The "ghost of Kwaanza" is an interactive character who actually teaches the principles of Kwaanza in a catchy song, where the audience eventually learns to sing along. There is also a segment called "Big Apple Supports the Big Easy, Benefit Concert for Victims of Hurricane Katrina."
Photo: Partial Cast in the Grand Finale of Christmas In New York City
Multiple award-winning playwright and actor, Arnold Pinnix’s Christmas In New York City is a fun-filled play based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. This version tells the story of Ebonezer Washington, the “meanest man” in the music industry, who refuses to release his signed artists, on his record label. Subsequently, he is visited by three Spirits of New York, who try to help him change his selfish ways.
One of the concepts I found interesting was the “ghost of Kwaanza” – an interactive character who actually teaches the principles of Kwaanza in a catchy song, where the audience eventually learns to sing along.
There is also a segment called “Big Apple Supports the Big Easy, Benefit Concert for Victims of Hurricane Katrina.” It’s a cool ending and a cute play.
More importantly, the audience has a great time as does the entire cast. It’s a highly contagious piece, where, by the end of the play, the audience and the cast will have bonded.
The Marcus Project, founded and run by Mr. Pinnix, is a program where children, youth and adults simultaneously learn the fundamentals of performing arts and have a great time. Under the direction of multiple award-winning playwright and actor, Arnold Pinnix, the participants essentially get an education in legitimate theatre by putting on a series of plays based on history and current events.
*More on Arnold Pinnix:
A winner of the Lorraine Hansberry award and the Kennedy Center award, to name a few, Arnold Pinnix is a multiple award-winning playwright and actor. He has won a Playwrights Lab Award and the National Association for Dramatic Speech award. His award-winning plays include “Junk” a musical play for young people, “The Peacemaker” a work based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and “Free to Learn,” a new musical based on the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case.
A native of Burlington, North Carolina, Mr. Pinnix was discovered by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who brought him to New York to write comedy for
Saturday Night Live. Mr. Pinnix then interned on the Cosby Show and later studied sitcom writing and directing. He produced and directed a children’s talent showcase at the World Famous Apollo Theater, where he made history as the first producer/director to do such an event at the Apollo. As a result, Apollo Kids became an exciting feature of “Show Time at the Apollo.”
Mr. Pinnix has dedicated over 20 years of national community service. He is currently the Producing Director of the Negro Ensemble Company, Inc., President of 3THW Music Publishing, Inc., and Director of “On-the-Job Training program” for the Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. Mr. Pinnix is currently the producer and head writer for the hit internet television show, Newsnoir on the Drum Television Network. He is also the New York representative and film producer at Carolina Pinnacle Studios in Yanceyville, North Carolina.
If we all pull together with sponsorship and community support, young stars can be born through the organization. Everyone is encouraged to come out and see Christmas In New York City and support Mr. Pinnix’s noble efforts.
Christmas In New York City is playing every Sunday at the Time Square Arts Center located at 300 West 43rd Street off 8th Avenue in New York City. For more information, call (212) 245-7557.
To purchase tickets to Christmas in New York City or to learn more about the above, logon to http://3thwmusic0.tripod.com/index.html
Brenda Jeanne Wyche, Advocate for Solutions and Results ©2006 is Managing Editor for The Black Star News and Harlem Business News and CEO of Winning Strategies & Associates, a business development consultancy in New York City. If you have a solution, contact [email protected] . Maybe we’ll talk.
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*Arnold Pinnix’s Bio extracted from 3THW’s website http://3thwmusic0.tripod.com/index.html
