Karamu Karma or Kismet: Dennis' Little Taste of Life Upon The Wicked Stage

What's This: He Did... Karamu?

For six wonderful weeks back in 2000, was it kismet or karma at play at Karamu? It must have been meant to be that Dennis got to a chance to thread the same boards as so many talented theatre folks i.e., the late, great black poet laureate, Langston Hughes! It turns out he was a collaborator of a distant relative of Dennis', Kurt Weill! Learn more about the many branches of the talented Weill family tree in paragraphs much further below...

Back to Dennis doing the blues at Karamu: Singing and performing in the role of Guitar Man, the only musician in George C. Wolfe's Spunk, earned Dennis and the cast an ensemble award (more about that below). He loved doing this play, based on fables from the pen of Zora Neale Hurston. Why? The Harlem Renaissance folklorist's words not only inspired the blues music written by composer Chic Street that Dennis had to duplicate nightly, but they also inspired Guitar Man's improvisations .

How Did It Go?.......... Great! Not only did they get rave reviews from the critics, but from nightly audiences as well. So many that they received Outstanding Performance Awards from the Karamu Actors Guild for Best Ensemble and Best Director.

About Those Rave Reviews......... In the July 19, 2000 issue of the Cleveland Free Times theater critic James Damico gave a rave review of the play Spunk.

In the July 6, 2000 issue of Scene magazine theater critic Keith Joseph gave a rave review of the play Spunk.

More About Those Awards.......... Two Outstanding Performance Awards went to "Spunk". The Karamu Actors Guild awarded Reggie Kelly for Best Direction and the Best Ensemble award went to the cast which included Cornell Calhoun, S. J. Hannah, Terri Singleton , Kelvin Willingham, Joyce Meadows as Blues Speak Woman and Dennis Chandler as Guitar Man. (Dennis is grateful to the guild for his award, as this is his first try at treading the boards as an actor. Special thanks goes to cast, crew and director for bringing out the best in him!)

More about the play........"Spunk" was adapted by Tony award winner George C. Wolfe and is based on three fables from folklorist and Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston. Her trio of tales transcends cultural differences and addresses universal values. The play combines the richness of African-American dialogue with the underscored sultry sounds of the blues. It is a tender, intimate look at our common yearning to live a better life.

More about the music in the play.......... Composer Chic Street Man wrote the songs, along with the scored musical interludes. The author has also written in where the play's lone musician, Guitar Man, may improvise. Plus this production at Karamu featured that character, as played By Dennis, singing two songs by the great bluesman Jimmy Reed.

More about the Karamu Performing Arts Theatre .........Karamu was first known as the Playhouse Settlement. It was founded by two white social workers, Rowena & Russell Jelliffe, as a recreation center. It became nationally known for its dedication to interracial theater and the arts. It is the oldest African-American Cultural Arts Center and the oldest African-American Theater in the United States. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the complex is located at E. 89th & Quincy in the city's Fairfax community, (home to another world-reknown institution, the Cleveland Clinic just two blocks north). Karamu is Swahilli for "a place of joyful meeting".

More about Dennis' part in the play.......... As the only musician , "Guitar Man" had more than a couple of interesting musical moments. He was seen throughout the three fables, playing his accoustic guitar, punctuating action with music. During most of that time, Dennis was seen and heard from stage right. But, in his solo number, he took center-stage when he did Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights, Big City", (thus getting to pay a little homage to one of his "teachers", too). Another number paired him with Joyce Meadows as "Blues Speak Woman". They sang a musical repartee in a duet that brought the house down. That showstopper was the song titled, "I'm Too Good Looking For You". The third act opening-scene featured dancer Terri Singleton and had her jumpin' to his jivin' guitar. Later in the third act, "Blues Speak Woman", along with S.J. Hannah, got to boogie to the beat of "Guitar Man" doing another Jimmy Reed song, "Honey, What's Wrong?" (The rest of the cast would join in singing, too.)

About his audition.......... Dennis was called "a Godsend" and "the right one for the role" by the director, executive director, cast and crew alike. Why? When the show was already 5 weeks into rehearsal and just 2 nights away from its first preview night, they still had no guitarist! To explain, the director said, "Of all the guitarists who auditioned, many had a feel for the blues, but none could read music!" "Spunk" is a theatrical play and as such, there is a partial score he said the composer "wants played as written!"

About playing the Blues....... Take note, music students... At his very own audition, that adage about learning the theory behind the music one makes? It proved true. He could accomodate the Reggie Kelly's vision of what the director wanted "the sheet music to do". Another dictum proved out? "Blues is a feeling not just a form. You can put form on paper but you can't put feeling on paper!" He said he felt proud he could show good form along with good feeling, too, so to speak.

Back to about Karamu........ It is a known fact among actors, that being invited to perform there is an honor. Hence the reason so many actors return from wherever they've "made it" to i.e., Broadway, etc., to play the stage they started out on: Karamu.

But, back to Karamu, for Dennis....... was a homecoming of sorts, too. Being it's an honor to be invited even once, coming back this second time was also really appreciated. To explain... It was back in '94, thanks to relatives of friend Dick Gregory (his sister-in-law Martha Smith and cousin Web Fleming), that Dennis did Karamu. He and baritone Fleming, a former Wings Over Jordan soloist, were the only entertainers to be invited to perform for New Day Press's Black History Month Celebration. After performing a program of blues and Negro spirituals to a soldout house, they especially enjoyed the standing ovation they received. To fully understand how meaningful it was for Dennis to play that same stage again, his "second time around", fit and healthy , CLICK on the WEBSITE PAGE that reads "The Journey".

To those involved at Karamu........ A BIG shoutout of thanks to the cast, crew and staff, who along with all the audiences there, made him feel so welcome. As a first time actor treading the boards, he relished the rave reviews and the awards. He gives thanks to all the folks there but, most of all, Dennis thanks God for opening the door.

IT'S A LONG, LONG WEILL FROM MAY TO DECEMBER OR FROM HERE TO A STAR

But, how did Dennis first hear about Karamu?...... From family, specifically his mother's side. Marge Weill Chandler's father's side, was the Weill side and her mother's side was the Michelson side. (More below about the later Michelson writer-types that talked about Karamu.) But, here's more about the talented eariler Michelsons. One was the Albert Michelson, called "One of the century's most greatest minds" and one of "The 100 Most Influential Jewish Minds", to quote the book of the same title. Why? Michelson's work had immense influence on not only subsequent generations of physicists but also influenced Albert Einstein, who in 1920 acknowledged that he based his theory of relativity on the famous Michelson-Morley experiments of 1887! Einstein said that his esteemed German colleague had "uncovered an insidious defect in the ether theory of light, as it then existed, and stimulated the ideas out of which the special theory of relativity developed". These and other accomplishments profoundly affected the way physicists viewed the world and caused Michelson to be widely recognized as "The Father of Theoretical Physics". Michelson was also "The First American scientist to win a Nobel Peace Prize" (in 1907), "For his precision optical instruments and the spectroscopic and metrological investigations conducted therewith". Besides Michelson being the first to measure the diameter of star, his development (in 1871) of the Spectroscope afforded proof ot the movement of molecules. Michelson is also credited with proving that light travels at a constant speed no matter the direction it is heading, in any and all conditions. Albert Michelson's determination of the speed of light was the most accurate of the era and became the accepted figure of 186,508 miles per second. (One book about Michelson titled, "The Master of Light" by Livingston, shares how the famous 1887 Michelson-Morely experiments were done at Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland).

Speaking of these talented Michelson relatives, Nobel Prize winner Albert Michelson's siblings were also well known. A younger brother, Charles Michelson was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech writer. A noted journalist, he was publicity director for 30 years of the Democratic National Party. Their sister, Miriam Michelson, was also a successful writer. A turn-of-the century novelist, she published works for over 40 years!

Another talented Michelson, a writer-type herself, is remembered fondly by Dennis, his mother's aunt, authorist Florence Michelson. She wrote many, many of the Nancy Drew and Lassie stories while living, not too far from Karamu!

Then there were those tales told....... about the show-biz-types in the family like the Marx Brothers, Maddy & Max Weill, an aunt and uncle who were highly successful vaudevillians, and composer Kurt Weill, cousin to her grandfather.

Talk about the Karamu Hood in those days........ Along with stories told him about the Marx Brothers, came some about another uncle, Henry Marx. He and his wife, Bea Marx, owned and operated Marx Dry Cleaners at E. 86th and Wade Park. There was talk of some traveling troubadours, whose clothing he ended up caring for, too. Those were the days of vaudevillians like Sophie Tucker, Martha Raye, Rudy Vallee, George Jessel and Mickey Katz among others. (They'd bring their duds along when they came, as they say in show biz, "out ta da house!")

Special, too.......... were tales of hearing how the Weills would come to Cleveland to play theaters like the Hippodrome or the Palace (which they would play for weeks at a time) and what they did for fun in their time off. Good times rolled at artistic havens of the day like, the Hermit Club, the Beau Arts Club and Karamu.

If Vaudeville Comes Back, We Can Deck The Halls............ "Theater is in Dennis' blood", says his mother's cousin Emily Weill Klein. She confirmed,"that it was not just a family myth" (about the vaudevillians) because she has publicity photos of the troupers, which she treasures as heirlooms. Dennis' theatrical treasures included a hand-me-down start of a collection of theater programs from the Hanna Theatre. Later, Dennis and his wife, continued the family's Hanna Theatre Guild membership and were able to keep adding to the collection. Helping to fill in with any missing programs were their seat mates at the theater, the late media-types and critics, Mary, Mary Strassmeyer and Tony Mastroianni. The family now has a program from every touring show that the Hanna hosted over its 65-year life.

Also part of the family theatre "treasures"............ are some other interesting theater reads, too. Ethel Waters autobiography, "To Me It's Wonderful" (which she signed). Plus, a 1949 First Edition of "Lyrics" by Oscar Hammerstein II (also autographed by the author). But, precious among the show-biz-belongings, are the Lassie and Nancy Drew books Dennis' great aunt Florence Michelson authored, that she inscribed to him.

Where's A Stage Mother When You Need One?........... Sadly, Dennis' parents did not support the Arts side of his life. They favored his business side. Thus, Dennis became an overachiever, striving to win their approval. (He won it when playing "roles" like banker and later, sales & marketing executive). Regrettably, Dennis' father never took him up on his offer to come and see him play. Bittersweet as it is (with both parents deceased), Dennis now feels support comes from family, by way of cousins Emily Weill Klein and Flo Weill Tallisman, (her sister). He's encouraged to be more creative whenever they remind him how artistic many in the family have become. One who should know is Emily. This vibrant, 80-something, world traveler thinks nothing of dashing off to London for example just to catch up with some of those creative Weill relatives. She only recently came back from visitng (again) some of the other ones in Europe.

How is it the Weill relatives are so far flung? To explain, at the start of World War II, they fled Germany, scattering all over the world changing the name Weill to Willey, Wily, Wiley, Wills, etc. Why? Because Hitler threatened to kill all the families of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. In writing their "Threepenny Opera" they had a not-so-thinly veiled warning of the coming neo-Nazisim (e.g.,recall the character Mac McHeath's song, "Mack the Knife".)

A genealogy project started for his school, has another relative in search of some of these same roots, too. Cousin Emily's young grandson from San Diegeo, Mat Goldberg, has a computerized family tree that goes back to the 1700's. It's caused a curiosity about how the trapestry threads of creativity run, so to speak.

Distant relative Kurt Weill's love of different people and places, also translated into diverse musical works, and what works they are! To learn more about them go to the USEFUL LINKS page and CLICK on Kurt Weill. That should take you to the official website (www.kwf.org) for Weill and his wife, legendary singer Lotte Lenya.

Weill's website makes for interesting reading, helping one to understand just how prolific he was. Born in 1900, and although he only lived to the age of 50, his creative output measures like one who lived three lifetimes! They say, "Kurt Weill is considered the most influential composer of the 20th century." Perhaps that's because during his entire professional life, he sought as his collaborators the finest literary talents of his time! Among them were daring avant-garde writers like German Bertolt Brecht, distinguised dramatists like Georg Kaiser and Maxwell Anderson, who had never before attempted musical works, and poets like Langston Hughes. Others with whom Weill collaborated were, Franz Werfel, Paul Green, Moss Hart, Max Reinhart, Arnold Sundgard, Edwin Justus Mayer, Elisabeth Hauptmann, Ogden Nash, Johnny Burke, Otto Klemperer, Alan Jay Lerner and Ira Gershwin.

Interesting, too, is that Weill wrote with S.J. Perelman (the Marx Brothers movies scriptwriter) and last but not least, "Street Scene" written with Elmer Rice and Langston Hughes (Talk about creative threads that ran via producer Cheryl Crawford to Cleveland and Karamu.)

OTHER CLOSE ENCOUNTERS ON THE STAGE

Diversity plays an important part in growing creatively, it's been said. Dennis sure has his share of various and sundry role models to emulate now. Maybe there's a muse that will bring out the best in him, yet. Although Dennis' own love for theater had him writing for the stage, too........

One Muse (this time we spell with a capital M) was the late, lamented Dorothy Fuldheim, who wanted to be a patron to Dennis! How the woman with the title "The Grand Dame of Television" came to want to champion him to be the composer for her "Three and a Half Husbands" book-into-play project, is written about in the longer BIO on the website. Suffice to say, it was heartbreaking when Dorothy passed away, never having recovered from a stroke. Dennis never got to play for her, the music she "commissioned" him to write. But, on a lighter note, read how Dennis met The Flambouyant Fuldheim , how she button-holed him and... about the brainstorming she gave him!

Here's some information about the two as-yet-unproduced plays that Dennis also wrote music for...... The first play is a musical comedy about Richard III, appropriately titled "Ruling Passion". Book and lyrics were written by screenwriter Deborah Osment Ryan.

The second musical comedy Dennis did the music for is....... "Just We Two" with book and lyrics written by cartoonist Larry Brenner. Although both plays have yet to be mounted, one song from the second play (along with another original of Dennis') was recorded by the very talented singer, Melissa Barber. Clevelanders know her from her current gig as the wedding singer in the successful interactive play titled, "Tony & Tina's Wedding" (coincidently it's playing at the Hanna). Melissa's C.D. has the appropriate title of "You Heard It Here First". The song from "Just We Two", called "Will We Ever Catch Up With Tomorrow?" has an another appropriate title, too. (Read the website's detailed BIO on Dennis and you'll see how the axiom, "Art reflects life" plays into all this.)

But back to the latent-actor-in-Dennis Chandler.... Long, long before his onstage role as "Guitar Man" in "Spunk" at Karamu Theater, his stage experience included some interesting and diverse gigs. As a teenager, he toured the Cleveland area in the KYW Roadshow and Press Show Wagon under the direction of Arlene Blank Rich. He was the troup's pianist and accompanist. He also peformed as a musician on stage, backing plays, like at Greenbrier Theatre. After a wildly successful run of "Grease", the cast there came to him enmasse and asked him to put together another show. He did.

After writing some dialogue and original songs, he had a Rock 'n' Roll Revue he titled, "Maltshop Memories". With his Stratophonics band aka The Dennis Chandler Band backing the troupe, they toured all around the area. Then, in the late '80s, he got to reprise the show in a lovely summer-stock setting. It happened during the time Dennis, along with his wife Liz Chandler, directed and taught theater, full time at the summer-camp-type Gates Mills Straw Hat Theater. Many wonderful musical memories are recalled, especially since some Straw Hat students have since gone into the Arts!

Like a trouper, Dennis did duty way, way back with many of his media friends like Dale Solly, Laurie Jennings, the late Joel Rose to name just a few. Some he still accompanies today i.e., Dick Goddard, Bill "Smoochie" Gordon. Included were various Variety Club shows done with them, along with benefits for charity i.e, Cleveland Area Broadcasters, Cleveland Public Theatre and Broadway Cares / Equity Fights Aids.

Friends say they can see how Dennis' "strutting and playing upon the stage" at Karamu has brought out the ham in this multi-faceted performer. Plus he says, looking at his Karamu Actors Guild Outstanding Performance Award makes him think about wanting to tread the boards again... and maybe he'll get that promised invitation to "Come back to Karamu".

Spring 2001... Saw Dennis almost return to Karamu for that third time charm and in a Langston Hughes play, yet. But, it was not meant to be. To explain, when Karamu was casting for Simpley Heavenly, Sue Johnson (a casting director, acting coach and owner of Wake Up and Live! Actors Studio ) called Dennis to say he "would be perfect for this play!" Plus, a cast member herself, she also told the director. The play was being guest directed by well-known, respected actor Richard Gant ! Dennis looked forward to working with him. But, he was not called right away. Later it was shared: they thought he only played guitar (albeit very well witness his role as Guitar Man in Spunk). No one fathomed that he could be a master at piano, too. So, although his audition was a success and earned him a rave review: "Dennis' more musician than all of them put together!" ... timing was too late. Dennis' dance card had been filed (read: conflicting bookings). But, everyone says they look forward to when the match will be right again for: "Dennis to come back home, to Karamu!"