As a gift to Samuel L. Jackson, actor James Pickens Jr. (best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC drama television series Grey's Anatomy) offered 6 tickets for our HSA Theatre Prep students to attend Sunday, January 8, 2012 matinee performance of critically acclaimed Broadway play, The Mountaintop, written by our very own HSA Alumna Katori Hall at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
It was a phenomenal experience for our young actors and their Theatre Department Director Willie Teacher. The play featured megastars Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett. "Very simply stated the show was magnificent, set design, text and performances were well met" says Mr. Teacher.
The students waited backstage among the VIP audience members to offer their thanks to the actors for the true gift in of their performance. Backstage they saw musician Kenny "Baby Face" Edmonds , director Quentin Taratino and actors Taraji P. Henson and Chris Tucker. The students had a blast.
In the words of our very own Mr. Teacher "We then go a full 5-minute Q&A session with Samuel L. Jackson which we thought was the highlight of the evening....that is until the arrival of the sensational Angela Bassett. Ms. Bassett greeted us with a great big smile and an even bigger SCREAM which was topped by a round of hugs...real hugs "fo all us" as she put it. She then proceeded to give the students a 20 minute acting lesson. Keep in mind she had just finished a 90-minute, full out performance, her 8th of the week. The lesson she shared was of particular interest to the young ladies Malea and Nia. Angela wanted to make sure they got it...really got it and from the tears that were shed by all I believe that they did. Then she included the rest of us in a series of invaluable, unforgettable, anecdotes. After we exhausted our questions we thanked her to the fullest then were the last guests led out of the theater."
This is a day our HSA Prep students will never forget. It will resound in the students' work and in their commitment to the craft as they head into the Spring 2012 term...reaffirming this is really why we do what we do at the Harlem School of the Arts.
PHOTOS: HSA Theatre Prep Students and Willie Teacher Backstage with Quentin Tarantino & Samuel L. Jackson; HSA Prep Students with Willie Teacher and Angela Bassett.
