Wanda's Picks June 13, 2012

Our first guest is Clara “Clarae” McDaniel who is a native San Franciscan with a reputation as one of the city’s dynamic female vocalists and fast growing Bay Area theatrical talents. Her life of performing and sharing of her musical and acting talents began in her childhood and continues over the years with marvelous results. Clara has shared her vocal skills as a sought after solo talent with well know gospel choirs, rhythm & blues groups and as a background singer for well known recording artists. She has also performed solo concerts for churches and other audiences. Some of her theatrical works have included plays & musicals such as Pinocchio Jones, Tie That Binds, A Child Called Destiny, The Story of Bessie Smith, and Queenie Pie. Her work with LHT includes Tamborines to Glory, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, Ain’t Misbehavin, Waiting to be Invited, Hit It!, Black & Blue, Eubie!, The Bluest Eye and Black Nativity. Still a long standing member of the LHT family, she is now returning for a 12th season with the New Joyful Noise. When not performing, Clara works as an Insurance Assistant and attends Destiny Christian Fellowship Church. She is the Mother of 3 and the Grandmother of 5. Clara has also completed extensive classes in Movement of Actors with Shotgun Players’ Andrea Weber, vocally with Judy Hubbell/Kelly Ground, Theatre Performance with acting coach Clay David and Scene Studies with Instructor Debra Shaw. To “BABY” RIP. To God Be The Glory!

The San Francisco Bay Area veteran actress and singer shares with us her insight on James Baldwin's The Amen Corner, on the 25th anniversary of his passing and its staging at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre at 450 Bush Street in San Francisco, Monday, June 18, 7 p.m. Visit lhtsf.org

Project 1 Voice honors James Baldwin's memory with the second annual 1 Voice 1 Play 1 Day which is an a fundraiser for black theatres here in America. Year one in19 theatres in 15 cities with just under 5,000 people in attendance, actors and directors read Alice Childress's Trouble in Mind.

Yes, there is a need for black theatres and this 1 Voice project is a way for the American community to support its local black theatre--all monies raised go to the local theatre hosting the staged reading.

Ben Vereen returns to The RRazz Room to with his show "Steppin' Out with Ben Vereen," a high energy tribute to the music of Broadway, along with musical selections made famous by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr., audiences can expect to hear classics such as "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries," "Mr. Bojangles" and "Defying Gravity." Well known to theatre audiences for his Tony Award and Drama Desk winning performance in Pippin, Vereen has also appeared on Broadway in Wicked, Chicago, Fosse and Jelly's Last Jam. He is currently celebrating the release of his CD "Steppin' Out Live." The Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko is located at 222 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Shows nightly Tuesday to Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4:00 p.m. http://www.benvereen.com/ (800) 380-3095, (415) 394-1189, http://www.therrazzroom.com

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