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On Wednesday's show: Legal action continues in connection with the kidney and liver transplant programs at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. In April, the hospital halted those transplants due to a “pattern of irregularities with donor acceptance criteria.” We get an update on the story and learn about a woman whose husband died while waiting for a liver transplant.Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Then, in this month's edition of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite underrated restaurants and hidden gems around the city. And Stages Houston is presenting a fresh take on a Shakespearean classic. Othello: The Remix blends hip-hop and a rotating stage to bring new life to the themes found in the Bard's classic work.
South Minneapolis playwright and poet William Nour recommends “Returning to Haifa” by Pangea World Theater. This is a U.S. premiere of a play based on a novella by Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani. The play tells of a Palestinian couple who return to Haifa after the 1967 war to find the baby they left behind in 1948. They find a Jewish family of Holocaust survivors living in their old home. “It's my reality,” Nour says. “I came here when I was 16. Basically, because there were no opportunities for Arabs in Israel, like as second-class citizens. So it's very poignant for me and it's just — I cried when I saw it for the first time.” “Returning to Haifa” plays through May 6 at the Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. Eric Heukeshoven is the director of Worship, Music and Arts for Central Lutheran Church in Winona, Minn. He says he's “really excited” to attend “Portraits,” the spring concert for the Winona Symphony. The piece that he's most looking forward to is called “Peanuts Gallery.” American composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich wrote it, inspired by the characters of the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz. “I grew up with ‘Peanuts,'” Heukeshoven says, “and it's for piano and orchestra and it's just delightful.” The performance is Saturday at Wesley United Methodist Church in Winona. Holly Harrison is a freelance writer and a creative located in south Minneapolis, and she recently attended a performance of “Othello: The Remix” by Minneapolis Musical Theatre. “Unlike most tributes to Shakespeare, this one kind of tosses out all of the 17th-century dialogue,” Harrison says, “and rebuilds it as a hip-hop musical. Instead of taking place among Venetian military and political figures, it follows a hop-hop crew that's going on tour.” Harrison adds that “you really get to know your fellow audience members a little bit by seeing which references really crack them up and which ones slip past them.” “Othello: The Remix” plays through May 7 at Phoenix Theater in Minneapolis.
In this episode, we get real about some of the stresses that come with taking ADHD medications as an artist. We also talk about Dru's love of Hip Hop, getting misdiagnosed as having anger issues as a pre-teen, and keeping a sense of play and wild abandon even as an adult. Here is some information on Dru: Dru Smith's artistic mission is to continually create art that aims to lessen the gap between those who are marginalized and those in power. He's a director/writer/actor/musician who lives and works in Chicago. He co-wrote and co-directed Concerning Foster, a play about the desegregation of District 65 schools in Evanston, IL. He also co-created the play, I.D., which was a vignette-style production that asked hard questions about racial and cultural identity. I.D. received a remount due to its unprecedented success. While working as an actor, Dru has been seen on stage at The Gift, Urban Street Theatre Company, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre - where he understudied the production of Othello: The Remix. He was also an ensemble member of the former company, Chicago Slam Works. There, he was on a team of artists who created slam-poetry-forward theater around different social justice themes, and he was also lucky enough to direct their final show before closing, Carrier. Dru received his BFA in Acting from SUNY Purchase before moving to Chicago, and is a proud graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. He serves as the Education Director for Mudlark Theater Company. You can find some of his music on Bandcamp: Sir Andrew The Bard: The Prologue
In this episode of “Unwrap Your Candies Now,” Catherine Lu learns about the Houston Chamber Choir's season-opening concert, featuring Annelies, the first major choral setting of The Diary of Anne Frank, composed by James Whitbourn with libretto compiled and translated by Melanie Challenger. The Choir presents the work’s Houston Premiere at the newly-reopened and expanded Holocaust Museum Houston, September 21 and 22. Catherine chats with the Choir’s Founder and Artistic Director, Robert Simpson, and the Museum’s... Read More
Dmae talks with Vin Shambry, a nationally recognized actor, director, singer and storyteller. We’ll find out more about his career and about his recent project directing Othello: The Remix at Portland Actors Conservatory where he also works as an instructor. The show is an imaginative reworking of William Shakespeare’s classic play that transforms the protagonist into a […]
Apologies for the "blow outs" and the "thumps" - it was a great interview with a few recording issues. 01:55 - How the Q Brothers started writing and performing hip hop using Shakespeare as the source text. 07:50 - GQ on how he got involved with "Drumline." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303933/ 09:40 - Video for "White Nigga from Drumline" by the Retar crew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1dQOZY1KiM 10:38 - Genesis of "Funk It Up About Nothin'" and how it came to Chicago Shakespeare Theater 19:16 - The Q Brothers' heritage 27:05 - "Othello: The Remix" at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. https://www.chicagoshakes.com/plays_and_events/othello_the_remix_2016 28:43 - GQ gives Jake the business about having a hefty serving of salt with his pepper. 31:12 - "Othello: The Remix" was commissioned by The Globe (of London) in 2012 53:40 - The Q Brothers' shaving business and Small Flower TV: https://www.youtube.com/user/smallflowertv 1:04:35 - "Q Gents" and "Mad Summer" 1:05:49 - GQ flips the script and ask us how "Are You Famous, Yet?" began. 1:08:54 - Q Brothers Freestyle!!! Follow us on Twitter or Facebook Intro Music: "Are You Famous, Yet?" - Laura Scruggs. Outro Music: "AYFY 1" - Christopher Kriz
Since 2002, Gregory and Jeffery Ameen Qaiyum, better known as G.Q. and J.A.Q – the Q Brothers – have been using hip-hop to adapt and update the plays of William Shakespeare. At the time we recorded this podcast, their show Othello: The Remix was running off-Broadway at the Westside Theater. They were interviewed by Barbara Bogaev. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. Published January 10, 2017. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. “Something Then In Rhyme” was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster and Esther Ferington. We had help from Alana Karpoff and Rachael Singer of the theater management company, Jeffrey Richards Associates; Angie Hamilton Lowe at NPR-West in Culver City, California; and Devin Mellor & Camille Smiley at NPR in New York.
Libby Purves meets Maria Vasquez who fled Pinochet's Chile with her family; former child actor Robert Henrey; survival expert Ray Mears and hip hop artists the Q Brothers. Maria Vasquez came to Britain from Chile as a child with her parents - refugees fleeing General Pinochet's dictatorship. Her father, a supporter of Salvador Allende's government, had been tortured and imprisoned following the 1973 coup. The family settled first in Sheffield and then Rotherham. Maria is the chair of Chile 40 Years On, a London-based group set up to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the coup. The Royal Court Theatre is marking the event with a series of readings by a range of Chilean writers. Robert Henrey was a child actor who was picked out by director Carol Reed to star in his 1948 film The Fallen Idol. Performing alongside Sir Ralph Richardson, Robert played Phillipe, a young boy caught up in an adult world. His memoir, Through Grown Up Eyes, tells of his life from actor to Roman Catholic deacon. Through Grown Up Eyes is published by Polperro Heritage Press. Ray Mears is a woodsman, photographer and survival expert who has travelled the world studying and teaching the art of survival. He has appeared in TV series including World of Survival, Bushcraft Survival and Ray Mear's Goes Walkabout. He also founded Woodlore, The School of Wilderness Bushcraft which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. His autobiography, My Outdoor Life is published by Hodder. The Q Brothers, Gregory and Jeffery Qaiyum, are writers, rappers and directors. Known as GQ and JQ respectively, the brothers are behind a hip hop adaptation of Othello - Othello: The Remix. Their production transposes the original story of betrayal, jealousy and suspicion to the competitive world of the music industry. Othello: The Remix is at London's Unicorn Theatre. Producer: Paula McGinley.
The Q Brothers' hip-hop adaptation of Othello is bringing new audiences to Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. CST Creative Producer Rick Boynton, who helped develop Othello: The Remix, joins brothers GQ and JQ to discuss their work with Anne Nicholson Weber.