YES! Weekly - February 12, 2025 by YES! Weekly

“MJ:

THE MUSICAL”

Thousands of Triad residents will head to the Steven Tanger Center of Performing Arts to watch “MJ: The Musical,” but for one resident it will be extra special.

3 The RiverRun International Film Festival’s ongoing series of “ INDIE LENS POP-UP” screenings, presented in association with ITVS and Independent Lens, rolls forward into the new year with a selection of documentaries designed to both enlighten and entertain local audiences.

4 Triad Cultural Arts (TCA) invites the community to experience Winston-Salem’s rich BLACK HISTORY. In gearing up for the 160th celebration of Juneteenth, TCA has developed its most robust lineup of Black History Month (BHM) events yet.

6 Controversies aside, EMILIA PÉREZ is an ambitious, audacious undertaking. There’s never been a film like it. That said, its format — a grand-scale musical extravaganza set against the backdrop of Mexican crime cartels — may disorient some viewers, while some of its themes may turn off others.

9 Happy Valentine’s, Triad music lovers! With a weekend filled with all sorts of SWEET HAPPENINGS — it’s a good time to show affection for each other (and our musicians) with a double dose of date-worthy concerts on both ends of the region on February 15.

12 REV. NELSON JOHNSON, the labor organizer turned pastor who was one of the most influential figures in North Carolina’s civil rights history, died Sunday at the age of 81, after several days in hospice. “He was one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life,” said Rev. Wesley Morris, senior pastor at Faith Community Church in Greensboro

336-316-1930

Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com

EDITORIAL

Editor CHANEL R. DAVIS chanel@yesweekly.com

YES! Writers JOHN BATCHELOR MARK BURGER

KATEI CRANFORD

LYNN FELDER

JIM LONGWORTH

MAGGIE MARSHALL IAN MCDOWELL

PRODUCTION

Senior Designer ALEX FARMER designer@yesweekly.com

Designer SHANE HART artdirector@yesweekly.com

ADVERTISING

Marketing ANGELA COX angela@yesweekly.com

TRAVIS WAGEMAN travis@yesweekly.com

Promotion NATALIE GARCIA

DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT ANDREW WOMACK

RiverRun keeps “Indie Lens Pop-Up” in focus

The RiverRun International Film Festival’s ongoing series of “Indie Lens Pop-Up” screenings, presented in association with ITVS and Independent Lens, rolls forward into the new year with a selection of documentaries designed to both enlighten and entertain local audiences. The films are generally screened at the Forsyth County Library, 660 W. Fifth Street, Winston-Salem, and feature post-screening discussions with experts and community leaders addressing the issues brought up in each film. Admission to the “Indie Lens Pop-Up” screenings is free, and details can be found at the official festival website: https://riverrunfilm. com/.

This year’s o erings commenced last week with the screening of Free for All: The Public Library and will continue with Bike Vessel, a documentary directed, edited, and shot by Eric D. Seals, in which he details his own 350-mile journey from St. Louis to Chicago alongside his father Donnie, a retired engineer who became an avid cyclist after undergoing open-heart surgery on three occasions. Bike Vessel will be screened at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Writer/producer/director Erica Taamachi’s documentary Home Court will be screened at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 26. The ﬁlm follows high-school basketball prodigy Ashley Chea as she deals with recruitment, injury and, ultimately, triumph. Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s, a self-explanatory documentary about three families confronting the challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease co-directed by Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green, will be screened at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 15. During the festival itself, We Want the Funk, directed by Emmy Award winner Stanley Nelson (the 2015 recipient of RiverRun’s Master of Cinema award), will be screened at Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Parkway, on Saturday, April 12 and at RED Cinemas, 1305 Battleground Ave., Greensboro on Monday, April 14, showtimes TBD.

Each ﬁlm in the series will make its television debut on the award-winning

PBS documentary anthology series Independent Lens

“The partnership with ITVS that presents the ‘Indie Lens Pop-Up’ series has been extremely beneficial to RiverRun,” according to Ti any Jones, the festival’s co-executive director and development director. “While our festival is our largest platform to present films that fulfill our mission, the ‘Indie Lens Pop-Up’ screenings allow us to maintain that connection with audiences year-round. From a marketing and PR standpoint, it gives RiverRun more visibility. From our audience’s standpoint, they enjoy the sense of community that these screenings bring. I’m constantly amazed by the real conversations this program sparks. Being free and o ered at the library, it enables more members of our community to attend film screenings — (thereby) becoming more familiar with RiverRun.”

With the festival itself only two months away, these are busy days at RiverRun.

“As of the closing date of December 15, we had our second highest number of submissions yet — just shy of 2,000,” Dossinger said. “That is only about 100 o from our highest number of submissions ever, which was for the 2020 festival. Also, so many of those submissions were sent during the last few weeks of December, so that made our programming work even more intense. Every year, we have consistently been getting a very high caliber of films, which makes our (selection) decisions extra di cult from year to year. We get a huge variety of films from all over the world, and it is very hard to try and whittle those down to create the final lineup.”

When Rob Davis retired as the festival’s executive director at the end of December, Dossinger and Jones assumed his

duties in an interim co-executive director capacity. Their combined experience and expertise made the transition that much smoother.

“The biggest challenge has been balancing the day-to-day operational leadership that was part of Rob’s job along with my existing fund-raising duties,” Jones said. “We only had a month’s notice with Rob’s departure in December, so Mary and I immediately assumed the shared executive-director duties while already planning for our nine-day festival. We are a small sta that pulls o a mammoth event very well. Now, we’re down one person, coupled with the added responsibilities. The RiverRun board put their full conﬁdence in Mary’s and my abilities, so I’m leaning into my many years of nonproﬁt experience to present the absolute best festival for our community. It’s a challenging and exciting time altogether!”

“We have both worked at the festival for many years,” Dossinger pointed out.

“This is my 18th year, in fact, and we have worked together so much that becoming the co-executive directors together has

been pretty easy. The hardest part was the timing, as our ‘regular’ jobs at the festival are both incredibly busy and taxing between December and our launch, so this was a lot to add on top of it, but we are certainly up for the challenge!”

“What I love about this transition time for RiverRun is that two women are leading the organization through it,” Jones said. “It’s been a long time since a woman — or, in our case, two women! — has been in the executive director role at RiverRun. I think it brings a new perspective that will push the organization forward in ways it hasn’t been before.”

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

WANNA know?

For more information, call 336-724-1502 or visit the o cial RiverRun website: https://riverrunﬁlm. com/.

Mark Burger

Contributor

Triad Cultural Arts Announces Black History Month Programming

Triad Cultural Arts (TCA) invites the community to experience Winston-Salem’s rich Black history. In gearing up for the 160th celebration of Juneteenth, TCA has developed its most robust lineup of Black History Month (BHM) events yet.

Founded in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, BHM was created to ensure Black history is seen as American history. “The beauty of the history of Winston-Salem is its ability to speak to so much of the American experience. And so much of the American experience owes its origin to the Black people who paved the way — who paved our way. As Triad Cultural Arts endeavors to uplift the history of the African American citizens, we invite every member of the community to come experience this history ﬁrsthand,” says TCA tour coordinator & historian, Jordyn Jones. Our local celebrations will feature Black Heritage riding tours, a lunch & learn series led by local scholars and historians, and a book talk & brunch by the ﬁrst Black woman to own a U.S. brewery. Executive director, Abrea Armstrong comments, “Whether you exist within Black culture

or you’re just curious about this aspect of American history, our BHM o erings provide the opportunity for all of WinstonSalem to learn, through experience, the rich legacy of Black entrepreneurs, brick masons, activists, houseowners, teachers, doctors, ministers and beyond — that inspires each of us to do and be more.”

All events are open to the public. Details on the full line-up are below:

BLACK HERITAGE TOURS

Saturday, Feb. 15, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Meeting location: Enterprise Center

We invite you to experience WinstonSalem’s rich history ﬁrsthand as you embark on one of TCA’s African American Heritage Trolley Tours. From the over 200-year-old African American church in the heart of the historic district to the newly preserved Happy Hill’s historic Shotgun Houses, this tour features the very best of what historic Winston-Salem has to o er. Full schedule below.

LUNCH & LEARN SERIES

Location: Enterprise Center Time: 12 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Cost: $30 per person, $25 (Seniors 55+)

February 13

Presenter: Dr. Debra S. Boyd, African Studies Consultant, CROSSCULTURE ENCOUNTERS, Inc.

Topic: FROM AFRICA TO AMERICA: SITES OF MEMORY

February 20

Presenter: Dr. Elwanda Ingram

Topic: African American Women Trailblazers

Presenter: Jordyn Jones, Historian, and Education Manager

Topic: African American Men Trailblazers

Join us for an engaging Lunch and Learn Series in celebration of Black History Month, where we will delve into the rich history, vibrant culture, and enduring contributions of African Americans. Each session will include food and provide

thought-provoking discussions, expert speakers, and interactive presentations designed to educate, inspire, and spark meaningful conversations. Full schedule below.

BOOK TALK & BRUNCH

Saturday, March 22, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Simply Sonya’s, Cost: $45

Join award-winning brewmaster, Celeste Beatty, the ﬁrst Black woman to own a U.S. brewery for a Book Talk & Brunch featuring her new cookbook, “Harlem Brew Soul.” Learn about the fascinating history of beer and its cultural signiﬁcance, while exploring the creative ways beer has been used in cooking and community traditions. !

TRIAD CULTURAL Arts, Inc. (TCA), established in 2007, as a nonproﬁ t organization rooted in the community, is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary cultural arts organization. With a leadership role in raising awareness of Black American history and culture, TCA is dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, and presentation of the rich heritage of Black/African Americans for the broader public through educational and public programs. Our Approach: We achieve our mission by creating culturally immersive experiences that encompass festivals, preservation e orts, heritage tours, and exhibits. Our Purpose: Our driving force is to contribute to the development of a culturally proﬁ cient community that places a high value on diversity — catalyzing social change and innovation.

[ WEEKLY ARTS

ROUNDUP

] YOUR CREATIVITY WILL BLOOM THIS SPRING WITH CLASSES AT SAWTOOTH!

SUBMITTED BY ROBERT GRAND

Spring is in the air at Sawtooth, with classes and workshops from April to June now open for registration!

Explore how to craft a stained glass lamp, weave your own egg basket, bind an elegant journal, or create stunning leaf earrings through their hands-on, high-quality o erings.

This landmark community art school o ers many beginner-friendly options, including popular Taste of Art workshops, where you can create a pair of co ee mugs, a custom ping-pong paddle, or glass mushrooms in just a few hours. New o erings this session include a spring botanicals watercolor workshop, a series of “Saturday Bootcamp” courses in the photography studio covering equipment and portrait basics, expanded glass bead options, and hundreds more art and craft classes across 11 disciplines to help you tap into your creative side.

short-term, beginner-friendly sampler workshops during the evenings and on weekends.

Generations Center programming is open to all adults, regardless of age or zip code, with registration and class listings on sawtooth.org

PARENTS: PREPARE FOR CAMP SAWTOOTH!

Registration has just opened for Camp Sawtooth, a Winston-Salem summer camp that’s truly unique!

Sawtooth will also host Visiting Artist workshops with basketmaker Sarita Westrup from Penland School of Craft, potter Antra Sinha from Utah State University, and Pennsylvaniabased artist and jewelry maker Andrew Thornton for intensive classes that help you bring your craft to the next level. Secure your spot today!

DOWNTOWN AND AROUND TOWN

Thanks to new studios at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness (114 W. 30th Street) near Wake Forest University, Sawtooth has expanded its popular ceramics and mixed-media o erings for all.

These brand-new, state-of-the-art studios o of Deacon Blvd., housed inside a new complex with 19 other community partners, can help you achieve your pottery, painting, or loom-weaving dreams. Beginner-friendly ceramics classes are o ered nearly every night of the week, along with ﬁber classes in the mornings and afternoons, as well as numerous

Camp Sawtooth immerses children and teens in various art and craft mediums, including drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, photography, textiles, glass, metals, and wood. Classes are available in both the morning and afternoon across fourand ﬁve-day sessions for students aged 6-8, 9-11, and 12-16. Scholarships are also available. Join Sawtooth for an educational and creative summer ﬁlled with crazy collages, knot-too-shabby macramé, and many more activities! For more information, visit their website at sawtooth.org/campsawtooth.

ART FOR ALL

Founded in 1945, Sawtooth School for Visual Art has provided hands-on, high-quality experiences to people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. This year, the nonproﬁt art school celebrates 80 years of serving generations of artists through classes, workshops, and community outreach programs.

Studios include art + wellness, ceramics, drawing, digital arts, glass, lapidary, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, textiles, and wood. Their historic building, located in the heart of downtown, is known for its emblematic rooﬂine, giving the school its name. This season, make your way to Sawtooth! Registration for all programming is now available on Sawtooth’s website, at sawtooth.org, or by calling 336-7237395.

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MON: $3 Domestic Bottles & All Burgers $10.99 TUE: 1/2 Price Wine | WED: $4 Draft THU: $8 Bud Light Pitchers & $3 Fireball

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MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 3-6PM MON: $9.99 Wings | TUE: $9.99 Nachos WED: $5.99 Snackables

MONDAY-THURSDAY 11AM-10 PM | FRIDAY-SATURDAY 11AM-11PM SUNDAY 11AM-8PM | BRUNCH 11AM-2PM

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Emilia Pérez is the movie of the moment

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glance, Emilia Pérez (Netﬂix) would seem the Oscar frontrunner, having topped the nominations with 13: Best Picture, Best Director (Jacques Audiard), Best Actress (Karla Soﬁa Gascon), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldana), Best International Feature, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, and two for Best Song (“El Mal” and “Mi Camino”).

But, perhaps as befits the nature of the film, looks can be deceiving, as the film has withstood a firestorm of controversy that goes far beyond its admittedly unconventional storyline, ranging from criticism over co-star Selena Gomez’s enunciation of Spanish dialogue to the more recent, and potentially far more damaging disclosure of o ensive messages on social media made in the past by leading lady Gascon, the first openly transgender woman to earn an Academy Award nomination.

Ramirez), with whom she was dallying when still married to Manitas. As it turns out, emotional scars don’t necessarily fade as physical ones do. In fact, sometimes they don’t fade at all. One of the nicer aspects of the ﬁlm is that the narrative is driven almost entirely by its female characters. Gascon’s versatility is on full display, as she is e ortlessly convincing in both “incarnations” of the main character. It’s almost as if she’s playing two completely di erent characters and, in a very real sense, she is. Whatever di culties Gomez may have with her Spanish, she does some real acting here, and the character of Jessi has a distinct arc, although the character tends to be o screen for long stretches at a time.

Controversies aside, Emilia Pérez is an ambitious, audacious undertaking. Not unlike the big 2022 Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All at Once, it’s a true one-of-a-kind. There’s never been a ﬁlm like it. That said, its format — a grandscale musical extravaganza set against the backdrop of Mexican crime cartels — may disorient some viewers, while some of its themes may turn o others.

and ﬁnally to undergo surgery so he can transition to a woman. By this point, it’s plainly evident that Emilia Pérez is not your average crime drama, and indeed it’s not. The basic trappings are in place, but it’s how Audiard — adapting his own opera libretto, based on Boris Razon’s 2018 novel “Écoute” — weaves these elements to tell a far more inclusive story, one that encompasses social commentary, media manipulation, compromised ideals, and the very nature of identity.

If there’s one facet of the ﬁlm that has received unanimous acclaim, it’s the stellar turn by Saldana in what may be the best performance of her career, one that requires her to give her all in both the dramatic and musical sequences — and she never disappoints. On the contrary, she simply dazzles. Rita is the one character fully aware of the lies and deception, having fostered some of them herself to fulﬁll the wishes of Manitas and then Emilia, and she beautifully conveys how it all weighs on her innate sense of decency. She’s the only one who seems aware of the potential risks involved to everyone — including herself — and she’s the one character who is clearly in focus throughout.

Audiard’s sleek, stylized approach recalls the works of Baz Luhrmann (which is not necessarily a compliment), but here the approach doesn’t overwhelm or trample the characters. The ﬁlm takes chances and, more often than not, those chances pay o . It might have been interesting to see the same story told without the musical numbers, but that’s entirely open to debate. However things turn out, Oscar-wise or otherwise, it can truly be said that Emilia Pérez is, for better or worse (or somewhere in-between), the movie of the moment. It’s the movie everyone’s talking about.

Juan “Manitas” Del Monte (Gascon) is arguably the most feared man in Mexico, the ruthless leader of a massive drug cartel who possesses untold wealth and power. He is, however, determined to leave not only his life of crime behind, but his entire identity. To this end, he enlists the assistance of hard-working attorney Rita Mora Castro (Saldana) to arrange for his family to be spirited away to safety, to manipulate circumstances to make it appear he has been killed,

Four years after the “death” of Manitas, Rita is dining in London when she encounters the titular Emilia Pérez, and it’s not by mere happenstance. Emelia has had a change of heart and is desperate to reunite with her children in Mexico City, posing as a wealthy cousin. What’s more, she wants to use the fortune she amassed as Manitas to enact social change in Mexico, to ﬁnd some form of redemption. It’s this decision, to atone for previous transgressions committed by Manitas, that proves fateful indeed — and to all concerned, including Manitas’ wife Jessi (Gomez), who is delighted to return to Mexico City and rekindle an illicit romance with Gustavo (Edgar

(In English, French, and Spanish with English subtitles) !

See MARK BURGER’s

Mark Burger

Contributor

THE ADDICTION

(Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group): Abel Ferrara’s atmospheric, award-winning 1995 chiller o ers an evocative (but sometimes oputting) character study of graduate student Lili Taylor, a icted with bloodlust after a nocturnal encounter with vampire Annabella Sciorra. Ken Kelsch’s blackand-white cinematography is a plus, as are gritty Gotham locations and Christopher Walken’s brief turn as a bloodsucker, and the cast includes Edie Falco, Kathryn Erbe, Fredro Starr, Paul Calderon, and Michael Imperioli. Like many Ferrara ﬁlms, this became an immediate cult classic, although the climactic bloodbath is not for the squeamish. The limited-edition 4K Ultra HD combo ($49.95 retail) includes audio commentary, the 2018 documentary Talking with the Vampires, vintage interviews, image gallery, original trailer, and more.

THE

CELL (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group): Director Tarsem Singh’s award-winning 2000 debut feature stars Jennifer Lopez (as the world’s unlikeliest social worker) uses experimental technology at the behest of FBI agent Vince Vaughn to enter to subconscious of comatose serial killer Vincent D’Onofrio in an e ort to discover where he has hidden his latest victim before time runs out. This brainless shocker boasts state-of-the-arts special e ects but not much else, with Lopez and Vaughn exhibiting zero chemistry in their scenes together — and isn’t it convenient that the scientists have a virtualreality suit that perfectly ﬁts the hulking Vaughn? This earned an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and squanders a talented supporting cast including Marianne JeanBaptiste, Dylan Baker, Jake Weber, James Gammon, Tara Subko , Patrick Bachau, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and an unbilled Peter Sarsgaard. Both the limited-edition Bluray ($39.95 retail) and 4K Ultra HD combo ($49.95 retail) include both the R-rated theatrical version and unrated director’s cut, multiple audio commentaries, collector’s book, retrospective interviews, visual essays, theatrical trailers, image gallery, and more.

CHEERLEADERS’ WILD WEEKEND

(MVD Entertainment Group): Director/editor Je Werner’s R-rated 1979 feature debut (also released as The Great American Girl Robbery) sees a busload of cheerleaders (led by Kristine DeBell) kidnapped and held hostage by embittered ex-football star Jason Williams (doubling as associate producer/screenwriter), forcing them to resort to desperate measures to escape.

BY MARK BURGER

DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: SHOUT AT THE DEVIL

for dead.

(Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

This sprawling 1976 adventure, based on Wilbur Smith’s best-selling novel, boast an unlikely but undeniably appealing star teaming of Lee Marvin and Roger Moore, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Africa, known as German East Africa in the days before World War I. Moore plays Sebastian Oldsmith, an expatriate Englishman waylaid into poaching elephants by boisterous, gin-soaked Flynn O’Flynn (Marvin), who’s so proud of his heritage that a painted shamrock adorns his pith helmet. Their uneasy alliance is cemented when they encounter Flynn’s perennial nemesis, the Teutonic bully Fleischer (Rene Koldeho ), who sinks their ship and leaves them

The ﬁrst half of the ﬁlm plays like an old-fashioned Boys’ Own story, culminating in a roistering brawl between Flynn and Sebastian when the latter falls in love with Flynn’s beautiful daughter Rosa (Barbara Parkins). But the second half takes an unexpectedly dark detour when Fleischer’s men burn Flynn’s compound to the ground and murder Sebastian and Rosa’s newborn baby. Thus begins an escalating vendetta, as Flynn and Sebastian vow revenge on Fleischer. As the war has begun, the British Navy persuades Flynn to seek out and destroy a German warship undergoing repairs in a secret location.

Bolstered by Maurice Jarre’s score, Shout at the Devil was an attempt by the proliﬁc B-movie factory American International Pictures (AIP) to go up a rung or two on the ladder of respectability, but although the ﬁlm was successful in its native Britain, it came and went without much fuss in the United States, where it was cut by almost 30 minutes. This is the longer version, but longer doesn’t necessarily mean better.

There’s also a fair amount of political incorrectness on display, as characters of color are almost entirely relegated to the background. The sole exception is Flynn’s mute sidekick Mohammed, but he is played, albeit rather well, by the distinctly British Ian Holm. The pyrotechnics are suitably loud and the special e ects (including miniature work) pass muster, if only just. Marvin portrays Flynn in broad strokes while Koldeho ’s blustering (yet sadistic) heavy does everything but twirl his moustache, but Moore (the newly minted James Bond) is excellent throughout and Parkins believably conveys her transition from damsel-in-distress to avenging angel.

The special-edition Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio commentary and trailers. Rated PG.

Despite the title, this isn’t a softcore sex comedy but an exploitation thriller, with Janet Blythe (in her only feature) and Courtney Sands (in her only feature), Marilyn Joi (billed as “Tracy King”), Leon Isaac Kennedy (billed as “Lee Curtis”), and future Oscar-winning ﬁlmmaker Robert Houston in support. The special-edition “MVD Rewind Collection” Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) includes audio commentaries, collectible mini-poster, retrospective interviews, original theatrical trailer, and more.

THE

COWBOY AND THE QUEEN (Greenwich Entertainment/Kino Lorber): Andrea Nevins wrote, produced, and directed this award-winning 2023 documentary feature chronicling the life and career of California-born horse trainer and

Loden. This was ﬁlmed in 1968 alongside the Western Blue (also produced by Judd Bernard), with cast and crew members appearing onscreen, then shelved by Paramount until its 1973 premiere on the CBS Late Movie, by which time director Jud Taylor had adopted the infamous pseudonym “Allen Smithee” and screenwriter Mart Crowley had his name removed from the credits. Bonus features include audio commentaries.

MY NAME IS ALFRED HITCHCOCK

(Cohen Media Group/Kino Lorber): The cinematic legacy of the immortal Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980) is celebrated in this 2022 feature documentary written and directed by Mark Cousins and narrated by Alistair McGowan, which explores his big-screen work, his inspirations and observations, ongoing themes, and his ﬁlming techniques — interspersed with clips from the ﬁlms being discussed, available on DVD ($19.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.95 retail), each boasting Q&A session, alternate trailer, graphics animation tests, and more.

best-selling author Monty Roberts, who overcame a hard-luck childhood to create a unorthodox yet humane method of training wild horses that sparked controversy but also led to a 30-year friendship with Queen Elizabeth II, whose funeral he attended in 2022. Like its subject, this is a thoughtful, low-key, and quietly uplifting endeavor — and a must for equestrian aﬁcionados. The DVD ($19.95 retail) includes bonus trailers.

FADE-IN (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): A special-edition Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) of the romantic melodrama starring Burt Reynolds as a laid-back Utah cowboy who takes a job as a driver for a Hollywood film shooting nearby and finds himself falling in love with film editor Barbara

WICKED (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment): Jon M. Chu directed this grand-scale musical fantasy based on Gregory Maguire’s best-selling 1995 novel and the subsequent Tony Award-winning Broadway extravaganza by Stephen Schwartz and ﬁrst-time screenwriter Winnie Holzman, the ﬁrst in a two-part saga depicting the magical land of Oz before the arrival of Dorothy, starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Ariana Grande as Glinda, with Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, Marissa Bode (in her feature debut), and Je Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. An enormous box-o ce hit, which certainly bodes well for the forthcoming sequel Wicked: For Good (scheduled for release in November), this earned 10 Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress (Erivo), Best Supporting Actress (Grande), Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Sound, and Best Visual E ects, available on DVD ($24.99 retail), Blu-ray ($29.99 retail), and 4K Ultra HD combo ($34.98 retail), each replete with bonus features including audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, and “sing-along” feature-length version. !

[WEEKLY SUDOKU] [KING CROSSWORD]

ACROSS 1 Milk-Bone products

“Getting out of it is not possible for me” 20 Stat for a baseball pitcher 21 Mountain nymph of Greek myth 22 Can’t get out of it

Start of a riddle

Santa’s little helpers

“Delicious!” 27 Insect snares 28 Told ﬁbs 29 Attempts to hit, as a ﬂy

Hair ﬁxative

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Loft

pianist Allison

In a very uncordial way

City in Iowa

Riddle, part 3

Not docile

Serpentine ﬁsh

Above, in poetry

Gabrielle of volleyball

Vietnamese New Year

Grad’s gala

Flop

Triad for Two: Sharing Love for the Black Opry and Dance From Above

Happy Valentine’s, Triad music lovers! With a weekend ﬁlled with all sorts of sweet happenings — it’s a good time to show a ection for each other (and our musicians) with a double dose of date-worthy concerts on both ends of the region on February 15.

Contributor

To the west, the Black Opry Revue rolls into the N.C. Museum of Art WinstonSalem (formerly SECCA) — with performers Julie Williams, Roberta Lea, and Aaron Vance two-steppin’ in-tow; along with the Sacred Steel stylings of DaShawn Hickman to start the evening. Meanwhile, over in Greensboro, Dance From Above rules the late night by bringing Ben Hixon and Blaque Dynamite to the Flat Iron.

Kicking o the earlier a air (doors at 6 p.m.; music at 7 p.m.), NCMA W-S is proud to round out its 30th installment of the Crossroads concert series with the Black Opry Revue — an ensemble collective of artists repping the twang of Black excellence. Simply put, “the Black Opry is a home for Black artists and fans of country, blues, folk, and Americana music,” said organizer Holly G.

“Country music has been made by and loved by Black people since its conception, and Black Opry invites you to discover, support, and enjoy the Black artists that make magic in that space.”

Within the Triad corners of that space, the Sacred Steel traditions from Mt. Airy’s DaShawn Hickman shine. While not an ofﬁcial member of the Black Opry, Hickman (along with his wife, Wendy) have been making magic — with his debut album “Drums, Roots & Steel” snagging nominations at the 2023 Blues Music Awards and in Blues Blast Magazine.

I had the pleasure of proﬁling the couple for YES! Weekly’s Valentine’s Day issue in 2022. It’s pretty sweet to once again highlight the pair of sweeties before they hit the stage three years later. “We just want to spread love and joy to people,” Hickman said. “That’s our mission, me and my wife both.”

And much like the love shared between couples, their mission — and the mission of the Black Opry — extends throughout

the year. So while February is a particularly sweet time for showcasing both the joy of lovers and the magic of Black artistry, Holly G and the Black Opry reinforces the value of their e orts 24/7, 365. “While we appreciate the celebratory nature of February, [a more equitable industry landscape] can’t be accomplished if everyone looks away the rest of the year.”

“The important work is what’s done the other 11 months,” she said. “It’s really easy to engage di cult conversations during Black History Month, when it’s a national conversation that feels compulsory but we live in our identities and deal with the consequences of ignorance all year round.”

Within the identities of country music, “it’s been interesting over the past year watching folks pay attention to country music, once pop stars put out albums.”

Holly G mused, balancing ignorance that persists against a mainstream spotlight. “It really highlights some major misconceptions on how this particular sector of the music industry works. One of the biggest being that the mainstream country music industry has made great strides towards inclusion. We just saw a Black Woman win the GRAMMY Country Album of the Year, yet Black women still make up less than 1% of spins on country radio.”

“If you really take a look at how the industry is responding to calls for diversiﬁcation, you’ll see that they’re not opening doors — rather, we’re building our own tables.”

And on those tables, Holly G is carrying on the traditions of women like Frankie Staton and Rissi Palmer. “We made our own way and fought to weave ourselves into the fabric of the country music community and I’m so excited to see what comes next.”

Looking at their path so far, “we’ve gotten to participate in some mind-blowing opportunities from being featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show to being included in an exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame,” she said. And through all that, “the one common thread amongst artists involved with the Black Opry is that we all simply want the freedom to create and share good music.”

Black Opry’s Roberta Lea is especially looking forward to sharing her awardwinning country-neo-pop songs with the audience at NCMA W-S. With a style that ﬂoats between Shania Twain and Tracy Chapman, Lea is both a member of The Recording Academy and among CMT’s

Next Women of Country.

And for her, the Black Opry works as a means of support — and a beacon for independent artists. A beacon that’s needed now more than ever. “Right now, things seem pretty uncertain,” Lea mused on the state of mainstream country music (and CMT canceling its annual awards as Paramount undergoes its merger with Skydance Media).

“The CMT Awards were my very ﬁrst red carpet,” she recalled. “Add that on top of Leslie Fram, who’s been a huge advocate for women at CMT, was also released. Even as one of the Next Women of Country, I’m not sure what the future holds”

“Only time will tell,” she continued. “But Black Opry’s mission to bring unknown artists to the forefront in the Country music genre is needed in today’s music industry. It’s serving a purpose that was lost along the way and ﬁlling in the missing pieces to this complex puzzle called art.”

Holly G agreed. “I wasn’t completely sure what I was getting myself into when I began The Black Opry but it’s become clear, especially in these times, that the primary mission and most e ective goal is that we build community. Through the ups and downs of everything that comes along with working in the entertainment industry, to know that we are not doing it alone makes a big di erence in the level of resilience and stamina we have to keep pushing forward.”

That mission toward community is shared on the opposite end of the Triad (and the sonic spectrum) by the party

makers in Dance From Above. Motivated by their love of “bringing community together to celebrate great dance music,” the electronic collective makes good in their latest soiree: a Texan double-hitter between award-winning drummer and producer Blaque Dynamite as part of a hybrid live-performance DJ set, with Dolﬁn Records’ Ben Hixon on deck and synth.

A percussive powerhouse, Blaque Dynamite has performed with artists like Christian McBride, Erykah Badu, Thundercat, Michael McDonald, Bob Mintzer, Chrisette Michele, Kamasi Washington, and the Legendary Clark Sisters. For the dudes in Dance Above, it’s a labor of love — with DFA residents Niervash, Rahl, Alvin Shavers, and 50ft on decks to ﬁll out the night. “We’re overjoyed to be able to share this unforgettable show with everyone,” they said.

…and I’m overjoyed to share the magic of both Dance From Above and the Black Opry with y’all.

The magic of their work is worth sharing all year long — but it’s the season to show some love — and we’ve got a double-dose of date night opportunities, perfect for a music lover’s Valentine’s endurance challenge; and a ﬁne display of present dualities that I love most about the Triad. I can’t wait to kick up my heels at the early-evenin’ country music early show; and then dig my boots into the late-night dance ﬂoor.

Join me on Feb. 15 for Crossroads #030 with The Black Opry Revue (featuring Julie Williams, Roberta Lea, and Aaron Vance) and DaShawn Hickman at NCMA W-S; starting at 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.). And Ben Hixon and Blaque Dynamite, presented by Dance From Above at the Flat Iron; starting at 9 p.m. !

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

Katei Cranford

Thousands of Triad residents will head to the Steven Tanger Center of Performing Arts to watch “MJ: The Musical,” but for one resident it will be extra special. Greensboro native Avilon Trust Tate will also be at the show, but this time it will be onstage. “I remember the first time we saw it on Broadway in 2022. We went as a family and I remember thinking ‘This is one of the shows that I need to be a part of.’ So to actually be in that show, it’s like a full circle moment. It still sometimes shocks me.”

The multiple Tony Award-winning musical is centered on the making of Michael Jackson’s life and the creative process leading up to the 1992 Dangerous World Tour. The musical was created by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

The musical was scheduled to premiere on Broadway in mid-2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. It would officially open on Feb. 1, 2022.

When it comes to the Triad, “MJ” runs at Tanger from February 18-23.

Tate’s passion for performance spans across music, dance, and theater.

He began his artistic journey as a toddler at his mother’s dance studio, The Pointe! Company and Technique Conservatory. He has also studied with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Charlotte Ballet, Alvin Ailey, UNCSA’s Commercial Dance Intensive program, and The Community Theatre of Greensboro.

Tate is also a self-taught recording, mixing, and mastering engineer who has released several songs, singles, and albums. The genres span from R&B to musical theater.

He would go on to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Graduating in the spring of last year, Tate quickly took to the road, having already graced the national stage for “Mean Girls” in 2022, where he understudied the role of Mr. Duvall. In the 2023-2024 tour of “The Wiz,” he was an ensemble member and understudied

The Musical”

For the Love of MJ and Broadway: Triad dancer returns home in “MJ:

the role of Tin Man. Currently, he is playing the role of Jermaine Jackson in “MJ: The Musical.”

“Who doesn’t love Michael Jackson? His music is legendary and he is legendary. So to be able to perform that every night and get the story and message across is amazing. What we do is really hard,” Tate explained. We do eight shows a week and there are only seven days out of the week, so we’re in the theater 24/7. But on those days when we feel like we’re tired or we may not want to get out of bed, we think that we have a bomb show. The music is uplifting, the cast is uplifting. Michael Jackson does it for everybody.”

When asked what his favorite song was, Tate said it was “They Don’t Really Care About Us.”

“If I’m having a bad day or whatever, that song is what I pour all my frustration out into,” he said.

Tate said that the feedback about the show has been “absolutely spectacular,” and the audience can expect a wonderful trip down memory lane.

“It’s rare that you get an audience that raves about the show because everyone has different opinions on theater, depending on what show it is. Every show is different. Some people

might not like it, might not be their thing. But with “MJ,” it’s literally like everyone that comes to watch the production is absolutely in awe because it is just that spectacular,” Tate said. “Expect to hear fantastic music. The story is based on him making his Dangerous World Tour. And so throughout his making of that World Tour, we go back in time to what influenced Michael Jackson. Be prepared to cry, be prepared to get up and dance, and just be wild.”

Chanel Davis

Editor

PHOTO BY TONI SHAW

PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY

Jordan Markus as MJ

Avilon Tate

Tate doesn’t know where the next stop will be on his Broadway journey. “I’m not sure what’s next. I’m playing it by ear,” he said. “All I can say is God is taking fantastic care of me, so I don’t worry about it. I literally let God just me to where he thinks I should be. Whatever is best and whatever is meant for me, that’s where I want to be.” When asked what advice he would give others looking for their big break in the industry, Tate said to “not be discouraged.”

“If you hear a whole bunch of nos, know that sometimes you might hear a bunch of yeses, “ he said. “If you put in the work, whether that be training while you’re in school, and being diligent about your craft. You have to trust that and just let things happen naturally.”

While he may be Jermaine onstage, he is excited to be “himself” and back home in the Triad, if only for a limited

time. He plans to possibly teach some workshops, hang with friends, and spend some quality time with family.

“It’s amazing. I’ve been on a bunch of different productions, and to actually be able to come back and relive my dreams in my hometown is special. I’m with people who have never been to the city and I get to take charge and show them different, cool areas. It’s really sentimental because this is where I was born, grew up, trained, and started the foundation for what I’ve been doing. It’s the best feeling,” Tate said.

For more information or tickets, visit www.tangercenter.com !

CHANEL DAVIS is the current editor of YES! Weekly and graduated from N.C. A&T S.U. in 2011 with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s worked at daily and weekly newspapers in the Triad region.

SUBMITTED BY AVILON TATE

PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY

Studio 54 The First National Tour Cast of “MJ: The Musical”

Tate on stage in the yellow vest

Rev. Nelson Johnson, the labor organizer turned pastor who was one of the most influential figures in North Carolina’s civil rights history, died Sunday at the age of 81, after several days in hospice.

“He was one of the greatest people I’ve ever met in my life,” said Rev. Wesley Morris, senior pastor at Faith Community Church in Greensboro, his voice choked with emotion as he grieved his longtime friend, colleague, and mentor. “I’m so thankful and grateful that I had the opportunity to be beside him.”

Johnson was born on April 25, 1943, in Airlie, North Carolina. In 1961, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served as a military police officer on bases in Massachusetts and Germany. Following his 1965 honorable discharge, Johnson moved to Greensboro and enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University, a major hub of the labor, civil rights, and Black Power movements in the 1960s South. There he met fellow activist and labor organizer Joyce Hobson, a recent graduate of Duke University.

Johnson led protest marches supporting striking university cafeteria workers, and, at the age of 25, helped to found the Greensboro Association for Poor People, which worked to support impoverished residents of East Greensboro. In 1969, Greensboro’s white school board overturned the election of Dudley High School’s Black student president on the

Triad mourns pastor, labor organizer, and civil rights legend Nelson Johnson Loves RG

grounds that he was too radical. When Johnson organized protests in response to this, the city responded by calling in the National Guard. This led to the Siege of A&T, the largest military occupation of any campus in U.S. history. On May 24, 1969, as tanks rolled across the A&T campus, Nelson and Joyce were married.

In 1976, Johnson joined the multiracial Workers Viewpoint Organization (WVO), which was unionizing Greensboro’s enormous textile mills, and which changed its name in 1979 to the Communist Workers Party (CWP).

Due to their attempts at uniting Black and white millworkers, the CWP faced police and FBI surveillance, infiltration, and threats from mill owners and the rapidly unifying White Power movement. To confront this, union organizers planned a “Death to the Klan” march that ended

in what is now known as the Greensboro Massacre.

On Nov. 3, 1979, the labor march was attacked by an armed caravan of Klansmen and Nazis led by police and FBI informant Edward Dawson. Although warned by Dawson that violence was imminent, the Greensboro Police Department ordered officers to withdraw from the scene, and white supremacist gunmen killed five of Johnson’s friends and fellow organizers. Johnson received a knife wound in his forearm while fending off a Nazi attacker.

All-white juries acquitted the Klan and Nazi shooters in two criminal trials, but in

Police Department jointly liable for the death of Dr. Michael Nathan (the one victim who was not a communist), and for the injuries of two survivors.

The Johnsons left the CWP and embraced Christian love and liberation theology. He led efforts to establish the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, endorsed by Bishop Desmond Tutu, and tasked with investigating the events of Nov. 3, 1979.

Completing his undergraduate degree at A&T in 1986, Johnson earned his Master’s degree at Virginia Union School of Theology in Richmond. In 1991, he became pastor

Ian McDowell

Contributor

Rev. Nelson Johnson

also served as its director. Johnson was a member of the Greensboro Pulpit Forum and Mayor’s Community Initiative, in addition to serving as vice president of the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and as chairman of the board for the Greensboro Justice Fund.

In 2020, Greensboro City Council formally apologized for the complicity of former city leaders and police in the Greensboro Massacre, and launched an annual social justice scholarship for ﬁve students from Dudley High School in the names of the ﬁve murdered labor organizers: James Waller, Cesar Cauce, Sandra Smith, Michael Nathan, and William Sampson.

“I’m glad city council did an apology for the 1979 Greensboro Massacre and I’m glad that we created those ﬁve scholarships in the names of those who passed away during that tragic event,” said District 1 city council representative Sharon Hightower. “This community has been honored to have amongst our midst a person who fought for the right thing even when the right thing wasn’t popular. And that is something we can try to remember him for and live our lives by. Rev. Johnson now becomes one of our ancestors, who we will always remember and model our lives after.”

Brigette Raspberry, executive director of the Beloved Community Center, called Johnson “a moral beacon of hope guiding the way for others to follow.”

“He was a champion of the marginalized and oppressed, a mentor and teacher to other community leaders and organizers, and a truth-teller who encouraged

leaders in this community to face up to the harmful truth of the city’s past, to heal old wounds and bring about reconciliation among its people.”

Community organizer April Parker, who recently announced her candidacy for the position of District 3 city council representative, gave this statement:

“In 2020, I organized the Mourning Drive to support new activists and organizers’ political education, and to keep sacred our responsibility to echo the protest of those who came before us. The Beloved Community Center raised up a new generation of organizers. As we honor Rev. Johnson as a new ancestor; we must continue to learn from, honor, and build upon the legacy of his work. We won’t get weary, Rev!”

Community organizer Irving Allen called Johnson “a devoted servant of God, his family, and the community,” adding “he was not only a great man, but a guiding light who, alongside his wife Joyce Johnson, nurtured a generation of organizers from all over the world. It was an honor to work at the feet of and alongside of him as a student and mentee. His legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched and the movements he helped build.”

Johnson is survived by his wife Joyce Hobson Johnson; daughters Akua Johnson-Matherson and Ayo Johnson; granddaughters Alise, Imani, and Nia; and grandson Nelson Josiah. Funeral information is pending. !

IAN 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.

hot pour

[BARTENDER OF THE WEEK COMPILED BY NATALIE GARCIA]

NAME: Jess Rogers

BAR: Sawmill II Greensboro

AGE: 37

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I grew up in eastern Kentucky but I’ve lived my whole adult life in the Greensboro area.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? 16 years.

Check out videos on our Facebook!

HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER? I started out cocktailing in a club when I was young. After I turned 21 my former boss from the club was managing Club Orion and I started bartending. Haven’t stopped since!

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING?

I enjoy all of it honestly. It’s such a fun job. You never know what’s going to happen or who’s going to pop in. Most of my shifts are more entertaining than anything on Netﬂix.

WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF BARTENDING?

I would say the most challenging part of bartending is how mentally exhausting it is sometimes. You play a lot of di erent roles to a lot of people and some days can really take a toll on you.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE?

Fireball

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK? Moscato. Always.

WHAT’S THE STRANGEST DRINK REQUEST YOU’VE HAD?

Red wine on ice topped with Coca Cola. It’s actually not bad!

WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING?

Sometimes I feel like I’ve seen everything. From every type of sex act there is to some pretty crazy bar ﬁghts. I guess one of the more “positive” crazy things I’ve seen is a guy that used to bring his pet cat to the bar. It would sit on his shoulder while he played darts or just chill at a barstool. And his cat would do whatever he said. It was like a little dog in a cat suit!

WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST THING YOU’VE FOUND IN A BAR BATHROOM? Anal beads.

WHAT’S THE BEST/BIGGEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK?

Jello shots, deﬁnitely.

The biggest tip I’ve ever gotten from one person was $1000.

WANNA BE FEATURED IN HOT POUR? Email Natalie Garcia at natalie@yesweekly.com and ask about being our Bartender of the Week!

Photos by Candise Zimmerman

[SALOME’S STARS]

Week of February 17, 2025

[ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Having second thoughts could be a good thing, even if you’re determined to go through with your plans. You might ﬁnd it worthwhile to take a fresh look at how things have been set up.

[TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

Financial matters could continue to be a problem until you’re able to straighten out some of the more pesky situations. Once this happens, the rest should be easier to unsnarl.

[GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Family matters once again take center stage and should be dealt with competently and quickly. Again, insist that others take on their fair share of the responsibilities.

[CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Your creative pursuits seem to be running into a roadblock. But rather than blame outside factors, look within to see if you might be holding back your e orts for some reason.

[LEO (July 23 to August 22) Keep your keen Cat’s Eye focused on relevant aspects of this new situation in your life. Don’t be distracted by trivial matters. You need the pertinent facts before making a decision.

[VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

As much as you prefer doing things on your own, continue to accept help if you still need to resolve the problem that a ects your project. Meanwhile, some cheerful news is about to come your way!

[LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) While you might begrudge the added time it will take to get your project from point A to B to C, etc., you could beneﬁt from the

facts that will emerge over this expanded time span.

[SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Regarding your workplace suggestions, be prepared to produce the facts to counter reactions from skeptics who feel like your approach is unreasonable or even impossible.

[SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Savvy Sagittarians will look for work-related answers on their own rather than relying on unproved assumptions. It might take more time to do so, but the payo is worth it.

[CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your aspects continue to favor family issues, with a special emphasis this week on changes in and around your home. Get everyone to suggest what they would like to see done.

[AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A matter you thought had been settled still might produce surprises. Best advice: Continue to gather facts to bolster your position just in case you need to produce them quickly.

[PISCES (February 19 to March 20) While your instincts are usually right when discerning ‘twixt truth and deception, you could beneﬁt from doing more research on the new “prospect” that you’ve been pitched.

[BORN THIS WEEK: Your wisdom is only matched by your generosity, making you the sort of friend everyone hopes to have.

crossword on page 8

sudoku on page 8