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PAGE 5 - WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007 Obama: New face, new hope for White House? By Kelly Quimby Guest Writer kelly_quimby@yahoo.com Sometimes it feels that American politicians serve no other purpose than to disappoint. Our country was founded on great principles, and yet with every passing year it seems that we must, in some way, fight to keep these principles in tact. It is much easier to say that our country is free than to actually feel that freedom. Politicians seem to be concerned with nothing more than their own self- advancement, and the people they represent have resigned themselves to apathy rather than demand that their faith in their government be restored. 1 have spent many a dark hour brooding over the diminishing public participation in today's politics. I look at my parents and at the involvement they displayed at my age and 1 am saddened that I have done nothing more to influence the political sphere than to "Dr. Lundeana Thomas presents: African American Theatre History" By Olivia Chilako Staff Writer ocljf@yahoo.com “Today I arn going to tell you about Vhe history of African American theatre in a very interactive way; 1 grew up in church, so feel free, say Amen when need t(i" recalled Dr. Lundeana Thomas, Director of African American Theatre at the University of Louisville. Starting off her lecture at the Martha Munro Building room 105 on Friday March 3oth part of the African American series through history presented by The West Georgia Theatre Company. African American theatre has got a traceable history since the 19th century. African theatre was started in 1821, a young man by the name William Brown settled in New York got money; he bought a teahouse started in Mercer. Two women then they started a theatre known as “The African Grow Theatre” owned by Mr. Brown approached him, and Brown wrote a play called “The Drama of King Shadow”. Two important actors of that particular play Ira Aldridge; blacks didn’t save themselves as slaves. They saw themselves as slaves but “I ain’t no slaves no more”. Mr. Brown also wrote the Escape or “A Leap for Freedom” on 1858. The first African American play published from Lexington, KY. On 1828 Thomas D. Rice saw a man who happened to be “Jim Crow” character and made pre minstrel company known as Virginia Minstrels, as vote. However, the dark clouds lifted a little last week. And God willing, with the good will of the people to confirm it, there will be something worth respecting with the next presidential election. Although the 2008 presidential election may be 19 months away, you couldn’t tell that on Saturday at the Barack Obama rally in Yellow Jacket Park in Atlanta. This was my first political rally and I was unsure of what to expect. However, 1 certainly didn’t expect the diversity of the crowd of over 20,000, the genuine enthusiasm, and optimism 1 felt about the future of America while there. Not only from the candidate when he spoke, but also from the people in attendance. In this age of politics based on fear and cynicism about government, it was refreshing to hear someone speak extraneously, with such hope and integrity about the future of America. Obama brings to mind the great white quartet. They had a character of an African American, here is a man who is emulating a person, a lot of people exaggerated in what they saw and lead to having fictional portrayal of African Americans. Bob Cole and Billy Johnson team up to produce a play that was the first show to have a plot with a beginning, middle, and an end. Also one that was completely organized, written, and produced by blacks, some history books will tell you that “Show Boat” was the first musical that had a beginning, middle, and an end but in fact it was the Bob Cole and Billy Johnson play. In the 1900s Bert Williams and George Walker produced their first musical showon Broadway, “The Sons of Ham” in 1903 their production of “In Dahomey” is taken to London where it plays am command performance for royalty; their successful partnership ends with Walker’s premature death in 1911. In 1902 four musical William and Walker teamed to present “Sons of Ham”, “In Dahomey”, “In Abyssinia”, “In Bandana Land”. 1906 The Pekin Stock Company of Chicago formed by Robert T. Motts, Charles Gilpin in company headed by J. Edward Green. Bert Williams made $ 6000 a week, but he was still not allowed to get into the club until someone lets him in and says he’ll take responsibility for him”. William was afraid people would walk into the club and mistake him for the door man. politicians of the past. He possesses the spirit of old American politicians, the ones that wrote theirown speeches and truly had America’s future at heart. He did not waste my time trying to sway my vote away from others by using dirty politics. He did not try to scare me with an ominous future that could only be brightened by campaign donations. Rather, he gave me hope in American politics. He spoke about issues that I regard as important. And from what 1 heard, it did not seem that any of these issues would bring about personal gain for his family and friends. What I heard made me feel that he truly cared about the American people, not the money he could gain from us. And from that, I felt the weight bearing down on me lift a little. When I first arrived at the rally, I was a little annoyed. 1 had to stand in an enormous crowd of people and wait for an hour and a half to hear him speak. While we all waited impatiently 1915 was a year to remember. The Lafayette Theatre in Harlem established by Anita Bush presented new play weekly also helped to start theatres in Baltimore. Chicago, and Los Angeles. In 1916 “Rachel” a play by Angelina Grimke was the Ist play by an African American woman to be published. It was commissioned by the NAACP and was the Ist play written on racial propaganda. The play was about women who loved children but did not want her child to be called the N-word ever. It was a very sad play, Angelina wanted to touch white women’s heart and she accomplished her goal. W.E.B Dußois in 1923 wrote principles for first performance theory of a black play. He declared it should be: 1) by us- Black drama must be about Blacks, with plots revealing life as it is; 2) By Us- The drama is written by black authors who understand from birth and continual association what it means to be black; 3) For Us- the drama caters to the black audience; and 4) Near Us the drama is performed in theatres located in black neighborhoods. “Appearances” by Garland Anderson became the first dramatic play in 1925 written by a black man to have a full Broadway run. Ran for 23 performances. It was revived on October 1929 for another 24 performances. It was the first integrated play. Hoover- FDR had a vision of putting blacks to work. Langston Hughes’ MULATTO just for a glimpse of the man, I looked around me and felt that I had seen this scene before in documentaries about the sixties. In fact, as I turned on the news later Saturday night, I heard a man say that he had not seen as much hope in people since John F. Kennedy was running for President. When Senator Obama finally emerged to speak to us, the crowd rose above the drone that hung in the air for the past hour and cheered madly. We cheered even louder when he spoke of universal healthcare, ditching the No Child Left Behind Act, an end to the War in Iraq, and saving the environment. These should be the issues. We deserve to read the newspaper and learn how' our President has bettered our lives, not scandal after scandal. We deserve serious politicians, not culturally ignorant oil patrons looking to make a buck at the expense of the American people. We deserve truth, not question-dodging opens on Broadway and established a record for a straight play by a black writer. The federal Theatre Project of the Works Progress Administration, through its Negro Unites in several cities, provided employment for black theatre artists and technicians during the Great Depression; the project was discontinued in 1939. The American Negro Theatre (ANT) founded by Abram Hill in 1940 and Fred O’Neal who become president of the ANT. Their greatest success was “Anna Lucasta”: produced in 1944. “The ANT had no star system all actors were treated equally. They started teaching, had acting classes performed the play “Anna Lucasta and it was the Bomb, so they went to Broadway and the concept stayed with them” Recalled Dr. Lundeana Thomas. ANT worked at the Schombug Library and had acting lessons for members. Featured Canada Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Frank Silvera, John Proctor, Alice Childress, and Sidney Poitier. African Americans Theatre history continued to flourish from the 1950s through the new millennium. In 2003 The African American Theatre program pf the university of Louisville celebrated its 10th Anniversary. In 2004 “GEM of the Ocean” by August Wilson opens on Broadway with Phylicia Rashad. “Top Dog/Under Dog” won Pulitzer Prize; Suzan Lori- Parks From fort Knox, Kentucky was the first African American Female to win a Pulitzer Award. dribble. When people whine that he is not experienced enough with American politics to make an effective president, he retorts, clearly, if the experience gained from Capitol Hill is evident in Washington today, than perhaps it is not something to be admired. Obama’s sincerity is not the only thing that impressed me about him. He understands the American political process (at least he should, he taught Constitutional Law). He speaks articulately and says nothing that allows the bloodthirsty news media to tear him to shreds. He is respectable and portrays it merely by the sound of his voice. He actually has a plan for the future, which is more than could be said for the current administration. They can only plan as far as their next cover-up or get-rich-quick scheme. That is not democracy, it is capitalism and only a fool could not distinguish between the two. I am sure Want to meet the Goo Goo Dolls? The West Georgian can be your ticket to a backstage meet and greet with the band before the performance on April 26th. How you ask? Well, we were thinking you guys could work for it. How about this: Why do you want to meet the Goo Goo Dolls? We think this could be interesting, so send in your reasons to UWGPaper@westga.edu with “Goo Goo Dolls” as the tide. We’ll print our favorite submissions in future issues and choose a winner before the big show. So, let’s hear it! Passes donated courtesy of the Athletic Department ATTENTION: The lyus Tea Party will be held on Saturday, April 21,2007. It will be from 4:30 - 8:00pm outside by the Tyus Lobby. We will have food, fun and games. THE WEST GEORGIAN Obama knows this, but he does not give us reason to believe that he is spiteful toward the Bush administration. He merely told us that changes need to be made and he cannot bring about these changes on his own. He needs the trust of the American people, and now, he has mine. I have, for too long, feared that America was going the way of Greece and Rome. As with every great nation, it is only too long before they are consumed with their own greatness and greed and collapse. Americans must stand for their liberties, or else, who is stopping anyone from taking them away (Patriot Act)? What I feel Barack Obama is capable of achieving is something that we possessed long ago in our nation’s past: honorable leadership capable of reversing our mistakes. The world is bleak as of now, but Senator Obama knows better than anyone how to raise our hopes.