An Encounter with the Obama's Date Night at A Raisin in the Sun

New York City is always a great place to go for red carpet events, theater, restaurants and just hanging out in general. A weekend in New York this time turned into one of the most memorable of all times. I was joined by six of my fantastic female friends, five from Chicago and one from Atlanta. We met on Friday, April 11, 2014 with plans for our first night of theater to see Denzel Washington in A Raisin in the Sun at the Barrymore Theater on West 47th Street. We met for lunch at Virgil's for some down-home barbeque, followed by a trip to the theater to secure our tickets before showtime. Upon arriving at the box office we noticed a flurry of activity on the street and wondered what was going on. Being the inquiring ladies that we are, we asked a security guard what was up and he informed us that "the President and First Lady are coming to the show tonight". Okay, after we regained our composure looked at each other in disbelief at our good fortune, we raced back to the St. Regis Hotel to change into our theater outfits, anticipating that our evening at the theater would require more than the average jockeying in line to get to our seats.  There was going to be a lot of security checks in order to get seated on time. We were not wrong in that observation. West 47th was closed between 7th and 8th Avenue and we had to walk to 46th and down to 8th and 47th where a security check was installed. Once through that checkpoint, the entrance to the theater had medal detectors with TSA style security checks complete with bag checks, wans and pat downs.

Once in the theater, I was thrilled to find my center orchestra isle seat in the fifth row (thanks to my friend September who is a friend of the director of A Raisin in the Sun) Kenny Leon. You could feel the anticipation from the audience just waiting for the Obama appearance. My friend Chili and I tried to guess where the President was going to sit. After looking around the theater, the only seats that appeared to be vacant were part of the next three rows in front of us. Chili said he's going to sit here. I said "no way".  Right on schedule at 8:00 p.m. the announcement that the show was about to begin and to make sure cellphones were off, the houselights went down and the side door in the back opened and in strode Obama and his entourage of Secret Service. As the President and First Lady passed in front of me, I was able to shake his hand before and he proceeded to sit in the isle seat two rows in front of me. We were separated by three Secret Service Agents who took the seats behind him. You could have wiped me off the floor. I was stunned. Here I am sharing a date night with the Obamas.

During Intermission, the President and First Lady went backstage to meet the cast. After the performance during curtain call, Denzel tipped his hat to the President.  Not only did I get to see Denzel on Broadway, but I can officially say that I shared a date night with the President and First Lady of the United States.

The President and Mrs. Obama backstage during intermission at A Raisin In the Sun on April 11, 2014

(Photo courtesy People Magazine)

The President and First Lady arrive in New York for date night at A Raisin in the Sun

(Photo courtesy of NYdailynews.com) 

The President and First Lady return to Washington after attending A Raisin in the Sun 

(Photo courtesy blogs.wsj.com)

The Barrymore Theater ready for the President and First Lady date night 

(Photo courtesy pix11.com)

The cast takes a curtain call after a performance of A Raisin in the Sun

(Photo courtesy atlantablackstar.com)

The next day we lunched at the ultra sophisticated Bergdorf Goodman restaurant with great views of Central Park. We reviewed our previous evening and  made plans for our second evening at the theater to see Motown the Musical.

But first of course we couldn't visit BG's without doing a little shopping.  Off to the shoe department for some shoe porn.

Christian Louboutin

Giuseppe Zanotti

Okay enough of that!

Motown the Musical at the Lunt-Fontaine Theater was a complete blast.  Dancing in our seats to Dancing in the Street and all the other tunes from Motown that brought back memories and was the soundtrack of our lives. The cast was magnificent.  Krystal Joy Brown seemed to be channeling Diana Ross. I later learned that she replaced the original star, Valisia LeKae who originated the role and was nominated for a Tony Award.  Valisia left the show in December after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Krystal took over the role on Janaury 24, 2014 from Felicia Boswell who stepped in while Valisia was on vacation last fall and previous to her diagnosis.

Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross

Valisia LeKae

Krystal Joy Brown

Felicia Boswell

Versailles '73 - 40th Anniversary Party Hosted by Coffee Bluffs Pictures and Totem Creative

Totem Creative in New York City was the scene of the 40th Anniversary Party chronicling the 1973 runway fashion show at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France. Deborah Riley-Draper the director of the 2012 critically-acclaimed, multi-award winning documentary, Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution, hosted the evening along with Totem Creative.

Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution is a new documentary produced, written and directed by Deborah Riley-Draper and narrated by Cameron Silver tells the story of the November 28, 1973 Battle of Versailles (as it was coined by the news media in 1973) between five American designers, Halston, Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta, and Bill Blass, and the French fashion giants Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, and Emanuel

As a young woman in 1973 and someone who was strongly influenced by fashion since my early childhood, I remember reading about this story and being amazed and proud that African American models had made such a big impact on the world. I decided then and there that I wanted to be involved in fashion in some way or another. As a result I decided I wanted to start my own retail fashion business and as a matter of course it would have to have a French name. Nouveau Fashion Gallery was born out of that dream.

For more information, visit http://www.versailles73movie.com/.

Guests for the evening included many of the models who walked the runway that night at the Palace, Alva Chinn, Norma Jean Darden, Karen Bjornson, Nancy North, Barbara Jackson, and China Machado, as well as Designer Stephen Burrows and photographer Charles Tracy. Other celebrity guests included,  Essence Magazine Editor-at-Large Mikki Taylor, Actor Dennis Christopher, former design assistant for Halston, Socialite Simone Levitt, a patron at Versailles in 1973 and Author of Skin Deep Barbara Summers, all of whom also appear in the film. 

This is a must see film if you have not seen this critically acclaimed documentary. Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution recounts the legendary fashion show on November 28,1973 at the Chateau de Versailles that catapulted African American models and American ready-to-wear designers, Halston, Klein, Blass, De la Renta and Burrows onto the European stage.

Check out some of the pictures from the evenings celebration.

Versailles '73 Model China Machado, Ajak Deng

Versailles '73 Models Alva Chin and China Machado

Versailles '73 Model China Machado

Versailles '73 Models China Machado, Alva Chin, Norma Jean Darden and Director Deborah Riley Draper

Versailles '73 movie cast and Deborah Riley Draper

Deborah Riley Draper and Caralene Robinson

Women With a Purpose Global Summit

The Women With A Purpose Global Summit kicked off on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 on the Island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten.  Women from every corner of the world were in attendance for six days and five nights of networking, seminars, inspirational speakers and parties.

Evelyn Bakon-Wheeler and Director of Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution, Deborah Riley Draper at Sonesta Maho Beach Hotel

Attendees at Evening Soiree at the Bliss Club

Opening day began with registration and a seminar "How Our Faith and Belief Influence Personal and Business Decisions",  led by multimedia personality Danita Patterson, CEO and principal content developer of Destiny Unlimited, Inc.  A fun and informational speed networking was part of the getting to know you event. Formulated similarly to speed dating, each participant spent 3 minutes speaking with the person across the table from them and then moved down one chair to the next person.  The evening was topped off with an opening soiree at the Bliss Club where attendees were welcomed by representatives from each of our host islands, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Anguilla and Saint Barthelemy. Delicious food, exotic drinks and festive music were in abundance and everyone received a lovely gift bag at the end of the evening.

Day 2 - Media Day

The first day of seminars were held on day two featuring guest speakers starting in the morning with a Media Roundtable Discussion - "As Women In Media, How Do We Negatively or Positively Impact Our Image Worldwide", led by Soledad O'Brien, Carmen Wong Ulrich and Lynn Norment.

Later in the morning a Leadership seminar "Looking at Leadership Through a Different Lens" with keynote speakers Judy Smith  and Joyce Roche. 

Valerie Norman-Gammon, Judy Smith, Joyce Roche

The afternoon included a Power Luncheon with keynote speakers Soledad O'Brien, Carmen Wong-Ulrich and Hon. Sarah Westcot-Williams, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten and Inocencia Manoel. 

Luncheon attendees

 Director Deborah Riley-Draper

 

 Elynor Williams, Evelyn Bakon-Wheeler, Shirley Evans-Wofford

Day 3: Luxury Villa Day

A luxury fashion show and Luncheon at Le Chateau Des Palmiers "How Your Fashion Decisions Affect Your Business Brand", and a late afternoon workshop with Iyanla Vanzant "Your Next Act - Are You Leveraging All Your Talents?

Deborah Riley Drapers film "Versailles 73: American Runway Revolution closed out the evening with a screening poolside at Sonesta Maho Beach.

 

Deborah Riley-Draper, McGhee Williams-Osse, Evelyn Bakon-Wheeler

Day 4: Spa Day in Anguilla

We were transported from St. Martin via ferry to Anguilla for spa day at two resorts Cuisinart Resort & Spa and The Viceroy Anguilla. I spent my time lounging around the pool at the Cuisinart Resort with my friends.

An unforgettable evening of dinner, music, dancing and entertainment at a White Party at Club Bliss.  We were entertained by Tchina Arnold who gave a dynamic performance. 

Tchina Arnold performing at the Bliss Club

Tchina Arnold 

Shirley and McGhee and a friend engrossed in a digital photo of...

McGhee Osse

Shirley Wofford and McGhee Osse

Evelyn Bakon-Wheeler and McGhee Williams-Osse

Deborah Riley-Draper enjoying the white party

Day 5: Shop til you drop in St. Barths.

Transferred via plane and ferry to the Island of St. Barthelemy for shopping and lunch at a beachfront restaurant, and then to St. Jean and a rendezvous at Nikki Beach St. Barths.  I ran into Bebe my favorite waiter from Nikki Beach Cannes who is now working in St. Barths after an eight-month stint at the Las Vegas Nikki Beach. 

St. Barths Airport

WWP attendees lounging on beds at Nikki Beach St. Barths.

Shopping til we drop in St. Barths

Read more at this link: Judy Smith, Soledad O'Brien at the 2013 Women with Purpose