High School Performance Artists Sought!

In my inbox today was the following email from Duke Boot Camp, which provides training for up and coming actors. It is the brain child of incomparable actor and director Bill Duke. 

The information below is all that I received so please do not direct any questions to me. I'm simply passing along the message in case it will allow someone to fulfill his or her dream of becoming an actor. Break a leg!

Email:

"GIVING BACK", a non-profit entertainment organization founded by Ken Sagoes, will conduct a Tribute to Black Performers on Saturday, February 22, 2014 and Sunday, February 23, 2014.  This Tribute will be in the form of a VAUDEVILLE style Salute to Black Performers from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's.

Dino Shorte, will be directing a portion of this show and is looking for high school aged performers who can LIP SYNC to music of various singers like Barry White, Sammy Davis Jr., Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Diana Ross, The Supremes, Pattie LaBelle, etc.

The HIGH SCHOOL ACTOR would lip sync, dress and act AS that singer.  
 
If you know of ANY high-school aged performers who'd be interested, PLEASE CONTACT DINO SHORTE IMMEDIATELY at dinowrite@hotmail.com."
  


Dino Shorté

Kem featuring Patti LaBelle and Ron Isley - Jesus

I heard this song on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on Tuesday.  I was instantly in love with the song. I couldn't find a video showing a live performance of this. Hopefully, someone who attends one of the two upcoming concerts Kem mentioned on the show that will include Ms. Patti and Ron Isley will be able to record and post the performance. Jesus... no other name is so powerful. It's the only name you need to know.

Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas to you and yours! May the spirit and magic of the holiday season bring you abundant joy, love, peace and blessings!!! XOXO










Grey's Anatomy fans... this one's especially for you.
Sara Ramirez sings Silent Night

Clash of the Choirs -- Kelly's Choir Cut

Say it ain't so! Singer Kelly Rowland (of Destiny's Child fame)and her choir were the first to get cut from the competition tonight on NBC's Clash of the Choirs. Kelly is a very talented singer and actress. Although her choir sang better than Michael Bolton's choir (no offense, all the choirs did really well), it claimed the fewest votes. Rowland, who hails from Houston, Texas, will get to sing with her choir tomorrow night. The competition is actually a fundraiser for charity that will benefit an organization in the winning celebrity choir director's hometown.

In addition to Bolton and Rowland, Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, and Blake Shelton are also bringing out the best in amatuer singers from their hometowns. One of the remaining four will come to the end of the road tomorrow night. So, stay tunned.

As a serious Patti LaBelle fan, I knew that I would be watching the competition and voting for Ms. Patti, a Diva in the best possible sense of the word. Like one of her choir members, I also dream of singing with Patti one day. She does an a capella rendition of "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" for the soundtrack of the Kyra Sedgewick and Kevin Bacon movie, The Woodsman. If you haven't heard it, you are definitely missing a great performance. Her voice is astoundingly crisp and gripping. And if you're a parent, you should see the movie. If pedophilia never frightened you before, it will! Here's a link for the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361127/trailers-screenplay-E23472-314
Rowland fans can listen to her latest single, Day Light by clicking here:
http://www.nbc.com/Clash_of_the_Choirs/video/#mea=193375

I also like Kelly's "Train On A Track" on Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes' Maid in Manhattan movie soundtrack. Here's a link to the video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiVPrwlzEL8