 in advance, $35 at the door

Beebe Memorial Cathedral
3900 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609

510.655.6114
www.experiencebmc.org

For more information, call 510.655.6114

Rev. Dr. Charley Hames, Jr. - Senior Pastor
"Life is a Cathedral Experience"

OUT. The Glenn Burke Story

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s “Out. The Glenn Burke Story” Premieres Wednesday, November 10 at San Francisco’s Castro Theater.

WHAT:
The premiere of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area’s Out. The Glenn Burke Story and special town hall edition of Chronicle Live from the Castro Theatre.

WHEN:
Wednesday, November 10th

WHERE:
Castro Theatre
429 Castro Street (at Market Street)
San Francisco, California

www.csnbayarea.com


Limited tickets available at the Castro Theatre box office day of the event beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Doors open: 6:30 p.m.

Chronicle Live Town Hall: 9:15 p.m.

Admission $5.00, proceeds to benefit Marty’s Place – a community living facility that served as home to Glenn Burke.

Note:

"Out. The Glenn Burke Story" will debut on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area at 8:00 p.m.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY:

"Glenn Burke’s journey through baseball began and ended in Oakland, California. His sports career had many stops along the way, starting as a multi-sport star at Berkeley High School, followed by a brief stint at the University of Nevada, Reno as a prized basketball recruit, and then moving into professional baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers, being hailed by one coach as “the next Willie Mays.” Early in his career, Burke felt he had to hide his true self from his teammates. Later, when he began to reveal glimpses into his sexuality the baseball establishment began to close him out. Out. The Glenn Burke Story, is a one-hour program that documents Burke’s legacy as the first openly homosexual Major League Baseball player.

The documentary tells the dramatic tale of Burke’s Major League career as an outfielder for the Dodgers and as a starter in Game One of the 1977 World Series, to being traded to the Oakland Athletics the following season, and then walking away from the game that he deeply loved in 1980. Many of Burke’s teammates were aware of his homosexuality during his playing career, as were members of management. And many of those teammates believe that his sexuality led to the premature derailment of his baseball career.

Out. The Glenn Burke Story then follows him through his public announcement of his homosexuality in a 1982 Inside Sports magazine article and on The Today Show with Bryant Gumbel, to his downward spiral after his split from baseball, a split that drove Burke to drugs and prison, and eventually to living on the same San Francisco streets where he was once recognized as an icon.

Burke’s story took on another level of tragedy when he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1994. Yet at the end of Burke’s life, the game that he claimed abandoned him so many years before reached out to one of its own. The A’s found Burke and provided him with constant support in his final months, as did some of his former teammates.

Out. The Glenn Burke Story features numerous interviews with Burke’s teammates and friends, including Dusty Baker, Davey Lopes, Reggie Smith, Rick Monday, Manny Mota, Rickey Henderson, Claudell Washington, Mike Norris, Shooty Babitt, Tito Fuentes, and former Major Leaguer and gay rights activist Billy Bean.

Out. The Glenn Burke Story is narrated by Dave Morey, who was recently inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in the class of 2010 after 26 years as a morning host at KFOG and nearly 40 years in broadcasting."
(From Comcast News Release)

$20 Million Ain't Bad - But We Can Do Better - Go See "For Colored Girls"

Tyler Perry's and Lionsgates' "For Colored Girls" wound up in third place this weekend. $20.1 million. Strong number - be we can do better. Love him or hate him, we have some strong African American actors in this film and it's for us, by us - don't hate - appreciate.


www.forcoloredgirlsmovie.com

Book Review: "The Presumption of Guilt The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Race, Class and Crime in America"

As Director, of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, Ogletree’s, The Presumption of Guilt: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Race, Class and Crime in America, Charles J. Ogletree had to write this book. True to his position and profession the book further enlightens those who are aware and relentlessly educates those who are ignorant to the facts of inequitable treatment by law enforcement as a whole. In the most cohesive and surmounting prose, Attorney Charles J. Ogletree, makes an irrefutable case illuminating the injustices that racial profiling has perpetrated on minorities since humans were identified as Chattel. Fact upon fact and study after study are cited, quoted and assimilated to fact pattern of the case at hand, The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

I use this phrase too much but, “Do yourself a favor” and make this a must read. I for one, thought myself to be plugged-in and somewhat current on my facts but this book arms you with the background and research you need to talk intelligently about the interfacing between law enforcement and the citizen. I hope this exploratory treatise is required reading for Professor Ogletree’s students. It should also be required reading by citizens should they ever interface with the law enforcement community.

(Th)ink by Keith Knight (C)

http://www.kchronicles.com

http://www.knightlifecomic.com

(Reprinted with permission of author)

Original Playbill from San Francisco Run of "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf"

A warm thank you to Mary of San Francisco for sharing this photo with us of her original playbill from the San Francisco performance of Ntozake Shange's Obie Award-winning play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.

Mary remembers seeing the play with a group of women from her church in around 1978.

As you all know, Tyler Perry's movie ("For Colored Girls")based on the original play opens this coming Friday, November 5 in theaters nationwide.

It's Election Day! Don't Forget To Vote!

It's not too late. . .wherever you are, in this country, don't forget your local and State elections. People died so that could have the right to vote.

You can make a difference. Remember, be part of the problem or part of the solution. Don't let your past disappointments keep you away from the polls!