Amazing Grace Conservatory Goodbye Birdie! - Musical

(C) 2016 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws

 Amazing Grace Conservatory goodbye Birdie! - Musical

Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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The Amazing Grace Conservatory’s Musical

 “Goodbye Birdie!” Is A Smash Success!

       The Amazing Grace Conservatory presented their annual year end musical to conclude their spring, summer and fall training sessions. This year’s musical titled “Goodbye Birdie!” was a loving tribute to the music of the late artist Prince. The production included songs, dance routines, a video tribute to Prince and superb acting. The Musical was directed by Kimberly Bailey with Andrae Alexander serving as the musical director. Additional staff included Jahbrielle Henning, assistant director; Sha’Leah Stubblefied and Andrae Alexander, additional vocal arrangements. The show was beautifully choreographed by Andre Kinney, Chris Smith, Cassie Crump and Alfred Jackson. Stage lighting was handled by Moira MacDonald and Leslie Chew created the sound. Mylette Nora designed the costumes and Sheila Dorn did the make-up and hair design. Robertson Productions were the videographers for the event. The show was very professionally run and was a completely delightful experience for the sold out audience which rewarded it with a rousting standing ovation.

JeVonne Davis recipient of The 2016 TLC Scholarship

   The affair was held at the elegant Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles. Some of the principal cast members included Selena Thurmond as (Rosie Alvarez); Caleb McGee as (Conrad Birdie); Keanye Posey as (Kim MacAfee) and Blacke Brewer as (Albert Peterson) and JeVonne Davis as (Mr. Harry MacAfee) who was also the night's recipient of The 2016 TLC Scholarship named after AGC's late co-founder Mr. Tracy Lamar Coley.

    

The many fine stage musicals produced by AGC

The Amazing Grace Conservatory was founded in 1996 by the late Mr. Tracy Lamar Coley and Mrs. Wendy Raquel Robinson affectionately called Ms. Wendy. out of love and concern for inner city youth and a desire to teach them the performing arts in an environment that is nurturing for their personal, artistic and professional growth. Some 500 students have come through the doors of AGC which offers the TLC college scholarship named after the late co-founder. Past recipients have attended Yale, Julliard, NYU-Tisch School of the Arts, Howard University, DePaul, Harvard and Carnegie Mellon.

  

AGC Co-Founder Mrs. Wendy Raquel Robinson

       When asked where do all of the students come from? Co-founder  Robinson responds, “They come from every walk of life. A lot of them are now alumni, their children, word of mouth; we really don’t do a lot of advertising. But it’s a program that pretty much sustains itself.” If a person wants to become part of this magnificent program what are the requirements? Robinson explains, “Basically having an open heart and an open mind and be ready to come and work and have a wonderful work ethic. We do have an interview process but it’s not to intimidate anybody but it’s just to make sure it’s something that the child wants and not the parents.”  

Ms. Wendy and the cast of Goodbye Birdie!

      What kind of children are they looking for? Robinson says, “Just those that are dedicated to the craft. Like the young lady said when she first came, she didn’t want to be at AGC but she was open to the possibility and now she is one of the most phenomenal students that we have, they just have to be open to the possibility.” Indeed Robinson has had many students come through her and foresees many more to come.  

Yummy Birdie cake that was devoured at the after receptton

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DiDi Hirsch Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards - Event

(C) 2016 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws

 DiDi Hirsch Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards

Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist

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Didi Hirsch 20^th Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards

     It was a balmy beautiful evening at the posh Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills when the stars, dignitaries and honorees began to arrive and make their way down the elegant red carpet to the blinding flashes of press photographers and the prodding microphones of media interviewers. This was the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services 20^th Anniversary “Erasing the Stigma Leadership Awards.” 
   

    

DiDi Hirsch President/CEO Kita S. Curry, Ph.D

During the red carpet entry period there was a cocktail mixer follow by dinner. The festivities began with a video screening about Didi Hirsch, its services and testimonies from clients. Leadership Co-Chair Martin J. Frank, Event Co-Chairs Shawn Amos and Lisa Petrazzolo gave a joint welcome to the evening’s guest and introduced Didi Hirsch President/CEO Kita S. Curry, PhD who brought up the emcee of the night, actress Eva LaRue.

M.C. actress Eva LaRue

    

Musician/Singer/Songwriter KT Tunstall

Grammy nominee KT Tunstall rendered a heartfelt guitar/vocal performance which delighted the audience. 

    

Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey

Former UFC Bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Andrea Stern served as the night’s award presenters.

    

      The honorees were Michael Botticelli (Leadership Award); Maya Forbes (Leadership Award) and Melissa Rivers (Beatrice Stern Media Award)

Michael Botticelli Leadership Award

Maya Forbes Leadership Award

Melissa Rivers Beatrice Stern Media Award

    Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has gone through various stages of growth and development through organizational and name changes since its beginnings in the 1930’s. They currently have helped over 70,000 clients with eleven locations throughout the LA County basin. They offer services for adults, child and family, military families, special programs, short term crisis counseling and crisis intervention and substance use disorder services. 

     Tax deductible donations are accepted online via www.didihirsch.org or by calling 310-751-5455 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM Mon – Fri. For services call 1-888-807-7250. The suicide prevention crisis line is 1-800-273-8255. If you, anyone in your family or friends are in need of mental health services, please dismiss the stigma and get the help you or they need.

© 2016 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

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Zoe Kravitz - Allegiant

(C) 2016 by Rych McCain, All Rights Reserved. No part of this column may be reprinted, re-posted or duplicated without written permission from Rych McCain Media/Syndication. Violation is subject to applicable laws

 Zoe Kravitz - Allegiant - Film

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Zoe Kravitz Roughs It Out In The Divergent Series: Allegiant (Part 2)

     

      Allegiant is the final part of The 

Divergent Series with part 2 

coming out this March and the final  

book will be split into a third 

movie due March 24, 2017. The film 

stars Shailene Woodley 

 (Tris);Theo James (Four); Zoe 

Kravitz (Christina); Miles Teller 

(Tori); Maggie Q (Tori) and Ansel 

elgort (Caleb) This version 

centers on a dystopian society 

nestled in an area that once was 

Chicago The inhabitants are divided 

into five factions which 

determines their lifestyles. With 

Chicago on the verge of an all-out 

civil war Tris leads her band of merry renegades over the wall that 

encloses the city while being chased by armed guards shooting at 

them. Of course once over the wall things get interesting.

   

Zoe Kravitz as Christina

  Zoe Kravitz’s role as Christina along with the other four escapees gets physical and she has to play act with a lot more special effects than the previous Divergent film. She describes the experience saying, “Yeah, there is a lot more green screen and a lot more special effects so you have to have so more faith just because you’re trusting that whatever you’re doing you won’t feel silly in the moment and it’s going to work later once they work their magic. So you have to kind of learn a new way of acting. You’re acting with nothing there like the drowns; pretending they are there when they’re not. You gotta get used to it.”

The escapees scaling the wall

      There are plenty of sticky and risky situations that the five escapees encounter that are pretty challenging once they are over that wall. When Kravitz read the script did she ask herself what would I do in real life if this happened to me or does she just go with the script? She laughs, “I don’t think so. I think if I start rationalizing that way I would have been gone so long ago. I think I just wouldn’t be in the film. You put yourself in the world and it makes it a little more easy to digest.”

  

Zoe Kravitz

Since this is a film series and there is a recurring cast, is it like being in high school for another year in a higher grade when you get together to shoot again? Kravitz responds, “Yeah, it is very interesting. All of our friendships have grown and evolved. As artists we’ve all grown and evolved. Our careers have grown and evolved so it has been really interesting you know to support each other watch other. We have been through thick and thin, we gotten into fights, we love each other. It is like a group of actual friends.” Kravitz also has a music career going with her band Lolawolf where she sings and writes music.

© 2016 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM 

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