by Travis Ballenger, Crowns Assistant Director and Allen Lee Hughes Casting/Producing Fellow
As I write this blog post, the cast celebrates Mary Milben's birthday. After a resounding round of the jazz version of "Happy Birthday to You", the cast eats chocolate cake and talks of being a family.
I didn't like Crowns when I first read it. I grew up in South Carolina. I was born and raised in the church. I left it all when I was thirteen years old. So, when I was given the opportunity to Assistant Direct Crowns, I thought, "Really?!".
When you watch television, what are the images of black people that you see? If it's not Michelle Obama (who is a Diva and a beautiful image of one), you see booty girls in g-strings and black men running from the cops. When you watch MTV or BET, you see gold tooth "thugs" and drugged out baby's mamas. Is this the image we want to teach our children? Currently, people believe these views are cool. How scary.
With the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, it shows that there is hope, but we have many miles to go. It's easy, now, to forget that.
Why do I love Crowns now? I'm beginning to remember a part of my spirit that was lost when I left the church. I'm beginning to reconnect to a part of me born of the time when ships dropped anchor on this land and put chains on my people. Really, it's nice to see black people not portrayed as whores and drug dealers.
Come see Crowns, listen to the music, and allow it to lift you up. In these times, we all need it.
Travis with some of the Crowns' divas--E. Faye Butler, Zurin Villanueva, and Marva Hicks--as he fills in as a diva himself for a photo shoot for the show."
OMG!! I love that pic. It is so funny!
I understand you Travis, I'm from SC too and I left "it all" behind years ago, but when I hear these ladies singing those familiar songs I am brought to tears. Beautiful. I can't wait to see the show!
Posted by: Ashley | March 06, 2009 at 08:07 PM
Hi Travis! I'm Simone and I'm applying for a fellowship with Arena for 09/10 season.
May I just say that you look FABULOUS in that photo?! I really wish I could see Crowns. I'm from Mississippi and grew up in a bi-racial home. My "cracker" daddy (it's okay, he knows that it's a term of endearment) moonlights as a geography teacher and every semester he takes his students and me and my sisters to an African-American Southern Baptist church service. The preaching from Reverend Brown that would always find it's way into the gospel's next song was such a relaxing rhythm that I'd find myself sleeping in the corner of the pew. It was the same rhythm pattern as when my Cambodian mother and the women in her family sat in a circle together on the floor of someone's kitchen to cook and gossip. Always fell asleep to that, too.
Just an interesting cross-cultural experience that I thought I would share.
Anyhoo, break a leg and have an awesome day!
Posted by: Simone Cottrell | March 11, 2009 at 11:32 AM