“My Girl” Traci Elaine Lee talks acting at age 9 and touring in her hometown for the first time9/21/2022  Broadway Dallas welcomes home Dallas native Traci Elaine Lee in the smash hit musical, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations. From community theater to selling out shows on a national tour, the audience screamed as the first female actress graced the stage in style. It’s none other than Traci Elaine Lee, as she magically portrays several roles in the production Ain’t Too Proud: Life and Times of The Temptations. Opening night for this Dallas native was surreal. She was so excited to have her mom in the audience for opening night. “Last night felt amazing. The energy, just knowing my family was out there. My mom invited everybody to come and see the show. The adrenaline was rushing through my veins.” We first see Traci on stage as Johnnie Mae Matthews, the Godmother of Detroit Soul and the Temptations first manager. If you know the story of the Temptations, then you know Johnnie Mae did not play about her money and leaves the Temptations with absolutely nothing. Traci so eloquently nailed this role before transforming into the beautiful and soulful, “Black excellence” as she describes her character, Mary Wilson, one of the founding members of Motown’s most successful female groups, The Supremes. “Baby Love is my favorite song by them” as we both broke out in a two-part harmony, singing the lyrics and snapping our fingers. Traci’s voice is powerful, unforgettable and a perfect depiction of the Motown sound from the 1960’s. Read More Born and raised in the DFW area, Traci was introduced to community theater at a very young age. Her dad was a local bass player and her mom, Denise Lee, was an actress. Traci vividly recalls attending rehearsals with her parents for a Christmas production and assisted as backstage hands. Traci quickly embraced and fell in love with the process of the production. She gained a deep appreciation for theater and by the age of 9, she was in her first play. Lee attended summer camp from age 9-18 with the WaterTower Theater Company in Addison and graduated from Garland Independent School District.
For Traci, her “WHY” stems from the lack of Black people in the industry. Traci had a few words of advice for aspiring actors in the DFW area. “Learn everything about everything you want to do. Whether it’s a leading role or ensemble, you help tell the story. Some of the best performers are in the ensemble versus lead roles. You help tell the story. Never stop finding ways to tell a story.” And when auditioning, “You must have fun. Don’t concentrate on the role and find that WOW moment. Don’t take anything for granted and enjoy that moment.” With mental health being a topic of discussion in the Black community, Traci says it’s important for her to take at least 30 minutes every day for herself. She enjoys spending time with her pandemic puppy, going to the gym, journaling, and talking walks. She loves listening to music, especially the Motown sound. “My Girl, because I’m a huge Smokey Robinson fan, and “I Can’t Get Next to You” are my favorite Temptation’s songs.” One highlight for Traci during this tour was meeting Otis Williams, the only living original Temptations member. “We met Uncle O three times; he chose to be a part of our production company. He still tours, he came to our first rehearsal in October. He came to Atlanta, which was our biggest show. And he also came out to Detroit to see us. Just to be able to tell this story was awesome.” Now, being from Detroit, I had to ask about my hometown and her visit to the Motown Museum. “The audience showered us with love. There are so many pockets of personal connection. I’ve been through Detroit years ago and had the opportunity to visit Hitsville USA now for the second time. It meant so much to me and I know so much more about the history.” Traci has an extensive acting portfolio, she was a part of the National tour Beautiful, Off-Broadway she played in Safeword, Select Regional she was in Dreamgirls, In the Heights, Fortress of Solitude (Dallas Theater Center). So, what’s next for Traci? Enthusiastically, she isn’t worried about what’s next as she explained, “Whatever will happen will be. What’s next will find me. Trust the unknown and have that faith.” Traci Elaine Lee, the entire Dallas-Fort Worth area is rooting for you, and we are so proud to watch you live out your dreams. Make sure to purchase tickets to see Traci and the entire cast of the Broadway musical AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS*, at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas until Sunday, September 18. Tickets are available online at BroadwayDallas.org and by phone at 800-982-2787. Also, follow her on IG: Tracelaine. *Featuring the Grammy® winning songs and Tony® winning moves, AIN’T TOO PROUD is the electrifying new musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one and being voted the greatest R&B group of all time by Billboard Magazine in 2017. The rest is history — how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more. SOURCE- Dallas Weekly
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 His paintings’ subjects seem to burst from the canvas in ‘Defiant’ exhibition. “Defiant,” by Dallas-based artist Jeremy Biggers at Daisha Board Gallery, is a virtuosic solo exhibition that captures the everyday grandeur of Black Dallasites being their full, authentic selves. The subjects of these paintings seem to be bursting from the canvas, such is the life force, the ashe, that Biggers has captured with his brush. Biggers’ most recent exhibitions have been about showcasing the multidimensionality of Black people, specifically Black men. In his 2021 solo show “Unspoken Burdens” at the South Dallas Cultural Center, Biggers examined how insecurities and societal burdens affect Black men in the absence of spaces where they can feel safe being vulnerable. At the start of 2022, Biggers’ solo exhibition “Presence” at Pencil on Paper Gallery included portraits of Black fathers with their sons and daughters in loving, tender and vulnerable ways. Read More “Defiant” showcases Black men and women in equal measure, and for me it is Biggers’ portraits of Black women that become his tour de force. The painting Defiant 001 shows a Black woman with orange hair, wearing purple lipstick, a septum nose ring and a brightly colored varsity jacket with at least 10 attached stuffed animals, on top of a flowy multi-colored striped dress. Some viewers will recognize that the woman is Mattie Calloway, a Dallas-based artist, longtime hair stylist and nationally prominent musician who works under the moniker MATTIE.
Biggers has painted this portrait in a monumental scale — it’s the largest studio painting of the artist’s life — and it has the majesty and details of an Anthony van Dyck court painting, particularly in the handling of the folds of the dress. It is the type of painting that one could contemplate for hours, such is the richness of the work, and the decision to place it on a billboard to advertise the show was well-deserved. Hopefully it will be placed in a museum next. Another highlight from the show is Defiant 005, a portrait of a Black woman with a flower-covered crown, natural hair, large cat-eye glasses, a collared patterned shirt, and a bemused side-eye and smirk. “Defiant,” by Dallas-based artist Jeremy Biggers at Daisha Board Gallery, is a virtuosic solo exhibition that captures the everyday grandeur of Black Dallasites being their full, authentic selves. The subjects of these paintings seem to be bursting from the canvas, such is the life force, the ashe, that Biggers has captured with his brush. Biggers’ most recent exhibitions have been about showcasing the multidimensionality of Black people, specifically Black men. In his 2021 solo show “Unspoken Burdens” at the South Dallas Cultural Center, Biggers examined how insecurities and societal burdens affect Black men in the absence of spaces where they can feel safe being vulnerable. At the start of 2022, Biggers’ solo exhibition “Presence” at Pencil on Paper Gallery included portraits of Black fathers with their sons and daughters in loving, tender and vulnerable ways. “Defiant” showcases Black men and women in equal measure, and for me it is Biggers’ portraits of Black women that become his tour de force. The painting Defiant 001 shows a Black woman with orange hair, wearing purple lipstick, a septum nose ring and a brightly colored varsity jacket with at least 10 attached stuffed animals, on top of a flowy multi-colored striped dress. Some viewers will recognize that the woman is Mattie Calloway, a Dallas-based artist, longtime hair stylist and nationally prominent musician who works under the moniker MATTIE. Biggers has painted this portrait in a monumental scale — it’s the largest studio painting of the artist’s life — and it has the majesty and details of an Anthony van Dyck court painting, particularly in the handling of the folds of the dress. It is the type of painting that one could contemplate for hours, such is the richness of the work, and the decision to place it on a billboard to advertise the show was well-deserved. Hopefully it will be placed in a museum next. Another highlight from the show is Defiant 005, a portrait of a Black woman with a flower-covered crown, natural hair, large cat-eye glasses, a collared patterned shirt, and a bemused side-eye and smirk. As a many-time recipient of that exact glance, I knew at once that this could be none other than Dallas’ creative, fashion, event and style legend Marion Marshall. Once again, the details transport this piece into otherworldly territory. The delicate flowers on the crown, the shadow of the glasses and the light reflected in the eye, the sumptuousness of the lips — all of it works together to capture the essence of a moment. White dots throughout the exhibition represent the artist’s mother. After her death, Biggers kept encountering ladybugs, which he believed were comforting messengers from his mother. The dots are his interpretation of the ladybug pattern as well as a way to honor his mother’s presence and meaning in his life. Defiant 009-014 is a suite of six very small paintings in black, white and grayscale, showing that Biggers can succeed in miniature just as well as larger-than-life. These works have a more impressionistic quality. The backgrounds are slightly out of focus, as if they were painted Polaroid snapshots. “Defiant” as a whole offers a snapshot of an artist who has worked hard for over a decade, getting better year after year, show after show, to achieve this level of excellence and this rarified, unapologetic space. Details“Defiant” by Jeremy Biggers is on view through Oct. 1 at Daisha Board Gallery, 2111 Sylvan Ave., Dallas. Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. daishaboardgallery.com. SOURCE- Dallas Morning News  Emmanuel and Valerie Gillespie have created a vital space for emerging and veteran artists.
Pencil on Paper Gallery, co-owned by artists and married power couple Emmanuel and Valerie Gillespie, has quickly become a center for contemporary Black art and art education. The gallery has existed for four years but moved from Addison to Dallas’ Design District last year. It provides a space that creates a dialogue between emerging and veteran artists and helps people of all ages learn how to draw and paint. “Emmanuel and I, we are born artists. We have been hustling and painting and creating and teaching from the start,” Valerie Gillespie says. “So when people say, ‘How did Pencil on Paper start?’ I feel like we were always there, just now we have a space to share with the community.” The space is a lovely, newly built two-story gallery, with room on the first floor for art classes and workshops. Typically, two artists present solo shows, one on the first floor and one on the second. Pencil on Paper recently became a member of the Contemporary Art Dealers of Dallas. Although it is the proverbial “clean, well-lighted place,” it also transcends that stereotype to become a welcoming space and one infused with joy. Urban Arts Magazine sits down with Akin Babatunde and J. Dontray Davis to discuss Lonesome Blues @ Undermain Theatre.
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September 2022
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