Join your /CW Fam at Milwaukee Film Fest at these CopyWrite Magazine sponsored screenings:
BEBA:
5/3/2022 | 7:30 p.m. - At the Oriental Theater (Lubar Cinema)
4/23/2022 | 12:15 p.m. - At the Oriental Theater (Abele Cinema)
5/1/2022 | 6:00 p.m. - At the Times Cinema
4/24/2022 | 4:00 p.m. - At the Times Cinema
4/29/2022 | 9:30 p.m. - At the Oriental Theater (Abele Cinema)
4/25/2022 | 7:30 p.m. - At the Oriental Theater (Abele Cinema)
The Underground is where gold is found! This is proven by the amount of reach that is granted to two Midwest MC’s to go bar-for-bar with a Hip-Hop vet.. Taiyamo Denku and Urban Legend, while still working off of the momentum of their collab Album “Artistic Display,” continue to keep the integrity of the OG sound and flow of rap with their newest single “Deathwish.” Aaaaand, as a cool surprise, the name of Juice Crew member Tragedy Khadafi appears as the feature on this track!! It’s the ultimate salute for any rap artist... Each of them taking a verse for themselves, the three lyricists do cartwheels and loopty-loops over yet another beat from Bo Faat with slick metaphors and imagery, giving nothing average. Tragedy, who’s history can be traced back to nearly the first decade of Hip-Hop’s takeover, leads the track without letting up but is followed by the light of Denku and Urban that refuses to be dimmed in comparison. Tell me how YOU feel about “ “Deathwish” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW
If you are a Milwaukee native or a film fanatic, we are almost positive that you’ve heard about the annual Milwaukee Film Festival. It is officially back onsite for in-person screenings! That’s great, right?! But have you heard of the Black Lens extension of the festival?
Created in 2014, Black Lens has a focal spotlight on Black film and filmmakers. While exploring stories in relation to Black roots and culture, these films are relevant to a wide array of different demographics—including you. How do we know? You’ll have to check it out to see for yourself.
The Black Lens Kick Off event started off with light food and refreshments while soothing music set the tone for the event. We were then greeted by the hostess with the mostest, Lexi S. Brunson [owner & active editor-in-chief of CopyWrite Magazine], who then introduced us to the co-founder of Black Lens, Donte McFadden and Chief Innovation Officer, Geraud Blanks. During the event we had our first look at the trailers for the featured films with Black Lens this year. We were then engaged in a range of activities during the entirety of the event including trivia whereas guests had the opportunity to win prizes, tickets, merchandise and more. They even previewed an episode of Black Reelness, the Black Lens Podcast.
Here are a few stills from films we can’t wait to see:
Director: Nana MensahUnited States | 2021 | 1 Hr. 18 Min.
Director: Rebeca HunttUnited States, Mexico | 2021 | 1 Hr. 19 Min.
Director: Bill PosleyUnited States | 2022 | 1 Hr. 25 Min.
Director: Bill PosleyUnited States | 2022 | 1 Hr. 25 Min.
While in attendance at the Black Lens Kick Off, we got a chance to speak with Tiera Trammell from Milwaukee Film + Black Lens.
Can you tell me a little about what we can expect from this year's Black Lens/Milwaukee Film festival?
“The Black love through Black Lens short series where they showcase Black filmmakers and Black actresses. It gives us a sense of who they are on and off the screen. The short series works to amplify their voices and really show them in a light of love and support rather than the traumatic images that we’re used to seeing. The documentaries are also a hot spot for the people.”
What was your inspiration for wanting to be part of something like this?
“What we noticed in Milwaukee was that, Black people like film too. And there was a lack of Black representation in film and around Milwaukee through film outlets. Being a part of the Black Lens program, we really get to go into communities, go into schools and actually reach the people in the community to provide this resource to people in our neighborhood.”
While most of the film fest will be screened at Milwaukee Film’s Oriental Theater, they’re able to pour back into the north side community, Black stakeholders, and creatives doing these types of events. Black Lens brings film back to our community.
We’ve piqued your interest and you want to know “How can I help?” Come out and support! While donations and monetary support is always welcomed, the major investors are impacted by seeing how beneficial these types of events are for our people. It further shows that we need these types of resources in our community and by just merely showing up, that’s affirmation that this genre of interest does, in fact, exist and is, in fact, an important factor of the culture.
We hope to see you at this years’ Milwaukee Film festival running April 21st through May 5th.
Show up and show out!
Imani for /CW
In this issue of CopyWrite Magazine, we curated a group of voices that are multifaceted in their journeys. Some features show change as a means of survival, others have relearned their position in the world to combat generational disenfranchisement, and even more, have renegotiated their complacent realities for passion and purpose. Shape Shifting pay homage to the many forms creativity manifest.
Interviews w/ Razito Zulu, Steph Crosely, Style Pop Cafe, Shonn Hinton, Yaya Edmonds, and Tru West
After having been a part of the band Astral / Subastral for a while, Jon Henry held his own with another independent musical project with the drop of his EP “Young World Street,” A collaborative piece with producer Boost that was released late October of 2021. For one of the singles, the Milwaukee hip hop artist gives us vocals (and a jig???) with the release of the music video for the ballad, “All About Our Love.” With a similar groove to that of a Sade song, “All About Our Love” will make you swoon over the idea of romance as Jon Henry’s vocals flutter across the jazziness of the beat, reassuring his lover that their love will stand the test of time. Now the visual… The visual is a biiiiiit ‘1,3’ to the songs ‘2,4’ count if you know what I mean; it comes off as incompatible to the vibe and the lyrics of the song, yet to those who are perceptive, it is quite beautiful. From scene to scene, Henry is singing, at times, directly to his lover but she goes on as if he is not there. She performs house chores, dolls herself up, takes a hike, and even plays darts without acknowledging his presence. She is not angry nor being visibly deliberate about ignoring him. Meanwhile, Henry has a calm and patient demeanor, he even dances, while waiting for her to recognize that he is there and that this love requires cooperation from the both of them. It takes for Jon Henry to physically reach out and touch her for her to be reminded of how okay it is to give her heart and feel the love that he has wanted to give her for the entirety of the visual. Tell me how YOU feel about “ All About Our Love” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW
*info provided by Nicole Acosta, Marketing Director
nicole@milwaukeechambertheatre.org
414-276-8842 ext. 4
MILWAUKEE, WI – April 5th, 2022 Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is proud to announce full casting and production details for THE ISLAND by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona, directed by Mikael Burke. THE ISLAND opens Saturday, April 9th at 8pm. Preview night is set for Friday, April 8th at 7:30pm. A Pay-What-You-Choose performance is scheduled for Monday, April 11th at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased via the MCT website, milwaukeechambertheatre.org/tickets or by calling 414-291-7800.
Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona’s THE ISLAND celebrates the depths of human resilience and offers a scathing indictment of the injustice of white supremacy. Inside a notorious maximum-security political prison, two cellmates toil at brutal hard labor by day and rehearse Sophocles’ ANTIGONE for a prison entertainment by night. When one is unexpectedly granted his release, envy and empathy, triumph and loss, and hope and despair all collide in the concentrated atmosphere as they dig into a two-thousand-year-old play that explores every human’s moral obligation to defiance of unjust government. After a critically acclaimed run in MCT’s 20/21 virtual season, this modern classic from some of South Africa’s most esteemed theater-makers is back by popular demand for a live in-person run.
“Dimonte and Sherrick were the first two Wisconsin actors approved by Actors’ Equity Association to rehearse in-person last season when we created our virtual production of THE ISLAND,” shared Artistic Director Brent Hazelton. “It is our honor to close our 21-22 Season by sharing their work in this remarkably moving production with an in-person audience who is able to react, respond, and engage in the conversations this play sparks."
THE ISLAND is Directed by Mikael Burke, with Composition and Sound Design by Peter Goode, Costume and Makeup Design by Amy Horst, Scenic and Properties Design by Stephen Hudson-Mairet, Lighting Design by Ellie Rabinowitz, Dialect Coaching by Nathan Crocker, Stage Management by Kira Neighbors, and ASM/COVID Safety Management by Sydney Smith.
“THE ISLAND speaks to our current American moment as if it were written yesterday,” said Burke. “These two men, Winston and John, are sent to the Island to be broken, to have their spirits broken. And even under the most extreme circumstances, these men manage to hold on to their spirits and conviction, through the power of art and story.”
THE ISLAND is presented by Executive Producers John Shannon and Jan Serr, and Producer J. Michael Reavis.
TICKET INFORMATION
THE ISLAND runs April 8-May 1, 2022, in The Studio Theatre located inside the Broadway Theatre Center. To purchase tickets, go to www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/tickets , call 414-291-7800 or visit in person at 158 N. Broadway in the Historic Third Ward. For more information about MCT, the 21/22 season, how to purchase tickets, and how to donate can be found at www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org.
TALKS AND EVENTS
Pay What You Choose: April 11th 7:30pm
Talk Theatre: April 20th 12pm
TalkBacks: April 14, 21, and 28. All post-performance.
For more information on talks go to https://www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/continuing-the-conversation.
COVID AND ATTENDEE EXPERIENCE
Beginning March 28, 2022 the Broadway Theatre Center will no longer require proof of vaccination for admittance to the facility. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre continues to require masks to be worn at all times while inside the Studio Theatre. This policy is in effect for THE ISLAND April 8 - May 1, 2022. For full details of our health and safety plan, go to https://www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/safety
ABOUT MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATRE
Founded in 1975 by Montgomery Davis and Ruth Schudson, guided until 2020 by Michael Wright and Kirsten Finn, and now led by Brent Hazelton and Amy A. Salat, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) partners with other arts organizations, community-based organizations, and universities to produce thought-provoking productions and innovative outreach programs on an intimate, human scale. As a leader in developing Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s theater community, MCT provides regular employment and a stable artistic home to local theatre professionals through a five-play subscription season, the Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), and the Montgomery Davis Play Development Series (MDPDS). MCT performs at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward and is a proud Member Group of the United Performing Arts Fund. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to make a donation please visit milwaukeechambertheatre.org.
The drop of G-Gifted’s sophomore album, Growth, is proof of what a healthy, positive perspective while enduring not only a global pandemic but the evolution of one’s personal life will do. Even in the illustration of the Album’s cover art, we see this theme being brought to life. In front of a clear and cloudy, blue sky there is a half and half image of an animated G-Gifted with one half showing him with a younger face, beardless, with a short haircut and to his right is a baby tree sprouting from the dirt. On the other side, his hair is longer and loc’d up. He has facial hair and to his left, a full grown tree. The intro track “The ComeBack” was released first as a single along with a visual and although only about a minute and 30 seconds long, immediately introduces the theme of the entire album. In the video, simple shots of G-Gifted are captured as he is seen passionately spittin’ rhymes about perseverance, focusing on his grind, and faith. Other superstar tracks like “Terminator” serve as the perfect hype song for any moment where an extra boost of confidence is needed. However, not every song going forward has the serious theme of maturity. Some tracks like “Forever” and “Weekend Mood” are love songs dedicated to the joys of being in the presence of someone you love and growing with them; “Your Melanin isn’t a badge of shame [but] a symbol of greatness, beauty, elegance, and grace. You epitomize Black and Beautiful. One Love.” (G-Gifted, “Forever”). Tell me how YOU feel about “ Growth ” Milwaukee. /Naomi-Re’a for CW
In anticipation of his latest EP, “Car Bombs”, Shoebox Benny released the video his single “Be Like That”. When the beat drops at the beginning of the song, the head bobbing happens instantly, almost like I knew this song was gonna be cold. Initially, knowing that Shoebox Benny is a Chicago rapper, I was expecting to hear a drill beat or some type of sound that was synonymous with Chicago. But this has a whole different sound. It doesn’t SOUND like drill music but it feels like some sh-t you would listen to get you in that mode. The beat is fire, it gives off a couple different vibes. Like one day you could be listening to it while you’re driving cause it’s smooth as ever. And then the next day you could be in the club with yo friends hyped like “AYE YOU DONT LOVE ME NO MORE, COOL BE LIKE THAT! I’M STILL GRINDING THO CAUSE AIN”T NONE FREE LIKE THAT!” It’s versatile and I love music like that, he speaks on so many things that I feel like alot of people can relate to. So every time you listen to it, you catch something different. Maybe a bar or a reference or a metaphor that you’ve never heard when you listened to it before, and you relate all over again and it’s just a vibe every time. Video production was great, in the video you’ll also see that same element of versatility. I definitely recommend downloading this and y’all let me know if you understand what I’m saying. Shoutout to ShoeBox Benny, this song is amazing and so is the EP!
/Pam from CW Magazine
CopyWrite Magazine, Media & Design LLC is a Milwaukee based organization & company that promotes the ever morphing nature of Urban culture.
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