Clyde's | SnapShot Press Release

“Do I look hungry?”

The question was rhetorical but I took the bait, blurting out from the darkness of the theater. .

“Yes! You do!”

Hunger exists where there is a void, or need for something more. It is the lack of satiation that we feel [& fill], that urges us to find a means of sustenance. Without it, we are empty, weak, and coercively vulnerable.

Excuse my pepper-jack cheese of linguistics, but Clyde is a hungry B*tch.

Sunday’s [November, 9th, 2024] Milwaukee Chamber Theater’s performance of Clyde’s, showcased the unhinged reality of the people who serve our society. This form of service comes with being a scapegoat for the power structures we call capitalism that demands the use of bread, lettuce, or cheese [those are all words for money, depending on who you are asking] as the means to survive. 

From behind the kitchen door of a truck stop sandwich shop, this staff of “rehabilitated” individuals, shows us through the erudition of Lynn Nottage, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwriter, how hard it can be to do better when surrounded by misery, after being locked away from the world.

Clyde’s is a purgatory-like place, equipped with stainless steel food prep islands, a smokey flap-top grill, and a loud commercial-grade refrigerator [It was real! I could hear the motor kick on and off like we were really in the kitchen. Nice Touch!]. But here there will be no Michelin stars. Instead, it is where Montrellous (Bryant Bentley) carefully crafts aspirations of hopes, one slice of bread at a time. It is where Letitia (N’Jameh Camara) grapples with her value between every piece of cheese and where Jason (Nate Press), repents through sprigs of parsley. It is where Rafael (Justin Huen) grieves over the grease. It is where dreams go to be broken, and souls go when they are desperate to survive. 

This kitchen is a symbolic prison and Clyde [Lachrisa Grandberry] is the overseer, warden, and the Devil herself wrapped in spandex and pleather! Her abuse [mental, emotional, and the bruised back of Rafael proves it to be physical] is a reflection of her self-loathing. As an ex-con, she believes that hiring what she frames as a societal outcast gives her the prerogative to treat her employees like they are less than human [which sadly they are used to]. But it is the way Grandberry postures her raunchy, classless, erotica torture that makes her character so cringe-worthy. To make the crowd love you is beautiful, but to make them despise you is a wicked deed that pulls from the worst parts of humanity, forcing us to wipe crumbs of blissful delusion off our faces. Lachrisa girl, YOU DID THAT!

I found myself rooting for the world's underdog as they spilled their hearts out sharing the stories of how they became incarcerated. Montrellous story offsets the scales of justice, as Bentley’s delivery demands you listen with your chest, and question how much you are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of others. Letitia, tormented my maternal instinct [first when she chopped that lettuce into oblivion], N’Jameh playing up her ability to evoke empathy with her climatic cadence [Stop trying to make me cry now. You already had me with ILLIAD, LOL]. Rafael’s desperate need to prove his love to others is a fatal flaw, and Huen seems to be a master of humility and sensitivity. But Jason. . should we forgive him? The Black woman in me tingled with the, “now you know how it feels” mantra, that is only triggered when “justice” falls on the door of the socially privileged. But Press, made me believe that the internal torture he felt was real. 

Kudos to Director, Dimonte Henning, who did not skirt away from the “nasty” [metephorically and literally]. From the scandalous gestures of Clyde [I mean Rated R and Rated Hillarious] to the transitions of BTS kitchen life between scenes, it was a glimpse into the world we don’t often get to see. 

It also made me crave a sandwich, something serious!

Clyde’s is for those who dare to eat havarti on a butter brioche, with heirloom tomatoes, a slather of cajun-style hot sauce, and a cucumber chutney [See I can make an epic sandwich recipe too. LOL], and dare to call it a “sammich”. In other words, it is the hole in the wall of art we should steep ourselves in because you never know what might send you to Hell, purgatory, and back again. 

Let’s stop judging, and well. . .Do better.

Lexi S. Brunson  | Editor-in-Chief /CW

Marie & Rosetta - Snap Shot Press Release [The Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll & The Wind Beneath Her Wings]

It is no secret that every last one of us comes from different walks of life. No matter what trials and tribulations come our way or what groundbreaking dreams instill that grit and exhilaration inside our souls.

Millions of people find it quite easy to relate [and associate] with only those who give them the feeling that they are glancing into a mirror. The cost of this is usually shying away and subconsciously avoiding others who may seem “a little too much” or that orbit on the other end of the spectrum. Humanity has taken a prolonged journey to comprehend that opposites attract. [In the words of Sam Cooke, “It’s been a long time coming”]. 

As a result, new conversations, innovations, and walks of life are born. 

Friday’s (October 25th, 2024) showing of Marie & Rosetta at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre was a vulnerable and intimate depiction of this revelation. Beyond the physical attributes of these characters, lived “culture” creates a divergence in how they differ in society. So you may be asking, “Now girl how are these two black women completely different from one another?”. Well, honey find a cozy seat while you’re on the clock because the words complex and the phrase, ahead-of-its-time, are just the beginning. This may take a minute.

Did you know that the gorgeous and bold men behind the origin of Rock ‘n’ Roll such as Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and Jimi Hendrix were influenced, captivated, and mesmerized by Sister Rosetta Tharpe before they even started paving the way for the rest of the world themselves? A Black woman born in Arkansas that traveled with her mother to Chicago at age 6 performing as a duo. Her mother Katie would preach into the Chi streets with chilling sermons as Rosetta would close out singing light gospel music. She spoke her mind as if she was Wendy Williams taping Hot Topics, and had no fear of what others thought or would judge her for. Her wardrobe of sequins, furs, and enchanting dresses were just as eye-catching and jaw-dropping as her performances. I almost jumped out of my seat as her hit song, Rock Me, was performed by Bethany Thomas who plays Tharpe, with a commanding aura of musical majesty.

As the curtains open, the confident superstar has just successfully chosen her new protegee who will accompany her on tour. Marie, played by Alexis Roston, presents herself as a young talent who is very innocent, angelic, and on the straight-narrow. Marie is no free spirit [and soon we discover she is not “free” at all]. Through Tharpe’s proding for information about her new talent find, she discovers that Marie is actually a 23-year-old married woman and mother of two who sang in a quartet and constantly thought about how the church viewed her and what others thought of her. Marie never wanted to be the woman the church folk would oohh and ahh about.  She would’ve been almost as innocent as Jesus’ mother Mary, but she was caught in that lie within the first few minutes of the production. Not only did Marie downplay her age, but she had a hidden edge to her. She would sneak around the church playing secular music [a scandal of those times] and was a preacher's wife [a preacher she was not too happy with]. This is where the topic of opposites attracting comes full circle. 

Rosetta did reveal that Marie’s lies were the reason why she initially chose her to come on tour; as she seemed to contrast Rosetta’s image. Rosetta wanted to re-enter the church circuit as a performer, but her headlining juke joints and supper clubs took her right off of that saintly roster.

This performance becomes alluring when the ladies begin to create a healing yet difficult dialogue amongst one another as the story shares their first night creating their electrifying tour.

Set in a funeral home showroom in the South, this heartwarming yet harsh reality check creates an emotional exchange between the two women. Tharpe begins describing to her wide-eyed protegee that showbiz for Black women during that time was no red carpet walk at the BET Awards [Today’s acts like Latto, Glorilla, and Megan Thee Stallion, with their controversial aesthetics may still feel this way]. Rosetta revealed that music was the only thing that loved her back after she lost her mother. The inventory of husbands, money, and fur coats did not make her heart skip a beat or give her a sense of genuine love. As the night continues, Marie wears her heart on her sleeve and starts revealing her most honest thoughts to Rosetta. This form of intimacy seemed new for Marie. She eventually admitted wanting to leave her husband since he didn’t value her anymore and how she felt she lost herself in the marriage [Divorce? Baby, not in the churchhhhhhhh!]. 

Controversy is one thing playwright, George Brant, and director E. Faye Butler did not run away from. The topics of divorce, mistreatment of African-American performers in the music industry, and even a hint of homosexuality, regarding a romantic relationship between the two leading ladies were showcased in such an intriguing, yet transparent angle. This lens harnesses the delicacy of truths that are usually avoided in “historical” reenactments. These complexities are exactly what we need to see on the stage, so that we may feel their gravitas in society. The production balanced out with comedic relief, harsh truths, and soul-touching musical numbers. In my opinion, the music and Rosetta’s direct personality united the two into the dynamic duo they became. Once they got over the hurdle of Marie subconsciously judging and trying to change what many used to call “secular ways” Rosetta had and accepted each other for who they were in that moment; magic sparked! 

There’s no question that both ladies demanded my attention from the opening act to the closing scene but with much reflection; I found myself in Marie. I connected with how others perceived her. Just as Marie seems innocent and knows nothing of the world to other people; at times I believe that’s how people see me. Once Rosetta began listening to her thoughts, dreams, and experiences, Marie was then displayed as a strong, talented, and daring young woman who just wanted people around her to take her more seriously. However; Marie also trapped herself in the role of a people-pleaser and rule-follower. The majority of her life, just like I, carried times of doing things the “right” way and bending herself in so many different directions to make everyone else’s dreams for her life come to fruition instead of living the life Marie wanted for herself. 

Who knew with the right push from her favorite musician that blossomed into a close relationship [nobody ever knew the full details of], that Marie would become a walking memorial for Rosetta after Tharpe passed? Marie started having a free-spirited attitude, speaking her mind without second-guessing herself, and stood on her own name. Not hiding behind a husband, her mentor, her parents, or society’s rules anymore. Many of us, including myself can look into the mirror and see flashes of Marie. Whether it’s her spirit that has others thinking she’s younger, her gentle tone that makes others think she’s holding back something and doesn’t have a voice of her own, or her ability to camouflage herself into the background of any environment and observe that confuses others into thinking her entire being is invisible. For some, it only takes a few months while others need years to find themselves and understand their purpose, but honey a journey is a journey!

Do you think you need a little push into some reflection of your own? Do you want an entertaining history lesson that’ll take you back to the time when two black women owned Rock ‘n’ Roll? Maybe you would like to jam out to some soulful, yet bold music? I want to extend the invite /CW received from the Milwaukee Rep to you. Go check out Marie & Rosetta between now and Dec 15th. This show will give you the laughs, moments of silence, and strength you need to take a deep look into who you are and how everyone and everything else around you affects the trajectory of your lifestyle and where you are headed, family. 

Desriana Gilbert | Entertainment & Social Journalist for /CW

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow - Snap Shot Press Release

ALl Images by jenny plevin

Art has many purposes but it honors its truest form when it reflects the intricacies of reality in its full spectrum. 

Friday’s [ August 9th, 2024] performance of  For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, by Ntozake Shange (1948-2018), directed by Linetta Alexander, championed the creativity of Black Women by pulling at the intimate language of shared “resilience, pain, and triumph”. This modern take on social positioning in a patriarchal society redefines the way sista-hood connotes an unyielding survival that deserves joy and is joy.

Alexander has taken the various “Ladies in [asigned color]” and has allowed them to deliver narratives that enter the soul, swell the eyes, and clench palms until they release with relief, like a group therapy session. How they sashay across the stage, support each other stories, and give room for each actor to breathe is no easy feat. You may know the play, but as much as it serves Shange’s original commentary on oppression in a racist and sexist society, this manifestation confronts the peculiarities of the digital age [smart phones, ring cameras, social media, etc.] that make these realities much more invasive and counter-intuitive to healing. 

The setting is composed of urban Milwaukee [#WeSeeYou Brady St.] with the transientness of pedestrian crossing where we encounter each color dealing in their reflective monologue and sharing their inner thoughts [If yall want to give us that bus shelter when you are done, we would happily accept]. This storytelling in its contemporary choreo-poem form is best supported by Lady in Green's [Brielle Richmond] seductive chair dance, Lady in Blue’s [Tina Nixon] heart-breaking abortion silhouette, and Lady in Red’s [Gabrielle Veronique] symbolic baby blanket drop [The way you stressed me out is unforgivable LOL]. 

However, the balance of youthful vulnerability from Lady in Brown [Selena Mcknight] and Lady in Yellow [Deja Taylor], are reminders that whatever trauma we have endured are not the only memories that should take up space. The confidence of worlds yet concurred and unjaded love [or lust] holds magic. Lady in Purple [Brandy Reed] and Lady in Orange [Tosha Freeman] embrace in the open mic night scene was also a moment of reflective forgiveness. How do we age into our understanding of self? How do we fall victim and villain in a world that does not play fair? We need each other and without giving up all the symbolic and metaphorical gems, I will say, we must do better by each other [so if I have ever harmed you, purposefully or unknowing, I am truly sorry]. 

This artistic collaboration from Shange to Alexander, Alexander to the performing ladies, stage to audience, is a must. These are the narratives we have culturally avoided and thus, the harm continues to generationally impact our experiences. Their dedication to authentic relationship building is seen, their embodiment of their roles is spot on, and their lived experience as women of color is inestimable. This work is clearly ours to do together.

So today I challenge you to start your healing, get your tickets to For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, and see the world in color!

Lexi S. Brunson  | Editor-in-Chief /CW

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Performance Dates: 

August 8 – 12, 15 – 16, 22 – 25 | 7:30pm, Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, Marcus Center

SnapShot Press Release: Milwaukee Pull Up, It's a "Partyat4" | A Milwaukee 'Ish interview with Partyat4

I believe the phrase “renaissance man” is overused.

Where it is defined as, “a person with many talents or areas of knowledge” that theory of humanism has long been surpassed by the reality we call the 21st century [You know the era of social media, Artificial Intelligence, BBL’s, Catfishing, & fake “real” N*gg*s]. 

But with that critique also comes the opportunity to coin a new phrase for a man who embodies various talents, has an authentic aura, and carries his grace with just enough posturing to appeal to a mass audience of tastemakers and fan like dreamers. Maybe we should call him a “virtuoso of the era” or maybe we can just make the moniker fit the prototype.

Let’s just call him . . . Partyat4.

Now everybody knows that I firmly believe [& I have the receipts] that Milwaukee breeds creative genius [I said, what I said. So fight me!]. However, that creativity is usually mystified by the infantile infrastructure big money has mishandled. So our talent usually sees a need to leave our “little big-city” to make things pop. The problem with that is some never come back and totally disown their 414 roots. So when we were informed that Partyat4 was repping his native land and showing his face around these parts, we were pleasantly surprised [& also curious what part of town he is from, where his grandma stay, and what he rep when “Who You Wit” by Lil John come on LMAO].

Lexi S. Brunson asking Partyat4 where his “grandma stay” Lol. Just Playing, but she did ask where he is from in Milwaukee.

So when your /CW Fam was invited to his Meet & Greet / Listening Session happening at Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE [5526 W North Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53208] on April 27th, 2023 we accepted [with the caveat that we would like to chat with the man of the hour]. What follows is that very casual, “Let’s just do a Milwaukee a** interview” we had standing on the block in front of a red sprinter van covered in images of Partyat4, with all his people around [What a mutha f’n sight to see LOL].

---

CW: “First of all, why are you HERE?”

Partyat4: “It was my son's birthday. My first born, London. Then after that I had the listening session. So I felt it was more conducive to stay the whole week instead of flying back.”

Back to ATL that is. With a buzzing music & creative market, Atlanta has become the base camp for many Milwaukee linked talents [Including K Camp, Lakeyah, and Josie Thompson]. With one of his good friends from high school [S/O B] moving to Atlanta and him feeling Atlanta to have a strong music culture when he made his decision to move three years ago, it just felt right. 

CW: “There is this idea that people don’t make it out of Milwaukee or that there is no talent in Milwaukee. . .”

Partyat4: “It’s a stigma.” He said with a playfully smug look on his face.

CW: “It is a stigma. It’s definitely a thing. But you are a multifaceted talent. Of course, I have interviewed many recording artists before. But I was really intrigued [that, that's not all you do].”

His creative punch card includes, Fashion [yep, he can design & sew], visual arts [like drawing & painting, somebody get this man in the gallery], culinary arts [his PR team informed us he was once upon a time a Hyatt chef], and his music lexicon includes rapping, singing, song writing, and production [get’er done then!]. With those skills fitting several of CopyWrite’s pillars of focus [Art, Music. Fashion, Community, and Culture], we could do a whole magazine issue on him.  

*wink wink, nudge nudge* 

Partyat4: “Yea, I just hate to put myself in a box. I’m all about expression and creativity in general. So I paint, I sew, I am definitely into fashion. I just hate everybody wearing the same sh*t, so to speak. Excuse my belligerence and what not. . .”

Belligerence, Sma-lligerence! I have heard and seen some crazy sh*t in my time covering the creative scene. One of the craziest is that cookie cutter, straight off the mannequin style that these “sheeple” try to pass off as originality. Speak your truth my guy! No apologies needed here.

Partyat4: “I just try to be unique the best way I can. It’s 2023 everybody is doing their own thing. Whether it’s podcasting or selling something or cosmetics. . . I just try to be me to the best of my capacity.”

And that's not that easy to do in an industry that is known for making individuals “more marketable”. But maybe that’s just it. Maybe there is really a space for someone to fit the mold and break it at the same time. 

CW: “How did you figure out that you had all of those different types of talents?”

Partyat4: “Just being bored really. I had a sewing machine a few years ago. But I just got another one [a gift]. . . I was kind of board at 3AM and I had just smoked my last blunt and the weed man was sleep. . .” [That’s what we call a tragedy lol]. “So I just got the f*ckin with the sewing machine. I probably watched a minute and a half video on how to thread my particular model. After that I just got to freakin’ sh*t.”

But hear me out though, ya man's is cold! I checked out a few of his pieces on IG and he takes that DIY steez to a whole different universe. [Those Beatles and Mushroom Booty carpet pants go crazy!]

Partyat4: “I think people, as individuals, we get stuck at the learning curve. We be scared to initiate things. But once you get past that and jump off the porch, if you will, you can be surprised at what you can do. Like ingenuity wise you can do anything.”

Partyat4 & Lexi S. Brunson, editor-in-chief of /CW | /CW image

Now of course I didn’t stray away from the big question of “Why” leave milwaukee when his talents would allow him to probably make it anywhere and he was honest that something just didn’t make this space feel like the catalyst.

Partyat4: “I just felt like in Atlanta the culture was more music oriented. People there are helping each other. They are more intune with what is going on and on an individual level it feels like people want to see each other win. Not to say anything negative or cognizant of Milwaukee culture. But I just feel like something here, whether it's gate keepers or something, it keeps us in a shell.”

Are y'all listening out there? Hello, is this thing on? *pats imaginary microphone hard*

The narrative is repetitive. We have heard this story and thus, it holds weight. A weight that is quite costly in an era that no longer relies on manual labor but on the contrary Culture [Big C], Community [Bigger C], and Capital [C.R.E.A.M. , Biggest C]. 

Partyat4: “I appreciate [Atlanta] for that. I mean I be low down there. But still.” He laughed humbly. 

There is nothing wrong with being low. It actually allows you to analyze a space, then ebb and flow as you desire. Its strategy and it creates the spark of greatness.

CW: “I think it's okay to be low down there and then somewhere like here [in Milwaukee] you could be a star. I think it's also about cultivating that love at home, and look, you’re here. There are a lot of people from Milwaukee that don’t rep Milwaukee. So the fact that you are even here we fux with that.”

Partyat4: “On the low, not to say no names but there are alot of people from here and they act like they are from where they got poppin at.” [Read between the lines this whole article is a smoke signal].

CW: “Ohhh you noticed that too?”. I said sarcastically. Because, yall funny and we see you!

Partyat4: “Yeaaaaaa!”, he said with the same sarcastic cadence. “That's cute or whatever. But like for me, I moved away but it was more for stimulation of what I had going on. And n*gg*s show love here and I had a great turnout tonight so I’m blessed for that. But it's something about when you can move away and I’m very competitive. . . but it just feels really good to not only come home and get support but be somewhere else, where you're not from, and get that same support where people come out because they believe in what you are doing. It makes you go that much harder.”

Partyat4 performing a live set a Scene 1 Restaurant & Lounge MKE | /CW Video

We believe that Milwaukee definitely has the fandom to pour into its talent but the creative infrastructure is still on the rise. We know big labels have been tip-toeing into our showcases, parlaying with the DJ’s, and sitting in our clubs looking for hungry MKE acts to sit on their rosters before the door burst opens and we are permanently on the map. It’s noted but transparency would probably feed more of us. Just sayin’.

The work Partyat4 is doing is a part of that story. It is a part of a bigger picture that has been shadowed by the decline of the industrial revolution in the midwest, the “I didn’t know Black people lived in Milwaukee” foolery that comes from the ignorance of our rich cultural history, plus the beer and cheese motif that disregards how many of us have more girth to us then that. 

CW: “A part of my job is holding people accountable. So you are HERE. I am HERE. The request was to show up & show out. So I showed up & I’m showing out.”

Partyat4: “And I appreciate that.”

CW: “So I really want our audience base to know who you are and that is our Milwaukee Creatives. That’s who I serve. Since you are this multifaceted talent, you have something to share. That means you have to come home every once and a while for that to happen.”

Partyat4: “My kids are here so I have no choice but to come back. I’m blessed to have other obligations so I am on the road a lot but I’m here fasho. I’m only an hour and half away flight wise.”

CW: “Okay! And we are going to make sure of that!”

Real. Rap. Raw. It’s not a threat but a friendly promise. With a network of community supporting Partyat4 [like our media family at Hyfin and all the CORE DJ’s who showed up that night] and other creatives that blossom from “The Good Land”, we can change the game. Oh and trust, these ways we play to win.

CW: “We want to see you at the radio stations. We want to see you on our stages. So get you a** in there. You have to get acclimated. I think it's really important that when we have talent that is making the waves that you are making, we make a notation and vice versa. So we will be on the lookout. We will be watching for you. We want to see more of you. Bigger venues. Bigger turn outs. Let's make it happen. Let's make it pop.”

Partyat4: “Oh man, I’m trying to turn sh*t up. I’m Party for a reason.”

CW: “Emmm hmmm. Partyat4! Why didn’t this party start at 4? We were ready then!”

We all blurted out in laughter. “Noooo…it ends at 4!”said one of his guys standing nearby, peeping our whole conversation. 

But my “still young enough to take risks, but too old to know better” aged self had to leave around 11:30PM LOL. But not before asking the classic journalistic question of “What can we expect next?”.

Peep the strategic timing of this write up with Partyat4’s remix of “To Da Moon” Ft. Toosii, dropping this Friday, May 12th, 2023, with Its original release honored on Billboard Top 30 hit singles. [Like I said, we are going to make sure that Partyat4 is on our community's radar, so go check that out].

Partyat4: “Y’all can expect my kids to grow. . .”, [Now everybody knows /CW loves a proud parent #CWLovesDaKids]. “Y’all can expect a project coming soon. I’m ready to rap y'all mutha F*ckin heads off. . .”

CW: “You got bars. I ain't even going to lie.”

Partyat4: “I appreciate that. Y’all can also expect some singles and I’m trying to get the song “Touch Down” dropped. I should have played that tonight. But I’ma get back to it. There's a lot of stuff coming down the pipeline for me. My mind is like a stock exchange board. It just ticks all day. . .I’m also going to put out a capsule of clothes that you can buy. . . we got all that coming. I’m just trying to captivate and entice the audience. No offense to anybody but sometimes music gets on dry spells and it has high notes but we are trying to be all falsettos. A whole lot of high notes.”  

Ohhhhh dude said that! LOL 

And we rock with it. Whether it's Rap, R&B, Country, Rock, or whatever he can do to hit y’all eardrums he is game for it. 

Partyat4: “So respectfully, and again excuse my belligerence, we are here to stay!”

Now somebody gotta shake my hand folks because I got the commitment of a lifetime on the strength of me loving my city. . .

CW: “I have to put you on the spot now. Would you consider collaborating with some Milwaukee artist? And not just music, but art, fashion, all that?

Partyat4: “Indubitably. Yes. Absolutely. . . I mean I be talkin’ sh*t too. So we can get a stand up set and crack some jokes”. 

Word? Well let’s do the damn thang! Because if you stay ready, you aint gotta get ready.

& Milwaukee, well . . . we been ready.

Love & All Things Urban,

Lexi S. Brunson | Editor-in-Chief /CW