Art Works Podcast National Endowment for the Arts

Playwright and director Psalmayene 24 discusses his career trajectory from his unique approach to theater, his recent direction of the world premiere of Tempestuous Rising at Arena Stage and his upcoming projects, including his current direction of Metamorphosis at the Folger Theatre. We talk about his journey from dance to theater, first as an actor and eventually to playwriting and directing in response to the lack of satisfying roles for young Black men. We discuss the collaborative nature of his directing style, involving actors and creative teams in the development of the production, ensuring that every aspect from costume design to choreography reflects the thematic richness of the play. Psalmayene 24 highlights the challenges and strategies of directing in different theater spaces, especially the round configuration of the Fichandler Stage at Arena Stage and the Elizabethan stage at the Folger Theatre. He also shares his vision for Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Metamorphosis focusing on an all-Black cast and the use of movement to convey the universality of human conditions through the lens of Blackness and Black culture and without the iconic pool used in previous productions. And Psalmayene 24 shares his excitement about upcoming projects, including a musical about John Lewis that he is writing. And as well as being smart and thoughtful, Psalmayene 24 has a truly terrific voice!

We’re closing out Arab-American Heritage Month with author Diana Abu-Jaber who discusses growing up with an Irish-American mother and a Jordanian father who never felt at home in the US, the lively tensions between cultures, and the centrality of this to her writing.  We discuss her two memoirs, "The Language of Baklava" and "Life Without a Recipe." She describes the impact her father and grandmother had on her life and how their contrasting personalities were reflected in their approaches to food: Diana's father was a passionate and improvisational cook, while her grandmother was a precise baker.  Abu-Jaber discusses the challenges of writing memoirs, the emotional risks involved in sharing personal stories, and how she navigated the difficult topic of her larger-than-life’s father's death.  We turn to a discussion of her latest novel, "Fencing with the King," and Diana reveals that the story was inspired by her father's experience of fencing with King Hussein of Jordan and her family's history of displacement. Diana reflects on the growth of Arab-American literature and the increasing prominence of Arab-American writers in contemporary culture.  We also discuss the similarities between cooking and writing and how food, like literature, can serve as a bridge between cultures 

We’re celebrating National Poetry Month with 2021 NEA Literature Fellow, poet Leslie Sainz who discusses her debut poetry collection, "Have You Been Long Enough at Table."  Sainz reads from her collection and talks about its major themes including the ambiguity, displacement, and impact of cultural heritage as a daughter of Cuban immigrants. She discusses the variety of poetic forms used in her collection, allowing form to be guided by the emotional and thematic demands of her work. Sainz also talks about the impact of receiving a 2021 NEA Literature Fellowship for Poetry on her career and the validation it provided and offers advice to other poets and writers, especially regarding the NEA fellowship application process. Sainz  also discusses her involvement as a judge in the NEA's Poetry Out Loud competition and  shares her experiences from organizing regional competitions to judging the national semifinals and her appreciation for the performative and memorization components that enhance both the understanding and the emotional experience of poetry.  She also gives us a glimpse into her upcoming project, tentatively titled "I Believe in Evil and Evil Believes in You," exploring new thematic territories and expanding her creative boundaries.  And, on April 17,  the day after our conversation, Leslie Sainz’s collection , "Have You Been Long Enough at Table" was awarded the 2024 Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry

MacArthur Fellow and 2002 Pulitzer-Prize Winner in Drama for “Topdog/Underdog, ” Suzan-Lori Parks tells us about her current play ”Sally and Tom”* now having its NY premier at the Public Theater. It’s a play within a play about Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson and combines Parks’ love of  American history and theater. We discuss the play's exploration of fraught subjects such as enslavement, sexual coercion, Black and white families living under the same roof under very different circumstances, and the paradoxes within Jefferson's life as a figure of enlightenment who owned slaves. Parks discusses how "Sally & Tom" invites audiences to engage in tough yet essential conversations about America's history and its echoes in the present-- reflected in the meta-theatrical structure of "Sally & Tom", which allows for a layered examination of history, storytelling, and the act of creation itself. She shares that her writing is not just as a form of artistic expression but is also a spiritual practice which allows her to engage with historical figures and narratives in a way that transcends traditional storytelling, inviting both creators and audiences into a space of reflection and transformation that fosters both nuanced conversations and broader implications for understanding American history. Parks also discusses her relationship with music and its intersections with her theatrical work and her personal and professional journey, from her upbringing in a military family to her initial reluctance towards theater, and how encouragement from James Baldwin led her to embrace playwriting.  She reflects on the evolution of theater over the past two decades, emphasizing the essential importance of inclusivity and diversity, and the continued need for spaces that offer both entertainment and nourishing content. And she discusses her residency at the Public Theater, her artistic home that supports her experimental and innovative approach to storytelling exemplified with her on-going project Watch Me Work. Finally,  I also want to say that I have been privileged -- to use, with great sincerity, an overused word-- to speak with the people I do for this podcast—I have been moved, taught, had my heart expanded and my mind stimulated by these interviews. But I have never spoken with anyone as vital or present as Suzan-Lori Parks nor with anyone who made me feel so enlivened by the conversation. It’s a pleasure to share this.

*“Sally and Tom” has been extended and will run at Public Theater through May 5.

As we’re gearing up for the 2024 NEA Jazz Masters’ tribute concert, we are revisiting my conversation with 2017 NEA Jazz Master Bassist Dave Holland. From his roots in the English working class to becoming an admired figure in the jazz world, Holland shares his musical journey, marked by a deep passion for the bass, a transformative stint with Miles Davis, and a dedication to the next generation of jazz musicians. Dave Holland discusses his initial attraction to music through the ukulele and his evolution towards the bass guitar--captivated by its rhythmic and harmonic significance and reveals how exposure to American rock, R&B, and jazz icons like Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar steered him towards jazz and led to his lifelong dedication to the upright bass. Holland recounts the serendipitous offer to join Miles Davis's band, a pivotal moment that introduced him to the international jazz stage and talks about his transition from band member to bandleader and composer, focusing on the necessity of dialogue and personal expression within music and the challenges and rewards of solo bass performances. Holland also discusses his educational work, aiming to connect students with jazz's rich heritage and guiding them to find their own voices within the tradition and finally reflects on his career's progression, underscoring the collaborative nature of jazz and its capacity to unify musicians across diverse backgrounds.

  

*The Arts Endowment in collaboration with the Kennedy Center will celebrate the 2024 NEA Jazz Masters  with a free tribute concert on Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 pm. The concert is free and open to the public. You can get ticket details at Kennedy-Center.org. And if you can’t make it to DC, don’t despair, the concert is available through a live webcast at arts.gov. 

We’re taking a deep dive with Willard Jenkins into his life in jazz. Willard discusses his early exposure to jazz in Pittsburgh and Cleveland, crediting his parents' record collection for his initial fascination with the genre, and the profound impact local jazz scenes and radio had on his musical journey. Willard recounts his transformative college years at Kent State University, detailing how his love for jazz deepened, his early forays into jazz journalism, starting with writing for his college's Black student newspaper, and his progression from journalism including his time at the “Cleveland Plain Dealer. ” We talk about his extensive efforts in promoting jazz, from founding the Northeast Ohio Jazz Society to spearheading jazz programs at Arts Midwest and serving as the artistic director of major jazz festivals, including DC Jazz Fest which strikes a balance between local talent and international musicians while still maintaining a focus on emerging artists. Willard also reflects on his close collaboration with NEA Jazz Master  Randy Weston, including co-writing Weston’s autobiography “African Rhythms.”  We dive into "Ain't But a Few of Us,"  Willard’s book which is a compilation of interviews that share the experiences of the few African-American jazz journalists. We also hear Willard’s reflection on his years of  radio broadcasting, and his contributions to oral history projects, stressing the value of capturing the stories of jazz greats. And finally, Willard reflects on his deep appreciation for receiving an award named for one his heroes: the  A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Advocacy.