Scribblin’ at the Automat
idegosuperego
October 1 - 11, 2009
In the spring of 1955 two high school friends meet at and Automat (a streamlined eatery frequented by many in its day) on 42nd street in New York to catch up on ole times. They have some pie, a soda pop and talk about what they have planned for the future. What is so remarkable about this you ask? When the friends in question are James Baldwin and Richard Avedon I believe one would want to hear what they might have to say. America in the mid 50’s the politics; McCarthyism, Civil rights and existing in a post war nuclear age. The culture of Americana; striving for the perfect family. Man as the breadwinner, two-car garage, the wife who cooks, cleans raises 2.3 kids and still finds the time to be glamorous for her husband. Music; jazz has gone mainstream but everything has taken a back seat to Rock and Roll. The arts, television, film et al. They have more than enough to chat about!
"When you take what the average person does not know about literary heavy James Baldwin and his true friendship with famous photographer Richard Avedon based on their professional work on their high school paper and set that against the beginning of their respective careers via a meeting at an eatery in New York City, you have the dynamic captivating work by playwright Arthur Alleyne. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy."
~Brook Stephenson (literary editor www.natcreole.com)
"Up-and-coming writer-director Arthvr Alleyne's play about the real life friendship between writer James Baldwin and photographer Richard Avedon is a provocative conversation between this odd couple about race, sex and the New York Art scene."
~Tracy E. Hopkins (The Village Voice)
"Thought-provoking & insightful...Scribblin at the Automat confronts timeless issues that are still relevant today."
~Danny Simmons (Co-Founder Rush Philanthropic Arts)
"Scribblin’ at the Automat is a moving and telling portrait of James Baldwin and Richard Avedon at the early stages of their fame and creative geniuses. Though a fictionalized meeting, the play nonetheless captures the arc of their respective lives, right before our nation, and the world, began to implode in the 1960s. So Scribblin' is not merely a depiction of a friendship between two giants, but, just as important, it is a brutally honest tale of the America that was, and still is."
~Kevin Powell (Writer/activist)
What people have to say about Scribblin’!