Arts Tech Magazine: May 18, 2014

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On The Cover: A scene from In the Beginning There

Was the Word – Photography & Graphics by Shamar

Prescod. Photography Assistant: Ramona Gradison

Table of Contents

Recipes

o Quiche Lorraine

o Muffins

Play Review: In the Beginning There

Was the Word

Gina’s Dance: From Barbados to New

York

The Desk: All Revved Up

The Team

Shamar Prescod – Chief Editor/Photographer Tobenna Wells – Food Editor Van Nyx – Comic Writer & Copy Editor Special Note: Kamilah Cadogan & Nicholas Small

Editor's Notes Alas, another magazine is being put out on a

Sunday instead of a Friday. However, it’s very

hard to write about your feature on a Friday,

if it doesn’t happen till the Saturday, lol. I

wanted to make sure I got a review of

Empress Zingha’s play. After all, we did

mention it in an earlier issue. Plus our very

own Van Nyx was cast in a supporting role.

This week’s issue is very short, it was a very

busy week for most of the team

professionally, but we still wanted to make

sure we got you a good read. In addition to

the play review, our very first review I might

add, I also got a chance to speak with dancer,

Gina Mayers.

There are two nice recipes and of course,

Shawn James is back. Btw, in case you didn’t

know, Shawn James is a Parody of local news

presenter Shawn Green.

*NB: This is the second version of this week’s

magazine. There was a slight error on the

cover and in the Play Review



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Quiche Lorraine

Photo by: http://www.dairygoodness.ca/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/dairy-goodness/home/recipes/quiche-lorraine/10334517-1-eng-CA/quiche-lorraine.jpg

16 servings, 304 calories per serving.

Although this recipe is widely favored by

many people. It's an excellent dish and is

versatile in the ways it may be served, either as

an appetizer or as smaller versions for cocktail

parties and so on. The base pastry for this

dish is shortcrust pastry. It may be served

either hot or cold, and has many versions, but

specifically any Quiche with "Lorraine" in the

name must contain BACON!.

Ingredients

Short Crust pastry:

1 lb. flour

8 oz. fat (butter, butter+ shortening)

4 oz. Ice cold water

1 tsp. salt

Filling:

1 1/2 cups milk

2 oz. Cheddar cheese

3 eggs

6 oz. bacon

1 small onion

salt and pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Fahrenheit, grease baking ring and line

baking tray with parchment paper.

Combine all dry ingredients for

shortcrust pastry and rub the fat into

the flour.

Dip your fingertips into ice cold water

and make a well in the center of the

flour and add the cold water into the

flour.

Combine the water and flour together

well with your fingertips, adding a bit

of water at a time until a dough is

formed.

Place dough into fridge and relax for

15-30 minutes.

Take dough out of fridge and roll it

out into a circular shape until it's 1

1/2 times the size of the baking ring

(be careful not to roll the dough too

thin).

Place baking ring onto the baking tray

lined with parchment paper.

Lift the dough and place it into the

baking ring, press dough onto the

sides of the ring and cut off all excess

dough which hangs over the ring.

Bake blind (place dry rice and / or

beans onto parchment paper and into

the pie shell, and bake it into the

oven) until the ends become slightly

brown.

http://www.dairygoodness.ca/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/dairy-goodness/home/recipes/quiche-lorraine/10334517-1-eng-CA/quiche-lorraine.jpg





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While the pastry is baking sauté finely

diced onion and bacon in, no need for

oil (bacon would make it's own). Sauté

until the bacon is cooked, but not

hard.

Whisk eggs with milk until light.

Season with salt and pepper.

When the pastry shell becomes slightly

brown place sautéed onion and bacon,

then the egg mixture into it.

Top off with grated cheese and place

it back into the oven until the cheese

turns slightly brown in color.

Muffins

Photo by: http://tiny-kitchen-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Vanilla-muffin1.jpg

12 muffins, 97 calories per muffin

This is a basic recipe for mildly flavored

vanilla muffins. They are categorized as a

quick-bread and may be prepared for

breakfast or to be snacked on throughout the

day. You could eat them with your favorite

jam, or even ice cream for a simple yet fun

snack.

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Fahrenheit.

* Stir together flour, baking powder, salt

and sugar in a large bowl.

* Make well in the center of the bowl.

* In a small bowl, beat the egg with a

fork and stir in the milk and oil, being

sure to mix properly.

* Pour the egg mixture into the well of

the flour and mix quickly but lightly

with a fork until the mixture is

moistened, but do not beat.

* Pour the mixture into paper lined

muffin cups and bake for 25 minutes

or until golden brown.

By Tobenna Wells

http://tiny-kitchen-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Vanilla-muffin1.jpg

http://tiny-kitchen-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Vanilla-muffin1.jpg



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Play Review: In the Beginning There Was

the Word

Asase Yaa, “In the Beginning There Was the

Word.”

The Stream, “..and the Word Was Root.”

I must say…I am extremely disappointed this

was only on for one night. Empress Zingha has

written and directed an excellent show that

deserves a full run.

I went in to the play with an open mind.

Though we promoted it in the magazine during

Empress Zingha’s feature, I still for all intents

and purposes, was planning to be very harsh

with the production tonight.

Alas I am to be denied the chance to be a brutal

reviewer, because except for the misguided use

of red stage lighting at a couple points and

three slip ups by the actors that were barely

noticeable, the play was excellent. The cast and

crew put together a fantastic production of a

well written piece. Empress Zingha wrote and

directed an enthralling piece of art for her MFA

thesis. I am anxious to see if the graders have

seen the same production as I.

The use of Bajan folklore, characters, songs

and parables, to tell a tale of fighting through

struggle and depression and fighting for your

dreams, definitely played a huge role in drawing

patrons in. Everyone could relate.

Though all the actors were fantastic, the stand

out role were the leads, (and rightly so) of

Ann’Droid and Mr. Harding. Charlene Haynes

gave a strong performance as Ann’Droid and I

look forward to seeing much more of her in the

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Mr. Harding was an interesting villain. A well-

known character in Bajan folklore, it was easy

for the audience to identify with him as

someone worse than the devil. Deono James,

on stilts, provided an intimidating figure.

Meanwhile DJ Simmons, a veteran spoken

words artiste, gave a chilling performance as

his voice and human form. Undoubtedly, DJ

gave the most gripping delivery of the night.

Kerry-Ann Waithe got the crowd involved in

the play, making us the Stream of Humanity

which Ann’Droid must plug into. It was

reminiscent of being at the Phantom of the

Opera. Involving the crowd so early in the play

really helped us to better relate to the

characters from the very beginning.

I must also note Levi King as Oscar “Ossie”

Moore. His “Yah Muddah” dis to Mr. Harding

closed that ACT to thunderous applause.

Sabrina Ambrose got the crowd involved as

she played the role of Ossie Moore’s mother,

the Nut-seller Mehrill. “Comforts, toffees,

package of nuts, tell me what yah want young

fellah!” as she walked through the crowd

singing, incorporated the audience, continuing

to make us a part of the play.

Jovanna Ellis as Milly and the legendary Tony

Thompson as John Brown, gave a heart

pounding performance. Jovanna’s tear streaked

performance would have had even the most

toughened person grab for a tissue. The use of

a Bajan folklore to tell the tale of adultery,

murder, abuse and revenge was well executed.



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Empress Zingha should be proud of this if

nothing else.

I must also gave praise to Vanessa Nightengale

(our very own Van Nyx) as Dr. Lexicon

(Speech), Adrian Green as Dr. Pulse (Rhythm)

and Natoya Yarde as Dr. Decibella (Sound).

George Cox did a great job on set design while

makeup and special effects were provided by

Sherryanne Moore. Wesu Wallace was the

Sound Designer for Mr. Harding.

All in all, I think if you missed this production

you have only yourself to blame. Undoubtedly,

Empress Zingha will be writing and directing

more plays in the future. If this performance is

any indication of her talent, more great plays

are yet to come.

Story & Photography by Shamar Prescod.

Photo Assistant: Ramona Gradison



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Gina's Dance: From Barbados to New

York

Gina Maria Mayers has been dancing from a

very young age. Born, raised and trained in

Barbados, she is now gracing the stages of New

York. She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts from

The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill

Campus and has also studied at the Ailey

School in New York. Though she’s currently in

New York, I got the opportunity to ask her a

few questions. I just love the internet.

Q. When did you first begin dancing and what made

you realise this was the career for you?

I started dancing ballet when I was about 7

years old. I did it for about 2 years and at the

time it was more recreational, but I remember

feeling a sense of excitement and connect with

the physicality of dance. I would say I truly

connected with dance at 12 years old.

It was a year after my father died and my

mother was worried that I wasn’t grieving. She

enrolled me into a ballet class at The Dance

Place, and the first time I stepped into that

class it was like the world fell away. All I felt

was the music, my body and my emotion…raw

emotions, feelings of grief, pain and conversely

love for my father. I used the technique,

movement and freedom of dance as an outlet

for my emotions. Dance saved me in a way. I

knew then, (though I wasn’t brave enough to

admit it) that this was my life’s path.

Q. Name some of your biggest influences as a dancer?

I would have to say of one my biggest

influences would have to be firstly the

legendary, Pearl Primus. Following that it

would then be in no particular order: Tanya

Wideman,(Alonzo King Lines Ballet), Aesha

Ash (Alonzo King Lines ballet), Alicia Graf

Mack (Alvin Ailey American Dance theater),

Misty Copeland (American Ballet Theater) and

Ebony Williams (Cedar Lakes Ballet) I love

these women because they are all pioneers in

their own right. They are beautiful, graceful

black female dancers who have defied the

odds. I aspire to have both their artistry and

technical mastery.

Q. You are now in New York. Tell a little bit about

the dance company you are with now.

The beauty about New York is that I get the

opportunity to work with multiple companies

with different styles on various projects. I’m

currently working with Asha Dance Company,

a contemporary dance company. We just

completed our season of Dance at the Kumble

Theater in Brooklyn entitled “Season of the

Woman”. The movement there is very

grounded, very concerned with our feminine

roots.

I also worked with the New York Times

acclaimed children’s musical called “The Earth

and Me” with The Shadow Box Theater, where

I played as the lead soloist in the role of “The



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Earth”. In this beautiful, poignant story of a

child’s relationship with mother earth, the style

of this company is more ethereal and light

spirited.

Q. How do you utilize modern technology to help you

learn new techniques and generally improve your

dancing ability?

I definitely utilize videography more so than

any other form of technology to improve my

dancing. Dance is very visual it’s all about the

aesthetic quality. As a dancer we cannot always

see our bodies in space to adjust it to the

choreographers liking. It helps me to watch

myself so that I can see precisely what I’m

doing, how it looks, and how I can improve on

that work.

Also, as a choreographer, sometimes I just

want to move my body through space and let

the creativity flow. With videography I can

have more freedom to just explore movement,

without the worry of forgetting a particularly

inspired movement. It also helps me to watch

professionals at their best on stage, to study

and try to replicate the way in which they do

things.

Technology is totally incorporated into the

field of Dance now. It has become an entire

multimedia experience. I watched one

performance, ironically called Ram about

childhood memories in which all the dancers

had portable projectors on their heads while

they danced, that showed a re-enactment of

their childhood memories. Technology, more

and more is becoming a part of dance.

Q. What advice would you give to people about the

benefits of utilising technology in their particular art

forms?

I would say simply to recognize that the

technology is merely a tool for the actualization

of the art. Use the miracle of technology to

refine your art, and to add dimension in some

cases to your work.

The minute you lose track of the essence of

your art and start cramming in effects, tricks

and the latest gadget it will lose its impact.

Artists need to make sure the technology is

actually empowering your work and idea, and

not just “extra fluff”. Technology and art

should be in a symbiotic relationship, each

making every aspect more tactile and tangible.

Interview by Shamar Prescod



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The Desk by Van Nyx

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Arts Tech Magazine: May 18, 2014