ShadesOfMarketing

On the Megabus on my way home. Back to Philly. My city. And I realized, I'm a different person than I was when I first started working out here. I've never been one to doubt myself but I feel like I'm more confidant. I'm still indecisive but I make better decisions. I've never hung my head low but I hold my head higher, my stride is different. Now I know my social life, love life, home life and everything in between has played a part in this change but I have to salute this city for the role it's played. I'm a small fish in a big sea but I love it. I prefer it. It forces me to prove myself. And it forces you to prove yourself. I say I work in New York and the room gets quiet. So when people ask what I do I tell them I work at a furniture store. I leave out the 'social media consultant, Gramercy Park, high end home decor' part. It makes them second guess me that much more. It's crazy how one place can instill so much fear yet still be highly respe...

On Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 , I sat in The Merriam Theatre as both press and a true fan of the theatre. Popular demand has encouraged producers Will Smith, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jay Z and Stephen and Ruth Hendel to bring the national touring production of 'FELA!' back to the City of Brotherly Love. Watching, I felt as if I was 'na de Shrine' and I'm sure that's what director and choreographer Bill T. Jones had in mind with this production. Set in The Shrine in Lagos, Nigeria, 'FELA!' is a show inside of a show that centers on Fela Kuti, an outward opposer of the corrupt and repressive military dictatorships that ruled Nigeria and much of Africa during the late 70's.  Fela Kuti created Afrobeat, a mixture of eclectic drums with lyrics to reflect his feelings towards oppression. His name became known across the world, however, The Shrine was his club, his world.  Adesola Osakalumi in FELA by Sharen Bradford Fela himself, played ...

Joilet F. Harris as Lena Younger in  A rden Theatre Company's production of A Raisin in the Sun. Photo: Mark Garvin  "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" This question silently echoes through the audience during the Arden Theatre Company's production of " A Raisin in the Sun. ' This historical tale takes us almost day by day through the 'dreams' of the Younger  family  as they await the delivery of a life insurance check. With the title pulled from the lines of one of Langston Hughes' most popular works, we witness the Younger  family 's dreams being threatened.  L-R: Jaleesa Capri as Beneatha Younger, U.R. as Walter Lee Younger, Joilet F. Harris as Lena Younger, Nikki E. Walker as Ruth Younger, Yannick Haynes as Travis Younger  in Arden Theatre Company's production of A Raisin in the Sun. Photo: Mark Garvin Set inside the Younger's home in South Side Chicago during the 1950s,...

I totally need to clean this place up. It looks a mess. Let me apologize for this. I promise you by March 23rd when the site officially launches you won't have to look at this...mess of words. But in the meantime and in between time, this is it. This is going to be an AMAZING week. Covering FELA, A Raisin In The Sun, attending a Melanie Fiona concert and a spoken word event. Some say busy, i say material!!! I've been meaning to get back in the groove of writing just because instead of only writing reviews and I think I'm back. But it doesn't hurt that i have a couple reviews to show you guys too! I'm writing this from my office in New York so if you took the time to read my previous post then clearly things at work are going well. I regret deleting all posts before that but I promise to make up for it with quality posts in the future. I should be eating lunch right now instead I'm click clacking away. I wanted to get up close and personal with you guys before I ...

This Wednesday I had the privilege of attending the Philadelphia premiere of Kimmel Center presents:  Alvin Ailey's American Dance Theatre   at the Merriam Theater. If you know anything about dance or the arts then you are well aware of the history of Alvin Ailey's Dance Theater, founded by the late great choreographer in 1958. Led by new artistic director Robert Battle, the troupe, touring with Battle for the first time, came close to selling out all three nights. Choreographer Robert Battle succeeded Judith Jamison as Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after her departure on July 1, 2011. In announcing her selection, Ms. Jamison said that “choosing Robert Battle is the giant leap I want to take to ensure that this company stays vibrant in the future.” The Wednesday program featured acts from  PAUL TAYLOR:  Arden Court,  ROBERT BATTLE:  Takademe, Philadelphia's own,   RENNIE HARRIS:  Home  and   ALVIN AILE...

havent posted in a long time but now just feels right. i know i said i was going to fix the site but clearly i have forgotten. oh but wait. maybe ur reading this after the site has been updated so u dnt see my struggle. if so, ignore my rant. anyway I came here to say, i need to get out of philly. i want to move to new york. does everyone experience this urge or is it just me? maybe if u aspire to be a dentist you wanna move to arkansas, a lot of models are flocking to miami, im gonna take myself to the closest version of silicon valley and settle in flatiron. settle at a job not an apartment i couldnt afford to live in flatiron unless i had a sugar daddy and im just not that type of girl. but anyways yes. i want to move. i currently live between two cities. well. no. if my 'roommate' saw that he'd be outraged. i LIVE in philadelphia. i have an entire vacant apartment in philadelphia. why? because im in new york two to three days out of my week. so many job opportunities, s...

Growing up I was obsessed with the concept of 'happily ever after'. I didn't have any evil stepsisters and my mother wasn't murdered by hunters, however, I still daydreamed about the day my prince would rescue me and I too would live 'happily ever after'.  My favorite fairytale was ' Beauty and the Beast '! And I'm not just saying this for the sake of this review ; I honestly consider this to be a classic love tale. The only way Prince Adam could break the spell Enchantress cast upon him was to learn to love and be loved. Enter Belle, our Beauty, add Gaston, the typical antagonist, and a slew of other characters adding comedic relief and shedding light on this dim tale and here we have 'Beauty and the Beast'.  The original creators of the Broadway play, the original design team, and the original score have all been meshed together to create a theatrical wonder piece. The animated version literally jumped to life with the scene ...