(upbeat music) - Just ahead on "American Black Journal", Detroit Public Theater is hosting its 2nd Annual "Holiday Cabaret".

We'll talk with one of the performers.

Plus, we'll find out how the Charles H. Wright Museum is celebrating Kwanzaa.

And we'll remember the renowned poet and author, Nikki Giovanni.

Don't go away!

"American Black Journal" starts now.

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Thank you!

(upbeat music) - Welcome to "American Black Journal".

I'm Trudy Gallant-Stokes sitting in for Stephen Henderson.

The holidays are here, and Detroit Public Theater is putting audiences in a festive mood with "Holiday Cabaret".

This is the second year for the production, which features performances of familiar holiday tunes and theatrical songs.

"Holiday Cabaret" runs through December 22nd, and I had a chance to speak with one of the performers who happens to be a native Detroiter.

Here's my conversation with the artist known as Dev.

Welcome, Dev!

We're so excited to have you today to learn about this fantastic cabaret that's going on.

- Well, thank you so much for having me.

I appreciate you having me on.

Thank you.

(Dev chuckling) - So let's talk about the cabaret just briefly in a nutshell, and then we'll talk about the performers and particularly about you because you've got a great story of accomplishment.

So, tell me about this cabaret that's going on right now.

- Yeah, so the Detroit Public Theater is doing their "Holiday Cabaret".

It's our 2nd Annual Cabaret.

So, we're really excited!

All the four performers, including myself are back for a second year.

So, we're really grateful to be back.

The show, I feel like I would describe it, it is a show for people who don't typically like to go to see shows.

I think it is a show that is all encompassing of the holidays.

I mean, you know, I think with holiday shows you often find that people are talking about, all the joy, all the happiness, all the love, all the light of the holidays, which is beautiful, but they don't talk about the grief at the holidays.

Maybe you've lost a loved one, maybe you've had a breakup or something.

We talk about that.

There's some humor.

We talk about the capitalism, the commercialism of the holidays, then how that can kinda get with us, and we talk about it in kind of a funny way.

It's a little vulgar, which is fun.

You know, you never know what to expect I promise you, I guarantee you'll definitely be laughing.

You'll probably cry a little bit, but you'll leave the theater better than you came in, I think.

It's just such a fun...

It's a show for everybody.

Everybody can take something from it, I think.

- That's awesome!

But like you said, it's a little naughty because I noticed it said it's not your grandmother's cabaret.

- Yeah, yeah.

- This is a modern day cabaret.

- For sure.

It's definitely a modern day cabaret.

But I think your granny would enjoy it too.

So, everybody is enjoyed it.

We do some traditional holiday songs, of course, but not always in a traditional way.

But we do some songs you've never heard before, 'cause there are songs I didn't hear that I had never heard that we do.

I was like, "Oh wow!

This is really cool."

And like it's just fun.

Like I said, you take away a bit of the...

It's a lot.

It's something that talks about grief a little bit.

It talks about your... Maybe, like I say, you're going through a breakup, but it talks about in a silly way, maybe you have some kooky cousins.

It's all encompassing of the holidays.

- It's really fun.

- And it's not just Christmas, - You touch on holidays.

- No.

- Yeah, we talk about all the... You know, we talk a little bit about Hanukkah.

One of our dear cast members is Jewish.

So, he does it in a really fun way.

Eric Gutman, he's fantastic.

He talks about the Hanukkah and the beautiful nuance of Hanukkah, and things I didn't know about Hanukkah, you know, he tells about... and of course, like I said, we still talk about all traditions of the holidays, not just one specific one.

- So, you mentioned Eric, tell us about the other cast members.

- Yeah, Eric Gutman, and then there's Bryana Sloan, and then there's Arielle Crosby.

They're all incredible.

Arielle Crosby really just came off of her principal role height thing.

She did "The Color Purple" as Sealy.

She played Becky and the "Waitress".

She's done all... She did "The Bodyguard".

She's the lead in that.

She's done all these fantastic things.

Bryana Sloan also has done some incredible things.

She just did a fantastic show at the Flint Repertory Theater.

And Eric Gutman has done all...

He did a Broadway for a while.

We call him Michigan's favorite.

He is Michigan's favorite.

So, they're all so, so phenomenal, and I am so grateful to be able to share the stage with them.

- It's a really great blend.

- So these are all- fantastic performers, and people that you'll be bragging about in the future or sharing with people, "I saw so and so when they performed in Detroit", and maybe something that somebody already knows about.

- Oh, yeah!

- So you have a great story- as well.

And I checked out your website.

I loved that.

Just the name of it, definitely sanging- - Because we all know- - Yeah!

- There's singing- - And then there's singing.

- And there is singing.

There is!

- Definitely!

- So, Dev can sang.

- Yes.

Yeah, we're all sang in this show too.

- That's another thing.

- All right.

- You're gonna hear some good old sanging in the show as well.

- So, yeah!

- Okay!

- It's really cool.

- So, tell me about your background.

- Oh, well, I'm born and raised from Detroit.

I'm a Detroit native.

I went to Detroit Institute of Music Education for my undergrad, where I got my bachelor's in commercial music performance, concentration and voice.

And then during the pandemic, I actually moved to New York.

I moved to New York, and I got my master's degree in voice at NYU for musical theater.

And since then I've just...

While I was in Detroit, of course, in high school I did Mosaic Theater of Detroit.

That's where I found my love for theater because I've been singing since I could talk.

I've been singing my entire life.

I started singing in church, of course.

And I've sung, like I said, the entire gamut of my life.

I don't remember a day I didn't sing.

And so, I've been really grateful to be able to share that gift with people for a very, very long time.

And to be able to tell people's stories, realize I can tell stories through song and through acting has been a real treat, and it's been become part of my purpose.

And so, I'm really grateful to be able to do it and to have been able to share the stage with fantastic people like Arielle, Eric, and Bryana, but also, you know, share stages with people like Elizabeth Stanley and Josh Grobin and Audra McDonald, and these people who are, you know, phenoms in the stage.

- That's a range.

- I saw Josh.

- Yeah!

- Josh Grobin to Don Was to Thornetta Davis.

- That's a heck of a... - Yes.

Yes, exactly!

Yes, Don Was, Thornetta Davis.

It's really been a great...

I've been very grateful to have been to experience those things with people.

And I believe that my purpose is to leave people better than they came to me through song and through expression.

- That's awesome!

- So, yeah, - And I think what was most touching to me on your website was your post when you graduated from NYU with your master's in music, and thanking your mother, and just talking about how... You know, you're sharing that degree with everybody because you wanna inspire people.

Talk about that a little bit.

- Oh yeah!

- You know, you were lucky to be in Mosaic, but maybe they don't quite get that kind of exposure and so they don't get that push they need at a younger age to be confident.

- Yeah.

Absolutely!

It's funny because I started school, what people say late.

I didn't go to undergrad until I was 21.

And I'm a first generation student, so nobody in my family had ever gone to college.

And my mom actually didn't finish high school.

And my mom passed away in 2018.

And so, when I graduated in 2022, she didn't see me graduate from undergrad or from my master's degree.

But she was always so proud of the fact that we all even just graduated from high school.

And she would say, like her...

I have four siblings.

And she would say like, those degrees, those diplomas were hers because I mean, she fought tooth and nail.

She and my dad both were just really great champions of making sure that we got love.

When we didn't have maybe financial security, we had loving security, and that's what got us through constantly.

- Let's talk specifically about the cabaret in terms of tickets and time and all that.

'cause it sounds like it would be a fun thing to just bring a group of people and come together and just have a good holiday outing.

- Our matinee are at two o'clock, our evening shows typically start at eight o'clock, typically Thursday through Sunday.

It's running till December 22nd.

And, it's the "Holiday Cabaret".

Like I said, you do group, there are group prices, so people like to bring groups along, which is a really fun time.

We love the energy from the crowd always.

So, we want as many people as we can getting the seats.

(Dev chuckles) - Awesome!

And talk about the venue because it looked like a great setting to have an event,- - A performance.

- It is!

it's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful theater.

The Detroit Public Theater has been going...

They're celebrating their 10th season this year.

So they've been going for 10 years, but they've only been in this particular building for about two.

So, it's a new refurbished...

It was a car garage.

It's like a historical building.

It's about a hundred years old.

It was a car garage, and it has a beautiful black box type of theater.

And then there's a beautiful lobby where there's a bar.

So you can grab a drink, come into the theater and have a good, good time.

It is a beautiful, beautiful place to do work.

- Anything else that you'd like to close with?

Any inspirational tips to someone aspiring?

- Oh yeah!

I think that make sure that you love what you do, even when it doesn't love you back.

Because I mean, there are times,...

I was just telling a friend I could go back to New York and I could have a tour, and I could be gone for the next year of my life touring the country, or I could go back to New York and work in a coffee shop for a year.

Like, it's a toss up.

So love it even when it doesn't love you back, but that's why you do it, to change people in that love.

- Thank you so much, Dev!

And we look forward to seeing this performance.

I gotta squeeze in a time when I can go see it 'cause it sounds great.

- Yes, please come and see it.

(Dev chuckles) - Of course, the holiday season includes Kwanzaa, a week long celebration of African culture, family, and community.

Each day from December 26th through January 1st is dedicated to one of seven principles of Kwanzaa.

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit has several events planned for Kwanzaa.

And I got all the details from the museum's Manager of Community Engagement, Yolanda Jack.

I know this is a very busy time of year at the Wright Museum.

Lot of exciting things going on.

- Indeed, indeed!

- And attended a few things myself.

But let's look ahead just a little bit and talk about Kwanzaa.

- Wonderful!

- So, What's the plan- for this year?

- So we are having a wonderful celebration.

We're really excited about Kwanzaa as we are every year.

We are renewing and continuing our relationship with the world's largest kinara.

So on the 26th, we'll be downtown and seeing that get alit.

And we are really excited about how we made connections not only here in the city of Detroit, across our city, but there are other locations around the US that are now making large cannas to be on display with their cities.

And so we have a connection to Philadelphia and who has the second largest kinara.

And so, the woman who led that process in Philadelphia, will be here in Detroit this weekend over the timeframe as well as our presentations in person.

So, on Friday the 27th from six to 8:00 PM, we'll have a presentation with Nanu Japo, and some historical individuals talking about their self-determination, Kujichagulia.

And on Ujima, the third day, the 28th from two until 4:00 PM, we'll have a presentation, panel discussion, intergenerational conversation, thinking about history and the Civil rights movement and moving forward into the work that we know that we'll be focused on in terms of society and civil rights and equality legislation.

Just the way that we live here in the society of the United States of America, and how to maintain our resilience and excitement and commitment and determination towards the work of justice and equality.

And then on the 29th, our last presentation in person at the museum, we will have "In the Tradition" doing a wonderful jazz concert.

And then following, or during the same time, from noon until five, there'll be a marketplace.

So you'll be able to come and purchase some of those holiday gifts that you might wanna get or just be prepared for the next year.

(Yolanda chuckles) - That's great.

Such a great cross section.

And as you've already mentioned, every day has an African term that describes it and a particular theme.

So now what's the theme for the first day?

- So, the first day, the holiday always begins in unity on the 26th.

So, Umoja is the first principle.

The Nguzo Saba, the seven principles are Umoja on the first day, Kujichagulia on the second day, self-determination, the third day, Ujima, collective work and responsibility.

And the fourth day, Ujamaa, cooperative economics, the fifth day is Nia or purpose.

The sixth day is the day that most people are familiar with because that's the day we have the big Karamu celebration where people bring food, and have a great time hanging out together, on the sixth day of Kuumba, creativity.

And then the seventh day, the last day of Kwanzaa is the first day of the new year.

And we begin that first day of the new year with faith or Imani.

- So fitting, so fitting!

And of course, fitting, like you said, that Detroit is the leader with all of this, with the biggest kinara and that's so important.

So you mentioned the marketplace and the opportunity for people to shop, but in addition, the Wright has such a fabulous museum store - Now, will that open as well?

- Yes!

- Absolutely.

The museum store is open now and has wonderful objects and items, things that you can include in your home for your decor for Kwanzaa, or if you're looking for things for your Christmas tree or to put under your Christmas tree, you're certainly able to go to the museum store to take care of those needs.

And there will be a wonderful opportunity in the museum, in the Rotunda and in the store to just purchase all the things that you like to purchase for the new year.

An array of vendors, food items, clothing items, jewelry, all kinds of stuff will be available on the 29th from noon until five.

- Awesome!

So, the Rotunda will be the site where all of these activities take place.

- Yes.

- So, will the displays and the other parts of the museum all be open?

- Absolutely.

Our exhibitions, "GEMS of the Wright Museum" will be opening.

And then we have a wonderful way to honor Paul Collins, one of our Michigan's great artists.

We have art of his in our exhibitions "And still We Rise", et cetera.

So yes, we do have some wonderful exhibitions.

Of course, "And Still We Rise", the main core, as we call it at the museum.

And then we have the continuing "Frontline Prophet" featuring the work of Sabrina Nelson with the idea of James Baldwin as the featured subject of that exhibition.

So yeah, there's lots to see and do at the museum, not only in terms of the exhibitions, but the programs and activities.

Come on down to the Wright Museum.

- So, tell me about things for kids.

- There'll be wonderful presentations during the holiday on Friday.

We encourage people to come to the program and see what's going on in the program.

But on Saturday and Sunday, we'll have activities for the family to engage in and projects as well as little things that people can do to learn more about Kwanzaa, how they can celebrate it in their homes, but also how they can connect to it outside as well.

- Great!

And you mentioned, I know one day in particular about music, but I'm sure music is probably an integral part throughout.

- Yes!

You'll be having African drum and dance on Friday night.

You'll have the jazz music of "In the Tradition" on Sunday, but you'll always...

Almost every presentation have some aspect of drumming and a representation because of the way we light the candles for the lighting of the kinara during the presentations and the ceremonies they are in.

So yeah, you'll see and hear wonderful music all throughout the programs.

- Okay.

So we are wrapping up the year, and I know that next year is a really exciting year for the museum.

Can you give us any kind of sneak peek or preview- - Oh boy!

- Of what's happening- for the 60th anniversary?

- There's so much in store.

I don't wanna let the cat out of the bag, but there are some wonderful, wonderful surprises for our 60th anniversary celebration.

We began it with our gala presentation in October, just thinking about the upcoming new year of 60 years, celebrating 60 years of the Wright Museum is just really wonderful and exciting.

This is an exciting time for us at the museum.

And so we're really excited to have people come in and enjoy not only the programming, but some of the special highlights, and ways to focus in and remember Dr. Wright, 60 years ago, what he was doing then, how this museum came into the fore.

But not only Dr. Wright, but Margaret Burrows in Chicago.

I mean, it was the museum movement of the time.

And so, these men and women of our community are gonna be remembered, honored, and we'll just have a really good, fun time.

- Awesome!

He has such an incredible story from- - Oh my!

- You know, a physician and then supporting this and growing it.

And so, it's very inspiring and I'm sure you always have to throw that plug in that the way that the museum continues to flourish is to support it financially.

- You took the words outta my mouth.

Thank you so much.

Because every institution, any institution is as strong as its membership.

We want you to join the museum, become a member, go to thewright.org, click on to become a member and join.

If you already have your membership, consider gifting the museum as a gift to your members of your family or friends who haven't.

I have an opportunity to join because membership has its benefits and we really are excited about what's going on, not only this year and next year, but in the years to come because we are creating history right now, and we wanna make certain that these stories that we're in, and involving in today, don't get forgotten.

And so there's a place, the Wright Museum that will be holding them.

- Thank you so much for joining us, and appreciate it and continued success.

- Thanks so much and happy holidays to everybody.

- Finally today, we want to take a moment to recognize the life and legacy of renowned poet, author, and activist, Nikki Giovanni.

She passed away recently at the age of 81.

"American Black Journal" contributor, Cecelia Sharpe of 90.9 WRCJ, had a chance to speak in depth with Giovanni earlier this year at the Charles H. Wright Museum.

- I listened to you reciting "Quilts", and then I read it and it was so inspirational, and so many takeaways from "Quilts".

One thing that stood out is that we all have a purpose, and at any age or stage of life, you have something to share.

But today, when everyone is so distracted, whether it's with social media or someone telling you how you should be or you know how to talk, and influencers, how do you encourage people to find their purpose, walk in it, and live as their authentic selves?

- I don't try to encourage people.

I don't try to do anything but share what I know.

And all I really have are words, and words are little.

Words are very small things.

- They make a big impact.

- But that's also part of the quilt because we're talking, so we're building a quilt.

Or if we were 200 years back, we would be enslaved and we would be making a stew, and we would be telling the story that would become a folk tale.

And we would be teaching our children and hoping that their children taught their children because our children, we're two women here, would've been taken away from us and sold.

So, the last thing, even though they may not know that they heard it, that our children would've heard was, if anybody ask you who you are, tell them you're a child of God.

And that's what we gave to our children, which is a part of the quilt, that there's always gonna be a little something that you carry with you and you can pass it along and you can pass it along.

And that's what's important, that everybody has something to give.

And I love that poem so much.

I usually, I'm reading it, and I'm crying half the way through.

I've really not gotten to the point that I can read that point without tears coming to my eyes, because you remember.

I mean, I have a quilt.

My grandfather has a a tie in there, you know, and you know, I have the baby.

This is the baby who died, who had pneumonia.

And so all of these things come into, this is how we tell our history.

So, in one respect, I do not worry about fools.

I don't worry about what they have to say.

We are not gonna tell your story.

I don't need them to tell my story because for 200 years, we told our story and we are gonna continue to tell our story because our story cannot be not told.

But, on the other hand, like all people who only have words, I'm gonna continue to talk, but all of the great people on earth, you show me a great person, and I'll show you what he and she did.

What they did was talk.

And that's even Harriet Tubman who led people to freedom, but she led them to freedom because they said Moses is coming.

And she was the one walking around and saying, "Moses is coming.

Get ready."

It's all talk.

- And you can see the entire Nikki Giovanni interview at americanblackjournal.org.

That's going to do it for us for this week.

You can find out more about our guest on our website, plus connect with us anytime on social media.

Take care and we'll see you next time.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] From Delta Faucets to Behr Paint, Masco Corporation is proud to deliver products that enhance the way consumers all over the world experience and enjoy their living spaces.

Masco, serving Michigan communities since 1929.

Support also provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit PBS.

- [Speaker] DTE Foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit PBS.

Among the state's largest foundations committed to Michigan-focused giving, we support organizations that are doing exceptional work in our state.

Learn more at DTEFoundation.com.

- [Narrator] Also brought to you by Nissan Foundation, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

(bright music)