Our purpose is to foster and facilitate inner-city theater and arts to bring joy to

those who come out and experience it. Our goal is to promote the craft of playwriting,

acting, producing, set design and sound technology through concrete hands-on

theatrical productions.

Our Bay Area actors, stage crew, directors are experienced entertainers and

community theater performers. The scripts and the music are original. The plots are

based on real life experiences within the African American community, but universal to

all. Our performances take part in preserving the rich tradition of Black Theater and

aim to expose a diverse group of non-traditional theater goers to a community theater

experience, written, directed, and produced by people that look like them. Since our

subject matter: (families, entertainment, substance abuse, returning war veterans,

health, trauma) touches all social, ethnic, and economic classes, our theatre audience,

though predominately African American also includes Latino and Caucasian attendees.

We have a large following from the NA (Narcotics Anonymous) community. Our

artistic work has been seen by many since “Diva on Tour” premiere in 2006.

Rodney E. James, a San Francisco native has always found ways to sharpen his theatrical skills as a stage actor, performing in numerous bay area productions. In 2005 Rodney realized his lifelong dream of becoming an accomplished playwright and producer, as he put pen to paper and wrote “Diva On Tour”.  Rodney, along with his then wife, Kay Williams co-produced and premiered “Diva” in May 2006. Rodney’s second play “No! Not My Son” premiered successfully in November of 2008! His third and most personal production, celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness is, “A Dream Interrupted, A Life Reborn”, as a tribute to his wife, a breast cancer survivor.

Musically, Rodney began performing in the mid-sixties as local talent with a variety of

vocal groups such as: the Marcells, and Papa and the Utopians, performing at different bay

area clubs and events. In the mid-seventies, Rodney became a member of “Talk of Da Town”, an Accapella group which became a popular opening act for such greats as, The Temptations, Joan Biaz, James Brown, George Benson, Take Six, Patty Labelle, and more. Over the years Rodney has appeared

with Talk of Da Town at: Villa Montalvo, Kimball’s East, San Francisco City Hall, Oakland’s Paramount Theatre, as well as their annual Christmas Tour to Europe, and many other community and civic venues in the Bay Area. In 2002 Rodney became a member of the Natural Four and has performed with them at venues such as The Monterey Blues Festival, The Jimmy Hendrix Experience in Seattle, WA, The City of Oakland’s 150th Birthday Celebration, sponsored by Mayor Brown, and Biscuits & Blues

in San Francisco. Rodney’s musical career continued as he became a founding member of an original music production called “Ta’Lor Made Entertainment”, whose popularity soared

across the Bay Area. Rodney, also headlines with the cast of the popular Motown Revue called Hittsville USA, performing the Temptations, Four Tops, The Spinners, The Pips, and more.

“DIVA ON TOUR”

“Diva”, a Dramatic Comedy with a Musical Surprise!” It is the story of a family

whose daughter has “made it BIG” and is coming to town in concert! The family

comes together to reflect, renew, heal, and bond in a way that is filled with

compassion, tears, and laughter. The soul music we know, and love will unify the

souls of the Pedway family in the finale at “the concert”.

“NO NOT MY SON”

“No Not My Son” is a play that takes a poignant look at the highs and lows of a

family and a community in the grips of drug addiction, and the toll that it takes on

each person. Set in the Vietnam era, when many of our young men were returning

from war with their childhood hopes and dreams shattered by addiction, Rodney

tells the story of a family and community like many others then and many others

now.  "No Not My Son" speaks to our hearts in a way that is touching, thought

provoking, and informative with that touch of humor that has become the

trademark of writer, Rodney E. James. It is truly a play that offers a solution!

“A DREAM INTERRUPTED A LIFE REBORN”

“Dream” is perhaps Rodney’s most personal work yet.  Inspired by his wife (and

producing partner) Kay Williams' bout with breast cancer in 2008, "Dream"

conveys the importance of early detection in cases of cancer, and what happens

after the diagnosis. "Dream" which is not autobiographical, is the story of one

woman's battle with breast cancer and how it affects her and all her relationships

in life. James crafted the piece to tell the story of a women's dream life, proposed

marriage, betrayal, denial and secretiveness of the breast cancer diagnosis, her

partner's perspective, and the battles with chemotherapy and recovery.