Afrocentric Bookfair
V -
Hyattsville, MD
Hundreds of readers strolled the Mall of Prince George's last year to
talk with writers such as Michelle Sewell, editor of Growing Up Girl, An Anthology of Voice
from Marginalized Spaces. "The book fair was good for
networking," says Sewell, who also represented Port of Harlem at the event last
year and will again this year Saturday,
February 23 from 10am to 5p.
"The fair consisted on three rows of stables and a small stage in the
mall's center court," says Sam Ford, who was covering the event for Port of Harlem. The Washington Afro-American devoted a
full page to the annual event cosponsored in part by Port of Harlem magazine and Karibu
books.
Most of the writers including Angeline Bandor-Bibum were
self-publishers. She told Ford that after getting her fifth rejection
letter she decided to self-publish her book because "I have a low
tolerance for rejection." Her book is set in the period 1990 to
1994. It's a story about a Howard University grad student who
meets and falls in love with a lawyer from the African nation of Rwanda
about the time of the turmoil in that country. Many of the
budding publishers and writers such as Darrell A Cador, When Seasons
Change, are members of the Black Writer's Gild of Prince Georges
County, organizers of the event.
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The Brothers Size - Review
by Wayne A. Young
The Studio Theater
presents the intriguing The
Brothers Size only through Sunday,
February 10. Size would be
a typical good versus evil story except that Tarel Alvin McCraney
creatively penned the story with a Yoruba backdrop. The 90-minute
play opens with the thump of drum beats, a few props, bare chests, and
liberal use of the "N" word.
In Yoruba tradition, Ogun is the sacred spirit of iron, Oshoosi the
wanderer, and Elegba the trickster. Each of the characters
take on these personalities while using southern U.S. dialect.
"When we read about the Gods, it helped us understand the characters we
were playing," said Kenyan born Gilbert Owuor, who played Ogun (spirit
of iron), the auto mechanic. Brian Henry plays Oshoosi (wanderer) his
brother, who recently “earned” his way out of jail by doing his full
time, and Elliot Villar plays Elegba (trickster) who tries to lure
Oshoosi back into trouble. In a step out of tradition, the three
characters also sometimes voiced their stage directions followed by
their lines, which added some lighter moments to the dialogue.
McCraney describes The Brother's Size
as a play "inspired by Yoruba life and traditions, steeped in Southern
rhythms and cadences, and seamed shut with fire of urban music and
dance." I could not agree more.
Tickets: $34-$57, $19 tickets available for full-time students
one-half hour before curtain, if seating is available - except
Saturday. $30 tickets available 30 minutes before curtain, if seats are
available. Call 202-232-7267 for Senior, military and group
discounts.
Direction and Discount Parking Info
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The U.S. Census
Bureau released results of
a survey revealing who nonworkers are and why they do not
work. The Bureau collected the data in response to the
question: "What is the main reason [you] did not work at a job or
business [in the last four months]." Interviewers ask this
question to people of all racial groups.
