Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the “A” w/Souleo
There was a time when the pain behind the laughter brought on by career and financial challenges became almost too much to bear for actress-comedian Kim Coles. For the first time ever, in her one-woman show, Oh But Wait, There’s More, which makes its New York premiere this weekend, she opens up about her struggle with depression.
“Nobody knows I had a breakdown,” she reveals. “I was always someone who said yes and any obstacle I could figure out my way around it, not thinking it was an obstacle. But there came a point when being tenacious was not enough. I didn’t know how I was gonna get out of it [depression] but I realized sometimes you need to break down to break through.”
Now after her beloved role on the hit TV series, “Living Single” and being the first African-American woman to host a prime time game show (BET’s “Pay It Off”), Coles is ready to share her message of empowerment on the stage with lots of laughter along the way. “I want to get my message out — which is love and laughter — and [to] create a space where it’s all right to say I’m not all right. I will continue spreading the message.”
Sharing one’s gifts is something that publicist to the stars Elvira Guzman hopes to inspire with her book, Your Blueprint: An Interactive Guide To Finding Your Purpose In Life. “My book reminds the reader that every individual co-creates his or her life with God and the universe. If you believe you can or cannot do something, you are correct both times. You can co-create any life you want but you must believe that you can achieve it first,” she advises.
Famed cultural critic, journalist and filmmaker Nelson George is clear about his purpose in life, which is to entertain and educate through a new film and discussion series at NJPAC. Beginning Friday, Feb. 1 through May 10, he will screen several important films (Jazz on a Summer’s Day, Krush Groove) that document American music from 1959 to 1985. Following screenings will be intimate discussions with celebrities such as Nona Hendryx, Melvin Van Peebles, George Clinton and more. “Some of these films haven’t been seen that much and part of this project is to make sure to experience them at larger than life capacity,” he says. “I also want to talk about what went on outside the frame and why they exist to give it a wider resonance.”
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