Arts and Culture

Darian Sanders Stars as Simba in The Lion King

Darian Sanders who stars as “Simba” in “The Lion King,” is living a dream, a dream he never anticipated. Sixteen years as a pastor and praise worshiper, Sanders says he was approached by a talent scout. “I wasn’t an actor or dancer, but my now manager, noticed me, coached me, and today I’m living a dream,” said Sanders.

Published

4 months ago

January 2, 2024

Oakland Post

Actor Darian Sanders stars as "Simba" in The Lion King at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco

By Carla Thomas

Currently running through December 30 at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco, Sanders has toured with the production for four years. “The cast is like family and every performance I have the opportunity to enjoy the lively opening scene.” The vibrant production where actors perform in animated costumes representing giraffes, gazelles, and birds surround the audience with a grand entrance in the walkways. Festive music, and cultural calls and inflections of South Africans are infused throughout the inspired production. “I get to take in all that energy prior to my entrance,” said Sanders.

Trained in voice and the trumpet at an early age, Sanders served as a chaplain with the University of Louisville Fellowship of Christian Athletes and worship pastor with regional ministries. Sanders has also performed in Jesus Christ Superstar, Songs For A New World, and Hairspray.

While Sanders says he is having the time of his life, he gives all glory to Jesus Christ and appreciates the unconditional support of his wife Jessica and their 4 year old son, Titus.

The Lion King began as a 1994 animated feature-length coming of age film and tells the tale of Simba, the lion cub who rises to be the King of the jungle.

The Lion King has won more than 70 global theatrical awards including several Tony Awards in 1998 for Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.

Julie Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, hand sculpted and painted every prototype mask that now appears in the iconic “Circle of Life” opening of the show. Their design department spent 17,000 hours building the anthropomorphic animal characters for the original Broadway production, which enables the audience to see the characters as animal and human at the same time.

The tallest animals in the show are 18-foot exotic giraffes from “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Circle of Life” scenes. Actors trained in stilt-walking, climb 6-foot ladders to fit inside the puppets and all together 49 actors bring the 200 puppets to life representing wildebeests, birds, fish, gazelles, lionesses, zebras, and crocodiles.

“The production was beautiful and my favorite part was seeing the costumes up close when they paraded through the audience,” said Denise Hamm who traveled from Silicon Valley. “It’s just a wonderful way to usher in the holiday spirit.”

The tour travels with 12 musicians who play over 80 different musical instruments and five indigenous African languages spoken in The Lion King include Zulu, Xhosa, Sesotho, Setswana, and Swahili. Since its Broadway premiere, nearly 250 South Africans have been employed and Garth Fagan and Lebo M are Broadway’s longest-running Black choreographer and composer.

Performed in nine languages, The Lion King continues to be the highest grossing of any in box office history.

For more information visit broadwaysf.com.

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Richmond Preps for Full Weekend of Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival. The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Scene from the 2023 Cinco de Mayo parade from Richmond to San Pablo. Photo courtesy The Richmond Standard.

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

Cinco de Mayo festivities in Richmond and San Pablo are some of the bests in Bay, and organizers say that tradition will be alive and well at this weekend’s annual parade and festival.

The action kicks off Saturday, May 4, with the 16th Annual Cinco de Mayo Richmond/San Pablo Peace & Unity Parade. The parade of floats, performances, and community organizations starts at 10 a.m. at 24th Street and Barrett Avenue and Richmond and ends at 12:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1845 Church Lane in San Pablo.

The parade’s Grand Marshall this year will be community organizer Diego Garcia, owner of Leftside Printing.

The festivities continue Sunday with the Cinco de Mayo Festival along 23rd Street, which last year drew over 100,000 people, according to the 23rd Street Merchants Association. This year’s festival will again run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the intersections of Rheem Avenue and Clinton Avenue. It will feature two entertainment stages, one sponsored by La Raza 93.3 FM at 23rd and Rheem, and another sponsored by Radio Lazer FM at 23rd and Clinton.

Both events are important for the city and the region’s Latino community.

San Pablo Mayor Genoveva Calloway, who co-chairs the parade alongside John Marquez, president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Trustees, says Saturday’s festivities are about bringing the Richmond and San Pablo communities together in unity.

“This truly connects the spectators and people in the parade as one,” Calloway said. “The parade showcases the real communities of Richmond and San Pablo – our nonprofits, schools, horse riders, classic cars and trucks, our local businesses. All of these people represent the heartbeat of our community.”

Rigo Mendoza, vice president of the 23rd Street Merchants Association, said that at its heart, Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo Festival celebrates the date the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

But John Marquez started up the popular festival to bring the community together and also to exhibit the community’s businesses and culture to visitors, Mendoza said. The gathering was also a way to promote peace in the community.

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Art

Mario Van Peebles’ ‘Outlaw Posse’ Screened at Oakland’s Grand Lake Theatre

Published

4 days ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Film director Mario Van Peebles, who also stars in “Outlaw Posse,” appeared at a press conference held at RBA Creative on MacArthur Boulevard hosted by the Oakland International Film Festival. Photo By Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland International Film Festival hosted a screening of “Outlaw Posse” at the Grand Lake Theatre on Monday. Special guests included director/actor Mario Van Peebles and his co-star, Oakland native Scytorya Rhodes. The film is Peebles’ second western, the first being ‘Posse,’ 13 years ago. Filmmaker Van Peebles shared his passion for independent artistry and producing projects with his son, Mandela, who also starred in the film, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Cedric the Entertainer. Next week, The Post will publish an in-depth interview featuring Peebles’ reflections on his work, future projects, and continuing his father’s legacy and Rhodes on her grandfather, a real-life cowboy.

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Arts and Culture

Kedrick Armstrong: New Music Director for the Oakland Symphony

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director. In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Kedrick Armstrong is the new music director for the Oakland Symphony. Photo credit Scott Chernis.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Symphony Announced Kedrick Armstrong as its Next Music Director.
In addition to conducting the orchestra’s public concerts, Armstrong will also actively participate in the Oakland Symphony’s many education and community engagement programs, designed to inspire a love of music in people of all ages.

Armstrong is the successor to previous music director and Conductor Michael Morgan, who passed away in 2021 after a 30-year tenure at the Symphony.

Armstrong will open the Oakland Symphony 2024-2025 season on October 18.

Armstrong, who is 29 and hails from Georgetown, South Carolina, is currently the creative partner and principal conductor of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

The Chicago Tribune has praised Armstrong for his ability to “simply let the score speak for itself.” He enjoys a wide range of repertoire, spanning early music to premiering new works, using his joy and curiosity for all music to cultivate understanding and collaboration within diverse communities.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the new music director of the Oakland Symphony,” Armstrong said. “As a Black conductor, I find it humbling to stand on the shoulders of both Michael Morgan and Calvin Simmons,” the most recent and the first African American music directors of the Symphony, respectively.

Armstrong led three programs at the Symphony between 2022 and early 2024, which showcased his broad knowledge of the classical repertoire and enthusiasm for spotlighting diverse voices.
On his Oakland Symphony subscription debut on Feb. 16, Armstrong led the world premiere of “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson,” an oratorio by Carlos Simon on a libretto by Dan Harder, commissioned by the Oakland Symphony.

Armstrong was selected unanimously by the Oakland Symphony’s board of directors and musicians after an extensive two-year search. “The search committee was overwhelmed by Kedrick’s scholarship and curiosity about all kinds of music, from classical and jazz to gospel and hip-hop,” said. Dr. Mieko Hatano, executive director of the Oakland Symphony. “We are thrilled to have him join us at the Oakland Symphony.”