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Category Archives: Music
Twisted Melodies
Last night, we went to see Twisted Melodies, a one-man play at the Rep. Created and performed by Kevin Roston, Jr. It tells the story of seventies soul performer Donny Hathaway. Mr. Hathaway is best remembered for his songs The Ghetto and Where is the Love, which he performed with Roberta Flack. They won a Grammy for it. Hathaway, a Saint Louis native was a musical prodigy. He graduated from Vashon High School in the city and then went on to Howard University. Just as his musical career was taking off, Hathaway became afflicted with mental illness. He was diagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic. For treatment he was prescribed a dozen different antipsychotics. Their side effects became so onerous that he stopped taking his medications. This action resulted in the return of his hallucinations and led to his suicide in 1979.
Mr. Roston, also a Saint Louis native, began developing Twisted Melodies when he was an intern at the Saint Louis Black Rep. His play premiered in Chicago and then went onto tour the country, before this run at the Rep. This ninety-minute one act play is made bearable with Roston’s excellent musical talents. In between Hathaway’s hallucinations and fits of rage and despair, Roston is able to treat the audience with fine renditions of many of Hathaway’s musical standards. The entire play is performed in a NYC hotel room, where Hathaway spent his last night. Also of note was the play’s lighting, which skillfully renders a visual approximation of Hathaway’s hallucinations.
Preamble to last night’s performance the Rep announced that it was in severe financial difficulties. It announced that it needs to raise $2.5M by the end of the year. It followed this announcement with a plea to the audience for donations. Additionally, the Rep has announced the cancellation of a couple of scheduled plays. At least one of which we have (had?) tickets to. It also announced that it is ending its relationship with COCA, another Saint Louis performing arts institution and where we saw last night’s play. No explanation for this financial reversal has been given, but I expect that poor box office is to blame. Covid is likely to blame for the box office, but not entirely. Some of the Rep’s recent play selections have been problematic. We would be willing to eat our tickets, but I would like to hear an explanation first.
Hallelujah!
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The Culture
The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century is the art show that we viewed yesterday. This show has been on display at the art museum all summer, but since we have been out of town, we only just now got around to seeing it. It was put on in collaboration with the Baltimore Museum of Art. There was plenty of bling on display, some graffiti, plus original artworks like this pictured pair of paintings. It was a multimedia display, with video, rapper’s costumes and stage props. It will be on display until January.
Unchained Melody
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This is our last day in Malden. We leave this morning and are headed to Montreal, on our way back to the cabin. It was great seeing Maren, David and Declan this last week. He has really grown and rather than being a burden, I think that our visit helped the new parents out. Anne already has plans to come back in October, when Maren goes back to work. Bruce is coming back around then too, so they will probably end up tag teaming. We also plan on meeting them again around Christmas, in Ann Arbor. We will likely take our time wending our way back home to Saint Louis. There is no real rush to get home, not while the heat is still on.
Bösendorfer
A question that I frequently got this week at All Seasons is, “Am I a new resident?” At first, I was shocked and a bit offended, but then thinking about it, I am about the same or almost the same age of many of the residents here. Sure, there are many older people here, but few older than Harry and no one sees themselves as being as old as they really are, least of all me. The place is billed as independent living. Residents are free to come and go as they please. Some people here are more mobile than others. Many people still drive and for those who do not there is an in-house shuttle. However, every evening around dinner time in the cafeteria, there is a nightly traffic jam of walkers. The food here is to die for. Filet mignon is on the menu every day. Once emaciated, Harry put on eight pounds his first year here and I know that I would not lose any weight living here either. The place is high end. To give you an idea of how much so, there are not one, but two Bösendorfer pianos scattered around the commons. Each Bösendorfer starts at around $150K. So maybe a better answer to the question, “Am I a new resident?” Is not an indignant no, but I can’t afford it.