Levi Frazier Jr. is an actor, known for The Firm (1993), Walking Tall Part II (1975) and Her Hidden Truth (1995), not to mention an educator for Southwest Tennessee Community Collage, a theater mogul from out of Memphis, TN, who wrote a play called "Down on Beale Street".
Of course, I could go on and on with pleasure about Levi Frazier and his wife Deborah, who founded the Blues City Cultural Center for the Visual and Performing Arts.
As a result of that organization, I was cast as one of the main actors for "Down On Beale Street" over one summer season during my high school days.
Apparently, it makes me a valid part of history, at least somebodies history; it matters to somebody, since the play is thoroughly documented within academic circles and publications, such as the book African American Theatre: An Historical and Critical Analysis of Samuel A Hay.
And adding to that research, I have in my own possession a brochure that proves part of the process for how I was discovered for a role in this play.
That brochure was just fading away in a file cabinet and I have attached it at the end of this post for your review.
I just feel the need to shout about it - like I would shout over a spiritual song sung by the likes of The Full Gospel Tabernacle Church Choir, under the leadership of the Reverend Al Green.
More recently, Chrys Clayton, another one of my cast mates, now living in Nashville, TN, showed this same level of excitement, reminding me that we need to pull out all the stops to revive our positive memories and celebrate our milestones.
The director of that summer season performance was T.C. Sharpe.
T.C. Sharpe is an actor best known for Black Snake Moan (2006), Hustle & Flow (2005) and The Poor and Hungry (2000).
In addition to acting, TC Sharpe is a retired biology teacher with 30 years of tenure with the former Memphis City School System.
Let me tell you how I came to know Sharpe.
Sharpe was teaching at Fairley High School, whereby he discovered me singing in the school's talent show with the Blue Bossa Band, who were number one All-State jazz band members in the State of Tennessee from out of Whitehaven High School - Dereck C Werner played bass guitar and he is now a Band Director for the U.S. Navy Band, and his twin brother, Erik Werner, who played piano for the band, is now a Grammy Award winner for Clear Channel.
After my performance with the Blue Bossa Band, Sharpe came over to our family home in Whitehaven, at the corner of Shelby Drive and Berta Road, with the intention of casting me in a key role as an aspiring young white guy who would often sneak into the backstage doors of black clubs on Beale Street, and who would learn to emulate the dance moves and vocal styles of some of the greatest black performers of all time.
I told Sharpe that I wanted that part and would audition for it.
I was later cast for the part.
I played a blonder, less kingly, want-a-be singer, who once lived in the Memphis Public Housing Projects called Lauderdale Courts and attended Humes High School, and prior to having his infamous swiveling hips and raised upper lip.
I found that I would not have to sing and dance like the King of Rock & Roll, after all, just perform what might have been his first few steps towards stardom.
Needless to say, all this reminiscing has brought back a lot of great memories!
Perhaps we should do a talent review of our cast members and tell people where we are now and what we have been doing with our lives.
Let's just face it, we were one of the most talented high school cast members ever assembled under one roof and from across the entire City of Memphis, TN!
And all of us went on to achieve something great in one way or another, either as humble home makers, average joe employees, and even big time stars - if only in our own minds - chuckling to myself.
I am all shook up, and ready to perform like the much younger King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, just - one - more - time!
Of course, I could go on and on with pleasure about Levi Frazier and his wife Deborah, who founded the Blues City Cultural Center for the Visual and Performing Arts.
As a result of that organization, I was cast as one of the main actors for "Down On Beale Street" over one summer season during my high school days.
Apparently, it makes me a valid part of history, at least somebodies history; it matters to somebody, since the play is thoroughly documented within academic circles and publications, such as the book African American Theatre: An Historical and Critical Analysis of Samuel A Hay.
And adding to that research, I have in my own possession a brochure that proves part of the process for how I was discovered for a role in this play.
That brochure was just fading away in a file cabinet and I have attached it at the end of this post for your review.
I just feel the need to shout about it - like I would shout over a spiritual song sung by the likes of The Full Gospel Tabernacle Church Choir, under the leadership of the Reverend Al Green.
More recently, Chrys Clayton, another one of my cast mates, now living in Nashville, TN, showed this same level of excitement, reminding me that we need to pull out all the stops to revive our positive memories and celebrate our milestones.
The director of that summer season performance was T.C. Sharpe.
T.C. Sharpe is an actor best known for Black Snake Moan (2006), Hustle & Flow (2005) and The Poor and Hungry (2000).
In addition to acting, TC Sharpe is a retired biology teacher with 30 years of tenure with the former Memphis City School System.
Let me tell you how I came to know Sharpe.
Sharpe was teaching at Fairley High School, whereby he discovered me singing in the school's talent show with the Blue Bossa Band, who were number one All-State jazz band members in the State of Tennessee from out of Whitehaven High School - Dereck C Werner played bass guitar and he is now a Band Director for the U.S. Navy Band, and his twin brother, Erik Werner, who played piano for the band, is now a Grammy Award winner for Clear Channel.
After my performance with the Blue Bossa Band, Sharpe came over to our family home in Whitehaven, at the corner of Shelby Drive and Berta Road, with the intention of casting me in a key role as an aspiring young white guy who would often sneak into the backstage doors of black clubs on Beale Street, and who would learn to emulate the dance moves and vocal styles of some of the greatest black performers of all time.
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| Our family home located in the Whitehaven area of Memphis Tennessee, with a music room right behind my dads red truck. |
I was later cast for the part.
I played a blonder, less kingly, want-a-be singer, who once lived in the Memphis Public Housing Projects called Lauderdale Courts and attended Humes High School, and prior to having his infamous swiveling hips and raised upper lip.
I found that I would not have to sing and dance like the King of Rock & Roll, after all, just perform what might have been his first few steps towards stardom.
Needless to say, all this reminiscing has brought back a lot of great memories!
Perhaps we should do a talent review of our cast members and tell people where we are now and what we have been doing with our lives.
Let's just face it, we were one of the most talented high school cast members ever assembled under one roof and from across the entire City of Memphis, TN!
And all of us went on to achieve something great in one way or another, either as humble home makers, average joe employees, and even big time stars - if only in our own minds - chuckling to myself.
I am all shook up, and ready to perform like the much younger King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, just - one - more - time!
 |
| Where I was discovered by T.C. Sharpe to perform in the play "Down On Beale Street" at the 1983 Fariley High School Talent Show. Here is the brochure's outside front cover and last page. |
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| Where I was discovered by T.C. Sharpe to perform in the play "Down On Beale Street" at the 1983 Fariley High School Talent Show. Here is the brochure's inside page. |
