Were you at Carnegie Hall for the performance of "Haiti: The Rhythms, The Dances and The Gods." If so, what did you think of the evening's event?  Speak your mind!
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Originall quote from NegNwe:

I was at the Mapou Productions event last night at Carnegie Hall in New York City and was very dissapointed at Danny Glover's performance as Toussaint Louverture. At many points during the performance, I was like "Oh no he's not reading his lines!!!!!!!!!" But he was. They had given him some ancient-looking scroll and he was actually reading lines from it. At certain points, he even stumbled on lines and I thought that was the most unprofessional thing I had ever seen. Especially from an actor of his calibor. I know he had other Broadway engagements, but he knew he was doing Carnegie Hall for months now. Is it because he thought this was a "Haitian event fo no real significance?" that he didn't bother learning his lines?

The rest of the production was great, the dancers were excellent, but Danny has got to go. We need to stop using him as our Haitian spokesperson.

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I agree with you but at the same token it was a learning experience for Mapou Productions. The intentions was good but they failed to meet their objectives in portraying such a hero as Tousaint Louverture. From what I understood also it was his idea to play Toussaint Louverture and in collaboration with Mapou they made it come true. However if they ever plan to do this again I hope they choose another who can portray Toussaint for man that he really was. Nevertheless I will  tell them that nice effort.  

Quote: Originally posted by Guest on May-24-2003

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I agree with you but at the same token it was a learning experience for Mapou Productions. ...

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Guest,

This is not the first time mapou is doing this. The producers such as Jean-Jean Pierre are very well established and experienced in their crafts. Mapou did not just appear yesterday. If they are still learning how to do stuff correctly, they should not be at carnegie Hall, and should not have cherged the $100 that many people payed for tickets.

I agree with the comments regarding Mr Glover.  It's also a double edged sword that he performed at all.  On the one hand, it's good to know that he appreciates our history and subsequently our contribution world-wide Black History.  On the other hand,  It's disconcerting to know that we still need to be validated as a people by non-Haitians.  We gave only one of our performers a very moderate standing ovation and we gave Glover a full standing ovation. 

To the guest above,

It's always like that. I was at the Haitian Music Awards in Miami earlier this year and none of our artists got bigger applause than Babby Brown and Whitney Houston, who happened to be present.

More recently, at Brooklyn's "18 Mai" festivities, one of the announcers said that Sean Paul (the popular reggea artsist) was in the house. Although he never came up on stage (and I wonder whether he was really present), people went wilder for him than any Haitian artist scheduled to perform.

Guest I'm familiar with the " Charity begins at home" but what does it refer to here?

First of all you guys know your history as black people we are one. Do you guys  remember  that geography divides us. Danny Glover was the one who wanted to work on the project and what's wrong with that. If the actor was unknow would  you guys have gone out to see the play? Everyone has their opinon on how it should have been but not once did I hear someone give an idea on how we can improve the play. Suggest another actor so on and so far. Did you also know that before he signed his contract with Harold and Boys he requested that day off just to perform this once in life time role. The  only other African American that ever wanted do any type of work or movie  about the Haitian Revolution was Paul Robeson. I give Danny and Mapou much props for taking the initative to put such work in the mainstream arena. Let learn ways to make it better but don't tear down like we tear everything else we have done.

Guest,

It's not as simple as you make it out to be. This isn't a case of simple bashing just for the sake of being a hater. I know that Danny Glover meant well, that he asked for this specific day off in order to do Carnegie Hall, and that he loves Haiti to death, but that is no excuse.

If you were at the performance and saw him reading from the scroll and stumbling over his lines, you should have been upset too. I'm sure that during a 'Harold and the Boys' performance, he would have never gotten away with something like that. So why should we sit down and excuse the poor performace? Because it's just a Haitian thing? Please.

As Haitians we need to stop expecting, and accepting mediocrity.

"Epi dats it!"