Art

‘Pride & Joy’ Delivers the Motown Sound and Swag in Spectacular Form

WASHINGTON INFORMER — From the very first downbeat and accompanying dance routine, performed to the 1959 tune made famous by Chubby Checker when he added his special touch to the tune “The Twist” just a year later, it seemed evident that “Pride & Joy: The Marvin Gaye Musical” had all the makings of an old-school, blue lights in the basement party, fueled by the phenomenal, new wave of rock and soul that would take the world by storm throughout the turbulent ’60s.

Published

7 years ago

May 12, 2019

D. Kevin McNeir Senior Editor

By D. Kevin McNeir

From the very first downbeat and accompanying dance routine, performed to the 1959 tune made famous by Chubby Checker when he added his special touch to the tune “The Twist” just a year later, it seemed evident that “Pride & Joy: The Marvin Gaye Musical” had all the makings of an old-school, blue lights in the basement party, fueled by the phenomenal, new wave of rock and soul that would take the world by storm throughout the turbulent ’60s.

And while some members of the audience found it impossible to remain seated, they would be even more captivated by a repertoire of subsequent tunes now firmly entrenched in America’s Songbook — part and parcel of songs shared by Berry Gordy Jr. and his Hitsville USA vocalists, musicians and dancers — all members of the Motown Records family.

The musical, which marked its world premiere at the National Theater in the District on May 8, invites its audience to tag along to witness the previously untold fairy-tale romance of the legendary Marvin Gaye and Anna Gordy, one of the boss’s sisters and a highly competent businesswoman who not only bedazzles Gaye as his career takes shape, but also snags his heart — becoming his wife, mother of his firstborn son and co-writer for several of Motown’s most endearing ballads — songs inspired by the twosome’s love, creativity and, at times, volatile clashes.

The play, based on the diaries of Anna Gordy Gaye, comes to the stage with the blessing of Gordy himself who not only reviewed the script but handpicked one of the lead performers, Jarran Muse, for the role of Marvin Gaye in his younger days.

Playwrights for the production come from the collaborative efforts of Marvin and Anna’s son, Marvin Gaye III, Angela Barrow-Dunlap and D’Extra Wiley — business partner and longtime friend of Marvin III who also dons the roles of both Jackie Wilson and Frankie Gaye (Marvin’s brother). The music, of course, comes from the vast Motown catalogue under the guidance of Music Director Cordell Walton, along with energetic, fresh choreography conceived by Tristan Andrews and Angela Blocker-Loyd — each of whom hails from Detroit — the city in which it all began.

No one who really appreciates songs with heartfelt lyrics, beautiful harmonies and intricately-delivered musical accompaniments can honestly dispute the magical touch and impact that Motown, armed with a bevy of unforgettable songs, soloists and singing ensembles, has had on the nation and the world — even 60 years since its founding.

And it’s the sound, the soul and the swagger of the Motown sound that reverberates throughout “Pride & Joy” — with an emphasis on the music written and/or performed by the D.C.’s own Marvin Gaye. And what an amazing portfolio he left for the world.

Two actors share the responsibility of bringing Gaye to the stage and both are superb in their performances — delivering the extraordinary artist during his earlier years, Muse, and in his later years, Chae Stephen. Both gentlemen easily hit the mark, comfortably unleashing the resonating, conversational timber of speech, the svelte, pitch-perfect vocals and the alluring walk and aura that would become second nature to Gaye, making him a household name.

As for confirmation regarding the delivery of the two “Marvins,” this writer only needed to look to the left or right and witness members of the audience, both women and men, young or old, who seemed enthralled by both actors, particularly Muse — singing along, snapping their fingers, rocking their heads, clapping their hands or nodding while the actors’ delivered their lines to signal their approval and pleasure.

In fact, the entire cast does a bang-up job in this production, most notably Tony Grant in his impressive performance and superb vocal delivery in the role of Harvey Fuqua — one of Gaye’s closest friends during his formative years in the business and a talented singer in his own right. Krystal Drake also shines as Anna Gordy Gaye as do both Justin Reynolds, who easily caresses the falsetto riffs made famous by Smokey Robinson, and Kourtney Lenton, who gives a sultry, “song-sational” performance as Gaye’s beloved singing partner, Tammi Terrell.

If you can overlook some of the moments of inertness caused by portions of the script that could have easily been eliminated, or perhaps more effectively delivered by an omniscient narrator, then “Pride & Joy” is a show you don’t want to miss. Even a week later, the songs made famous by the unforgettable duo of Tammi and Marvin, soulfully rendered by actors Lenton and Muse, continue to resound in this writer’s mind, heart and soul.

OK, I’ll admit, this production isn’t as polished — at least not yet — as the similarly-themed Broadway hit, “Motown the Musical.” But it’s still a whole lot of fun and certainly worth the price of admission.

Check it out and get your groove on. I sure did.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

D. Kevin McNeir Senior Editor

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Oakland Museum Presents Landmark Retrospective Celebrating Beloved Bay Area Artist Mildred Howard

“Poetics of Memory” coincides with a year of major recognition for Howard. In 2026, she received the California Arts Council’s 50th Anniversary Award, honoring artists whose work has shaped California’s cultural and civic life, as well as the Museum of the African Diaspora’s Artist Impact Award. In 2025, she was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in recognition of her transformative contributions to American cultural life.

Published

5 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Mildred Howard. Photo by Christine Cueto for the Oakland Museum of California, 2025.

Special to The Post

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) opened “Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory,” the first major museum survey of Bay Area artist Mildred Howard, on June 12.

The exhibition spans five decades of Howard’s influential work, bringing together immersive installations, found-object sculptures, archival materials, and new commissions that explore memory, identity, and power in American life.

Howard was born in San Francisco in 1945 and raised in the East Bay, where she went on to study Afro-Haitian dance, make and sell clothing, and experiment with collage and sculpture.

Her multimedia art practice emerged from these experiences, later becoming associated with West Coast conceptual art, San Francisco funk, and a vibrant community of artists like Oliver Jackson, Betye Saar, and Raymond Saunders. Since the 1970s, she has used found materials and family stories to explore memory—both individual and collective.

At OMCA, visitors enter “Poetics of Memory” through a series of intimate galleries featuring Howard’s early mixed-media pieces and sculptures, along with a large video projection of a number of her public artworks.

Together, they emphasize Howard’s interest in everyday objects as powerful carriers of individual and shared stories. Highlights include collages that remix images of the artist herself; found-object sculptures like The History of the United States with a few Parts Missing (2007) that address omissions in dominant narratives; and public works like “Locks and Keys for Harry Bridges” (2001) that transform urban space into a meditation on access and labor.

This culminates in a richly detailed “studio” environment, where works in progress, archival exhibition flyers, historic photographs of Howard and her community, postcards from fellow artists, and other materials offer insight into her creative process and daily life.

The exhibition then opens into a high-ceilinged, dramatically lit space that brings together Howard’s signature immersive installations. On one end, “Crossings” (1997/2026) – a field of hundreds of ceramic eggs leading to an ornate mirror – suggests cycles of birth, motherhood, and transition, while drawing on the emotional echoes of the Middle Passage. On the other end, “Blackbird in a Red Sky” (a.k.a. “Fall of the Blood House”) (2002) – a red glass shack bordered by a pond – also uses reflection and transparency to draw viewers into the work and prompt consideration of themes of identity and home.

Howard’s newest video installation, “Moving Stills” (2026), repurposes never-before-seen family footage she took as a teenager on a train trip to the American South. Projected onto cascading layers of translucent fabric that stretch across an entire gallery wall, the piece immerses viewers in a layered meditation on memory, migration, and time.

The “Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory” exhibit will be on display through Oct. 11 at the Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94612. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Fridays to 9 p.m.

This story is sourced from the Oakland Museum of California press office.

Oakland Post

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Art

Oakland Director Boots Dazzles Once Again in ‘I Love Boosters’

Riley’s creative output is influenced by progressive ideals. His work, which includes six albums, the 2018 film “Sorry to Bother You,” and the 2023 comedy series “I’m a Virgo,” always shows that the alienation working-class people feel is inevitable under capitalism, he recently told The Guardian.

Published

3 weeks ago

June 10, 2026

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Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Keke Palmer star in “I Love Boosters” playing now in theaters. Directed by Oakland resident Boots Riley. Image courtesy of Neon.

“I feel lonely,” Keke Palmer’s character Corvette says in the first few minutes “I Love Boosters,” the new comedy adventure film from Oakland-based director Boots Riley.

“I wish I could feel lonely,” Naomi Ackie’s character Sade responds. “Try having kids.”

“I Love Boosters” teems with kaleidoscopic colors, sharp playful social critique, otherworldly plot twists, and fast-paced action, but it’s grounded in its main characters’ simple and relatable motivations: They want to be less isolated, and more free to pursue their own creative endeavors.

They’d like to design clothes and run a fashion boutique, but, unfortunately, they’re mostly busy surviving. Corvette and Sade, along with Mariah, played by Taylour Page, hustle and scheme through their brilliant scrappy organized crime group, the Velvet Gang. The gang regularly boosts clothes in the Bay Area and sells them at discounted prices.

Riley portrays the gang in a positive light in “I Love Boosters,” echoing the sentiment and title of a song he recorded 20 years ago with his hip-hop band, The Coup, where he praises boosters for providing poor communities with nice clothes they can afford: like a Robin Hood of the ’hood. But while morally righteous, materially, the gang is troubled. Corvette is haunted by unpaid bills and fears getting kicked out of the building where she squats, a shuttered fast-food chicken joint.

One thing that separates Riley’s film from most others about criminal gangs is that the Velvet Gang’s members work for a living. Theirs isn’t a greedy fantasy of becoming filthy rich, or for one last hit: Boosting is a job that still doesn’t pay nearly enough.

Visually, the film is a mix of psychedelia, afro-surrealism, noir, and perhaps a comic book.

The villain, Christie Smith, played by Demi Moore, an evil genius billionaire and fashion designer who runs the expensive clothing company the gang boosts from. She repeatedly appears on the news to put a target on the Velvet Gang members’ backs. When the gang ends up connecting with those who Christie directly exploits –workers here in the Bay Area, but also those in sweatshops overseas– the fight against Christie can commence; and uncoincidentally, Corvette starts to feel less lonely.

I don’t want to say much about that fight, but it’s delightful. Sci-Fi elements (which appear connected to Marxist theory) enter into the narrative to tie what’s become a pretty scatterbrained story together. Grounded by Palmer’s acting, “I Love Boosters” is a total joy and a refreshing break from the typical narratives we see these days. It’s totally over-the-top, but it knows it is.

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Art

After 10-Year Wait, Fillmore Heritage Center Reopens in San Francisco

After serving as the economic and cultural hub of the Fillmore’s historically Black community for more than a decade, the center’s closure ended what was called the “Rebirth of the Cool,” referring to the neighborhood’s role during the height of Black Jazz in the United States.

Published

3 weeks ago

June 10, 2026

bpusa-syndication

Rev. Amos Brown of Third Baptist Church addresses community members at the Fillmore Heritage Center ribbon cutting. Photo by Linda Parker Pennington.

By Linda Parker Pennington, Special to The Post

Last Saturday morning, the cloudy skies cleared just as the highly anticipated ribbon-cutting ceremony began, marking the reopening of the Fillmore Heritage Center at 1330 Fillmore and Eddy.

The complex – which had once included Yoshi’s Jazz Club, the Lush Life Art Gallery, the Koret Heritage Lobby, a 54-seat microcinema, and the Black-owned 1300 On Fillmore restaurant – shuttered in 2015.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announcing the reopening of the Fillmore Heritage Center. Erika Scott, owner of Honey Art Studio, looks on with pride. Photo by Linda Parker Pennington.

“The Fillmore is the most important neighborhood in San Francisco’s history for centering Black culture, music, business, and community, and has shaped this City and influenced the entire country,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie to the gathering of more than 100 community leaders, business owners, and public officials. “This building reflects the deep roots of the Fillmore. Urban renewal left deep scars that are still felt today. This Center celebrates a strong Black community that continues to shape San Francisco. I am proud to join the community as we reopen the Fillmore Heritage Center.”

Although the previous stakeholders will not be returning to the center, spaces are available for nonprofit organizations and ventures, such as Fillmore native Ericka Johnson’s Honey Art Studio.

“This Center will be an economic engine and a thriving venue that shines a light on the Black-owned businesses in this neighborhood and lifts the entire district,” Lurie continued. “Our City is committed to this community for the long term.”

“We’re excited to collaborate with the City to finally reopen these doors,” said Ken Johnson, a videographer and community leader who’d been lobbying for the reopening of the center. “It’s an opportunity to showcase the entrepreneurship and creative spirit of this ‘Harlem of the West’ and the ‘Rebirth of the Cool,’ grounded in our uniquely gifted Fillmore community.”

This month, through its Office of Economic and Workforce Development, the city will begin renting the building’s noncommercial spaces for pop-up events celebrating local talent, arts, and entertainment primarily centered in the Fillmore.