{"id":33095,"date":"2023-01-26T10:00:50","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T15:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=33095"},"modified":"2023-01-26T10:00:51","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T15:00:51","slug":"on-stage-a-soldiers-play-comes-to-kimmel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/?p=33095","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: ‘A Soldier’s Play’ Comes to Kimmel"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

A Soldier\u2019s Play<\/p><\/div>\n

Some plays are light and fluffy, some are outrageous, some are filled with humorous scenes, some have delightful music and almost all have a plot.<\/p>\n

And some are brutally intense.<\/p>\n

The Kimmel Cultural Campus, in partnership with The Shubert Organization, is presenting the Philadelphia premiere of Roundabout Theatre Company\u2019s 2020 Tony Award\u00ae-winning Best Revival of a Play, \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Play.\u201d This show comes to Philadelphia \u2013 home to the playwright, Charles Fuller \u2013 as part of a limited national tour. It is running at the Forrest Theatre (Walnut Street, Philadelphia, www.kimmelculturalcampus.org<\/a>) now through January 29.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Soldier\u2019s Play\u201d falls into the \u201cbrutally intense\u201d category. <\/p>\n

\u201cA Soldier\u2019s Play\u201d\u00a0is a play by American playwright\u00a0Charles Fuller. Set on a\u00a0US Army\u00a0installation in the\u00a0segregation-era\u00a0South, the play is a loose adaptation of\u00a0Herman Melville’s novella\u00a0\u201cBilly Budd\u201d and follows the murder investigation of the Sergeant in an all-black unit. The play uses a murder mystery to explore the complicated feelings of anger and resentment that some\u00a0African Americans\u00a0have toward one another, and the ways in which many black Americans have absorbed white racist attitudes.<\/p>\n

The drama won the\u00a01982\u00a0Pulitzer Prize for Drama, among other accolades. It was the basis for a 1984 feature film adaptation,\u00a0\u201cA Soldier’s Story,\u201d for which Fuller wrote the screenplay.<\/p>\n

In 1944, on a Louisiana Army base, two shots ring out. A Black sergeant is murdered. And a series of interrogations triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America. Charles Fuller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece opened on Broadway for the first time on January 21, 2020, at Roundabout Theatre Company\u2019s American Airlines Theatre, nearly 40 years after it was written. The acclaimed production was nominated for seven Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards, winning Best Revival for both.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe recent passing of The Giant that is Charles Fuller has only magnified his brilliance… an amazing writer who left us so much with his masterful\u00a0A Soldier\u2019s Play,\u201d said director Kenny Leon. \u201cWe honor him with this American tour of the Broadway production of this great American classic. Come – laugh, think and reflect – America is in need of love.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story takes place at the\u00a0United States Army’s\u00a0Fort Neal, Louisiana, in 1944 during the time when the military was racially segregated. In the opening scene, the audience witnesses the murder of black Sergeant Vernon Waters by an unseen shooter. Just before his death, Waters utters the enigmatic cry, \u201cThey still hate you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Captain Richard Davenport, a rare black Army officer, has been sent to investigate the killing. Initially, the primary suspects are local\u00a0Ku Klux Klansmen. Later, bigoted white soldiers fall under suspicion. Ultimately, Davenport discovers the killer was one of the black soldiers under Waters’ command. Waters\u2019 men hated him because Waters himself treated Southern black men in utter disdain and contempt.<\/p>\n

As Davenport interviews witnesses and suspects, we see flashbacks showing what Sergeant Waters was like, and how he treated his men. The light-skinned Waters was highly intelligent and extremely ambitious and loathed black men who conformed to old-fashioned racist stereotypes.<\/p>\n

Waters dreamed of sending his own children to an elite college where they would associate with white students, rather than with other blacks. In Waters\u2019 mind,\u00a0Uncle Toms\u00a0and \u201clazy, shiftless Negroes\u201d reflected poorly on him, and made it harder for other African Americans to succeed.<\/p>\n

For that reason, Waters persecuted black soldiers like Private C.J. Memphis, whose broad grin and jive talk made Waters\u2019 blood boil. Waters\u2019 cruelty and vindictiveness drove Memphis to suicide, which alienated the rest of Waters\u2019 men, and turned them hopelessly against him.<\/p>\n

Shortly before he was murdered, Waters came to realize how futile and foolish his lifelong attempts to behave like a white man had been. His dying words, \u201cThey still hate you,\u201d reflected his belated understanding that white hatred and disdain of black men like himself had nothing to do with stereotypical black behavior, and that whites would probably always hate him, no matter how hard he tried to emulate \u201cwhite\u201d ways.<\/p>\n

The cast of the National Tour includes Will Adams as \u201cCorporal Bernard Cobb,\u201d\u00a0Sheldon D. Brown as \u201cPrivate C.J. Memphis,\u201d\u00a0Malik Esoj Childs as\u00a0\u201cPrivate Tony Smalls,\u201d William Connell as \u201cCaptain Charles Taylor,\u201d Alex Michael Givens as \u201cCorporal Ellis,\u201d Matthew Goodrich as \u201cCaptain Wilcox,\u201d Chattan Mayes Johnson as \u201cLieutenant Byrd,\u201d Branden Davon Lindsay as \u201cPrivate Louis Henson,\u201d Tarik Lowe as \u201cPrivate First-Class Melvin Peterson\u201d and Howard Overshown as \u201cPrivate James Wilkie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started rehearsals in mid-November,\u201d saud Adams, during a recent phone interview form a tour stop in Charleston, South Carolina.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were on the road by the first week in December. \u201cWe previewed in New Haven and just finished in Washington, D.C. last week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like this is a show that has many angles \u2013 patriotism, race, so many different themes that anybody as a human can understand. It\u2019s a play of understanding \u2013 looking for the common ground. This play does a phenomenal job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams is a native of the Lone Star State.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m from Fort Worth,\u201d said Adams. \u201cI went to high school in Fort Worth where I played baseball and football and then played football at the University of North Texas in Denton.<\/p>\n

I got into acting as an undergrad. I decided that I didn\u2019t want to play football anymore and I told my counselors that I wanted to take acting classes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter graduating from University of North Texas, I attended grad school at Brown University where I got a MFA. in theater from the Brown\/Trinity Rep program.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams recently starred in the film, \u201cA Holiday in Harlem\u201d (Hallmark) and recurred in Tyler Perry\u2019s \u201cThe Oval\u201d (BET). His theatre credits include\u00a0\u201cSkeleton Crew, A Death of a Salesman\u201d\u00a0(Trinity Rep) and\u00a0\u201cCurse of the Starving Class\u201d\u00a0(Williamstown Theatre Festival).<\/p>\n

\u201cI really wanted to be a part of this show because of the legacy of this play \u2013 and the legacy of the men that fought,\u201d said Adams. \u201cThese were real men\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe setting is the Deep South in 1941 \u2013 dealing with racism. The same issues happening then are happening today. Kenny Leon has done a wonderful job with the production.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adams plays the role of Corporal Bernard Cobb, a black man in his mid-to late twenties.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorporal Cobb is a leader,\u201d said Adams. \u201cHe is a man that is a brother to the troops. He wants to fight for his country.\u201d<\/p>\n

The play originally was staged\u00a0Off-Broadway\u00a0by the\u00a0Negro Ensemble Company\u00a0at the Theater Four (now called the Julia Miles Theater). It opened on November 20, 1981, and closed on January 2, 1983, after 468 performances.<\/p>\n

Roundabout Theater Company\u00a0presented the play\u2019s Broadway debut in January 2020, starring\u00a0David Alan Grier\u00a0as Waters and\u00a0Blair Underwood\u00a0as Davenport, directed by\u00a0Kenny Leon.\u00a0It had given 55 performances as of March 8, 2020. On March 11, Broadway theaters were closed due to the\u00a0COVID-19 pandemic, and performances of the play were suspended. The revival did not reopen on Broadway post pandemic, but instead went on a national tour for the 2022-2023 season \u2013 a tour that is now visiting Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cA Soldier\u2019s Play\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/sfkzWp322X8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run now through January 29 at the Forrest Theater. Ticket prices start at $44.<\/p>\n

\"\"

John\u00a0Poveromo<\/p><\/div>\n

On a Thursday evening near the end of each month, the Candlelight Theater (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0302- 475-2313,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/em><\/a>) switches from a theater for plays and musicals to a venue for comedy.<\/p>\n

On January 26, it\u2019s time for Candlelight\u2019s January edition of its \u201cComedy Club.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0John\u00a0Poveromo\u00a0will be the main act with Joann Filan as the opening act, Michelle Mattera as the emcee and Jason Pollock as the host.<\/p>\n

Poveromo is likely to change his set on the spot based on the crowd and whatever is on his mind.<\/p>\n

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Toms River,\u00a0Poveromo\u00a0gravitated toward humor ever since he was a youngster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t hang out in the music scene,\u201d said\u00a0Poveromo, during a phone interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was much more interested in stand-up. For me, humor was a way to cope with stuff. I saw grownups coping with things with humor. I remember when I was about five and my parents were watching a video of Richard Jeni\u2019s \u2018Crazy from the Heat\u2019 and they were laughing like crazy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI also really liked Robin Williams from his TV shows like \u2018Mork & Mindy\u2019 and that was another gateway to comedy for me. Then, I got into Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser and Ellen and found out they all started with stand-up. And I liked stand-ups because they told it like it was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Poveromo\u2019s knack for being funny became evident during his high school days.<\/p>\n

\u201cI ended up getting named \u2018Class Comedian\u2019 out of 500 kids at Toms River East High School,\u201d said\u00a0Poveromo. \u201cMy sense of humor was always about cracking jokes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to college after I graduated high school at Brookdale Community College. I didn\u2019t want to go to college, but I had to do it because if you didn\u2019t go to college, you were a failure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI left school after a year and took a stand-up course in New York. That was back in 2005. My first time on stage was at Carolines On Broadway \u2013 no pressure, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Carolines on Broadway is a venue for stand-up comedy located in Times Square in New York City on Broadway between 49th and 50th Street. It is one of the most established, famous, and recognized stand-up comedy clubs in the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was taking a risk,\u201d said\u00a0Poveromo. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going up with \u2018five minutes of comedy that worked\u2019 attitude. I thought \u2013 you just go on with whatever when you get onstage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the beginning, I\u2019d go up with a couple ideas. I just do my own material \u2013 whatever I wanted talk about \u2013 because I\u2019m naturally funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since childhood,\u00a0Poveromo\u00a0has enjoyed making strangers laugh. He has written comedy for shows on HBO and VH1, as well as his own book, \u201cDrawings From a Nobody,\u201d which features his comic-strip style drawings of scenes from everyday life.<\/p>\n

Poveromo\u2019s perfect blend of self-deprecation and optimism makes him a dynamic and unpredictable performer who is both engaging and fun to watch as he struggles to make sense of himself and the world around him.<\/p>\n

He can be heard on Sirius XM Radio, has been featured at the Jersey City Comedy Festival and The New York Underground Comedy Festival, and has appeared on Comcast On Demand\u2019s \u201cYoung Comedians Showcase.\u201d<\/p>\n

Poveromo\u00a0also has written for a variety of shows, including ESPN\u2019s Sports Nation, Current TV\u2019s Viewpoint with John Fugelsang, Joy Behar\u2019s Say Anything on HLN, The Independents, and CNN Newsroom, as well as Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld, Hannity, and VH1\u2019s \u201cBest Of\u201d series.<\/p>\n

Poveromo hosts \u201cDystopia Tonight,\u201d a livestreaming show on Apple Podcasts.<\/p>\n

The show was conceived during the pandemic, when comedians such as Poveromo were brainstorming ways to adapt and reinvent themselves.<\/p>\n

It started as comics sitting around shooting the breeze (Tom Papa, Judy Gold), and has expanded to include actors (Megan Cavanagh, Ed Begley Jr., Ed Asner!), musicians (Art Alexakis from Everclear, Marlana Sheetz of Milo Greene), and visual artists (comic book artist John Romita Jr. and Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist Steve Breen), and most recently comedy legend Lewis Black.<\/p>\n

\u201cDystopia Tonight\u201d was born out of the Covid-19 Pandemic to give people a light-hearted break from the absurdity of the world around them by showcasing artists, comedians, musicians, and actors from all across the entertainment field.<\/p>\n

There have already been three podcasts this month \u2013 \u201cDay 206 – Public Health Expert Heather M. Butts\u201d on January 17, \u201cDay 205 – The Necessity of Self Belief with Steven Page\u201d on January 5 and \u201cDay 204 – Spooky Season lives on with LVCRFT!\u201d on January 5.<\/p>\n

Aside from touring the country as a comedian, Poverome is also an accomplished cartoonist. His cartoons have been published in numerous magazines, newspapers and online publications. He put out a collection of his cartoons in a book called, \u201cDrawings From A Nobody,\u201d that was released in 2018.<\/p>\n

Poveromo has already started his schedule of live shows for 2023 and now is headed to the stage at Candlelight.<\/p>\n

Video link for John\u00a0Poveromo \u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/wCz0PNzJlw8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $30 and include complimentary light fare buffet,\u00a0cash bar, and free parking.\u00a0Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and show starts at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

The Candlelight Dinner Theatre\u2019s brand-new mainstage production \u2013 \u201cSister Act\u201d \u2013 is having its first full weekend Friday through Sunday. The show, which opened on January 21, will run through February 26.<\/p>\n

As usual, Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,\u00a0www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) will be a hotbed fort live music this weekend.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music is a prime destination to hear folk, jazz and blues music every Thursday through Sunday.<\/p>\n

The \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d and the \u201cSunday Blues Brunch & Jam\u201d are regular features on Jamey\u2019s calendar while Friday and Saturday night shows feature national and regional acts.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s features a popular \u201cGuest Singer Series\u201d on Thursday featuring many of the best singers in the region performing a set from 7-8 p.m. with the backing of the Dave Reiter Trio and occasional guest musicians.<\/p>\n

The Dave Reiter Trio lays down the backing for some out of this world jazz to happen, and you never know who might show up to join in. Reiter is a long-time jazz pro and is equally at home on the seven-string guitar, Nord keyboard or the venue\u2019s top of the line Hammond organ setup. Bill Marconi is on drums; his name is known to jazz aficionados around the world. Holding down the bottom is first-call Philly bassist, George Livanos.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGuest Singers\u201d for January 26 will be Greg Farnese.<\/p>\n

On January 27, Jamey\u2019s House of Music will present Frets, Bridges and Skins with a benefit concert for the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation.<\/p>\n

Frets, Bridges and Skins was born out of the pandemic.\u00a0The band was together for a short time prior to that and performed under the name of Herding Cats. They perform their own original songs influenced by the musical style of classic rock and roll, blues and folk, along with carefully curated covers of similar styles. In 2022, they released their album \u201c . . . like herding cats\u201d engineered and co-produced by Brian Cory of Cubanbee Productions.<\/p>\n

The band features Steve Bard, Marc Bernstein, Mick McCauley and Ed Rick.<\/p>\n

Bard is a singer songwriter with more than 50 originals on his resume. He plays acoustic guitar and is a talented harmonica player. Bard has played with Wheatfield, The Stand and Swedes Run and has played on the CDs of John Johnson and The Escape Plan and Mama Brew.<\/p>\n

Bernstein, who brought the band together, is a songwriter, singer (lead and harmony) and bass player. In the 70\u2019s, he played in the bands, Commotion, Full Circle, and the Delaware bands, Salt and Pepper and The Serenaders. In the 80\u2019s, he played in the bands, d\u2019lights and Howie and the Basher.<\/p>\n

Bernstein took an extended break to get married, raise a family and build his financial planning business. In the 2000\u2019s, he recorded, along with record producer, Malcolm Allison, as The Neighbor Hood, the soundtrack to the Panamanian film, \u201cThe Hypnotists\u2019 Passion,\u201d including the title song, \u201cSecond Chance\u201d which has been re-recorded by his current band. He most recently played with Beyond the Bucket where he met McCauley.<\/p>\n

McCauley loves to play music every chance he can get, showcasing his originals and unique take on favorite covers. In addition to songwriting, he sings lead and harmony and plays electric lead guitar in the band. McCauley is also co-founder of a Philly local group called The FM Connection.<\/p>\n

Rick is a seasoned veteran professional drummer and the latest addition to the band. In addition to playing live, he is a teacher and collector of drums. He played in the early days in his first band Commotion with current bandmate Marc Bernstein.<\/p>\n

They played together again in Full Circle and Howie and the Basher. In his younger years, he played on cruise ships. Lcally, he has played with bands in a variety of genres including jazz with The Chuck Anderson Trio, and country with The Johnston Brothers. He also currently plays with The Garage Bandits.<\/p>\n

Video link for Frets, Bridges and Skins \u2013 www.facebook.com\/fretsbridgesandskins\/videos\/2270906626421928\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Showtime on January 27 is 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.<\/p>\n

On January 28, Jamey\u2019s House of Music will host Small Batch Bourbon.<\/p>\n

The group is an American Rock-n-Blues band that formed in Chester County in 2016.<\/p>\n

Small Batch Bourbon covers legendary artists such as Tracy Chapman and Tom Petty as well as contemporary musicians like Samantha Fish and Jace Everett.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s music draws on the rich blues of the past and also features its own modern twist on the music of classic bands like ZZ Top.<\/p>\n

Video link for Small Batch Bourbon — https:\/\/youtu.be\/SyXe3nuRt5k<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Showtime on January 27 is 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time for another Jazz Jam at Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) on January 29.<\/p>\n

The last Sunday of each month, the Flash transforms into an authentic jazz club, featuring a full concert as well as the opportunity for audience members to join in and jam! This unique experience is hosted by local area jazz musicians.<\/p>\n

This Sunday, Kennett Flash is presenting The Kennett Flash Jazz Jam with Dave Mattock.<\/p>\n

A professional piano, organ and keyboard player living outside Philadelphia,\u00a0 Mattock divides his time between running the Mattock School of Music, performing, and teaching. He is a member of the faculty at Camden County College, University of Pennsylvania, and Lafayette College, where he teaches piano, theory, music history, music business, jazz ensembles and introductory music classes.<\/p>\n

Mattock\u2019s recording career consists of three full length jazz albums under his own name, dozens of recordings as a sideman, and composition credits for TV. He also freelances around Philadelphia in various jazz ensembles, cover bands, wedding bands and studio appearances.<\/p>\n

Mattock received his Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Jazz Performance from Temple University, and his Master\u2019s Degree in Jazz History and Research at Rutgers University.<\/p>\n

The show starts at 5 p.m. and the suggested donation is $15. Your suggested donation directly benefits the musicians and the Kennett Flash but it is not required for entry.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times\u00a0 Some plays are light and fluffy, some are outrageous, some are filled with humorous scenes, some have delightful music and almost all have a plot. And some are brutally intense. The Kimmel Cultural Campus, in partnership with The Shubert Organization, is presenting the Philadelphia premiere of Roundabout Theatre […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[11807,3912,9010],"class_list":["post-33095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-a-soldiers-play","tag-featured","tag-john-poveromo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33095"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33096,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33095\/revisions\/33096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/33093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coatesvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}