Chameleon Street

Chameleon Street is a 1989 independent film written, directed by and starring Wendell B. Harris, Jr. an American filmmaker trained in drama at the prestigious Interlochen and Juilliard schools. Chameleon Street, a Gethsemane 84, Inc./ Prismatic Images, Inc. film tells the story of a social chameleon who impersonates reporters, doctors and lawyers in order to make money.

It's based on the true confessions of Detroit con artist and high school drop-out William Douglas Street, Jr. who successfully impersonated professional reporters, lawyers, athletes, extortionists, and surgeons. (In this last "role" he performed more than 36 successful hysterectomies.) One of the first films to examine how mellifluously race, class, and role-playing morph into the social fabric of America, Chameleon Street won the Grand Jury Prize at 1990 Sundance Film Festival.

This film is the work of a genius mind. Wendell's performance is magic. There have been many great films dealing with impersonation and pretending to be what you aren't, it's an old story, Shakespeare's told it to everyone else but this is in no way redundant. It's a brilliant, entertaining, funny and well told story. Now, this is pre-Six Degrees of Separation, and watching the film it came to me that Will Smith has to love this movie and probably used it in preparation for Six Degrees. There are amazing similarities between the actors, not only in appearance but spirit and execution as well. There's also a scene with a Rubik's Cube that'll make you think of The Pursuit of Happyness and go hmmmm.

If you haven't seen this, do yourself a favor: rent it.

Barnabas Crosby Live

I got to see Barnabas Crosby perform live with his guitar and singing from his heart at the 507 Bar and Grill in Williamsburg. It was an evening of fundraising for the Lil' Raggamuffin Summer Camp in Jamaica where the musician has taught theater to inner city kids. His music puts one in the mind of Gil Scott, Stevie, Bob and Anthony Hamilton by way of his socially conscious commentary. The father of a beautiful, charming four year old girl is a singer/song writer and playwright who hails from Cleveland but now resides in Brooklyn. He counts among his inspirations Al Green, Bill Withers, Thelonious Monk and the artist of the Harlem Renaissance movement. "Ain't Nuthin' Else Better To Do" and "Home" are among my favorites of his for their gritty and straightforward honesty. Barnabas says while in college Dawson's Creek was at it's pinnacle and in his writing class when given assignments the other students were writing in that vein, however he had to find a way to write what he knew. "When you're poor and growing up and you don't know how to go about making a thing happen, you have to create what you think "it" is." He uses that make it happen approach as well as adapting the philosophies of improvisational jazz to write his plays. He says he is always "trying to create something rich and vibrant...something that people can feel." I think he has. Have a listen

Misha Chiporukha Photography Exhibit

Today really was beautiful. All that delicious sun after what felt like a month of straight rain. I didn't take the train or bus to scoot about, I walked. So there I am walking down Dekalb Ave. in Brooklyn. I noticed a chalk board advertising a photo exhibit taking place at that very moment, and free! Where? At Green Apple Cafe. An intimate neighborhood spot located at 110 Dekalb Ave. offering Smoothies with names like Chunkey Green Monkey (mmmmm!) Pear and Fontina Pressed Paninis (yum!), Grilled Shrimps Salads and more all at very reasonable prices. I myself enjoyed the smooth, strawberry ice cream curtesy of the friendly Tommy.

So I mosey to the backyard to view the works of Photographer Misha Chiporukha. Inspired, inspiring, raw, emotive, spiritual and only on view until tomorrow, Sunday May 17, until 6pm. I met Mr. Chiporukha briefly outside the cafe, interrupting his lunch with a friend as I babbled over the qualities of his work. In spite of my talking too much as I do when I meet an artist, Mr. Chiporukha was very patient,kind and accommodating. For your enjoyment I provide a few photos taken with my cell phone.






Personally, I'd get down to the cafe and see these amazing creations in person!

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