YES! Weekly - September 25, 2024 by YES! Weekly

2024 CAROLINA CLASSIC FAIR

Step right up, folks! The grandest spectacle of the season is set to descend upon the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds from October 4 through 13, and it’s bigger, better, and bolder than ever before.

Having earned seven Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

YES! Writers IAN MCDOWELL MARK BURGER KATEI CRANFORD JIM LONGWORTH

DALIA RAZO

The Reade r (2008), Kate Winslet may well find herself in the running again , a powerful drama detailing the adult life of Lee Miller (1907-’77), a former fashion model-turned-photographer who trained her cameras on the horrors of World War II.

...Mary was a regular on The West , portraying Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper. Now she and pal Melissa Fitzgerald (who was also a series regular) have co-authored “What’s Next: A BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE WEST , Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service.”

Getting into the proper Halloween — and community — spirit, the RiverRun International Film Festival will present a free screening of the Oscar-nominated 1986 musical extravaganza LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at 4 p.m. Sunday at Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem.

4 8 16

PRODUCTION

LYNN FELDER JOHN BATCHELOR

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ADVERTISING

10 This Friday, UNCSA welcomes awardwinning filmmaker Susan Seidelman for a special Symposium event beginning at 7 p.m. There will be a screening of her 1985 breakout hit Desperately Seeking Susan , a post-screening discussion about her career, and a book signing of her memoir “ DESPERATELY SEEKING SOMETHING: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls.”

14 At a press conference yesterday, Kristina Singleton, executive director of Greensboro’s Interactive Resource Center, spoke of “ MISINFORMATION at a time when we are witnessing unprecedented historically high numbers of those seeking our services.”

16 The Winston-Salem RAP ROUND ROBIN makes its ninth annual return, hollerin’ up the new venue era of Hoots Roller Bar on September 28.

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

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Founded 1924

Dear Friend:

As we continue to celebrate our Centennial Anniversary, we find inspiration and wisdom in HPU’s 100-year-old motto: Nil Sine Numine. It reads in English: Nothing Without Divine Guidance.

It’s hard to start so many new academic schools, enlarge campus, attract stellar faculty, increase enrollment, and raise necessary funds to keep growing. It is hard, but achievable when you have faithful courage.

Our God, Family, and Country school focuses on academic excellence, personal development, and practical life skills. Our top-rated career outcomes are one reason why families flock to HPU from 50 states and 50 countries.

While enrollment has grown to 6,335 students and our national positioning is ranked high, we also rejoice because Dental, Law, and Entrepreneurship schools enjoy full classes in their first year this fall, and our $100 million library project is generously supported by alumni and parents.

We are blessed and grateful for many successful initiatives. We also rejoice in the major economic growth in the Triad as we commit to do our part to graduate talented leaders in the workforce and caring citizens in our society.

With appreciation for your support,

The HPU Family

Courage under ﬁre: Kate Winslet delivers a labor of love in Lee

BY MARK BURGER

Having earned seven Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress for The Reader (2008), Kate Winslet may well ﬁnd herself in the running again for Lee, a powerful drama detailing the adult life of Lee Miller (1907-’77), a former fashion model-turned-photographer who trained her cameras on the horrors of World War II. Based on Antony Penrose’s 1995 biography “The Lives of Lee Miller,” Winslet plays a real-life character during a pivotal period in history, and that, as Academy history has shown, is sureﬁre Oscar bait.

What’s more, Lee was a dream project for producer Winslet and cinematographer-turned-ﬁrst-time director Ellen Kuras, who earlier collaborated on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), taking the better part of a decade to bring to fruition, with Winslet paying cast and crew herself for two weeks during the

actual production. It’s that sort of dedication and determination that cannot help but impress, whether it be audiences or Academy voters.

As the ﬁlm opens, Lee has already graduated from fashion model to fashion photographer for Vogue in London. Hers is the carefree life of a restless bohemian, which attracts the attention of likeminded poet and artist Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgard). The storm clouds of war are looming, and Lee’s impetus for volunteering to cover the conﬂict are as much inspired by an innate sense of decency as her loathing for Adolf Hitler.

As one of the few female war correspondents, Lee constantly encounters sexism, which she manages to circumvent with wit and guile. She ﬁnds a kindred spirit in David Scherman (Andy Samberg), the war correspondent for Life Magazine Dodging bombs and bullets, both are determined to document the horrors of war, both on and o the battleﬁeld, which continuously put their lives in jeopardy.

With the liberation of Paris in 1944,

Roland is anxious for Lee to return to London, but the mounting rumors of concentration camps are too much for Lee and David to resist. Besides, as Lee ruefully sighs, “I’ve always been the last to leave the party.”

Contemporary audiences are undoubtedly familiar with the atrocities of the Holocaust, but it’s still heartrending to watch Lee witness them, thus conﬁrming her worst fears beyond anything she could have anticipated or imagined. Winslet expertly conveys the character’s psychological anguish, which stayed with her the rest of her life. The sheer enormity and weight of what she witnessed and chronicled consumed her. Lee’s alcoholism is touched upon but not dwelled upon, and it’s to the ﬁlmmakers’ everlasting credit that Lee never slides into mere melodrama despite countless opportunities to do just that.

The episodic nature of the story is leavened by Lee’s narration, as she discusses her life and work with Antony shortly before her death. In this case, it’s no mere gimmick but an e ective way to move the narrative from point to point without diluting its overall impact. There are moments of humor which don’t trivialize the events being shown but instead enhance the humanity of its characters. This is a well-rounded story, encompassing character and history in a consistently absorbing fashion.

In addition to Winslet, there are ﬁne contributions by Skarsgard, Josh O’Connor (as Antony), Marion Cotillard, Noemie Merlant, James Murray, and Andrea Riseborough as Audrey Withers, Lee’s editor at Vogue, who is her biggest champion and sometimes the recipient of her rage. In a distinct detour from the comedy roles he’s

best known for, Samburg is a revelation as Scherman and proves to be extremely adept at playing drama. It’s casting against type that yields considerable dividends. As for Lee Miller herself, not all that much was known about her until her son discovered her photographs in the attic after she died and wrote the book. Now, the film Lee convincingly pays tribute to her and firmly establishes her place in history. In a world where a picture speaks a thousand words, Lee Miller’s coverage of World War II spoke volumes, and those images still resonate. So does this film, which is among the year’s best. Lee opens Friday. !

STREAMING SOURCE

Stream Now: Apartment 7A (R) — Paramount+

Stream Now: Babes (R) — Hulu

Stream Now: Mr. McMahon (Documentary) — Netﬂix

October 1: Yellowjackets (Season 1) — Netﬂix

October 2: Love Is Blind (Season 7) — Netﬂix

October 2: Last Days of the Space Age (Season 1) — Disney+

October 2: Chef’s Table: Noodles (Season 1) — Netﬂix

October 2: Unsolved Mysteries (Volume 5) — Netﬂix

October 3: Salem’s Lot (R) — Max

October 3: The Legend of Vox Machina (Season 3) — Prime Video

AVENGING FORCE (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): The indomitable producing duo of Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus at Cannon Films reunited the American Ninja troika of Michael Dudiko , Steve James, and director Sam Firstenberg for this surprisingly enjoyable 1986 action blow-out in which retired Secret Service agent Dudiko joins old buddy and political candidate James to battle a murderous right-wing faction known as “the Pentangle” in New Orleans. Reliable John P. Ryan again makes a memorable heavy (whose rhetoric seems remarkably contemporary), screenwriter James Booth plays Dudiko and James’s old boss, and the ending portended a sequel that never materialized, although it’s among the better Cannon outings, with terriﬁc use of New Orleans locations — especially the swamps. The special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95) retail includes audio commentary, director’s introduction, retrospective interview with Dudiko , and theatrical trailer. Rated R.

BELOW THE BELT (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): The Blu-ray bow ($24.95 retail) of producer/director/co-screenwriter Robert Fowler’s R-rated feature debut, inspired by the novel To Smithereens by Rosalyn Drexler (who wrestled under the name “the Mexican Spitﬁre”), starring Regina Ba as a waitress who throws caution to the wind and decides to participate in professional wrestling, with John C. Becher, James Gammon, Shirley Stoler, Jane O’Brien, Lenny Montana, Annie McGreevey (in her feature debut), and real-life wrestler Mildred Burke in support. Filmed in 1974, this languished on the shelf until 1980 before ﬁnding a following on cable and home-video. Bonus features include audio commentary and theatrical trailer.

FRIVOLOUS LOLA (Cult Epics/MVD Entertainment Group): The world-premiere, two-disc 4K Ultra HD combo ($49.95 retail) of the 1998 softcore sex romp (originally titled Monella) written and directed by Tinto Brass, starring Anna Ammirati (in her feature debut) as the lusty, free-spirited titular character, who is determined to loosen up her straight-laced ﬁancée Max Parodi (in his feature debut) in 1950s Italy by engaging in outrageous and scandalous behavior. Bonus features include original Italian (with English subtitles) and English-dubbed audio options, audio commentary, collectible booklet, retrospective interview with Brass, theatrical trailers, photo gallery, and more.

[VIDEO VAULT]

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: THE LADYKILLERS

(Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

Hilarity reigns supreme in this quintessential 1955 Ealing Studios comedy directed by Alexander Mackendrick and scripted by William Rose, who won the BAFTA Award for Best British Screenplay and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. It’s a near-perfect combination of black comedy and screwball farce, played to the hilt by an impeccable ensemble cast.

Katie Johnson, who copped the BAFTA for Best British Actress, portrays Mrs. Wilberforce, a dithering, doddering widow in a rundown section of London. A creature of habit, she constantly reports her suspicions about the neighborhood to the local police station, which the

kindly superintendent (Jack Warner) politely listens to before gently sending her on her way.

Enter Alec Guinness as “Professor” Marcus, whose introductory scene is a scream (“Mrs. Wilberforce? I understand you have rooms to rent”) and although he reportedly patterned his performance on Alastair Sim (for whom the role was intended), his furtive eyes, shambling demeanor, and uproariously toothy grin are almost rodent-like. Marcus is clearly up to no good, but Mrs. Wilberforce consents to rent rooms to him and his cohorts (Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker, and Danny Green), whom he convinces her are members of a classical string quartet.

Marcus and his fellow “musicians” are hardened criminals plotting a daring daytime robbery, but after they pull it o , Mrs. Wilberforce realizes their true motives and insists they turn themselves in. As a result, they plot to murder her, but the old gal proves a tough one to kill, and when they turn on each other the result is sheer comic brilliance.

Everyone is in top form, and it’s fascinating to see the pre-stardom Sellers (who idolized Guinness) so young and boyish, and to watch him interact with Lom with whom he would memorably star in the Pink Panther sequels beginning a decade later. Some contemporary critics have pointed out that Mrs. Wilberforce is senile and therefore no source of humor, yet it’s never made clear whether she’s senile or simply eccentric, and Johnson’s guileless performance is hard to resist. So, for that matter, is The Ladykillers. No less than Joel and Ethan Coen made a 2004 remake (with a toothy Tom Hanks in the Guinness role), but there’s simply no beating the original. The Ladykillers is a classic.

Both the special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) and 4K Ultra HD combo ($39.95 retail) include audio commentaries, retrospective documentary and interviews, theatrical trailer, and more.

THE GREAT ESCAPE II: THE UNTOLD STORY (Film Chest Media Group): Christopher Reeve and Judd Hirsch head the cast in this two-part 1988 NBC-TV miniseries co-directed by Paul Wendkos and producer Jud Taylor and based on Paul Brickhill’s 1950 fact-based best-seller dramatizes the escape from Stalag Luft III during World War II and the subsequent pursuit of war criminals responsible for murdering the escaped prisoners. Less a sequel to the classic 1963 ﬁlm than a continuation, it can’t measure up to the original but is a nevertheless an engrossing saga, with Ian McShane, Anthony Denison, Charles Haid, Michael Nader, Ronald Lacey (as Winston Churchill), and Donald Pleasence (as a di erent character than he played in the ﬁlm) in support.

children (including executive producer John Bu alo Mailer) and former wives lend a rare insight into Mailer’s mindset and methodology. As abrasive as he could sometimes be, the world needs more Norman Mailers! The DVD retails for $19.95.

THE PROFANE EXHIBIT (Unearthed Films/MVD Entertainment Group): A special-edition Blu-ray ($39.95 retail) of the long-delayed 2013 horror anthology in which 10 genre ﬁlmmakers recreate their most gruesome and twisted nightmares, with the line-up including Jeremy Kasten, Uwe Boll, Anthony DiBlasi, Marian Dora, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Michael Todd Schneider, Sergio Stivaletti, Nacho Vigalondo, Ryan Nicholson (who died in 2019), and Ruggero Deodato (who died in 2022). In English, German, Japanese, and Spanish with English subtitles, and bonus features include audio commentary, documentary short, retrospective interviews, Q&A session, galleries, trailer, and more.

“RICK & MORTY”: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-7 (Adult Swim/Warner Bros. Discovery Entertainment): The misadventures of mad scientist Rick and timid grandson Morty (both voiced by Justin Roiland) are depicted in this self-explanatory DVD collection ($114.99 retail) that includes all 71 episodes — plus a bevy of bonus features — from the 2013’23 seasons of the irreverent Adult Swim animated comedy/fantasy series created by executive producers Dan Harmon and Roiland, which won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program in 2018 and 2020 with additional nominations in 2022 and 2023.

Taylor also appeared in the original ﬁlm, and the mini-series earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Mini-Series or Special. The two-disc Blu-ray ($19.98 retail) includes trailer, photo gallery, and more.

HOW TO COME ALIVE WITH NORMAN MAILER

(Zeitgeist Films/Kino Lorber): Writer/producer/director Je Zimbalist’s award-winning documentary feature traces the tumultuous, turbulent life and career of writer/ﬁlmmaker/provocateur Norman Mailer (1923-2007), the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes who married six women, fathered nine children, and was both a controversial and polarizing ﬁgure — which is extensively covered in unsparing fashion, and the interviews with

SUDDEN DEATH (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A 4K Ultra HD combo (39.95 retail) of the 1995 action thriller marking the second collaboration between JeanClaude Van Damme and director/cinematographer Peter Hyams, in which the ubiquitous “Muscles from Brussels” plays a Pittsburgh ﬁre marshal who stumbles across a diabolical plot to hold the U.S. vice-president (Raymond J. Barry) hostage for ransom during the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals. One of the better Die Hard knocko s and Van Damme vehicles, with reliable Powers Boothe a ﬁrst-rate villain, but almost ruined by a chintzy climax. Bonus features include audio commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, vintage interviews, theatrical trailer, and TV spot. Rated R. !

See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies.

Mary McCormack Pens Book About The West Wing

When ﬁrst ar-

riv-

ing in New York City as a struggling actress, Mary McCormack accepted a strange part in a strange play.

“It was a musical in a tiny theatre near Columbia University. The show sucked and I still don’t know what it was about, but it ended with me in a chair, dead, with a red bandana in my mouth. And at the end, the other actors stood around me singing, ‘So sad she had to go, sad that they took her tongue.’” Fortunately for millions of us fans, Mary kept her tongue and, over the years, has used it to deliver memorable performances on television and in ﬁlm. She appeared as Howard Stern’s wife in Private Parts, and later headlined her own TV series, In Plain Sight, in which she played a toughas-nails U.S. Marshall. Before that, Mary was a regular on The West Wing, portraying Deputy National Security Advisor Kate Harper. Now she and pal Melissa Fitzgerald (who was also a series regular) have coauthored “What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service.” The book is chocked full of insider stories about the making of the iconic prime-time drama

which was created, written, and produced by Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, An American President)

I first met Mary when she participated in a TV Crimefighters event that I moderated for the Television Academy back in 2010, and we have stayed in touch ever since. We recently spoke about her new book, her career, and why The West Wing was so special, and still has widespread appeal 25 years after it first aired.

Jim: When you and Melissa wrote the book, was it timed to coincide with the 2024 election?

posed to end like a play, but our director Tommy Schlamme had visited the White House many times, and the thing that stuck with him was the energy. There was constant movement and constant work, someone was always handing something o to someone else. It had that walk-and-talk energy. So, he didn’t want the ﬁrst episode to end like a play. He wanted it to feel like the audience is leaving, but the activity in the White House will continue. So, he asked Aaron if he could just pull back on the last scene and let the activity continue. And Aaron said, “Of course, but let me add a line.” And the line he added was, “What’s next?” And in those two words he nailed what Tommy had in mind, that the work just continues, and service continues. There’s always something else to tackle. So, we thought that would work for the title of the book.

Jim: The Peabody Award committee once referred to The West Wing as, “a show about ideas and ideals.” I would think you agree with that. Right?

Mary: I do. Before The West Wing no one had made a political show work, and I think that’s because government and policy were considered boring, but Aaron is so talented that he was able to take policy and make it high stakes. Hour dramas are usually about hospitals and life and death stories, and he managed, because he’s Aaron, to make policy feel like life and death. And it is. It took someone like Aaron to make that work and thank God he did.

Mary: I wish we were that clever. But no, it was supposed to be done a year before, but we just couldn’t get started (laughs). Thank goodness it worked out the way it did. You know once in a while you get lucky with these things. And now there’s this moment (the election) and the two are coinciding. Aaron calls The West Wing a love letter to public service, and our book is also a love letter to public service. We wanted to write a book for the fans, but really, we also thought if we can do that and also shine a light on a bunch of really wonderful organizations at the same time, then that would feel like the book aligned with the message of the show.

Jim: Is the book just for hardcore fans of the show?

Jim: Would The West Wing work today as a primetime drama?

Mary: Wing Nuts love it, thank God, because we really wanted to please the Wing Nuts. They are serious about the show, so we didn’t want to get it wrong, and we feel really proud of that. It’s ﬁlled with photos and stories, and because Melissa and I were in the cast, we had great access. We were there and the cast is still all very close. But I hope other people will read it and enjoy it. I think it’s fun to read about Allison (Janney) and learn what she’s passionate about, and Richard Schi , and Martin Sheen whose life is fascinating. So, I think there’s enough in there for hardcore fans and future Wing Nuts, as well.

Jim: Why the title of the book, “What’s Next?”

Mary: In the original pilot, it was sup-

Mary: That’s funny Jim because Aaron answered that question at a book event recently. He said “I think it would work except for one thing. There’s no reasonable Republicans anymore.” You know because on the show, it was aspirational, it did take both sides of each issue, and it showed Republicans as reasonable people. They believed in their side of the issue because they felt it would do the most good for the most people. And now it’s so polarized in Washington that they are voting just for winning, just for pointkeeping. When you reject an immigration bill which was bi-partisan just because it would be a win for Biden, then what are we doing?

Jim: Melissa describes you as a real activist. When you and I met while doing the TV Crimeﬁghters event I asked if actors should risk their careers by taking

Jim Longworth

Longworth at Large

Mary McCormack

a stand on issues or endorsing candidates, and you told me then, “People get involved where their heart is.” At the time, though you weren’t into endorsing one candidate over another. Has any of that changed? Mary: I wrestled with that for a long time. I was raised to believe that actors are not special. Not to take up so much attention in a room, not to think you’re all that. Growing up, we sort of had to know our place in our house. We didn’t get over-the-top praise all the time, so as an actor, I always thought, “Well, I want to know my place, I want to be grateful, I want to not overstep.” I’m lucky to be doing this. I’d do it for free, and I still feel that way. But I’m also a mother. I’m also a citizen. Sure, actors’ opinions are no more important than anyone else’s. Ours are no more important than the opinions of an athlete or a plumber, or the lady who lives next door to me, but it is AS important, because I’m also a lady who lives next door to her. As I said, I’m a mom and a citizen. So, I’ve sort of come to terms with the fact that democracy only works when we all participate.

Jim: Of course, the di erence is that you’re very famous and you have a platform that most people don’t have. Mary: Yeah, and I feel lucky for that. I feel blessed for that.

Anthony Edwards (E.R.) said something to Bradley Whitford when he was starting The West Wing. He said, “Brad, you’re about to have a ton of capital, and you can spend it on yourself, or you can spend it on others.” And talk about an activist, Brad has spent most of his life trying to do good. So yeah, I think about that. We’re very lucky. Anyone in the public eye is lucky to be able to a ect change, to amplify a cause, or an issue, or a candidate.

And I think those of us who were on The West Wing, we get even more opportunity to do that because of the nature of the show. But I feel like that’s an honor and an opportunity that I welcome.

Jim: Why have you never run for o ce? And would you run in the future?

Mary: I don’t think that interests me, but in another life, I would have loved to move to Washington and be a strategist. That would be exciting.

Jim: Give me a ﬁnal comment on why you think The West Wing was so special, not just as an actor who appeared in the show, but as an American.

Mary: It was a perfect storm of a lot of really talented people coming together and that leads to good storytelling. But also, people keep ﬁnding it. My daughters are ﬁnding it, so there is a whole new generation of young people who are really into The West Wing. I also think it’s really comforting to remember that there are people in our government who are there for the right reasons when they could be making a whole bunch of money doing a whole bunch of other things, and they’re not because I think they believe that their ideas can do the most good for the most people. You know The West Wing was criticized by some as being too aspirational or too hopeful, but in the world that we’re living in right now, a little joy and hope is exactly what we need and want.

“What’s Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service” is available in bookstores and on Amazon com. The West Wing is now streaming on a number of channels, and the complete television series will be available on Blu-Ray on October 1. !

JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15) and streaming on WFMY+.

RiverRun presents free screening of Little Shop of Horrors

Getting into the proper Halloween — and community — spirit, the RiverRun International Film Festival will present a free screening of the Oscar-nominated 1986 musical extravaganza Little Shop of Horrors at 4 p.m. Sunday at Hanesbrands Theatre, 209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem. For more informati on and to register for free tickets, visit https://riverrunfilm.com/ news-9-16-24/

Based on Roger Corman’s legendary 1960 cult classic, Little Shop of Horrors became an award-winning, off-Broadway smash in 1982, with book and music by future Oscar winners Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin. Four years later, Frank

Oz directed the screen adaptation starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene (reprising her stage role), and Vincent Gardenia, with guest appearances by Bill Murray, John Candy, Jim Belushi, Christopher Guest, and Steve Martin in a showstopping turn as the demented dentist Orin Scrivello.

Moranis plays Seymour, a lovelorn

nebbish toiling away at a flower shop on Skid Row where he pines for bubbleheaded co-worker Audrey (Greene). One day, he discovers an unusual plant that feeds on human blood. Christening it “Audrey II,” Seymour’s popularity begins to rise in stature as people become fascinated by the plant … but Audrey II (voiced by Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops) has a more diabolical agenda in mind.

Little Shop of Horrors was one of the few successful big-screen musicals of the 1980s and earned Oscar nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Song (“Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”).

In addition to celebrating the Halloween season, RiverRun is also celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Little Theatre of Winston-Salem and the 75th anniversary of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The Little Theatre’s stage production of Little Shop of Horrors opens October 18, and members of the cast will perform a number from the show during this event. In addition, UNCSA emeritus professor and two-time School of Filmmaking dean Dale Pollock (also an emeritus member of RiverRun’s board) will introduce the film, as he worked on the film during his stint with Geffen Pictures in the mid-1980s.

“We’re thrilled to present the screening of Little Shop of Horrors as our way of honoring the anniversaries of the Little Theatre and the Arts Council,” said Rob Davis, RiverRun executive director. “ Little Shop is a great film for the whole family to enjoy.”

For more information about the Little Theatre’s production, call 336-725-4001 or visit https://www.ltofws.org/90thseason .

The 27th annual RiverRun International Film Festival is scheduled for April 11-19, 2025.

For more information, call 336-7241502 or visit the official RiverRun website: https://riverrunfilm.com/. !

Mark Burger

Contributor

[ WEEKLY ARTS ROUNDUP]

WINSTON-SALEM

FASHION WEEK

CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

SUBMITTED BY HUMBLY PRESS’D

The 10th annual Winston-Salem Fashion Week has returned for a week-long celebration of styling, upcycling, and celebrating local, undiscovered designers.

Winston-Salem Fashion Week kicked o its celebrations with an Art of Fashion Exhibition at the NC Museum of Art (formerly SECCA) located at, 750 Marguerite Dr., on Thursday, September 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. with Beyond the Runway. The body painting fashion exhibition featured the art of Cheryl Ann Lipstreu and other local artists. The guest host for the event was Carlos Bocanegra. There were more than 150 in attendance at the event and prizes were presented for the art exhibition.

The Opening Night Sneaker Ball and Reception was held on Monday at 7 p.m. at Roberts Hall, located at 874 N. Liberty St, and garnered a crowd of roughly 100 guests. Hosted by Christy Spencer of JKS, the reception was an opportunity to hear from community leaders and recognize WSFW community partners and sponsors. Attendees danced the rest of the night away with music by DJ Tru Groove.

The Food to Fashion Sustainable Fashion Show will be held on Wednesday, September 25 at the Southside Food Forest, located at 133 W. Acadia St., at 6 p.m. This show is free and open to the public.

WSFW’s annual Elite Swap Exchange and Styling Presentation will be held on Thursday, September 26 at the Delta Fine Arts Center, located at 2611 New Walkertown Road. The event focuses on sustainability in the Triad and o ers residents a chance to re-vamp their wardrobes. Residents are invited to shop and swap with fellow fashionistas, men included. Bring three newly used apparel items or accessories, and swap them with another fashion lover. There will also be a panel discussion on sustainable fashion that includes Stylist Gabrielle Befort. Attendees will also enjoy food, beverages, and music provided by DJ Tru Groove. This event is free and open to the public.

The weekend will feature two days of

looks on the runway from local designers, boutiques, and retail stores. The Opening Night Runway show is the “Urban Street Style” Runway Show, held at Truist Stadium, home of the Winston-Salem Dash, on Friday, September 27 at 6:30 p.m. The Youth Runway Show will also be held on Friday. This show will feature apparel from Hanesbrand, DXL, LEAD Girls, Project RunSlay, and JCPenny.

On Saturday, September 28, the WSFW Designers and Retail Runway Show will be presented at the N.C. Museum of Arts, formerly SECCA (Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art) at 1 p.m. A second show will be held at Innovation Quarter, located at 530 N. Patterson Ave., at 7 p.m. The 1 p.m. show will feature designs from Ti any Flowers Scales, Akilah Shaw, Melissa Coleman, Jinn Wraith, Ariona Brewster, and J’Kayla Camerson. The 7 p.m. show will feature designs from Robin Antoinette 7 Davia, Marasia Jeter & SeKou, Olivia Jurney, George Hall, Body and Soul, Curvy Fox Boutique, and OBI International. Winston Salem Fashion Week has partnered with NCMAWS, Goodwill Northwest NC, The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, and The Muse Winston Salem. Other sponsors include Champion, Hanesbrand, Inc., Innovation Quarter, Deweys Bakery, Robert Hall, Triad Cultural Arts, Project Space 411, Atlantic Union Bank, Sugar Mamas, DXL, The City of Winston Salem Mayor’s O ce, Winston-Salem Chamber, Lamar Advertising Company, JCPenney, WS Dash, Delta Arts Center, Royalty Marketing, YES! Weekly, and Triad Voice Magazine. Tickets range are $40. For more information, a complete list of events, or tickets, visit www.wsfashionweek.com. !

WINSTON-SALEM FASHION WEEK is a multicultural community event that is devoted to providing a forum for emerging and existing designers, new and existing boutiques, and artists to grow. Showcases provide designers with a broad audience of investors, bloggers, fashion inﬂuencers, and the general community. Since its inception in 2015, the event has grown from a few to more than a dozen designers a year, and national boutiques and retailers showing interest in the event.

Desperately seeking Susan: Acclaimed ﬁlmmaker visits UNCSA

Since the beginning of the 2024 fall semester, the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has presented a program titled “Symposium,” in which artists from various disciplines — activists, alumni, ﬁne artists, educators, ﬁlmmakers, poets, and researchers — have come to Winston-Salem to o er lectures, screenings, discussions, and presentations designed to explore the roles and responsibilities of being an artist and creator.

This Friday, UNCSA welcomes awardwinning ﬁlmmaker Susan Seidelman for a special Symposium event beginning at 7 p.m. There will be a screening of her 1985 breakout hit Desperately Seeking Susan, a post-screening discussion about her career, and a book signing of her memoir “Desperately Seeking Some-

thing: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls,” sponsored by Barnes & Noble at 6 p.m., prior to the screening. The book was published in June by St. Martin’s Press to rapturous reviews. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit https://www. uncsa.edu/ﬁlmmaking/symposium.aspx. Seidelman’s impetus for writing the memoir came as a result of two factors: Moving to New Jersey after many years in

New York City, and the COVID pandemic, which left her with plenty of time on her hands.

“I found myself with a partner but alone,” she recalled. “It was kind of an adjustment. I also knew I was about to turn 70, and that was a game-changer. I’d always felt I had my ﬁnger on the pulse of the youth culture and pop culture, and suddenly I was 70!”

“Good analogy,” she laughed. For Orion, Seidelman also made Making Mr. Right (1987) starring John Malkovich and Ann Magnuson, and She-Devil (1989) starring Meryl Streep and Roseanne Barr. She also directed Cookie (1989) with Peter Falk, Emily Lloyd, and Dianne Wiest, and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Live-Action Short Film with The White Room (1993). Seidelman’s ﬁlms have always featured distinctive portrayals of women, which has been her intent throughout her career. And in retrospect, many of her ﬁlms o er a time capsule of a New York City long gone.

Before she knew it, she had 500 pages — “all on my phone,” she recalled with a laugh. “I was able to reflect on it (my career) in a more objective way. I wanted to tell a tale about an aspiring filmmaker who was one of the few female students in her film school. It was still a ‘boys’ club’ at that time. I wanted to talk about the filmmakers who inspired me — people like Elaine May, Agnes Varda, and Lina Wertmuller. I wanted it to be more than ‘I did this’ or ‘I did that and then I did that.’”

Seidelman’s ﬁrst feature, Smithereens (1982), a gritty urban drama set against New York City’s punk-rock scene, holds the distinction of being the ﬁrst American feature to be screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Desperately Seeking Susan, which starred Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn, and fast-rising songbird Madonna, became a sleeper hit for Orion Pictures three years later.

“Madonna was the co-star, but her star rose so dramatically during the nine weeks we were shooting that Orion billed the film as ‘The Madonna Movie,’ which it really wasn’t,” Seidelman recalled. “But the film ended up doing fine [financially], which is wonderful! I always saw it as a modern-day Alice in Wonderland with Rosanna playing the bored little girl and Madonna the White Rabbit.”

Would that make Quinn’s handsome and personable Dez the White Knight?

“The city changed so much in the ‘80s and ‘90s and it keeps reinventing itself,” she observed. “When I go back, there are neighborhoods I remember that have undergone complete transformations. The world depicted in Smithereens doesn’t really exist anymore, which is a little sad, but things change ... and you have to change with them.”

Deborah LaVine, the UNCSA School of Filmmaking dean, had never worked with Seidelman but was certainly aware of her work — and is an admitted admirer. “I obviously revered her — her artistic verve and the fact she was making a name for herself by being a fresh voice that didn’t adhere to overused tropes,” LaVine said. For more information about UNCSA’s Symposium series, visit https://www. uncsa.edu/ﬁlmmaking/symposium.aspx, and the o cial UNCSA website is https:// www.uncsa.edu/. !

Mark Burger Contributor

Rosanna Arquette and Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan.

Susan Seidelman

[KING CROSSWORD]

[

Herman’s Hermits

Noone

Peter Blair Denis Bernard Noone is a multi-talented entertainer, who has been delighting audiences nearly all his life. Peter achieved international fame as Herman, lead singer of the legendary 60s pop band Herman’s Hermits. As “Herman,” the photogenic Noone graced the cover of nearly every international publication, including

magazine. There is no doubt that Peter Noone’s extraordinary talent, disarming wit, handsome features and compelling stage presence will continue to delight fans of all ages, for a long, long time to come.

Get Ready for “10 Days of Awesome”: The 2024 Carolina Classic Fair Is Here!

BY REBECCA MCNEELY AND ROBERT MULHEARN

Step right up, folks! The grandest spectacle of the season is set to descend upon the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds from October 4 through 13, and it’s bigger, better, and bolder than ever before. The 2024 Carolina Classic Fair is about to deliver on its promise of “10 Days of Awesome” with an exhilarating blend of entertainment, rides, games, and, of course, food that will dazzle and delight fairgoers of all ages!

NEW HEIGHTS OF EXCITEMENT AT THE DEER PARK GRANDSTAND

Hold on to your hats because the Deer Park Grandstand is pulling out all the stops this year! Making its high-octane debut on Monday, October 7, Monster Truck Monday will unleash the thunderous roar of giant machines as they smash, soar, and crush everything in their path. This electrifying display of horsepower is just one of the standout new features, but the thrills don’t end there! Get ready for not one, but TWO incredible concert nights! On Tuesday, October 8, Wolf 93.1 Night brings country music stars Dylan Scott and John Morgan to the stage, with local favorite Presley Barker opening the show. And Christian music fans, don’t miss WBFJ Night on Wednesday, October 9, featuring Colton Dixon, Austin French, and Jeremy Rosado in a concert experience that will lift your spirits. Did we mention all Grandstand events are included with fair admission? Yes, really — this is one show you won’t want to miss!

AN APPETITE FOR THE UNBELIEVABLE: FOOD LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN

Hold onto your taste buds, because this year’s fair food is about to send you on a culinary adventure of epic proportions. Ready to conquer the midway is the Dilly Dog, a Frankenstein creation that’s part corn dog, part pickle, and all amazing. Imagine biting into a crisp, pankobattered dill pickle stu ed with an all-beef hot dog, deep-fried to golden perfection. Or, if you’re feeling brave, dive into the Hot Cheetos Pickle Nachos, a spicy, tangy

snack that packs a punch. These new food creations are just the tip of the iceberg, and every bite will leave you craving more.

But wait, food isn’t just for savoring this year — it’s for competing!

For the ﬁrst time ever, the Carolina Classic Fair will host an epic Hot Dog Eating Contest presented by the Carolina Thunderbirds on Thursday, October 10, in the Busch Beer Garden. Will you be the one to devour your way to victory and claim eternal glory? For just $5 you can register to compete for a prize of $250. The registration also equals as your admission ticket on that Thursday!

SPECTACULAR PROMOTIONS: FUN FOR EVERYONE, EVERY DAY

From the moment the gates swing open, each day of the fair will o er thrilling new ways to enjoy the festivities with promotions that are simply unbeatable.

• Opening Day on Friday, October 4, brings you an

outrageous deal: $5 gate admission all day long, courtesy of 107.5 WKZL. Plus, for 107 glorious minutes, starting at 3 p.m., all rides are FREE — so you can soar, spin, and scream without spending a dime.

• School Day (Monday, October 7) will welcome all Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ students and faculty with free admission, and anyone who donates three school supplies gets in free too all courtesy of Deer Park Spring Water! Expect thrilling performances by local students and demonstrations by 4-H Extensions. As a cherry on top, ride 10 of your favorite rides for just $20.

• Two Dollar Tuesday (October 8) is exactly what it sounds like — fairgoers enjoy $2 admission, $2 rides, and $2 food specials throughout the day. Seniors and their aides get in for free, making this the perfect day to bring grandparents along for the fun.

• Special Education Day (Wednesday, October 9) is also Canned Food Day — bring ﬁve nonperishable food items to donate to Crisis Control Ministry and receive free gate admission as a thank-you for helping those in need.

• Military Day and College Day (Thursday, October 10) o er discounts for our service members and students. Active and retired military and their immediate families get in free with ID, while college students enjoy $5 admission with their school ID. And that’s not all! Thursday also features Thirsty Thursday drink specials in the Busch Garden and an anniversary share-and-save promotion that o ers a massive 120 ride credits for just $60, saving you $40. This is one deal you don’t want to pass up! Speaking of the Beer Garden, it’s tucked away nicely in the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, this year the beer garden will feature a live DJ every night from 6 to 10 p.m., along with bluegrass band Bright Leaf on October 6 from 4 to 8 p.m., you won’t want to miss!

FAMILY FUN TAKES CENTER STAGE

The fun doesn’t stop for families at the Carolina Classic Fair! Pepsi Family Fun Day on Friday, October 11, invites children 11 and under to enjoy free gate admission until 6 p.m. And for the little ones, there are $20 wristbands for kiddie rides available from noon to 7 p.m. It’s a day packed with excitement and laughter for families with kids of all ages.

A CARNIVAL OF CLASSICS AND NEW ADVENTURES

Of course, all the beloved traditions of the Carolina Classic Fair are back in full force. The iconic Big Wheel Ferris wheel, Pig Races, Yesterday Village, and Kiddieland will keep young and old entertained all day long. And with an incredible variety of competitive entries, from stunning school art projects to mouthwatering baked goods, this year’s fair will showcase the best talents our community has to o er.

Whether you’re coming for the monster trucks, the mind-blowing food, the twinkling lights of the midway, or the joy of watching your child’s face light up as they ride the carousel for the ﬁrst time, the 2024 Carolina Classic Fair is set to be a grand celebration of fun, food, and family. Prepare for 10 days of absolute MAGIC — because this year’s fair is nothing short of spectacular!

GIVING BACK IN STYLE: GOODWILL ADMISSION PARTNERSHIP

This year, the Carolina Classic Fair has teamed up with Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina for an incredible community partnership. Bring your gently used clothing donations to any Forsyth County Goodwill location by October 2, and you’ll receive a free fair admission ticket. It’s a win-win — clean out your closet and get into the fair for free, while supplies last, and that may not be very long! !

IRC leadership calls on media not to report “misinformation”

At a press conference yesterday, Kristina Singleton, executive director of Greensboro’s Interactive Resource Center, spoke of “misinformation at a time when we are witnessing unprecedented historically high numbers of those seeking our services.”

Singleton may have meant inaccurate or outdated comments made by several elected officials and public speakers at the September 3 meeting of Greensboro City Council.

At that meeting, four public speakers voiced criticisms of the IRC, as the Interactive Resource Center at 407 E. Washington St. is commonly known. Three council members agreed with these criticisms, which were primarily about toilets, showers, and security.

Before that meeting ended, Mayor Nancy Vaughan retracted her and Mayor pro tem Yvonne Johnson’s allegation that the IRC failed to provide a promised 30-day update on its progress towards meeting conditions imposed by Council, which on August 5 unanimously voted to provide the nonprofit with $463,000 in funding.

The IRC, formerly a day campus for the city’s homeless community, became a 24-hour drop-in center after the number of people using its services increased by approximately 200%. Since the pandemic, Guilford County has experienced increased evictions and homelessness, while the number of available shelters has decreased.

Citing problems with trash, public defecation, and violence, speakers from businesses adjoining the IRC have called for 24-hour surveillance and security.

At the September 3 meeting, Phillip Marsh, lead artist at Rockers Print Shop, described conversations with Trey Davis, Assistant City Manager for Public Safety. Marsh then accused the IRC of “holding the city hostage by saying they will only get armed security or any security once they get paid.” This claim was reiterated by District 1’s Sharon Hightower, who said, “What did they do with the money we gave them?”

According to IRC board chair Jim King, neither King nor IRC staff have proposed hiring armed guards, as Davis recommended against it. Records show that the plan IRC submitted to the city on July 22 described contracting unarmed security. At that time, IRC leadership also assured the city they would send a 30-day update on that and other plans.

At the September 3 meeting, Vaughan and Johnson inaccurately criticized the IRC for not sending that update.

“I’m disappointed,” said Vaughan, “that we didn’t get a 30-day follow-up. If we did, I overlooked it.”

“You didn’t overlook it, you didn’t get it,” said Johnson.

Vaughan later acknowledged that she had indeed overlooked it.

Public records show that, on August 22, King sent a 30-day update to her, all council members, developer Andy Zimmerman, and Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro president Walker Sanders. In the email accompanying the document, King wrote:

“GPD has been very responsive and helpful in connecting our video cameras to the GPD Real-Time Intelligence System, as well as taking steps to have the K-9 unit come through the property and facility. Additionally, Executive Director Singleton has communicated to Assistant Police Chief Harris that we are changing our long-held philosophy of not having trespassers arrested to making arrests of individuals who have been

banned from the property.”

In that email, King stated that the contracted firm Phoenix Security would be on-site by September 1st, subject to the IRC receiving city contracts in time. “We cannot commit to this expense without executable contracts in hand. The additional security personnel are a critical part of improving safety on the property.”

At the September 3 meeting, Hightower asked why security was not already on duty, and why the IRC was “asking for more money.” In a September 8 text, Vaughan expressed similar sentiments.

“On August 5, Council voted unanimously to approve funding for the IRC. IRC contracts are done on a reimbursable basis, which means they spend the funds and then supply us with documentation of those expenses. That is done on a monthly basis. There is no reason why they couldn’t have contracted with security.”

Informed of the mayor’s text, King responded:

“There is a stated 30-day turnaround time for reimbursements, assuming no additional documentation is needed and no issues arise along the course of City signatures. We received the contract on August 30 and did not receive confirmation of the fully executed contract until September 5th. To help with our financial situation, we made a request for advance funds in this situ-

ation and received no response from City leadership. The City has advanced funds to other organizations in similar situations.”

King also described meeting with Davis and at-large representative Hugh Holston to discuss completion of the contract, “as we had not received electronic notification that we could file for reimbursement.”

King said Davis assured him “that we would be able to be reimbursed despite not receiving the electronic notification, so I called our Executive Director Kristina Singleton, and authorized her to call Phoenix Security to request they begin service immediately. Phoenix Security provides security for the city and had committed all available personnel to the Folk Festival. Therefore, they will not be able to start until Monday, September 9th.”

As of September 10, contracted security personnel were working multiple shifts 24 hours each day at the IRC. According to Deonna Kelli Sayed, who was hired as the IRC’s Director of Development in July, one aspect of the contracted personnel’s duty is assisting drop-in center staff at the front desk, in order to become better acquainted with the client population.

Public speakers at the September 3 meeting included the IRC client and homeless advocate known as Toad of the Mountain, who alleged that the IRC had no working men’s showers. “We’re

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Singleton and sta on Sept. 24

Security on duty on Sept. 24

just left to fend for ourselves, so that’s why I look so wonderful this evening.” He also described “only one or two working men’s toilets,” but did not state how recently he had experienced this.

On September 5, Singleton allowed YES! Weekly to inspect the men’s and women’s showers, bathrooms, and locker rooms at the beginning of the three-hour daily cleaning, during which the IRC is closed to clients. All of the men’s toilets and showers were found to be functional.

Singleton gave the following statement about IRC bathrooms and showers.

“Third-hand information isn’t helpful in situations like this and leaves room for things being taken out of context,” said Singleton. “As always, anyone is welcome to meet with staff and take a tour of our facilities.”

The final speaker to express concerns on September 3 was neighboring business owner Kim Ritchy, who said that the facility should provide Port-a-Potties for clients who “are stuck outside with no access to toilets at 3 p.m., often during 90-something degree days when something the cleaning people don’t arrive until 4:15.” Ritchy also described an incident on July 22, in which, she said, “there was people that came into the IRC, 11:08 p.m., with guns, handguns and nobody’s mentioned anything about it.”

911 records show four callers reporting an SUV pulling up to the front entrance and describing armed suspects running into the IRC, then out again. Five patrol cars were dispatched, but no suspects were found at the scene and no gunshots were reported.

Singleton said that she and King watched surveillance videos of the incident with the GPD.

“No gun was seen on the property or listed in the incident report. Unfortunately, without being able to verify a weapon, there is nothing further we can do beyond the action we had already taken. The person involved in the incident was previously banned and continues to be banned from our property and/or receiving services for a prior incident, but neither incident involved a weapon that we know of.”

At the September 24 media conference, Singleton read aloud a prepared statement, which included a reminder that “homelessness is a public health crisis, and we are in a state of emergency.”

“We are doing our best to address issues of security. We have installed outside lighting. We are soon to launch a new digitized check-in software for guests.”

Calling the issues the IRC and Greensboro face “much bigger than lights, security or software,” Singleton asked the media “to report more on the root causes of homelessness.”

During the Q&A, King said Singleton has provided Greensboro City Council with regular updates, but has only received “a single thank-you from one council member.” A staff member said the only Council member to have visited the IRC since the September 3 meeting was District 2’s Goldie Wells, who “came by on Sunday.”

Sayed asked the media to “report on conditions as they currently are, rather than what those conditions allegedly were several months ago.”

MCDOWELL is an award-winning author and journalist whose book I Ain’t Resisting: the City of Greensboro and the Killing of Marcus Smith was published in September of 2023 by Scuppernong Editions.

Men’s locker room on Sept. 5 Working men’s shower on Sept. 5

Hoot n’ Holler: The 9th Annual Winston-Salem Rap Round Robin returns

The WinstonSalem Rap Round Robin makes its ninth annual return, hollerin’ up the new venue era of Hoots Roller Bar on September 28. Encompassing the Winston-Salem community — from the flyer to the floor — the annual hiphop festival continues flipping the show format script: artists on the floor, with the crowd running circles. Round and round, the party started by Aaron “Emceein’ Eye” Brookshire and his brother the late Joshua “Unspeakable” Brookshire, continues their call: “We out here!” into new digs at Hoots.

The 2023 rendition, the ﬁnale era of the rap round robin’s Monstercade homebase, featured a double-whammy album release format for Brookshire’s “Nothing Beats A Try” LP.

The upcoming 9th iteration o ers something of a return to form: six artists, encircled by a crowd. Camel City party vibes abound, with a heavy mix across the Winston-Salem Hip-Hop community to link Triad artists and touring East Coast regionals.

OG Spli once again joins Brookshire in hosting duties to wrangle three main event stages: the ﬁrst ﬁnds Brookshire’s Emceein’ Eye persona matched with KamDoja’s WSRRR debut; Katie.blvd

battles Paragon Don on Stage 2; and Larry Murvin bookends an OG Spli reprise on Stage 3. It all pops o with a performance from Baltimore-based drummer extraordinaire, Josh Stokes, setting a high-bar tone from the jump.

“Every year I always have someone open the show to signify that something epic is about to go down,” Brookshire explained, shouting Stokes’ praises. Having made his ﬁrst WSRRR appearance in 2022, Stokes gravitates in the Cold Rhymes Records orbit, drumming for artists like Height Keech as well as releasing his own material across an array of media. “He proceeded to crush and blow minds with his rocked out soulful performance playing drums while singing and rapping,” Brookshire recalled, “and I can say he 100% kinda stole the show.

Fans of D’Angelo and the Vanguard, TV on the Radio, and Anderson.Paak, will ﬁnd many things to love about Josh’s music and charismatic stage presence.”

Overall, the bill blends ﬁrst-timers and veterans — locals and touring artists — in the center spotlight. As much as the WSRRR is about throwing down, it’s ultimately about building up — for the artists, for the city — for the music and buds.

And for Brookshire, the event meshes the opportunity to create beyond rhymes. “My friendship with OG Spli started at the very ﬁrst Winston-Salem Rap Round Robin,” he said, a rming the nearly decade-long friendship. Getting nostalgic for that ﬁrst year at the defunct skater den, “The Hut,” “having him co-host with me every year is like a yearly

celebration of our brotherhood.”

“Together we’ve played for two people and 200 people,” Brookshire continued. “We’ve been in the trenches together, regional state trips together, and helped foster a truly unique pocket of hip-hop and rap culture in our city, together.”

Within that pocket, the Steady Hyperactive Collective keeps buzzing — ﬁnding something of a hive and home at the WSRRR. “I’ve been a consistent fan of their work for years and it always puts a big smile on my face to include local MCs that haven’t had a chance to get on the roster,” Brookshire said, pointing to Paragon Don making their debut appearance. Meanwhile, Larry Murvin, a Steady Hype a liate, will make a triumphant return. “Larry has been making me laugh with his skit videos,” Brookshire insisted. “And he’s been helping me vibe with his stream of consciousness style and elegant ratchetness for some time now.”

When it comes to his own performance vibe, Brookshire is stoked to match up with KamDoja’s formal introduction into the WSRRR alumni. “I’m ultra excited to get one of my favorite local artists on the bill,” he said, recalling his own introduction to her work. “I ﬁrst heard her on a track [“Me & U”] with Volz Brown and OG Spli a few years back and remember being absolutely blown away by the cadence and ﬂow they showcased.”

“She’s a whole di erent caliber of MC,” Brookshire continued, pointing to her recent release, “Daughter of Cool.”

Katie.Blvd is another MC ﬁring on otherworldly cylinders; which she’ll ignite on her WSRRR return. It’s a personal inclu-

sion for Brookshire, who met Katie.Blvd as a billmate on one of the last shows Speak N Eye he performed as a duo with his brother. “We were beyond thrilled to meet another hip-hop head from the Piedmont, in a di erent city who was holding down their own pocket of rap and soul culture,” he said. “Later that year after my brother Joshua had passed we had a Rap Round Robin Memorial show at Monstercade and then the next night had a friends only type rap show at ETC in Greensboro. That night Katie performed a set that was a stark contrast to their beat performance heavy set earlier that year. I got to see a di erent Katie. blvd that night, as she kicked rhymes, sang, and even displayed an excellent set of crowd participation skills.”

“I’m stupid excited to welcome them back again this year,” he continued. “At a di erent venue and setting all together with an eclectic mix of MCs and artists.” It’s a notion Brookshire extends to the visual arts for this round as well, having tapped graphics wizard, Kat Lamp, to design the commemorative poster; with a limited edition of screen-printed o erings for sale at the show.

O ering up new blends and eclectic mixes serving the Winston-Salem creative community, the Winston-Salem hip-hop heads are still out there — with the 9th Annual Winston-Salem Rap Round Robin throwing down at Hoots Roller Bar on September 28. !

KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who enjoys spotlighting artists and events.

Katei Cranford

Contributor

Emceein’ Eye with PT Burnem

Katie.blvd

NEW SEASON BEGINS OCTOBER 1

Side by Side with Nido Qubein is a 30-minute, behind-the-curtain conversation with people whose influence and impact are felt throughout the state of North Carolina and beyond. High Point University President Nido Qubein, an internationally known author and business consultant, digs beneath the surface conversation to reveal insights and inspiration from each special guest. Featuring both timeless and topical themes, the weekly series runs yearlong on PBS North Carolina.

HOW MANY OF THESE INTRIGUING

RUSSELL WEINER CEO, Domino’s Pizza

INTERVIEWS

HAVE YOU SEEN?

GINGER AYDOGDU Founder, Simply Southern

Founder and Executive Chairman, KIND Snacks

TUNE IN TUESDAYS AT 7PM OR WATCH ON DEMAND video.pbsnc.org and the PBS app

CYNT MARSHALL CEO, Dallas Mavericks

GLENN STEARNS Founder and CEO, Kind Lending

DANIEL LUBETZKY

REV. CHRIS HODGES Founder and Senior Pastor, Church of the Highlands

WILLIAM KENNARD Chairman, AT&T

SCOTT BAXTER CEO and Chair of the Board, Kontoor Brands

ASHEBORO

FOUR SAINTS BREWING

218 South Fayetteville St. | 336.610.3722

www.foursaintsbrewing.com

Thursdays: Taproom Trivia

Fridays: Music Bingo

Sep 28: Night of Comedy w/ Brenda

The Drag Queen & Aida Stratton

Oct 19: Jamie Trout

CARBORRO

CAT’S CRADLE

300 E Main St | 919.967.9053

www.catscradle.com

Sep 26: Kashus Culpepper

Sep 26: Stop Ligh Observations

Sep 27: Inﬁnity Song

Sep 27: Slaughter Beach, Dog

Sep 28: Dust

Sep 28: Tropical Funk Storm

Sep 30: Medium Build

Oct 1: The Beaches

Oct 2: SPRINTS

Oct 2: Violent Femmes

Oct 3: Blue Goose Kaboom, Cu ng

CHARLOTTE

BOJANGLES COLISEUM

2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600

www.boplex.com

Sep 25: Kirk Franklin

Sep 26: Anne WIlson

Sep 27: Keb’ Mo & Shawn Colvin

Sep 28: America

Sep 29: Matute En Concierto

THE FILLMORE

1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970

www.livenation.com

Sep 25: Mariana Trench

Sep 26: STRFKR

Sep 26: Briston Maroney

Sep 27: Fleshgod Apocalypse & Shadow of Intent

Sep 27: Dayglow

Sep 28: La Santa Grifa

Sep 28: The Used

Sep 29: Wale

Sep 29: Joeyy

Sep 30: The Beaches

Oct 1: JINJER with Hanabie and Born of Osiris

PNC MUSIC PAVILION

707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292

www.livenation.com

Oct 5: Marco Antonio Solis

Oct 7: Post Malone

SPECTRUM CENTER

333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000

www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com

Oct 3: MAXWELL

Oct 9: Gold Over America Tour 2024

Oct 17: Carin Leon

CLEMMONS

VILLAGE SQUARE

TAP HOUSE

6000 Meadowbrook Mall Ct | 336.448.5330 www.facebook.com/vstaphouse

Sep 26: Anna Mertson

Sep 27: Tracen Hollow Band

Sep 28: Astrocat

Oct 3: Kelsey Hurley

Oct 4: Dustin York

Oct 5: Wesley Bryan Band

Oct 10: Sam Swanson

DURHAM

CAROLINA THEATRE

309 W Morgan St | 919.560.3030

www.carolinatheatre.org

Sep 25: Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

Sep 26: Madeline Edwards

Oct 2: BEAT

Oct 4: Chris Botti

Oct 5: Number Drummer Live!

DPAC

123 Vivian St | 919.680.2787

www.dpacnc.com

Sep 26: Ghost Files Live!

Sep 28: Sigur Ros

Sep 29: Lyle Lovett and his Large Band

Oct 1-6: & Juliet

Oct 9: America

Oct 10: The Black Crowes

Oct 11: Matteo Lane

Oct 12: THE THE

Oct 17: Hillary Clinton Live

Oct 18: Charlie Wilson

Oct 19: Iliza

ELKIN

REEvES ThEaTER

129 W Main St | 336.258.8240

www.reevestheater.com

Wednesdays: Reeves Open Mic

Fourth Thursdays: Old-Time Jam

Sep 27: The arcadian Wild

Oct 5: Ben Sollee

Oct 11: amythyst Kiah w/ Maia Kamil

Oct 12: The Brothers Comatose

grEENsboro

CaROlina ThEaTRE

310 S. Greene Street | 336.333.2605

www.carolinatheatre.com

Oct 6: liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road

Oct 20: newberry & verch

Oct 25: Eric Gales

COMEdY ZOnE

1126 S Holden Rd | 336.333.1034

www.thecomedyzone.com

Sep 26: Therapy Gecko live

Sep 27-29: Randy Feltface

Oct 1: T.J. Miller

Oct 4-5: Jess hillarious

Oct 9: Cousin Tiera

FlaT iROn

221 Summit Ave | 336.501.3967

www.flatirongso.com

Sep 26: Will Willis & Friends w/ Evan Blackerby

Sep 27: Mommyheads + lemon Sparks

Sep 28: The deluge w/ hunter McBride

Sep 29: COia w/ Brandon Tenney

Oct 1: david Sanborn Tribute

Oct 2: Will Overman & William Matheny

Oct 3: The heart Collectors, Mild Goose Chase and Folkknot

GaRaGE TavERn

5211 A West Market St | 336.763.2020

www.facebook.com/GarageTavernGreensboro

Sep 27: low Key Band

hanGaR 1819

1819 Spring Garden St | 336.579.6480

www.hangar1819.com

Sep 25: Signs Of The Swarm w/ Cane hill, Ov Sulfur, 156/Silence, a Wake in Providence

Sep 27: norma Jean w/ darkest hour & no Treaty

Sep 28: nervosa w/ lich King, hatriot, Blackwater drowning, dying Oath

Sep 29: nanowaR Of Steel w/ Tragedy

Oct 4: UnityTX w/ Silly Goose, Mugshot

STEvEn TanGER CEnTER

300 N Elm Street | 336.333.6500

www.tangercenter.com

Sep 28: Gabriela Martinez

Sp 29: avatar: The last airbender in Concert

Oct 4: nate Jackson

Oct 5: Keith Sweat

Oct 8-13: Juliet

ThE idiOT BOX

COMEdY ClUB

503 N. Greene St | 336.274.2699

www.idiotboxers.com

Thursdays: Open Mic

Oct 4-5: Stewart huff

Oct 17: The Greener Side

hIgh poINt

1614 dMB

1614 N Main St | 336.883.4113

https://www.1614drinksmusicbilliards.com/

Sep 27: When darkness Fails

Sep 28: Taking Back Sadder days

Oct 5: Kwik Fixx

hiGh POinT ThEaTRE

220 E Commerce Ave | 336.883.3401

www.highpointtheatre.com

Sep 26: Tannahill Weavers

Sep 27: Scythian

Sep 28: dancing with the Sisters

Oct 5: alexander Star and the Golden People

SWEET Old Bill’S

1232 N Main St | 336.807.1476

www.sweetoldbills.com

Sep 26: doobe and The accomplices

LIbErty

ThE liBERTY

ShOWCaSE ThEaTER

101 S. Fayetteville St | 336.622.3844

www.TheLibertyShowcase.com

Oct 4: The Martins

Oct 5: The Malpass Brothers

Oct 12: William lee Golden & The Goldens

Oct 18: Confederate Railroad

Oct 26: appalachian Road Show

raLEIgh

CCU MUSiC PaRK

aT WalnUT CREEK

3801 Rock Quarry Rd | 919.821.4111

www.livenation.com

Sep 28: Eye To Eye

Oct 5: Post Malone

Oct 10: Kidz Bop live 2024

Oct 26: Whiskey Myers w/ JJ Grey & MOFRO

linCOln ThEaTRE

126 E. Cabarrus St | 919.831.6400

www.lincolntheatre.com

Sep 24-27: iBMa — Bluegrass Ramble

Sep 27: Thurston howell

Sep 28: victor Wooten & The Wooten

Brothers

Oct 2: Micky and the Motorcars

Oct 3: hOl! w/ Jkyl & hyde

Oct 4: The Elovators w/ Cisco adler, Bikini Trill

Oct 5: Marauda w/ Beastoi

REd haT aMPhiThEaTER

500 S McDowell St | 919.996.8800 www.redhatamphitheater.com

Sep 27-28: iBMa World of Bluegrass

Main Stage

Oct 1: Kehlani w/ Flo & anycia

Oct 2: violent Femmes

Oct 3: Conan Gray

Oct 4: lake Street drive

wINstoN-saLEm

Fiddlin’ FiSh

BREWinG COMPanY

772 Trade St | 336.999.8945

www.fiddlinfish.com

Tuesdays: Trivia

Sep 27: hotwax & The Splinters

Sep 28: Beer & Bluegrass

FOOThillS BREWinG

638 W 4th St | 336.777.3348

www.foothillsbrewing.com

Sundays: Sunday Jazz

Thursdays: Trivia

Sep 27: Michael Chaney

Sep 29: Megan doss

Oct 2: Mystic Muse

Oct 4: COia w/ Russell Kelly

Oct 5: natalie Goodrich

ThE RaMKaT

170 W 9th St | 336.754.9714

www.theramkat.com

Sep 25: Chuck Owen & ReSurgence

Sep 26: Palmyra, William hinson

Sep 27: Time Sawyer

Sep 28: Jesse dayton, Ghalia volt

Sep 29: Everclear

Oct 3: houndmouth

Oct 4: Shinyribs

Oct 5: Boy named Banjo

WiSE Man BREWinG

826 Angelo Bros Ave | 336.725.0008

www.wisemanbrewing.com

Thursdays: Music Bingo

Oct 4: Zack Brock Band

Oct 5: Salem Smoke

Photos by Natalie Garcia

Guilford Native American Association Pow Wow 9.20-22.24 | Greensboro | Photos by Candise Zimmerman

Tabitha Brown at Ulta Beauty

Greensboro | Photos by Chanel Davis

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of September 30, 2024

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Travel plans could be interrupted by the reemergence of a workplace problem that was never quite fully resolved. Deal with it at once, then take o on a well-deserved trip.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Aspects favor cultural activities for sensuous Bovines. Attend a concert or an art show. Better yet, create something yourself (a poem, perhaps?), and dedicate it to someone special.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Respect any doubts you might now be feeling about a new situation. They could be reﬂecting your inner awareness that some essential information might be missing. Check it out.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) It’s important to start the new week with as clean of a slate as possible. Either complete all those unﬁnished tasks, or pass them on to others who would be more than happy to take them on.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) This is a good time to cut down on expenses and tame the urge to splurge. Applying some ﬁnancial discipline now could help the Big Cat ride out a possible monetary crunch later on.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Money matters are dominant this week. Recheck your accounts and make sure they’re up-to-date. Also, pay more attention to personal issues before they become major problems.

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might be tempted to employ the same tactics as your adversary, but this could backﬁre. Better to use the same balanced

approach that has worked for you before and could work again.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A changing workplace environment could stir up confusion as well as apprehension. Best to ignore the rumors and get the facts. You could ﬁnd that the changes bring positive elements.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Communication is easier this week, as people are ready and eager to hear what you have to say. Also, check for possible technical problems before you start a new project.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Aspects favor change for the usually traditional Goat. Opening your mind to possibilities you had ignored could lead you to make decisions you once considered improbable.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Making personal as well as professional adjustments to changing conditions might be easier with more information explaining the hows and the whys of the situations in question.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) With a growing tide of positive reactions to buoy your conﬁdence, this could be the right time to put the ﬁnishing touches on your new project and get it well and truly launched.

[BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for setting an example of quiet, calm reasoning in the midst of chaotic conditions.

CROSSWORD]

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