The Best Kept Secret in DFW.
By Tom “Axle” Allen

    I have had the privilege to work as a soundman for “The Black Academy of Arts and Letters” for about five years. TBAALL is a community based program that gives much more back, with their Jr. Black Academy. Names like Erica Badu, Robert Townsend, and many more all have close ties to TBAAL.   The talent that comes though their stage door is astounding! “TBAAL” has two venues, a full size theater for plays, choirs, and more, and also “The Muse Theater” a small room with an intimate setting like a dinner theater or comedy club. The Muse Theater presents “Spoken Word”, music ensemble, and awards shows.

 Martha Burke is one of the most recent shows I had the honor to mix, a powerful singer of old standards and blues songs. Ms. Burke’s interaction with her band, and patrons, had the venue shaking from raucous laughter, and the songs had ‘em dancing beside the tables. It was a show that I will remember always, and after 20 years of running sound I am a little hard to impress.

I have also mixed Evone Stickney’s spoken word show, based on her book of poetry, about her running away from home to New York City and sneaking into acting troops, workshops, and working with the people like Dansel Washington.  And developing
characters and voices from the people around her just to survive, like her crazy bag lady on the subway so she would be left alone going home after rehearsals late at night.

    One annual show I highly recommend seeing is the June Teenth “Sankofa Café”. It features some of the best local talent in  spoken word, not mention ‘Wild Women of Soul”, “Mothers, Daughters” and many more.
    
    Of course when you talk about TBAAL you can’t forget Curtis King the founder who is best described as a “Force of Nature” plus his right hand Ms. Gwen Hargrove.  I’d like to thank them both for the honor of being a part of their productions.
    
    Last of all, at the risk of being uNpoliticly correct, DO NOT let the name “The Black Academy” make you think, if you are not, you will not relate to the shows or any other silly thought in your head. Just picture a big, tattooed, biker looking guy, that can’t get no whiter, wrote this article. I have totally enjoyed every show I worked, and only through placing ourselves in new environments will Mankind evolve. Our “Gene Pool” is shallow enough as it is.  Don’t be the yutz trying to pull the stopper out and drain it!