Wise words, insights, and observations from Ms. Toni Morrison.
The Thaumaturgy Department
thaumaturg
Main Entry: thau·ma·turg
Pronunciation: \ˈthȯ-mə-ˌtərj\
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from New Latin thaumaturgus, from Greek thaumatourgos working miracles, from thaumat-, thauma miracle + ergon work — more at Theater, Work
Main Entry: thau·ma·turg
Pronunciation: \ˈthȯ-mə-ˌtərj\
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from New Latin thaumaturgus, from Greek thaumatourgos working miracles, from thaumat-, thauma miracle + ergon work — more at Theater, Work
The official blog of the Dramaturgy Department at Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE. For posts related to our current and upcoming shows, click the links to the right. Alternatively, you could begin at the beginning, and explore our posts in chronological order.
The company around the table at Illusion Theater in Minneapolis—working through the text of Marion McClinton’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s monumental Jazz as part of the Fresh Ink series, in conjunction with The Playwrights Center and CENTERSTAGE.
There’s clean, and then there’s Minnesota clean!
In the Twin Cities for week of workshopping the stage adapation of Toni Morrison’s novel Jazz — and noticed that here in Minneapolis, they’re so clean and considerate and friendly that the downtown maintenance service even scrubs the newspaper dispensers. Seriously: this wonderful, hard-working woman, who was cheerfully saying hello and good morning to every passerby, took out cloth and spray cleaner and proceeded to give the whole rank of dispensers an enviable once-over.
So You Want To Be A Rock Star: Jazz Artists On Five Classic Pop-Rock Sides
Did you know that Sonny Rollins played on a Rolling Stones song? Hear that and other jazz cameos.
[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]
Listening to a little Sidney Bechet while working on JAZZ (adaptation of Toni Morrison) here in the steamy Twin Cities…
Roy Eldridge On Piano Jazz
“Little Jazz,” one of the greatest trumpeters ever, shows off his piano chops and vocal gifts. Listen here.
Photo: Roy Eldridge in 1946. William P. Gottlieb/The Library of Congress
“History is over, you all, and everything is ahead at last. People sitting around thinking future thoughts about projects and bridges and fast-clicking trains-clickety-clacking-lickety-splitting trains screaming underneath.” -Toni Morrison in JAZZ (adapt Marion McClinton)
- Romare Bearden’s “Fly Away: The Great Migration”
“ At last, at last everything is ahead
~Toni Morrison, JAZZ (as spoken in workshop of Marion McClinton’s adaptation of the novel for the stage).
JAZZ: Fresh Ink 2011 | Illusion Theater
In just a few days (end of July) a few artistic emissaries from CENTERSTAGE (Gavin and Kwame, actually) will head to Minneapolis for a weeklong workshop and reading of Marion McClinton’s adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Jazz—further developing the piece for its January opening here in Baltimore. Anyone in or around the Twin Cities July 29th should come catch the project; it’s part of the Fresh Ink series at Illusion Theater, supported as well by the gracious folks at the Playwrights Center. Here’s the poop:
July 29th at 8pm Toni Morrison’s Jazz
Adapted by Marion McClinton
A reading of McClinton’s beautiful adaptation of Toni Morrison’s classic, Jazz, a passionate and profound story of love and obsession, set in Harlem where Jazz was being invented and re-invented as African Americans were migrating up away from the injustices of the South and re-inventing themselves in the cities of the North.
Tickets for this production are free. Call 612-339-4944 to place your order.
Classic Bunk Johnson recording of the same tune—could be “Maryland, My Maryland” or whatever other version you associate with it. Starts as recognizable riff about 1:39, quite a wonderful rendition. Somewhat ironic circumstances given the performer and the song’s historical context, but that’s music for you. And what does any of this have to do with Second City? Well, not a darn heck of a bunch, except that they are coming to Baltimore to perform a custom-written show for and about the city, which leads one to start poking down the old musty forgotten and oddball corners of our history and culture. Hence, this. Enjoy.
