Hampton Roads get readyto“ease on downtheroad”whentheTony®Award-winning BestMusical, THE WIZ returns “home”toChryslerHallinNorfolk,Virginia, November 4th-9th in an all-new Broadway tour
Yiorgo:Withustodayismultiaward-winninginternationalstar,ElijahAhmedLewis, alsoknownmusicallyasEALwhoplaysthe ScarecrowinTheWiz.Thankyouforbeing withustoday.Tell us whypeopleshould come to The Wiz? Whatwill they see,hear, andexperience?
Elijah Ahmed Lewis: Well, TheWiz is aclassic and we’recelebrating 50 yearsof this show. Iknowalot of people know the showbaseduponthemoviewithDianaRoss, Michael Jackson,Lena Horne and Richard
Pryor but, it wasoriginally on Broadway and that wasthe showthatStephanie Mills spearheaded and became known from.It is an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz with asoulful flare to it.Everyoneshouldcome to this showtohaveagood time. Iknow the story is about Dorothyfinding her way home,but even with her three heroes,the Scarecrow,the Tin Man, and the Lionand her,the moral of the story is reallyfinding outwhathomemeanstoyou.
Ithinkthatinsocietytoday,we’realways trying to findwherethatroot is,wherethat homeis, wherewecan go back to andget to thecoreofwho we are. So it’s afeel good time.The music is great, the dancing,the choreography,andit’sjustforamomentfor people to come to the theatreand be lifted fromthingsthatarehappeninginourworld right now. And that’s what theatredoes.I think at this point in our lives and society we need an uplifter.And forthistobean allBlackmusical,given ourway with our talents and gifts, it’s also an homage to who weareandhowcreativeweareandtalented we are, and howwe’reable to express who we arethrough music and through this medium.
EAL: Imean, it’s allamazing.We’ve hadsome amazing, great creatorstoput this together.Fromthe head allthe way down. Our director,Schele Williams,(The Notebook, revivalofDisney’s Aida) who graciously directsthe show, andAmber Ruffin, (Tony-nominated andEmmy-nominated writer and TV hostofThe Amber RuffinShow,LateNightwithSethMeyers), who adapted the script for thisparticular anniversary, JaQuelKnight, (Beyoncé’s “SingleLadies,” Black Is King) whoisour choreographer,Joseph Joubertand Allen René Lewis,who areGrammynominated forthisparticularcastalbumwiththeadaptations thatthey’vedone.And our full cast is amazing.It’sgreat that our cast,about 85 percentofour cast, made theirBroadwayandtouringdebutswiththisshow.And that is something that is always great. With ashowlikeThe Wiz, Ialwayssay that the nameoftheshowisthestar.Andifyoucast the right people in it, youwill makestars. I’m gratefulthat everyone’sgetting this opportunity withthislegendary show. We have agreat cast, Dana Cimone who plays
ourDorothy,D.Jeromeour TinMan,Cal Mitchellwho’s ourLion, the greatBroadwayveteranandfriendAlanMingoJr.who is The Whiz, Kyla Jade who playsEvillene Sheherazade who plays Glinda. Youknow, wehaveagoodrosterofpeople,thecommunitythatwe’vebuiltisgreattotellthisstory everynight.
Y:Fortheyoungpeoplethatarenotfamiliarwiththismusical,andwithoutgivingtoo muchaway,whatisTheWizabout?Howis it,isitthesameordifferentfromtheoriginal WizardofOz,andforthatmatter,Wicked? EAL: Well, thestory remains thesame Alloftheiterationsthathavecomeoutcome fromTheWizardofOzbaseduponthebook, and it’s basically the same.It’sthe storyof Dorothytryingtofind herway home, but alongthe journey, shefindssomefriends to help her along theway.And what she realizes is that she hadwhatshe needed all along,andshewasabletodepositthatinher friends,too Icallitthe greatAmericanstory of finding self.You know, there’salot of timesin life wherewegothroughdifferentthings
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Virginia Zoo hasnew ball of joy-anarmadillo pup
PressRelease
NORFOLK,Va. —The Virginia Zoo is thrilledtosharethebirthofasouthernthreebandedarmadillopup!Thepupwasbornon August31sttoparentsIzel (F)and Vigo (M).
Izel andVigoare arecommended breeding pair by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)Southern Three-banded Armadillo SpeciesSurvival Plan(SSP),and thisis theirsecondsuccessfulbirthasapair.
Izel and Vigo’sfirstpup wasa female named Malassada, or Molly forshort.She wasborn in 2019 andnow lives at another AZA-accredited facility upon recommendation from theSSP.Infact,Molly justhad her firstpup earlier this year,making Izeland Vigonewparentsandgrandparents!
Male southern three-banded armadillos donotparticipateinchildcareinthewild,so Vigo is currently separated from mom and baby, but Izel is doing an excellent jobraisingtheirpup
To minimize disruptionofbonding betweenIzeland hernew pup, theirkeepersmonitor growth anddevelopment with daily visual checks and weekly weigh-ins At just9daysafter birth,the pup weighed 135.5grams andtheir mostrecentweight taken on October 6was 422grams,averaging about 70 grams of growth perweek! The sexofthepuphasnotyetbeenconfirmed,as keepers only handle the pup once aweekto weighthem. Southern three-banded armadillos arealso the only species of armadillo that can completelycurl up into aball, and keepers cannot visually assess their reproductiveanatomywhen they arecurled up Their sexwon’tbedetermined definitively until thepup is moredeveloped andbegins reachingmaturity
Southern three-banded armadillos typi-
cally givebirth to litters of single pups after agestation of approximately120 days.Pups appear to be miniatureversionsoftheir parents,with aflexible,leathery shell and hardened, fully developed claws. Newborns arecapableofwalkingandcurlingintoaball shortlyafterbirth,buttheydonotopentheir eyes until about three weeksinage.Within 75 days, pups areweaned from their mother’smilk.
TheVirginiaZoo’ssouthernthree-banded armadillosare Animal Ambassadorsand livebehind the scenes.Animal Ambassadors arespecially trained to be comfortable around crowds,asthey attend special events and education programs as up-close representatives of their wild counterparts Consequently, thepup will notbevisible to thepublic unless they undergo specialized AnimalAmbassador training in accordance with the bestpractices for animal wellbeingcreated by the Southern Three-banded ArmadilloSSP
The Zoo is overjoyedtosharethis SSP success story and will continue to provide updates from ouranimal careteam on our socialmediachannels!
About Southern Three-BandedArmadillos: TheSouthern three-banded armadillo, also known as the La Platathree-banded armadilloorbytheir scientific nameTolypeutes matacus,isnativetoeastern Bolivia, southwestern Brazil, theGranChaco region ofParaguay,andnorthernandcentralArgentinainopengrasslands,forests,andmarshes Theyaretheonlyoneof25armadillospecies that can fullycurl up into aball, using their hardshelltoprotectthemselves.Thisdefense mechanismhasmadesouthernthree-banded armadillosvulnerabletopoacherswhocollect them for the pettrade,their shells,ormeat. TheInternationalUnionfortheConservation ofNature(IUCN)considersthisspeciestobe NearThreatenedinthewild.
AbouttheVirginiaZoo: TheVirginiaZoo, locatedinNorfolk,Virginia,ishometomore than 700 exceptional animals representing over150fascinatingspecies.Foundedin1901 and residing on 53 beautifully landscaped acres,the Virginia Zoo has demonstrated a commitment to saving and protecting the world’s wildlifebyinspiring apassionfor nature and takingconservation action at homeand around the world. The Virginia ZooisanaccreditedmemberoftheAssociationofZoosandAquariumsandisrecognized as aglobal leader in education, recreation, science,wildlife conservation, andanimal careand welfare.For morethan acentury the Zoohas connected adults,families,and schoolchildrenwiththenaturalworldandits wildlife.The Virginia Zooisopendailyfrom 9:30 a.m. to 4p.m. with lastadmission at 3 p.m. Foradmission prices and to learn more, visitvirginiazoo.org
UpCycle Festival celebrates sustainability and creativity —repurpose,reinvent and reimaginefor America Recycles Day
PressRelease
NORFOLK, Va.—Keep Norfolk Beautifulisexcited to partner with NorfolkPublic Library for the UpCycle Festival —acommunityeventtopromote sustainability,environmental stewardship and creative reuse. TheUpCycleFestivaltakesplace Saturday,Nov.15,from10a.m.to 2p.m.atMaryD.PretlowAnchor Branch Library (111 W. Ocean ViewAve.).
The UpCycle Festival brings together environmental organizations,local artists and makers to showcase innovativewaysto repurpose materialsand reduce waste.Attendeeswillparticipate in hands-on workshops,view upcycled art and exploreavarietyofwaystocutdownonwaste, conserveresources and create somethingnewandmeaningful Festival highlightsinclude composting,jewelrymakingand repair,basichandsewing,plastic bag basket weaving,metalflower-makingandmore!
As part of America Recycles Day, the Norfolk EnvironmentalCommission(NEC) will host apanel discussion on actionable solutions and community engagement to combatplastic pollution. Moderated by NEC Vice Chair KenKimidy,the discussion marks the second phase of the Commission’s initiativefollowing lastspring’s screening of “The Story of Plastic.”Local leaders, environmental advocates and residents are invited to join and explorestrategiesformeaningfulchange
TheUpCycle Festival is free and family friendly.Mostactivities will take place at the Randi MarstonPetersonMakerStudio, YouthServices ProgramRoom and outside on the patio.For more information, visit www. norfolk.gov/knb
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InterviewByYiorgo
Hampton Roads fans of The Beach Boys rejoice The Beach Boys are bringing “The SoundsofSummer”tourtotheChristopher Newport University’s Ferguson Center for theArtsonNovember8th
With more than five decades of touring and still going strong, The Beach Boys have performed more concerts than any major rock band in history and have sold over 100 millionrecordsworldwide,havingreceived more than 33 RIAA Platinum and Gold record awards The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers were honored at the 2001 Grammy Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
TheBeachBoysareledbylegendaryRock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Grammy® winner,NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthor, co-founder,leadsinger,chieflyricistofThe Beach Boys, and 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fameinductee,MikeLove,who,alongwith longtime member Bruce Johnston, musical director Brian Eichenberger Christian Love Tim Bonhomme Jon Bolton, Keith Hubacher, Randy Leago, and John Wedemeyer, continue the legacy of the iconic band. They will be performing “Surfin’ USA,” “Good Vibrations,” “Little Deuce Coupe,”“IGetAround,”“SurferGirl,”“Fun, Fun, Fun,” “California Girls,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Barbara Ann,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Rock and Roll Music,” “Kokomo,” andmanymore. For ticket info and for Valet Parking that is available for purchase, go to https:// www.fergusoncenter.org/events/detail/ the-beach-boys
Yiorgo: I am very honored today to have on the phone the newest inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Beach Boys own, Mike Love Tell us Mike, why should people come to the show? What will they see hear andexperience?
Mike Love: They’ll have a great time Literally, fun, fun, fun! And we do all these greatsongsthatwestartedwith60yearsago Iliketostartinthebeginningwiththesurfing songs and the power songs And then, wegetintothemoreofthePetSoundskind of thing, and California Girls and, Good Vibrations and Kokomo We have a ton of music, and we love doing it. It’s been a lifelong family hobby that blossomed into a long-lasting profession because my cousin Brian and I were able to create some songs that people still love to hear today. So, it’s gonna be a great time People will have a wonderfultimeatourconcert
Y: Speaking of songs, you got inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Tell us aboutit.
ML: It was amazing John Stamos inducted me He gave a really nice speech And then, I said a few words, and thanked my wife and children and friends for being there and our business associates Yeah, it was a really wonderful evening, you know. The high point was doing four of our songs fortheaudience,andwehadourbandthere and our crew there, it was nice We played:
“California Girls” and “I Get Around and “Good Vibrations” and “Kokomo” People enjoyeditanditwasanhonortobeinducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame because there’s so many brilliant, genius songwriterswhohaveprecededme AndIjoinedmy cousinBrianlastnight,who’dbeeninducted years ago. So I could actually feel his presence honestly Y:Howdidthecollaborations/friendship get started with John Stamos and can you share a favorite moment of you and John workingtogether?
ML: Well, we’ve known John for many years He was Blackie on General Hospital whenIfirstmethim.Andbeforehebecame a TV star he was a drummer in a three-
piece band in Southern California So, he loves nothing more than to come out and play drums with us and he’s been doing it for40years It’llbe40yearsthisyear,when he came out and joined us on July 4th, at oneofourhugefestivalsthatwedidbackin the ‘80s And we’ve been friends ever since John is such a great guy and he really has beensupportiveofmeandcaresaboutme so he wrote this wonderful induction speech, which,youknow,precededmine Hisspeech wasbasicallyfullofgratitudeforbeingthere. So it was a really wonderful evening and we’ve had a really good, wonderful relationship
Y: How about a favorite, pinch-me moment that you can’t believe you got to
experience because of your incredible career?
ML:Becausewewerepopularmusically, we got invited to do some amazing things. One of the most amazing moments was in December‘67 inParisatthe(UnitedNations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) show. We were on this fantastic show with Marlon Brando and his Tahitian bride,ElizabethTaylorandRichardBurton, the Russian Red Army Choir, the Turkish Ballet and Victor Borge, who was a brilliant pianist and humorist. And then when it came time for our part of the show, the curtainopened,anditwasMaharishiinthe frontrowwithJohnLennonononesideand George Harrison on the other Maharishi taughtusmeditation,transcendentalmeditation on a Sunday in December, in Paris in 1967 And I’ve been doing that meditation eversince Infact,IwasinvitedtogotoIndiaacouple monthslaterandGeorgeHarrisonandIboth had our birthdays in India, he on February 25th,IonMarch15thin1968 Itwasafascinating time it really was. We actually did a birthdaysongcalled“SpiritualRegeneration MovementFoundation”.Andattheendofit, they talked about Happy Birthday Michael Loveandallthat.Itwasprettyamazing,the BeatlesandDonovansingingandplaying Y:I’mfascinatedbyMaharishiYogi.What washelikeasahumanbeing?
ML: Brilliant. And he was speaking from the Vedas which were the ancient scriptures and he was also talking about if enoughpeoplelearntomeditate,therecould becomeworldpeace.Thatcaughtmyattentionrightthere,Imean,‘causeeveryphilosophy,everyreligion,noneofthemhavebeen able to deliver world peace recently or the last few thousand years I thought that was really remarkable and that inspired me to keep doing my meditation, and going to other courses I even became a teacher of transcendentalmeditationatonetimeinthe early ‘70s, and I’ve actually taught people meditation.
Y: How about a favorite memory as the originalbandwasgettingtogether?
ML: My favorite memory I think is hearing our favorite record called “Surfin’ USA” ontheradio Therewasacontestonaradio stationinSouthernCaliforniathatsaidthey were gonna play four songs and the one that got the most call-in requests would be featured next week. Well, my mom was oneofeightchildren,wehadtonsofuncles, aunts, and cousins and we easily won that contestbyallthecallsfromourfamilies.So, thatwasfascinating,hearingthesongonthe radio for the first time That first recording was really fascinating So that has to be one ofthemostspecialmemories.
Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer Astage,TVandmovieactor,heisalsoa sportsentertainer,educator,columnist,motivational speaker, writer and storyteller
The Beach Boys (PHOTOCOURTESYOFTHEBEACHBOYS)
Iconic, legendary actress of stageand screen
ByB.HarlanBoll
BelovedandiconicactressJuneLockhart died of natural causes at herhomeinSanta Monica, California with her daughter June Elizabeth and granddaughterChristianna byherside Born in NewYork on June 25,1925,June made her stage debut at8years old in the 1933 production of Peter Ibbetson atthe MetropolitanOperaHouseinNewYork.She beganactinginfilmsat13yearsoldinMGM’s 1938 versionof“AChristmasCarol” with her parentsGeneand Kathleen Lockhart as the stars of the movie.Her next film was “AllThisandHeavenToo”playingalongside BetteDavisandCharlesBoyer.In1941June wascastin“Sergeant York,”as Rosie,Gary Cooper’ssister,intheOscarnominatedfilm directed by Howard Hawks. At 19 yearsof ageasacontractplayeratMGMshewasthe intelligent,pivotalcharacterLucilleBallard in “Meet Me in St.Louis,”under thedirectionofVincentMinnelli.
June made her Broadway debut in “For Love or Money”in1947and her performancewonheraTONYaward(thenknown astheAntoinettePerryAward)forthecategory of “BestNewcomer.” This garnered herthehistoricdistinctionofbeingthefirst recipient of the award. At the time,The American TheatreWingpresentedmen withlightersandwomenwithagoldcharm sizedmedallion.HavingwonthefirstTONY ever presented, June’saward wasdonated to the Smithsonian Institutionin2008,for displayintheirmuseum’spermanententertainmentarchives Lockhart is best knowntoTVaudiences of the 1950s,60s and 70sasthe gentle,softvoiced loving Mother in “Lassie,” with scripts written by manyblacklisted writers.Later,ina new worldasspace mom, Maureen Robinson, in “LostinSpace,” and as Dr.Janet Craig in the series “PetticoatJunction.”Juneappearedinnumerous episodicseriesandcontributedhervoiceto herfavoriteanimatedseries“Ren&Stimpy” forNickelodeon.
With twostars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,and atotal of fivefor theLockhart family,June Lockhart wasastellarinspiration to generations of astronauts. She becamea treasured NASA spokesperson attendingmanyNASAlaunchesand landings throughout the decades,including side-by-sidewithNeilArmstrongandBuzz AldrinatNASA’smilestone2009 anniversarycelebrationinWashington,D.C.forthe 40thAnniversaryoftheMoonlanding
Often as they orbited the Earth with the Sunappearing before them, Astronauts of theearly 2000s would call June from the International Space Stationwhile playing thesong her father wrotein1921; “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” which ThomasEdisonrecordedonhisfirstrecordinginvention Daughter June Elizabeth said: “Mommy alwaysconsidered acting as her craft, her vocation,buthertruepassionswerejournalism, politics,science and NASA.She cherished playingher role in ‘LostinSpace’ and shewasdelightedtoknowthatsheinspired manyfutureastronauts,asthey would
remind her on visits to NASA.Thatmeant evenmoretoherthanthehundredsoftelevisionandmoviesrolessheplayed. In2013ataceremonyatJPLinPasadena, NASA honored June Lockhart’s’impact on spaceexploration by awarding herthe “Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.” Theawardisgiventonon-governmentindividuals whohavemadesignificantpublic contributionstoNASAthroughout their career.Morethananyotherhonor,thiswas themostmeaningfulforher. Throughout June’s life she wasa tireless defenderofanimalrights,andamongother groups,she supportedthe Santa Monica
MountedPoliceHorsesandwastheNational SpokespersonforInternationalHearingDog Inc. Herheartbelonged to hergrand-Pug Massimo,who wasalwaysnearby,and a greatsourceofentertainment.
Familyspokespersonandlongtimefamily friend Lyle Gregory said: “Thomas Edison intheearly1920shiredandintroducedtwo young actors to one another,Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Arthur.They performed sketches writtenbyEdison to promote his latest invention, thephonograph, foreager audiences across the emerging modern North American landscape.Those two young actorsfell in love,married, had one childandnamedherJune.
Gene Lockhart, June’sfather,a prolific, Oscar-nominated character actorwith morethan300 film credits,was afounding memberofthe Screen ActorsGuild in the 1930s.Watching his activismtoimprove the work and safety conditions on set as a young actor,June wasmade awareofthe importance of unions in theindustry she loved. Lockhart gotinvolvedwithAFRA, (whichwouldlaterbecomeAFTRA)in1938 andThe Screen Actors Guild in 1940.Asa nearly lifelong member of the Guild, June wasawardedTheFoundersAwardin2018,a recognitionmadebyherpeersthatshetreasured.
Herlifelongfriend,latearchitectandenvironmentalistHarryGessner,alwaysinspired hertobeadventurous,takethetrip,listento herspirit,andenjoytheride!AndLockhart wasalwaysopentothenextfunexperience whether it wasbeing calledonstage to sing with WillieNelson or attending numerous White HousePress briefings going all the waybacktothe Eisenhoweradministration. Herenergy and sense of humor were endless.
Now, thewoman who lovedtofly, has embarked on her lastadventure. With our hearts full of love andpride in heraccomplishments,wewill miss this trulyremarkable woman, mom andgrandmama. We reflect on herlife,and we feel luckytohave beenpartofherjourney. Servicewillbeprivate In lieu of flowers,the family suggests donationstothefollowingorganizations: TheActors Fund https://entertainmentcommunity.org ProPublicahttps://www.propublica.org International Hearing Dog,Inc.https:// www.hearingdog.org
Iasked what kind of family Amina wanted. Shesaid,‘Afamily like yours.’That’swhen I knewIhadtoadopther Denise, adopted 17-year-old Amina
LEARN ABOUT ADOPTING ATEEN YOUCAN’T IMAGINE THEREWARD
Iconic &legendaryactressofstage and screenJuneLockhart.(PHOTOCOURTESYB.HARLANBOLL)
andwerelyonpeopletotelluswhattodoor wheretogo,andinallactuality,wehavethe toolsthatweneedtogettowhereweneedto go Sometimeswejustneedtobereminded that we house the power that we house So it’s pretty much the same as The Wizard of Oz, we just have a little soul flare on it you know,thatbringsourcultureintoit.Andour cultureisfullysubmersedintheshow down to the vocal arrangements, to the music, to the costumes, to the choreography. It is the soulfulversionofTheWizardofOz.
Y: How do you personally tackle playing the Scarecrow? What kind of research did youdoandhowdidyoumaketheScarecrow yourown?
EAL: Well of course you always look at theworkthatwasdonebeforeyou.Henson Battle originated it on Broadway, which certainlyhelps Youknow,watchingsomeof histhingsandknowinghiswork,he’sunfortunately now no longer with us, but I did have the opportunity to connect with him in some years past And we have YouTube University, what I like to call it, just to go in andseewhatyoucanfind,digupanyvideos. I’ve dug up videos any promo things any interviews just to see where everyone took theiriteration.Ofcourse,Igrewupwiththe movie version with Michael Jackson, and a lot of people ask me, am I intimidated by playingtheroleknowingthatheplayedit?I say no I mean, of course Michael Jackson’s great. However, if anything, I feel honored tobeabletocontinuethelegacy Ithinkthe greatthingaboutTheWizisthatitspoketo itsdecadeeachandeverytimeitcameout,so this iteration that was adapted for the 50th anniversary, it took something from everyoneandthenbreathedlifeintoitformetoo andwhatitmeantformeinthismoment.
You know, Scarecrow is trying to get his brain, but in all actuality, he’s the smartest out of them all, he was a scientist Right. So it’sfindingthemeatofwherehelosthisway or who he believed. He believed Evillene when she turned him into a scarecrow A lotoftimesinlife,eveninmycareer,people say what they want to shape you for what they want you to be for them. And sometimesyouneedthathelpandthatreminder that you have exactly what you need So I wantedtoplayhimfromahuman,ahumanizedrole,nottoomuchaloof Ofcourse,not havingabrain,thatgivesyouthoseaspectsto play off of but throughout the whole show, when you come and see it, you’ll see that he has these nuggets that he has all along, andhejustshootsfromthehip soIwanted to humanize him a little bit in the sense of letting everyone be able to connect to him in the sense of not being stupid by having a brain, but sometimes not trusting what you thinkthefirsttime
Y: Tell us about your audition process How did you find out about it? What was the process like? Who was the first person youtoldonceyoufoundoutyougotthepart? EAL: My team had called me, my agent andmanagertotellme ButItoldmyfamily, my parents and my brothers We have a group chat, so I got on there and said it As farastheauditionprocess,atthetime,Iwas playing David Ruffin in Ain’t Too Proud: The Michael Jackson Musical. We were on thattour andIgotwindofTheWizcoming back. And I got a call to come in for it I was currently still on the road. When I came in for it, I took some days off of work to go in. Well, first there was an initial tape They asked me to submit a tape because I was on tour SoIsubmittedatape,whichconsisted of two scenes and two songs from The Wiz that they sent you sides to learn two things fromtheshow.Andalsotwosongsfromthe show So I submitted those, and I got a call backmeaningthatIneededtocometoNew York for the dance call and to sing again Duringthattime,Ihadtakenoffonedaythat theyrequested,andtheyaskedmetostayfor anextratwodaysandIdid.Itseemedreally close Itwasbetweenmeandmaybeanother twopeople onepersonandmyfriendAvery Wilson, who everyone knows as a vocalist helandedtheroleoftheScarecrow
AndIwasveryhappyforhimbecausehe was making his Broadway debut with this role And a lot of times people always want us to be against each other, just because we
didn’tgetapart.But,youknow,Ialwayssay, “Yourblessinghasyournameonitandyour timewillcome.”Andit’ssupposedtobeyour time So,Iencouragedhim,youknow,tofire away Theyhadalsotoldmyagent,“Notright now.”andbythatIsortofknewthatIwould beselectedforthetour
Y: What is your favorite part of the show thatyouareinandyougettodoeverynight ordoesthatchangefromnighttonight?And thenthesecondparttothatquestionwould bewhat’syourfavoritepartoftheshowthat you’re not in, but you can’t wait to watch it eitherfromthesideorjustenjoyitperiod?
EAL: My favorite part that I get to do every night, I would probably say, I mean, Idoloveperformingthenumber,YouCan’t Win. The great thing about it with this anniversary is that technically in the original Broadway show, Born Before Yesterday was the Scarecrow song And we do have thatalsoreprisedintheshow.But,YouCan’t Winwaswrittenforthemovie,itneversaw Broadway.So,theywereabletospeaktothe people who hold the rights for it. And we wereabletolicenseitandgetitdoneforthe musical.So,itwasgreatthatIwasoneoftwo tobeabletosingthissongonBroadway It’s one of the biggest songs I have in the show, andit’soneofthehardest.So Iwouldsayit’s
EAL: I was born in Newark, New Jersey andraisedinNewJerseyandinNewYork.I wasaworkingkid,soIstartedintheindustrywhenIwasseven.Icomefromanentertainment family My dad is a musician. He was in a band My mom sang and she was alsoanactress,backwhenshewasyounger. And growing up into it, my grandfather played, my grandmother played, my uncle wastheleadsingerofKool&theGang You know, so it was a lot of entities where I was justbornintoit. Gratefully my parents hadn’t forced me into it They asked if I wanted to do it, and it just came naturally I enjoyed being able to change people’s moods, being able to change people’s moods, being able to turn your bad day into a happy day, whether if that’s making someone laugh or singing or doing something that it gets your mind off ofwhateverisbringingyoudown.
EAL:Iwenttoprivateschool,andwedid theproductionofTheWiz,whichIdidwin aspecialawardforActoroftheYearforplayingtheScarecrow.Ikindofcaughtthebug I mean,Ididlittlethingsinchurch,andother community things But I really had caught
Y: Oh wow, I did not expect you to say that part. So, can you elaborate? Why is it the hardest to sing for you or perform or whatever?
EAL: Because I am the only character in The Wiz that sings and dances at the same time In this number, I’m doing cartwheels andflipsandsplitsandclimbingonladders Andsoit’sveryactive.Andwiththat,it’svery intensebreathcontrol.Nomatterhowlong youdoit’salwaystough.Somedaysyouhave it,somedaysyoudon’t.Somedaysyouhave tofinditandyouhavetouseyourtechnique to get through it. So it’s always a daily challenge for me Some people may not believe that when I say it, but it is I would say that isdefinitelyonethatIlove AndtheotheronethatIamnotin,Iwould probably say No Bad News Kyla Jade with LaceyBlean.Shesings,it’ssogreat.Mebeing achurchkid,ithasalittlegospelflare-thatis within it. And we’re on the side of the stage alwaysjustgoingoffatherwhileshe’sgoing offstronghere.
Y: So now, let’s learn about you. Where were you born? What was life growing up? Whatmadeyoufallinlovewiththisbeautifulartformofentertainment?
the bug then. I went to Passaic County Tech in Wayne, New Jersey, which was a vocational high school. They had a theatre department,whichIwasin.IwasinBeauty andtheBeast OnceUponaMattress
And then, I was fortunate to learn and be a prodigy of Cicely Tyson. She had a high school that she built in East Orange, New Jersey My parents got wind of it, and I was offered to come to her high school to learn. It was a high school that you had to audition for, and I was the only kid who didn’t audition because I was sought after for it. AndIwasabletogototheirhighschooland learn. She directed my first show, which was Black Nativity It was such a good time to learn under her And being a part of the Kappa Theta Delta International Thespian Society, I was vice president for two years Being that she was a thespian herself, and thatwasthethespianorganizationthatIwas vicepresident,Idealtwithherfirsthandon a lot of things A lot of the productions we had, her grand opening that she had, that wascelebritystar-studded.Differentthings that happened at the school that we had to organize,weworkedfirsthandwithher.And I kept in touch with her even after I graduated.AndshewasthefirstoneItoldwhenI got into Brown and all of those things And
of course she is no longer with us God rest hersoul.
Y: That’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. You probably answered my next question withwhatwejusttalkedabout,buthopefully you can come up with some more answers Canyousharea“pinchme”momentortwo thatyoucan’tbelieveyougottodoandexperience because of our beautiful, crazy business?
EAL: Yes, singing for Bishop Desmond Tutuwasone Iwaswithagroup thisorganization that was within Harlem called Gothic for Teens at the Moment, but now it’s called the Mama Want to Sing program. Mymanagerandgodmother,VyHigginson, who was the first woman of radio, WBLS, she created this music program for teens in Harlem,whichstillgoesonfromtheMama Foundation for the Arts, which teaches, trains andemploysyoungpeopleinthebusiness And Mama Want to Sing which originated from, which is the longest running black gospel Broadway theatre musical in thehistoryofAmericantheatre,Iwasapart of for about eight years. And we also went to Japan to celebrate the 35th anniversary of that. And out of that program, we were fortunatetosingforhimyearsago Ithinkit waslike2007-2008
There are a lot of great “pinch me” moments in life Working with Madonna was a great time Another was when I did Motown: The Musical and I was Stevie Wonder I was fortunate of course, to work with Berry Gordy When we opened in Detroit, a lot of the Motown artists were there. And there is this moment on stage at the end of the show where I close the show as Stevie Wonder and Stevie was there that night. So there’s this video on YouTube if you type in Motown the Musical Detroit opening, where I am singing with Stevie Wonder, dressed as Stevie Wonder And there’samomentwherealloftheseMotown legends,MaryWison,SmokeyRobinsonare sittingherearoundme
Another“pinchme”momentwasandthis is kind of not too happy, was when I was on thesecondnationaltour Mr Gordypersonally called me and asked me to come back as Stevie And while I was in Reno, Nevada, I was physically and verbally assaulted by a white woman. It’s on YouTube, it went everywhere, people were trying to get in touch with me Some people were against me, thinking I was making it up There was a lot that was happening But every news station was calling me newspapers were calling me and Mr Gordy called me and told me that he would make a statement on my behalf And he said that I was his hero for how I helped and dealt with the situation Thatwasa“pinchme”momenttohave BerryGordysaythat,“You’remyhero.”
Y: You also have various subsidiary companies, always keeping busy, what are youworkingonnow?
EAL: I am also a recording artist. I have my latest album, ‘Energy and Love which aretheinitialsforEALthatiscurrentlyout. I also have a graphic design and branding company which I’ve had for about 15 years now,whichbrandsandprovesconceptsfor artists, companies, events, and ideas I am a pretty, self-sufficient guy You always have to have multiple sources of income while youarepursuingyourcrafttomakesurethat youstilllandwhatyouneedtoandhavethe money needed to do what you wanna do People can go to my website https://www elijahahmadlewis.com/foralltheinfo Y: Any last words of wisdom that you wouldliketoshare?
EAL:Iwouldliketoencouragepeopleto share more joy and to live in the joy of life Life is what it is and we have to deal with what’s presented to us Take each moment and live in each moment, because once tomorrow comes, yesterday will be gone Love on your entertainers Love on the people who make you laugh. Love on the peoplewhomakeyoufeelgood.
Yiorgo is an arts, entertainment and sports writer A stage, TV and movie actor, he is also a sports entertainer educator motivational speaker writer storyteller and columnist.
Food
Savor the Season with Fresh, Roasted Pork
ByFamilyFeatures
Source: Coleman Natural Foods
Ifthisyear’sholidaymenuisinneedofanupgrade,look nofurtherthanthemaincourse Atwistontraditionmay beallthat’snecessarytotakeseasonalmealsupalevelfor afreshwaytosavortheseasonandcelebration. Porkcanbecomeyourfamily’snewfestivefavoritewith thisshowstoppingStuffedBonelessPorkLoinRoastatthe centerofthefeast.Fragrantstuffingmadefromaromatic veggies, bread, sage, rosemary and apples turns a simple porkloinintoadazzlingdishthat’ssuretowowlovedones Thisroastisperfectlysuitedforaholidaygatheringwith Coleman All-Natural Meat’s humane-certified Boneless Center Cut Pork Butt Roast. With a leading legacy as an all-natural meat provider since 1875, it’s celebrating its 150-yearanniversarythisseason.
Themilestonecelebratesandrecognizesafamilyheritage and commitment to all-natural, humanely raised meats sourced from American farmers, raised with no antibiotics ever, no added hormones and fed an all-vegetariandiet.
A delicious extravagant way to upgrade your family’s main course this season, you just might’ve found a new favorite way to ring in the holidays with a tender, juicy, effortlessly sliced roast. Find more holiday recipe ideas byvisitingColemanNatural.com.
StuffedBonelessPorkLoinRoast
Prep time: 40 minutes | Cook time: 95 minutes
Servings: 6
1 ColemanNaturalbonelessporkroast(3-4 pounds)
1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil
1tablespoonbutter
½cupdicedcelery
½cupdicedcarrots
½cupdicedonions
2largeeggs
½cupmilk
salt,totaste
pepper totaste
1tablespoonfreshsage
1tablespoonfreshrosemary
2cupscubedfreshbread,crustremoved
1apple,diced
gravy,forserving
Preheatovento375F.
Butterflyroast. In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and butter Addcelery carrotsandonions;cookuntilsoftened, about5minutes
While vegetables are cooking, whisk eggs; milk; salt, to taste; and pepper, to taste, until well combined Mince sageandrosemary
Inlargebowl,combinebread,vegetablemixture,liquid ingredients, apples, sage and rosemary Gently toss until breadabsorbsmostoftheliquid.
Cut three pieces of butcher’s twine about 4 inches longerthanthelongestsideofbutterfliedroast Laystring oncuttingboardhorizontallyandlayroastontopofstring tocover.
Place half of the stuffing mixture onto butterflied pork loin and press down firmly Roll roast up and tie with butcher’s twine to hold it together, taking care not to tie too tightly, and press any stuffing that comes loose back intoendsofroast.
Place stuffed and tied roast, fat cap up, on rack over baking sheet. Season liberally with salt and pepper; roast until meat thermometer inserted into roast registers 140 F,75-90minutes
Placeremainingstuffinginasmallovenproofcasserole dish and cover with foil. After roasting 30 minutes, place extrastuffinginoventocookalongsideroast. Removefoilfromextrastuffingandremoveroastfrom oven.Letrestfor10minutesthenremovetheextrastuffingfromoven. Cuttwinefromroastanddiscard.Cutroastintosixthick slices taking care not to lose stuffing Serve with extra stuffingandgravy.
Save Room for Thanksgiving Feasts with a Light, Savory Bite
ByFamilyFeatures
Source: North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
If you’re tired of the same, heavy Thanksgiving dishes thatleaveyoufeelingstuffedlikeaturkey,looknofurther thantheappetizertable Itmaybeeasytooverindulgeon savorybites,butyoucanavoidruiningyourappetitewith sweet,lightbitesaheadofthemaincourse
These Sweetpotato Goat Cheese Bites are perfect for snacking while carving the bird, swapping out sugary treats for nutritious yet delicious hors d’oeuvres. If you thought sweetpotatoes are only used in casseroles for Thanksgiving, think again - this nutrition powerhouse canbeastapleonholidaymenusforyearstocomeinthis better-for-youapp
They’re a wholesome option for the entire family as they’re full of vitamin A and a good source of fiber and potassium. Plus they contain complex carbohydrates that are released at a steady pace for a constant source of energy, meaning you won’t have to worry about sugar highsorlowswhileenjoyingthefestivities Tofindanentiremenu’sworthofnutritiousappetizers, sidesandmore,visitncsweetpotatoes.com.
SweetpotatoGoatCheeseBites
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 24
2mediumsweetpotatoes
2tablespoonscoconutoroliveoilspray
1teaspoonseasonedsalt
5ouncesgoatcheese
2tablespoonshoney,divided
¼cupchoppedcandiedortoastedpecans
⅓cupdriedcranberries
1tablespoonfreshbasil,slicedthinly,forgarnish
Preheatovento450F. Slicesweetpotatoes¼-inchthick.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper Layer sweetpotatoesontopofparchmentpaper. Spray sweetpotatoes with coconut spray and sprinkle withseasonedsalt.Flipsweetpotatoslicesandrepeat.
Serve a Naturally Sweet, Flavorful Fall Pumpkin Soup
ByFamilyFeatures
Source: Barkman Honey
Cool,crispfalleveningscallforthewarmthandcomfort of a big bowl of soup filled with the flavors of the season. This Sweet Pumpkin Soup offers a naturally sweetened andcreamyfallstaple
Crafted with canned pumpkin, carrots, celery, honey and a medley of autumnal spices, this Sweet Pumpkin Soup is sure to become your fall go-to. With Busy Bee Honey’sraw,fullytraceableandexclusivelyUSA-sourced honey,youcanfeeljustasgoodaboutyouringredientsas youdotheirflavor.BusyBeeRawHoneyputstraceability front and center, challenging a common misconception when it comes to honey Many products labeled “pure” or “local” can contain blends from multiple sources that makehoneyuntraceableanddilutedwithadditives
However, using the Real Honey Code found on every bottle, you can trace your honey’s journey from hive to shelf Tested three times for purity, each peel-away label revealswhenandwherethehoneywasmade,bringingits originstorystraighttoyourtable
To find more information and availability, visit BusyBeeHoney.com.
SweetPumpkinSoup
½cupcarrots,chopped
½cupcelerystalks,diced
1cupshallots,chopped
3tablespoonsbutter
30ouncescannedpumpkin(notpiefilling)
6cupschickenorvegetablebroth
½teaspoongroundcloves
¼teaspoongroundallspice
¼teaspoongroundginger
1cupheavycream
¼cupBusyBeeRawHoney
salt,totaste
pepper,totaste
parsley(optional)
redpepperflakes(optional)
In stockpot, saute carrots celery and shallots in butter untilslightlybrowned.
Addpumpkin,broth,cloves,allspiceandginger
Bringmixturetosimmerandcookabout20minutes
Remove from stockpot and puree using immersion
blender
Return to stove and slowly add cream and honey until well combined. Return to simmer and adjust seasoning withsaltandpepper,totaste
Garnishwithparsleyandredpepperflakes,ifdesired
Packed with protien, this smoothie bowl will keep you energized
ByFamilyFeatures
Source: Real California Milk
Packed with protein and natural sweetness this Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Smoothie Bowl is a perfect complement for a back-to-structure fall schedule Enjoy thiscreamy,nutritioussmoothiebowlasasatisfyingbreakfast to start to the day or filling afternoon snack during a jam-packeddayofactivities Forthosedaysthatareeven
busier, add milk to make it a refreshing on-the-go drinkablesmoothie
To support your busy fall calendar real California cottage cheese, milk and other dairy foods offer real protein, real simplicity and real convenience Look for the Real California Milk seal on your favorite dairy foods atthegrocerystoreandknowtheyaremadewithsustainablysourcedmilkfromfarmfamilies. Findmorerecipesatrealcaliforniamilk.com/recipes ChocolateCherryCheesecakeSmoothieBowl Servings: 1
Inblenderjar,pulsecottagecheese,1cupcherries,cocoa powder,prunes,flaxseed,1tablespooncacaonibsandsalt onlow. Remove lid and scrape down sides of jar with silicone spatula. Return lid to blender jar and blend on high about 30 secondsuntilsmooth,creamytextureisachieved. If necessary, scrape down sides of jar again and pulse untilsmooth. Garnishwithremainingcherries,cacaonibsandground grahamcrackers,ifdesired
Tip: To make drinkable smoothie instead of smoothie bowl,addmilk.
