By Gwen DeRu
HAPPY HOLIDAYS…..TO ALL OF YOU….
….FROM ALL OF US!!!
ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS!! Share the Joy of the Season!
FOR GOLFERS – Celebrity Golfer Catana Starks in Birmingham –
For BGN’s second event in less than one year since forming Dr. Catana Starks is the featured golf celebrity. Former swim coach and golf coach at Tennessee State University, Dr. Starks made history becoming the first woman golfer and first African-American woman to coach a men’s college golf team. With determination, passion, and courage, Dr. Starks took an unlikely group of young men from around the world, that would not have had an opportunity to play nor succeed in golf, and created a world-class golf team. She then coached them to an all-time record at the PGA National Collegiate Minority Championship. Her efforts inspired the movie “From the Rough,” which depicts her exciting experience that led to her spot in golf history.
The newly formed Birmingham Golf Network (BGN) is hosting its Christmas golf mixer, Monday, 6-8 p.m. at the Historic Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham. BGN is a group of minority golfers and leaders in the community focused on networking, sharing golf events, the love of the sport and giving back to the community. The organization is the brainchild of Gloria Dennard, who is an avid golfer and wanted a way for various golf groups and those interested in the game to be able to connect. (Look for more here next week.)
TIME TO SHARE WITH OTHERS…..
**Thursday: Unified Holiday Party… Unified. Connected. Professionals. Reviving a Magic City Holiday Tradition – Once upon a time, not so long ago, the Black professional groups of Birmingham would get together during the holiday season to meet, fellowship and raise money for one worthy cause. It was the original Magic City ‘party with a purpose’, executed purely as a demonstration of unity, collaboration and networking among many of the community’s most progressive professionals of color. It’s time to bring that tradition back, today, 5:30 – 9 p.m. at the Jazz Underground with 100 percent of the door proceeds going to the Four Little Girls Memorial Scholarship Fund. There will be music by Sharron, prizes, drink specials and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.
**THE GRINCH CHRISTMAS PARTY FUNDRAISER – – TOYS FOR TOTS DONATIONS, 6 p.m. today, at the Red Zone Sports Bar and Grill. FREE Admission with a toy donation. Byron Perkins is hosting this event and hope to see you there supporting those that have not. Call (205) 983-7522 for more. See you there!
ART LOVERS….
**THROUGH POSITIVE EYES – The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and AIDS Alabama to present Internationally Acclaimed Photo Exhibit Through Positive Eyes December 3 – January 31 in BCRI’s Orientation Theatre Hallway from Tuesday, December 3, 2013 through January 31, 2014. Through Positive Eyes is an international photography project that gives people living with HIV and AIDS the opportunity to pick up their own cameras, create art, and document the reality of their lives. By doing so, they create artworks that serve as tools for combating stigma, one of the most formidable barriers to reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS today. Over the next two years, HIV-positive people in six countries and on five continents will take part in this unique initiative, creating powerful personal photo essays. From these images, local and international advocacy materials will be developed. The project is a collaboration between the prize-winning South African photographer Gideon Mendel and the UCLA Art & Global Health Center, which is housed within the Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance.
**A NIGHT WITH LITTIA – Enjoy a Saturday evening of original art, delicacies and more, 6 p.m. at J Simpkins Gallery. Call (205) 572-1295 for more.
**HELLO DOLLY – Broadway in Birmingham is presenting Hello Dolly with Sally Struthers, Friday through Sunday at the BJCC Concert Hall. (Look for the MYTHBUSTERS BEHIND THE MYTHS on December 20 at the BJCC Concert Hall.) These are some of the hottest performing arts events in Birmingham.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE THINGS GOING ON…
THIS WEEKEND….
**ETTA MAY BENEFIT SHOW at the STARDOME COMEDY CLUB. A Night with Comedian Etta May. Proceeds for the CANSURVIVE GYN CANCER SUPPORT GROUP AND THE LAURA CRANDALL BROWN OVARIAN CANCER FOUNDATION. For more, call (205) 444-0008.
FRIDAY…
**SOULFUL FRIDAYS CONCERT SERIES with MOSE STOVALL 9 p.m. at the Crescendo. Call (205) 862-4723 for more.
**FRIDAY AFTER WORK, 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. at 25 West Oxmoor Road, Suite 26 in Homewood. Call (205) 572-1295 for more.
**ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR, 5 p.m. at Jazz Underground.
**KELLEY ONEAL with KAYO BAND, 10 p.m. at Ona’s Music Room.
**AFTER MIDNIGHT OLD SCHOOL AFTER PARTY, 11:59 p.m. at Jazz Underground.
SATURDAY….
**A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE, 6:30 and 8 p.m. at the Jazz Underground by the Make It Happen Theatre Company featuring Latoya Matthews as Nina Simone.
**ON PURPOSE WITH DEIGHT HOUSTON, 10 p.m. at Ona’s Music Room.
**AFTER MIDNIGHT OLD SCHOOL AFTER PARTY, 11:59 p.m. at Jazz Underground.
SUNDAY….
**PHASE II BAND AND SHOW, 9 p.m. at Tide & Tiger Lounge 409 Graymont Avenue (across from Legion Field.) For more, call (205) 229-4829 or 502-3880.
**SALSA SUNDAYS, 8 p.m. at Jazz Underground.
MONDAY….
**NAPPY NIGHT – Music at Boujee Lounge, every Monday at 204 Avenue U in Pratt City, 8 p.m. with good jerk food, vendors and music. See you there on Mondays!
WEDNESDAY…
**STEVE ROBERTS QUARTET WITH ASHLEY ROBERTS at Ona’s Music Room.
COMING SOON…..
DECEMBER 14 – CHRISTMAS UNDERGROUND with the ladies….CHRISTINAY, NADIA, SHARRON and DAN I, 8 p.m. at the Jazz Underground. Call (205) 386-0207 for more.
DECEMBER 16 – OPEN AUDITIONS – Red Mountain Theatre Company’s Open Call Auditions
– There will be auditions on Monday, December 16,
5 – 10 p.m. for:Into the Woods (April 10-13, 2014)
Rehearsal dates: March 3 – April 9
La Cage aux Folles (May 1-18, 2014)
Rehearsal dates: April 8 – April 30
Les Misérables (July 8-August 3, 2014)
Rehearsal dates: June 17 – July 7. Males ages 16 and up and females 14 and up will be seen at this call for Into the Woods.
*No CHILDREN will be seen for La Cage aux Folles or Les Misérables at this call.
RMTC Cabaret Theatre
301 19th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203
This is a pre-screening audition for performers who are NEW to RMTC.
If you have previously performed in a RMTC production, it is not necessary for you to attend this audition. If you have performed with us in the past and are interested in being cast in any of these productions, email info@redmountaintheatre.org. You will be contacted with information regarding auditions. Those auditioning should arrive at 5 p.m. (with 8×10 headshot and resume if available) to sign-up. Please be prepared to sing 16-24 bars (30 seconds-1 minute) of music that shows off your voice. An accompanist will be provided (no CDs/tapes). You may sing from the show’s score as part of your audition, but please also come prepared with your own material as well. There will not be any dance or movement auditions involved in these shows. Full details will be available online at www.RedMountainTheatre.org.
DECEMBER 22 – Birmingham’s Own MAD SKILLZ 10th ANNIVERSARY at WorkPlay. (Look for more, soon.)
IN 2014 –
FEBRUARY 14 – AN EVENING OF LOVE WITH KEM, 8 p.m., at the BJCC Concert Hall with Special Guests TONY TERRY AND CALVIN RICHARDSON.
(Photo)
MARCH 8 – UNCF MASKED BALL at the Sheraton Hotel, Grand Ballroom in downtown Birmingham presented by the Central Alabama Sickle Cell Foundation. Make your reservations now.
NOW…. a BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO ASHLEY ENGLISH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU …AND TO ALL CELEBRATING!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL YOU BIRTHDAY BALLERS…MANY, MANY MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!! ENJOY!!
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time.
(People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send comments to my emails: thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com or gwenderu@yahoo.com)
