- [Narrator] Just ahead on "One Detroit", a new film about the lives and experiences of Iraqi and Iraqi American women debuts on Detroit Public TV.

Plus, the team at "Great Lakes Now" explores citizen science projects in the next episode, also ahead music trailblazer, Stacey "Hotwaxx" Hale talks about her life and career, and we'll give you some ideas on what you can do this weekend in metro Detroit.

It's all coming up next on "One Detroit."

- [Voiceover] 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.

- [Narrator] Support for this program is provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for journalism at Detroit Public TV.

The Kresge Foundation.

- [Speaker] The DTE Foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit Public TV.

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

Visit dtefoundation.com to learn more.

- [Narrator] Nissan Foundation and viewers like you.

(upbeat music) - Just ahead on this week's "One Detroit", Stacy "Hotwaxx" Hale sits down for an in-depth conversation about becoming Detroit's first female of House Music plus a preview of the next "Great Lakes Now" episode about citizen science projects involving fading stars and river bugs.

And "One Detroit" contributor, Peter Whorf has some fun ideas on how to spend this weekend and beyond in metro Detroit.

But first up, this month marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.

A new film that reflects upon that history along with the trauma of the Covid 19 pandemic premieres on Detroit Public TV on Friday, March 24th at 9:00 PM.

This film is called "Nine Parts" and it focuses on the lives and experiences of Iraqi and Iraqi-American women.

It's based on the one woman play "Nine Parts of Desire" by Heather Raffo, who also wrote in stars in the film produced by Detroit Public Theater and Peoples Light Theater in Pennsylvania.

When Detroit's Chris Jordan was on location for the filming and he spoke with Raffo, producer Nilou Safinya and Detroit Public Theater producing artistic director Sarah Winkler.

(upbeat music) - I feel it here.

I love it here.

I cannot stop what I am here.

Either I shall die or I shall live a ransom for all the daughters of Savagery.

- We are on the last day of shooting of Heather Raffo's.

"Nine Parts" in the kind of height of the Covid shutdowns when Detroit Public Theater could not be producing live theater.

Detroit Public Television and Detroit Public Theater created a partnership around filming plays and we were thinking about other solo shows that we could film and because we have a strong connection to Heather we reached out to her about her seminal play "Nine Parts of Desire" and said, "Would you consider doing this with us and Detroit Public Television?"

- "Nine Parts of Desire" the play is a monologue play with nine characters, eight of whom are Iraqi and one of whom is Iraqi-American.

And when it came out in 2003 it was the first play in the English language to feature an Iraqi female protagonist.

And it was at a time where there was not a movement or even a genre of Middle Eastern Theater in the American theater cannon.

These nine Iraqi characters were speaking of love, of loss, of their resilience, of personal matters, of political matters.

But I think that what was really essential to the work was they were speaking in such a vulnerable and honest matter that for Iraqis hearing the material they thought, "Oh my God, how can you say this on stage?

Like, it's so personal, it's so truthful."

And American audiences also found it so heartfelt.

I think people coming to a play about Iraq during the Iraq War assumed it would be aju prop, assumed a political agenda.

So to meet these women with the honesty and vulnerability and life force from which they were speaking was profound.

The summer of 2020 when Detroit Public Theater and People's Light theater in Pennsylvania approached me about filming the solo show during our Covid era and the evolution of that offer became wanting to do a film version of it and not wanting to film the stage play of it.

I was, you know offered the space and the support to literally write a screenplay version that has a very different focus and adaptation, a different narrative adaptation to it that sets it in a post 2020 timeframe.

- It had already been conceived as a film project and it kind of terrified DVT because we are not film producers.

We knew what to do, particularly in this partnership with Detroit Public Television around filming a solo play but we didn't know what to do around making a film but it was already in motion and it serves the peace in a way that just shooting it as a play was not going to serve the peace.

We have been so lucky.

We're working with Mike Mosallam, who is a Michigan director.

We're working with Nilou Safinya and Heather.

This is a crew that knows exactly what they're doing in film.

- When it came to turning it into a film, it really was it was more about why now?

Why are we telling this story now as a film?

Why Michigan?

Why 2020?

Which is where we based it.

What are the motivations for these things that don't seem trivial?

It's a very palpable time in our country in a political way, in a social way.

And in 2020, even more so and Heather has spent a lot of her career researching wars, understanding wars between the Middle East, between here.

And she has always looked to the Iraq war as sort of a harbinger for what's to come in America in a lot of ways.

And so that's something that's very prevalent in her work.

And we, at the beginning of the pandemic we were in this space that where, you know things felt like we were maybe going to be in some sort of a war situation.

We continue I mean we started this year feeling like we were going into a World War III situation and things continue to be really tense around that.

And for the Michigan thing, there is, you know there's something about Michigan and it's political existence in the fabric of the country that makes it a really interesting place to tell a story like that.

- 2020 was a really rough time to be in a swing state.

Like you could feel the pressure and the heat of everybody's opinions and how they were, you know there was such strong opinions on both sides.

And I'll say as a, you know, person born and raised in Michigan and having lived in many places that the the kind of way Iraqis talk about how their civil war came to happen didn't feel different or distinct from what I was seeing and sensing in my own nation.

So I really wanted to offer up this new film adaptation as a bit of a bellwether of saying that these things that we think could never ever happen can be closer than you think.

When dad went into the hospital the whole country was shutting down.

I threw my kids in a rental to drive across country.

I was afraid to drive to Michigan with New York license plates.

It's coming from the epicenter and the country was at war.

The theater and the arts can often hold a place for cultural markers, and that's really where I approached this 2020 rewrite for film was realizing what we'd all been living since 2020 with Covid with over a million lost and not seeing a sort of national reckoning with our own grief.

I lost my dad during 2020 and we didn't get to have a funeral and we didn't get to bury him and I couldn't be in his hospital room.

So the approach of this film was to honor how common that was across our nation and that maybe what Iraqis and Iraqi women might have to offer us with grief rituals or speaking honestly to loss and resilience and love and life force during really rough times was a parallel I wanted to work with.

The narrative story of this piece came through the inspiration of a friend whose father is the deacon of the oldest Iraqi church in North America which happens to be in Flint, Michigan.

The inspiration for the narrative really came from thinking about that church and thinking about what a solace it might be in times where we couldn't gather, in times where we couldn't grieve or have public funerals, what it might be like to go into a church on one's own in private and create one's own ritual.

So it started really from my own sense of search, my own feeling of being uprooted after I lost my dad.

My own feeling of, well, can I have an attachment to Iraq if my Iraqi connection has been gone?

There was also a feeling in me because so much of my Iraqi family had scattered in the last 10 years when Isis took...

It was really a time where there was a moment when I looked back and said, "Oh at the start of the war I had a hundred relatives or so living in Iraq and now I have two."

So this idea of a root system that I could always go back to or I'll always have relatives there that can take my kids was now a diaspora.

I felt more profoundly a sense of myself as part of this diaspora of a root system severed.

But the year Isis took Mosul, dementia took my dad.

He spent 80 years carrying and six years forgetting.

Few times he cried.

It was lifetimes.

I mean, I just never saw anything like it.

The narrative story that we ended up finding for this screenplay was that the one Iraqi-American character would arrive to this church to enact a ritual in hopes to grieve her dad in her isolated mourning during Covid.

And that these other women, Iraqi women that you would've met in the stage play come to her in ancestry and come to her in spirit.

And sometimes she thinks she's just hearing them, sometimes she's realizing that they're almost like living inside her.

I think there's also a moment where she probably thinks she's going insane.

(chuckles) - From a film perspective a one woman, a one man film is very rare.

You don't see that often.

The monologues are beautifully written.

It comes from real stories and you know women that Heather has met.

We had, you know our first AC talked about how moved she was by one of the monologues that had brought her to tears.

Our gaffer talked about that as well.

Like that.

I don't think you experience that that often where every crew member is really listening to the story and the words being said and really investing in that.

- This will be the first time that Detroit Public Theater has had an opportunity to reach out through our work really, really directly to the Middle Eastern American community that is so large in our region.

It's also very important to us as women, we are a female run theater.

And this play in particular addresses the effects of war and the effects of living in authoritarian regimes on women.

So it's an extremely important story we felt like to tell at this time.

- I think with content like this you're always hoping to broaden people's minds a little bit.

If people walk away wanting to ask more questions, learn a little bit more about Iraq, about the war, about refugees, about Islam, about America about America's role in different countries' wars, about our politics here on our own ground.

Anything, anything that makes people start to question something.

I think that's the goal of films like this.

- This film is quite celebratory, like as much as I've mentioned the term grief having gone through my own, there's a release to it.

I mean, that's why we need art.

We need art to take us there and take us through it and have us feel something spiritually or in our heart.

Right?

That we hadn't thought maybe we even needed to feel.

- I love you.

I love you, I love you.

- [Narrator] Once again, you can see the film "Nine Parts" right here on Detroit Public Television on Friday, March 24th at 9:00 PM.

Also coming up on Detroit Public TV, the latest episode of "Great Lakes Now" on Monday, March 27th at 7:30 PM, the team has reports on citizen science projects that measure changes in the night sky and the health of a river.

Here's a preview.

- [Voiceover] Coming up on "Great Lakes Now" citizen science the night sky can be mesmerizing but for many of us, the stars are disappearing.

- The only stars that you can possibly see are the very brightest ones.

- [Voiceover] Citizen scientists are helping to chart the changes.

Counting up insect larva to measure the health of our waterways.

- A lot of people really care about the river and wanna do whatever they can.

- [Voiceover] And science projects around the Great Lakes.

- [Narrator] Make sure to catch "Great Lakes Now" on March 27th at 7:30 PM.

Let's turn now to our series of reports for Women's History Month on pioneering women in the world of music.

If you're a fan of Detroit House Music you're likely familiar with the name Stacey "Hotwaxx" Hale.

"One Detroit" contributor Cecilia Sharp of 90.9 WRCJ sat down for a wide ranging conversation with Detroit's godmother of House Music.

(upbeat prelude) (upbeat music) - Hi, I am Cecilia Sharp and we are celebrating Women's History Month and highlighting women in music.

Today my guest is Stacy "Hotwaxx" Hale the first DJ in Detroit to play House Music on the radio in the early eighties and the Godmother of House.

Thanks for being on the show.

- Thanks for having me.

- Absolutely.

You started during a time when it wasn't quite necessarily popular for women to DJ.

What attracted you to DJing?

- Well, I don't think it was not popular for women to be DJs but you recognize them on the radio as air personalities versus playing in the club.

And that's what was unusual for women to be doing that.

I was determined and male/female thing wasn't even in my thought process.

It was the love of the music and to be able to play it and present it to people.

My brother was big into electronics so I was always looking at reel to reels and cassette players and turntables and things like that.

So he was just one that liked to play music and hear it you know, he never inspired to be a DJ or anything so I kind of got that from him and I took it to another level and I stumbled in a old club it used to be a coffee shop, it was called the Chess Mate.

It's a laundromat now on McNichols and Livernoise.

And inside of there this organization called True Disco which consists of Ken Collier, Duane Bradley, Renaldo Smith and Morris Mitchell.

They created this thing called True Disco and they were in there playing.

I heard the records mixing and I went, "What?"

I found my way up to that booth and looked and I saw two turntables and the mixer and I said, "Oh that's what I need to be doing."

- You also performed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

- [Stacy] The Apollo Theater.

- [Cecelia] Yes, the Apollo Theater.

What brought you to the Apollo?

- Jessica Care Moore, Black Women Rock were now called the Daughters of Betty.

Yes, that's what brought me there.

And I work as the assistant music director helping Kat Dyson.

And in addition to me doing that being able to play with the band the Apollo actually called and asked me what I DJ.

They didn't have to ask me twice.

- [Cecelia] Of course they didn't.

They barely got it out their mouth before you said yes, right?

- [Stacy] I'm like.. once all my friends came that were in New York and they were dancing in the aisles up out the seats.

- The way that you engage your audience, you make everyone feel invited.

It's a warm environment.

Everyone knows that they can get down to the music.

The way you blend House Music with other genres, from gospel to R&B, a little bit of classical, jazz.

You incorporate acoustic live instruments.

It's just amazing.

How did you develop that style?

- Listen, you know, and that's the first thing I tell my students to do is to listen.

Use your ears.

And if you just pay attention to some things around you then allow the creativity inside of you to go on and incorporate it in something that you enjoy doing.

- You talked about students, Stacy and you're definitely passionate about not just performing and sharing your gifts with the audience and the people that love your music but passing on your knowledge, your wisdom to other young people, to students.

Why is it so important to you as a DJ, as an artist, to pass on that craft?

- It's so important for it to come from someone like me to be able to pass it on because I can tell you real stories.

I can let you know by different things, by real feelings.

You don't have to go to YouTube University to find out.

The best that I could do is to pass this on 'cause I want someone else to be able to do it.

And we'd like to have this not only be historic but for someone 50 years from now to be able to do that or at least take the theory of that and present themselves in that way.

- The Sheometry Music and Arts Festival that you created and launched in 2019, what is the mission of the Sheometry Music and Arts Festival?

- The mission is to be able to show off women that are good in music in many different genres.

A live instrument DJing, and in the business of music itself.

And it's primarily women with a splash of men to be able to show off the arts and things that they do within this big world of music.

- Because a lot of times it's the reverse of a lot of men in the festival with a clash of women.

But this time, this festival highlights women in music.

You have style on the turntables, but you also have your own fashionable style.

When you're rocking out, you always just bring it with the clothes, with the jewelry, with the hair.

Even today you've got your, you're representing the D with your old English D earrings on, you got these wonderful bengals and this piece that you are wearing as a necklace.

Tell us about that piece.

- This right here is a 45 spindle and it spins and I realize there's three generations that don't even know what this is.

And this used to be the item that you would place inside of the 45 record that you put on the turntable in order to play records.

And so I love to, you know show this and I wear it all the time.

This is actually a key chain.

- Stacy, what makes your music so unique?

- My music is so unique is because I believe in making people happy.

When I play music, it's my job to make you happy.

So therefore I place myself in environments where people are gonna enjoy the types of sound I deliver.

I'm very spiritual.

I love gospel House Music.

Many of the selections that I play have that type of thing in it.

And I have been successful in those that say, "I don't like House Music, but I like yours."

And that's because it's coming from the heart and the vibe like that and they make you feel good.

And that's my whole point and everything and it's been proven.

Enjoy.

(echoing in the mic) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] And finally, there are a lot of fun and interesting events and activities in the Detroit area this weekend and beyond.

Peter Whorf of 90.9 WRCJ has some suggestions in today's "One Detroit" weekend.

- Hi, I'm Peter Whorf with 90.9 WRCJ.

The weekend is just ahead and there's a lot to check out around the metro area.

Let's get to it.

On Friday morning at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra it's Brahm's 4th's symphony with Maestro Jader Bignamini with pianist George Lee for Rachmaninoff's beautiful second piano concerto.

WRCJ will also broadcast the concert at 10:40 AM on Friday.

And if you're in Detroit this Friday night you can check out the stars at a free planetarium show at the Wayne State University Planetarium, shows are at six and 7:30 PM.

Seating's limited, so make your reservation if you want to grab a spot.

Also, this Friday night in Dearborn the Ramadan Suhoor Festival kicks off outside Fairlane Town Center.

Marking the first weekend of Ramadan, the festival will run every weekend from 10:30 PM to 3:00 AM through April 15th.

Through Sunday, March 26th, music lovers can enjoy the Stephen Sondheim Classic "A Little Night Music."

Sondheim's musical on romance and relationships plays at the Strand Theater in Pontiac.

You won't wanna miss this one.

And for you jazz lovers who also like to jam on Sunday, March 26th Aretha's Jazz Cafe is hosting a jazz jam starting at 7:00 PM.

All are welcome no matter what instrument you play or your experience level, come and play some music, eat some good food, have a good time.

I'm Peter Whorf with 90.9 WRCJ.

Here's more of what's happening ahead.

Hope to see you around and have a great weekend.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] That will do it for this week's "One Detroit."

Thanks for watching.

Head to the "One Detroit" website for all the stories we're working on.

Follow us on social media and sign up for our weekly newsletter.

(upbeat music) - [Voiceover] 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 for this program is provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism and Detroit Public TV.

The Kresge Foundation.

- [Speaker] The DTE Foundation, is a proud sponsor of Detroit Public TV.

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

Visit DTE foundation.com to learn more.

- [Voiceover] Nissan Foundation and viewers like you.

(upbeat music)