Tag Archives: Chicago

One on One with Jennifer Williams (Basketball Wives)

By Tamara Jenkins

VH1’s reality series Basketball Wives has sparked high ratings and high criticism. Focusing on the lives of the women behind some of the worlds most admired and idolized men, the show has become a goldmine for the cable channel and made the wives featured household names.

Having just concluded the third season that included physical altercations, verbal attacks and international travel, one of its stars, Jennifer Williams, is ready to step away from the shadow of her soon to be former husband and the life as a basketball wife and move into a new, independent chapter.

Recently in Chicago for a meet and greet at the Glam Luxe Boutique, for which she serves as the company’s spokes model, Williams spoke to UnRated Urban about the show, her projects away from the show and her future goals.

How did you get involved with the show?

JW: Shaunie O’Neal, one of the show’s executive producers, had this idea to do the show, talked to Evelyn about it, then we all got on the phone and that’s how it came about. It’s not like we were cast to do the show. We all had a connection to Shaunie and it took on a life of its own.

Are you surprised by the success of the show?

JW: At first I was, probably like season one, because I was like wow people are really interested in our lives. But after season one I sort of got use to it.  But everyday something does kind of surprise me. It really surprises me how interested people are and how invested they are in our lives.  I think everything has its pros and cons and it’s a good thing but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming.

How do you feel about the negative criticism the show has received?

JW: I think there does need to be more of a balance because I feel like a lot of our show is focused on drama and I get that drama sells and people want to see that but I feel like we can come to some type of balance because there are so many things that we do outside of the show and its not just fighting.

We film for almost four months and a lot of stuff they don’t use because they focus on what the audience wants to see. I know Shaunie is fighting with VH1 and Shed Media which our production company to get more of a balance and show us doing other things besides arguing and fighting because there’s so much more to all the women than just that.

How does your family feel about you being on the show?

JW: My family is very supportive. I don’t really get on the show and act crazy. I’m a calm person, I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not on camera, I’m definitely not confrontational so I feel like I don’t really embarrass my family on TV. So they are supportive of me.

Would you consider doing your own reality show?

JW: I would consider doing my own show. I would definitely have to be an executive producer and have some creative control, but I would definitely be open to that.

Which reality shows do you watch?

JW: I don’t get a lot of time to watch TV but I try to watch a lot of the Housewives shows, NeNe Leakes is a great friend of mine so I definitely watch the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Once in awhile I’ll catch the Kardashians but I really don’t have much time.

If you could do it all over again, would you have signed up for the show?

JW: I would definitely do it all over again. I don’t live with regrets and the show has opened up some doors for me that, if I wasn’t on the show, it might not have been as easy, I might have had to knock a couple extra times and now they kind of open, so I would definitely do it again.

Let’s talk about your ventures outside of the show, like your lip gloss line, Lucid?

JW: I started working on it second two and it was actually a long journey for me, I just thought I want to make lip gloss  because that’s one beauty product I don’t leave out of the house without and I thought it would be easy.

I didn’t partner with anyone and I did everything myself down to the containers, the packaging, the colors, I’m working on the display now for retail stores, so its been a long journey and I’ve learned a lot of lessons but I always say nothing good is easy. Its finally out there, I’ve launched and I have big dreams for Lucid.

I don’t want to stop at lip gloss, I definitely want to take it and make it a full cosmetics line. Its slowly coming along, its like my little baby, its crawling right now, I’m watching it grow and I’m just really excited about it because it’s a new chapter in my life and its all about independence and Lucid is something I’m very proud of.

What are some of your other ventures?

JW: I’m a principle owner of Flirty Girl Fitness and we have a location here in Chicago and one inToronto. I have a nonprofit foundation called Project Save the World, myself, my friend Heather and my manager co-founded. We just feel like we live this extremely blessed life and we wanted to give back. We couldn’t decide what cause we wanted to support, so we called it save the world and we do whatever’s in our hearts. There are so many different causes that need our time, money and just so much stuff people don’t even know about. That’s something I’m very proud of.

 I’m working on a book, I’m writing a hand book for women and I’m working on a workout DVD.

What will the handbook be about?

JW: Just about general life. When I first started writing it, I was basing it on beauty and fashion because I had so many people sending me messages on facebook and twitter asking questions like what kind of foundation do you use, where did you buy this, and what do you for that, so I was like, I’m going to write a handbook for women about diet, exercise, skincare, wardrobe and as I started writing it, I thought I should have a chapter about self esteem, I should have a chapter about love. So, it’s an all around handbook for women.

Because your marriage issues were so relevant on the show, do you get a lot of messages from women asking for relationship advice? Have you thought about writing an advice column or a relationship book?

JW: You know what, just recently I have. I feel like when people feel their going through a divorce it’s the end of the world and its not. When I first started getting messages about relationships, I would think to myself, do they really watch the show, because they would know I’m not the one to give advice.

If I can be an inspiration, I would love to do that. There’s definitely life after divorce and I think you have to go through that healing process and once you do, it’s okay to start over and it took me a long time to recognize that because I’m a victim of divorce, my parents got divorced and it was something I never wanted for myself. I always felt like if I get a divorce, I’m going to be a failure. I had to heal and I had to learn and if I can teach that to other women I would welcome that.

I must say, going through something like that with a camera is not easy because it’s very personal. But when I signed up to do the show I knew I had issues going on in my relationship and it was sort of a struggle because I’m a private person and I said to myself, if I do this show, I’m going to have to be real about my relationship because it’s a reality show and if you’re trying to be something you’re not the camera picks up on that.

But I’m happy that I did it because if I wasn’t on the show and wasn’t to talk about it I might still be in that same situation and I wasn’t happy.

Do you have any acting or musical aspirations?

JW: I can’t sing, so you won’t find me singing. I’m open to getting into acting. I’m use to being in front of a camera so that would be an easy adjustment for me. I want to get into hosting and doing special correspondent stuff. I’m open to dabbling into a couple of different things, so we’ll see what happens.

Would you ever date an athlete again?

JW: I’m not going to say never but if you date an athlete, you know what goes along with that and right now that’s definitely not something I’m looking for and I would say an athlete is probably last on my list.

What advice would you give to the cast of Basketball Wives L.A.?

JW: That cast is a little interesting. The only thing I can say is when the camera’s there, you have to be real and just stay true to yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Femme Fatale Tour Showcases Rejuvenated Spears

By Anthony Kuzminski

I’m not sure if any celebrity has had more written about them in the last decade besides Britney Spears; some good-some bad all of it fascinating in some fashion. However, as a result, many have had a hard time separating the performer from the celebrity. People look at her and see tabloid headlines and lip-synching and often have a hard time looking beyond. That in itself is a shame because while she doesn’t have the same grasp on the music media as she did with her first few albums, her recorded output in recent years shows growth. I was ready to write her off a few years ago, but with each album she has continued to penetrate the pop landscape and as her Femme Fatale tour rolled into Chicago, both Spears and the Chicago crowd was ready for lift-off.

Spears last toured in 2009 and while the staging was in-the-round with a series of extraordinary staging, it felt bitter and icy. Spears looked disengaged from the proceedings and it felt as if they had taken her out of a box right before show time. Despite what some reviewers have posted about her current tour, it features a rejuvenated Spears in a show that provoked the crowd in all the right spots.

 As a screen split in two on the main stage, Britney Spears appeared on a platform with her lead single from Femme Fatale “Hold It Against Me”. Dressed in a silver outfit that continued to reveal more and more with every chorus, Spears was in her element. “Up N’ Down”, dressed in white private investigator dance of “3” and “Piece of Me”, which found Spears flying on a platform from the front of the stage towards the back before she disappeared into a trap door on the main stage. The whole show featured gimmicks galore yet the crowd never seemed let down from it as it never left room for hesitation. Last tour, the stage was a exceptional in-the-round creation whereas this time, it was a 180-degree stage with a large extensive platform that went more than halfway onto the floor. While not providing as many stunning viewpoints as the 360-stage did, she had enough props and commitment to make it meaningful and never losing the crowd’s interest.

Dispersed with several noir-like video segments, they proved to be time for Spears and her dancers to change outfits. The second portion of the show proved to be among the evenings most entertaining with the thumping “Big Fat Bass” which found Spears in a red skirt almost rapping the one-dimensional, but gripping beat further escalating the tension between her performance the crowd. A car pulled up to the front of the stage, as the ten background dancers were in dazzling colors (looking like extras in a live action Aladdin remake).

Colorful costumes aside, the beattastic song is a sure fire hit and should be a future single. The incessant percussion beat and its catching chorus found every single soul on their feet cheering along. Spears, who has taken career cues from Madonna, leaned the set heavily on material from Femme Fatale. While on paper this would appear to be imprudent, it showcased the album vividly and featured its strengths. “How I Roll” I had overlooked on my initial listens of the record but the performance will be etched in my mind for a while to come. Lace and Leather” (from 2008’s Circus) found Spears pulling a male fan from the crowd who she danced and teased with a leg wrap around the back of his head for and the car drove back to the main stage. “If U Seek Amy” had a 1950’s swing style to it compared to the poppish quality on the studio cut. It was another pleasant surprise of the evening as the arrangements were not cut and paste renditions from the records.

 “Gimme More” rippled throughout the arena with Britney’s spoken declaration (“It’s Britney…bitch”). Vintage hits “I’m A Slave For You”, “Baby, One More Time” (in biker gear) and “Boys” (with the dancers mimicking snakes) all filled the nostalgia crave. A pair of perfectly chosen covers worked beautifully within the set; Rhianna’s “S&M” and Madonna’s “Burning Up”. On the Madonna cover (all the way back from 1982) found spears riding a larger-than-life guitar like it was a bull. However, it was the newer material that resonated strongest and evoked the largest roars of the audience. “I Wanna Go” along with the evening’s finale of “Till the World Ends” found the crowd in a manic state or nirvana. Amidst pyrotechnics and 15,000 dancing fans (mostly female) Spears disappeared beneath the stage as a shower of pyrotechnics draped the stage.

Is the show well produced and executed? You bet. It may be too rehearsed for some, but it’s perfectly suited for troubled time and for those who want to dance their worries away. The Femme Fatale tour is a step up from her Circus jaunt two years ago. It features Britney Spears much more animated and invigorated on the stage. The 90-minute show may not go down as a epic tour de force live performance; it serves its purpose perfectly. More than anything, the crowd ate it up and danced like a clock was counting down to the apocalypse without a worry in the world and ultimately, that’s the greatest gift pop music can ever give us.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicagobased writer. His daily writings can be read at http:/the-screen-door.blogspot.com. He can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com (thescreendoor@gmail.com) and can be followed on twitter at http://twitter.com/thescreendoor

Photos by Dan Locke

Slurpee® MixMaker Concert Hits Lincoln Hall With Gym Class Heroes

7-Eleven, Inc. is mixing up the 2011 Summer of Slurpee® with a mash-up of cool cups, cold concoctions and sold-out concerts that are proving to be hot, hot, hot. Not only is 7-Eleven encouraging Slurpee flavor-mixing with its ingenious MixMaker dual-chambered cup and valve straw, the retailer is mixing up the Slurpee summer season with its popular MixMaker Summer Concert Series. The third in the series features Gym Class Heroes, appearing July 25 at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall.

Tickets for the Chicagoconcert are $7.11 and go on sale Friday, July 8, at noon on the Lincoln Hall website (http://www.lincolnhallchicago.com). Slurpee Rewards points also can be cashed in for free concert tickets at www.slurpee.com, while they last. Tickets for the all-ages, general admission concert will be held at will-call, which is actually a list of names at the door. Photo ID is required to verify age and ticket purchase.

Gym Class Heroes will take a break from the 2011 Vans Warped Tour to bring their musical talents to the MixMaker concert in the WindyCity. The alternative hip-hop band will release The Papercut Chronicles II this fall, its first album since frontman Travie McCoy’s solo album Lazarus, which featured the smash hit “Billionaire.”  “Stereo Hearts,” the first single from The Papercut Chronicles II, was recently featured on the NBC series “The Voice,” and is available now at all digital retailers.  We are the In Crowd, a pop-punk band fromNew York, will open the show.

Macy’s Passport Presents Glamorama 2011

Multitalented singer, songwriter, producer and musician, Cee Lo Green, known for his most recent chart-topping hit “Forget You” as well as co-writing and singing Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy,” will headline the 13th annual Macy’s Passport Presents Glamorama 2011 set at The Chicago Theatre in Chicago on Friday, August 12th at 8 pm.

The artist debuted his first album earlier this year, entitled “Lady Killa,” and also stars as a judge on the NBC hit series, “The Voice.” Also set to perform at Macy’s Glamorama this year is electro-pop quartet Far East Movement who shot to fame with chart-topping singles, “Like a G6” and “Rocketeer” from their debut album, entitled “Free Wired.” The group’s latest single, “If I Was You,” features rap artist Snoop Dogg.

This year’s show – themed ARTRAGEOUS – brings high fashion and fierce performances together for one unforgettable night. Topping the list of featured designers: Jean Paul Gaultier, Marc Jacobs, Sonia Rykiel and more! The evening concludes with an over-the-top “artlandish” post-party at Macy’s on State Street. The event will once again benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland® and Northwest Indiana (RMHC®-CNI).
       
Ticket prices range from $50 to $1,000 and can be purchased now through RMHC®-CNI at www.RonaldHouseChicago.org or by calling 630.623.2309. Tickets will also be available for purchase starting June 8th through Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000, www.thechicagotheatre.com or through The Chicago Theatre box office. For more information on Macy’s Passport Presents Glamorama, please visit www.macys.com/glamorama

Fantabuloso Dos

Chicago’s 103.5 KISS FM brought out music heavyweights for it’s Fantabuloso Dos concert May 18th at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.

A sequel to its 2010 Fantabuloso concert that featured Ludacris, Ke$ha, Trey Songz, Jay Sean, B.O.B., Jason Derulo, Kevin Rudolf and Orianthi, this year’s event boasted artists that included Lupe Fiasco, PITTBULL, T-Pain, David Guetta, Jessie J, Far East Movement, Taio Cruz, Mike Posner and Tinie Tempah.

 

Photos of Lupe Fiasco, David Guetta & T-Pain. Photos by Adam Bielawski

The Crown Life Hosted by Big Boi

Royal Black invites you to be apart of The Crown Life on Wednesday, June 8th in Chicago. The event is a private celebration of music and fashion and will be hosted by Big Boi (OutKast). To join the celebration, text Big Boi to 313131.

Writer & Director Carmen Marron

By Tamara Jenkins
Once the guider of young minds, Carmen Marron is now guiding herself through the world of film making as the writer, producer and director of her first feature film GO FOR IT!.

The winner of  the Audience Award and an Official Selection of the 2010 Chicago International Film Festival, GO FOR IT! is the story of a young women struggling to overcome her fears and follow her dream of becoming a dancer.

Now, on the heels of its nationwide debut, the Logan Square native is returning to her hometown to officially premiere the film and took time to talk to UnRated Urban about her journey into film making.

You have an interesting story of how you got started?

Carmen Marron:I actually have no film making background. I use to be a guidance counselor. I grew up in Logan Square. I chose to be a guidance counselor in Phoenix, South Phoenix, which is where I lived. I wanted to work with at risk kids and inner city kids as well because I felt like I could really relate to them and after working with them for two years I realized the kids really did not look up to their parents or people in their community, they looked up to people in television and film for role models, unfortunately. And people in film and television that weren’t real or they were looking up to people like Brittney Spears, people that did not have anything in common with their lives and their struggles.  And so I decided to write a script.

I wanted to write a script about a family and about young kids, especially women, because I felt like these young girls were throwing their lives away and getting pregnant and they were making so many mistakes, so I decided to write this script about them and mirror their lives so they can see and learn about themselves by watching this movie and hopefully be inspired.

Is it true the film took 6 years to finish?

Carmen Marron: Yes, it did take 6 years to finish.

Did you ever want to give up during that time?

Carmen Marron: Always. Always, because it took us five years just to save the money. So during the time when we were just saving the money, I was like why are we completely changing our lives to save money for this movie; I’m not even sure what I’m doing, I don’t even know if its going to go anywhere.

The main character in the film, Carmen-is she based on any of your students or a family member?

Carmen Marron: I named her Carmen because that’s my name and because when I was growing up, Carmen was the most common name for a Latina. There was always at least three Carmen’s in every classroom that I was in. I have cousins named Carmen; its like Maria, I was either going to name her Maria or Carmen. I thought everyone uses Maria already in films so I decided on Carmen because I wanted to use a name that is so frequently used that kids could relate to.

Do you keep up with any of your former students?

Carmen Marron: No, I worked at an elementary school and the kids were very young. I was really more influenced by the seventh and eighth graders and some of the girls in the community and the teenage girls that I knew growing up too. I have not kept in touch with any of them (former students).

Are all of the actors in the film from Chicago?

Carmen Marron:I would say out of the main actors, 7 or 8 are from Chicago-Aimee Garcia, Gina Rodriguez, David Hernandez, Louis Alegria. And it’s funny because there from Chicago but most of them live in L.A., only 2 I believe live in Chicago.

GO FOR IT! is being released by Pantelion Films, a new film studio, how did this happen?

Carmen Marron: GO FOR IT!, I believe, was there first acquisition. I was screening my film around the country at festivals and there was a buzz and someone who saw the movie ended up knowing someone at Lions Gate and called them and said hey you need to take a look at this movie and they ended up coming to one of my screenings in L.A. and after they saw it, they contacted me and asked me to screen it at the studio. That was rare, I mean it does not happen that way at all. I don’t even know anyone else that that’s happened to, that’s how rare it was.

Since this is your first time writing and directing a film, I hope you will continue with this

Carmen Marron: Well, yes I love this, I never wanted to do this, I never wanted thought about being a film maker but I realized that this is definitely, definitely part of my destiny.

Do you have any upcoming projects?

Carmen Marron: I’m working on two scripts and I’m hoping to get one into production before the end of summer and I’m hoping to do it in Chicago.

So Chicago will stay relevant with your projects?

Carmen Marron: Yes, Chicago will always be relevant with the scripts I write.

Would you be open to television, maybe writing a dramatic or comedic series or do you want to stay with films?

Carmen Marron: I am definitely open to that. If the situation arises where I think it would be something that I believe in and I create quality programming that will reach my demographic and also give them so type of message to walk away with that’s inspiring, then yes, I might do that as well.

Are there any actors or actresses that you would like to work with?

Carmen Marron: Definitely, one of them is John C. Reilly. I love him and I just found out he’s from Chicago. I would love to work with Julia Roberts. I just think she’s so refreshing.

What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?

Carmen Marron: Honesty, what I can seriously say is that being an independent filmmaker is one of the hardest things you can do. If you really want to be an independent filmmaker, work on films that you truly believe in and that you love with all your heart because its going to take years to get it made and also be very patient because its part of the journey. And I heard that from everybody and now I’ve gone through it myself.

Go For It! opens nationwide May 13th. For more information on the film, visit www.goforitmovie.com and www.facebook.com/GOFORITMOVIE

Red Bull Thre3Style Comes to Chicago for the Best Local DJ

Eight hand-selected DJs in Chicago, three music genres, and one unforgettable party sums up the Red Bull Thre3Style that will take place Thursday, April 28, 2011 at The Mid, 306 N. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL.

Red Bull Thre3Style is an innovative concept that gives highly skilled DJs a platform to battle, perform, gain notoriety and express themselves in a party atmosphere. Eight DJs fight for the crowd’s favor, each with a 15-minute set that MUST contain at least three different musical genres.

The participating DJs (Charlie Glitch, Zebo, Big Once, DJ Trentino, Matt Roan, Marco Morales, DJ Jem and Jay Illa) will be judged on their track-selection, technical skills, creativity and most importantly their ability to bring the house down. All participants are judged by a panel of industry professionals, DJs, and party starters. More than 20 US Qualifiers will take place this year.

The winner of the Chicago qualifier will be flown to Las Vegas in November for the Red Bull Thre3style National Championship. The national champ will then travel to Vancouver, Canada to represent the US in the global finals against the world’s best party-rock DJs: in hopes of being crowned the International Red Bull Thre3style champ.

Doors open for the event at 9:00 p.m. and the competition begins at 10:00 p.m. Cost is $5 in advance  (win.gs/3styleTIX) and $10 at the door. For more information, visit www.redbullusa.com/thre3style-chicago.

David Guetta Brings International Sound to Chicago

By Aliki Marinos

This Scorpio is not only a world recognized Grammy winning music producer and DJ, but has been wowing crowds since the 80’s bringing incredible dance music to audiences around the globe.

You may have heard of him more recently due to his overnight skyrocketing US attention with collaborations featuring artists including Akon, Kelly Rowland, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas, LMFAO, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, JLo, and Madonna. But before this, proudly hailing from the city of Lights, you may have seen him spin at Rex Club or Le Central.  Fast forward to 2001, with the talented Chris Willis on vocals for “Just a Little More Love,” the breakthrough was officially ignited… Hits like “Love is Gone,” “Memories,” “When Love Takes Over,” “Gettin Over You,” “Sexy Chick,” “Baby When the Lights Go Out,” moved and grooved adrenaline pounding fans uncontrollably. Today, you’re bound to find him at sold-out venues anywhere from Singapore, Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, Miami, Quebec, etc.  You can definitely say this is one man who is TRULY staying true to his concept of “The World is Mine!”

On his 2011 World Tour, Monsieur Guetta hit Chicago on April 1st in front of non-stop moving fans at the Congress Theatre, on the city’s north side.  Paying his respects to Chicago where house music was born, he showed a lot of love for his people- and they undeniably delivered it right back. The main floor sold-out in the blink of an eye, so if you were lucky you purchased your tickets early, or bought VIP tickets on the upper balcony, which included free drinks flowing all night. As you looked around the gargantuous theatre, the room was packed with a diversity of mixed generations who remember him from his early beginnings, to the recent hipsters who recently discovered his unique sound as soon as they were able to “click” and “download.” 

The intense light show directly behind the DJ set enchanted fans as “C H I C A G O” came on in big bright lights multiple times throughout the show. You also needed plenty of hydration at this concert, as it seemed to get very hot in the there, sometimes because of the temperature and sometimes because of the pretty people surrounding you…  Some wore dresses, and others mini-mini-dresses, tank tops, shorts, boy shorts, and skorts. Whatever enabled you to move your body to the beats.  And who said he had to start on time? Even though he came on a little bit before midnight, (doors opened at 7pm) no one seemed to mind.  Ah, memories…!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open Your Eyes to What’s In Darfur

By Wendy Simmons

In Darfur is a remarkably eye-opening production now showcased at the TimeLine Theatre Company on Chicago’s north side. It tells the story of Darfur’s battle with genocide in the early 2000s.  The play encompasses the point of view of a raped Darfuri woman, beaten and left for dead after her entire family had been killed…a New York Times reporter desperate to get the news of the genocide on the front pages of one of America’s most popular news outlets…and the volunteer doctor that is in Darfur to try to help a forgotten people.

Darfur, an African nation in Sudan had been under a genocide attack for years…starting in 2004, it is estimated that by 2010 there were 300,000 deaths attributed to the violence.  America heard very little about it, including myself…I remember hearing about a few Hollywood celebrities traveling there to bring attention to the unfathomable violence taking place, but I remember very little news coverage. We’re talking thousands of people being killed monthly and no coverage…no special report…no telethon…not a thing. Is this a racial issue; is it because of religion; is it because of Sudan’s oil and nations not wanting to sever ties with the government of Sudan…who knows? But these are the hard hitting issues that were focused on in In Darfur.

Timeline Theater is an intimate venue in which this very impactful play was performed. The actors were powerful and they demanded your attention and sympathy. Mildred Marie Lang-Ford who played Hawa, the English speaking Darfuri woman that was raped and now pregnant, gave an awesome performance. Because of Mildred’s character, the New York Times reporter, played by Kelli Simpkins was able to persuade her editors to put Darfur’s genocide on the front page. Hawa became the face of this war however it still took years for the people of Darfur to see the end of this hell on earth.

In Darfur allowed some of us sheltered Americans to witness what injustice and violence are really like. It should push us to educate ourselves about issues that are outside of our comfort zone. I encourage you to seek more information about the genocide in Darfur and question the lack of attention given to certain countries of this world.

Run to see In Darfur. It is worthy of our attention and definitely worth every dollar of the ticket price.  And I would personally like to thank them for putting this heart wrenching subject on stage.

I give it $$$$