"Kwame a River 2: The Wrath of Conyers": AmericaJR gives "Kwame a River" an "A" rating

"Kwame a River" at Second City Novi
by Gloria Rzucidlo

NOVI, Mich. -- This was a comedy about our colorful Mayor of the City of Detroit. Kwame (Connell Brown, Jr.) is a native of Detroit but recently moved to Atlanta. He talks and confides to the Spirit of Detroit which consults him on all the corruptive things he has done to this city.
Starting from the alleged party at the Manoogian Mansion which he considers Urban Legend. To his text messages to Christine Beatty which were written by the audience and read by the Mayor and his assistant.

Then his meeting with Governor Jennifer Granholm which was an interesting meeting about Capital Money to build mass transit from the city to the suburbs.
They then talk about Monica Conyers who is lonely when her husband, John, is in Washington D.C. Then Shrek (portrayed as Ken Cockrel Jr.) comes out in green tights.
He talks about the money he stole from the taxpayers, his Lincoln Navigator and about City Council.

His Spirit tells him not to get caught.

So Kwame decides that if he does gets caught that he would rise again doing infomercials like Bill Bonds with funny skits of all the ads on tv he would represent.
The whole cast was hilarious and I thought it was a fabulous comedy. There will also be a sequel "Kwame A River II" which begins on August 6 at Second City Novi.

If you want some good laughs, i would definitely recommend it.

Overall Rating: A

http://americajr.com/news/kwameariver0803.html

Jennifer Gale (Music Director):

Pianist, Educator, Accompanist. Ms Gale is the Owner/Director of the Mount Clemens Arts Consortium, Inc a Community-style school for the Arts. As a pianist she has performed solo concerts featuring the music of Black composers from around the world. As an educator, she has taught general music courses in public schools and for the Interlochen School of the Arts. She also maintains a studio of private piano students who compete and perform across the state. As an accompanist, she's played over 20 different musicals for community groups and schools in southeast Michigan. Musical Director for Kwame 1

Michael Pollock, Composer

Michael Pollock (composer ): Michael is musical director of The Second City Training Center Los Angeles; he studied at the University of Texas at Austin, Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts and The Grove School of Music. His credits include The Tonight Show, The Drew Carey Show, Evening at the Improv and ABC’s Emmy Award-winning Tuesdays With Morrie. He plays piano for various show at Disneyland and taught the first master class in musical direction at the Chicago Improv Festival in 2005. Learn more about Michael at www.michaelpollock.com.

Marc Warzecha (Writer/Director)

Marc Warzecha is originally from Metro Detroit, and now lives in Los Angeles where he has recently appeared on MAD TV and Reno 911. Marc served as writer/director for "Kwame a River: The Chronicles of Detorit's Hip Hop Mayor," a 2009 Wilde Award nominee for "Best New Script." He has worked with The Second City as both an actor and director; most recently directing "BarackStars" in at the Woolly Mammoth theatre in Washington, DC. Other directing credits include: "Pratfall of Civilization" (The Second City ETC - Joseph Jefferson nominee: "Best Director"). "War! Now in it's 4th Smash Year!" (Second City Chicago Mainstage- Joseph Jefferson nominee: Best Director, Best Revue, Best Ensemble), "The Not Ready for $3.99 Prime Rib Players" (Second City Las Vegas), "Woodward to your Mutha" and "Ten: The 10 year Anniersary show" (Second City Detroit). Acting credits include six resident stage reviews at the Second City Detroit, "Romeo and Juliet the Musical" at Chicago Shakespeare theatre, and SCC's "An Evening with Martin Short." Marc's work as a satirist has been featured on ABC's "Nightline", Newsweek, and in the Washington Post, and he has been a guest on CNN's "Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and NPR's "All Things Considered." Marc is the host "No Waiting with Marc Warzecha," a live talk show that satirizes news and politics, most recently performed at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood. Thank you to an excellent cast and crew and to family, friends, and the theatre going community in Detroit whose support made this follow up show possible.