Play runs almost 2 decades, you can't name it

**I also posted this at All American Blog**

If I told you that a play has been performed continuously for more than 15 years, with 2500 performances around the world, any you couldn’t name what it was you might think I was silly. Let’s see. Think of what play I could be talking about, don’t go further, and just get the names in your head or on paper.

No cheating. Give it a moment.


Ok, are you ready now? What did you get? Cats, Les Misreables? Little Shop of Horrors? Rocky Horror Picture Show? All wrong.

The play I’m discussing is 1,001 Black Inventions. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised. Neither had I until I saw a bit on it at the Richmond Register. Yet this play has been going strong since 1986. The play is more than the history lesson the title may cause you to believe.

This play looks at several inventors of African and African American decent that have literally changed the world. What did these inventors (such as Benjamin Banneker, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Jan Ernst Matzeliger) make that could affect the world? What would the world be like without their various inventions?

A place with no cellular phones, typewriters or fountain pens. No spark plugs, lawn mowers or self-starting gasoline motors. No clothes dryers, hair brushes, or ironing boards no rolling pins, biscuit cutters or peanut butter.

That’s just a few of the items. The play takes a look at what the effect might be without all these items and the trial of Dr George Washington Carver for witchcraft. It’s a satire and a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it makes its point.

Addressing the view of British historian Arnold Toynbee, who wrote that the "black race" had never made a creative contribution to any civilization. While this is a tunnel visioned, myopic view of the facts, its impact can be seen in the programming and emphasis of the media in targeting and portraying African Americans today. This play takes that image and shows the converse with humor.

If you don’t have the chance to see 1,001 Black Inventions, currently at Eastern Kentucky University, there is a book available. But I’d suggest seeing a play that’s garnered honors such as the D.C. Commission on the Arts' "Mayor's Excellence in the Arts Awards” and endorsements from the Smithsonian Institution.

Hey, it’s done thousands of performances for nearly 2 decades, there has to be something that keeps it going, don’t you think? Broadway doesn’t have all the success stories out there.

Historical news and odd events this week - 1.26.2007.1

In the past week in history:
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams opened one of the first schools for Black nurses in 1891
Dr James Robert Gladden became the first African American certified orthopedic surgeon in 1949
The 13th Amendment was passed by Congress in 1865

To date there continues to be no response from any Presidential candidate that has been sent a letter from me. Considering the first letter was sent in December 2006, I begin to wonder why. The link for all the letters sent to candidates can be seen above.

Well the weird items of the week have quite a range this week. One of the first thinks is the extreme luck of a diver in Australia. Many of us have heard of how deadly a shark attack may be. The movie Jaws helped drive home a fear of Great White sharks, which is partially deserved. For those that survive an attack there is usually dismemberment and severe trauma, but I have never heard of anyone surviving an attack where their head was swallowed by a shark. That is until now.

Mr. Eric Nerhus has a singular ‘privilege’ to have had a Great White shark virtually gobble him up head first and survive. He has lots of wounds on his chest, which was protected by a lead diving vest and the only reason for his survival. I can’t imagine a luckier man. I’d suggest that Mr. Nerhus take a trip to Vegas, luck like his might win him quite a bit. Even without going though he has won the best deal possible, living to see another day. I’d suggest laying off diving for a bit though.

Looking overseas in the other direction I found out that the Dutch are at it again. I think there have been several items that have originated from the Netherlands, and this one is as odd as any. It seems that a man has officially gotten a driver’s license with him pictured as the Joker, from Batman comic book fame. While he was trying to prove a point on security, similar to what a couple of guys from California (I think) did late last year here, I am at a loss on what the workers at the Dutch DMV were thinking. Then again it would seem the Netherlands has a DMV that is no less inefficient and clueless than those found in America. Really scary when you think about it, in a world filled with terrorist threats and cowardly suicide bombing attacks. By the way, watch out for D.C. Comics, they get touchy about the trademark of one of their best villains ever.

In Belgium I am perplexed. It seems that an iguana, named Mozart, who had Viagra it seems, has had an erection for a week now. Vet’s are so concerned by this extended problem [my puns getting better?] that they are going to amputate the penis. That sucks for Mozart. I would feel bad for him [just like I felt horrible when my Chow was fixed, poor guy] but he does have a spare penis. I’m guessing the second is not being effected as the first has been.

But my real question is, how and why did Mozart get Viagra in the first place? Now I could be wrong, I am lead to believe Mozart got the drug due to the title of the article. If the title does in fact match the story, how did Mozart get a prescription? Or get the drug in his system? If it was just joke, it was cruel. If it was an accident, I’m not sure how pills are left around for him to get to. If anyone from Belgium knows about this [yes I have readers there too] please let me know what is going on.

Lastly, in the overseas items, London has really impressed me with the most absurd real estate offer I have ever heard of. While I consider a condo one of the more silly ideas people do, there is an apartment that just proves that some people have too much money. The flat [what an apartment is called there] is going for $335,000 dollars. Now by Manhattan rates it’s a tiny price (I’ve met several people that own million dollar + condo’s, and heard of many for much more) but seems to match the stature of the place. The condo is 77 square feet, or about $4340 a square foot. Yes, it’s more than tiny. I recall a friend that rented a room in off-campus housing that was slightly larger and thy only paid $250 a month in rent. And he at least had heat. If you would like heat or electricity you need to spend another roughly $60,000. All this just to say you live in a ritzy (or tony as I believe it’s said) neighborhood. I’ll say it again, some people have too much money.

This is what I think, what do you think?