Wanda's Picks

We're trying to get Claridee who is having her annual Christmas show this evening to come on the air, along with perhaps a capella ensemble, SoVoSo to give us a preview of their Singing for Our Lives concert, Dec. 31, 2008-Jan. 1, 2009. Check back for confirmation. Well, we didn't get Claridee of SoVoSo, but we do have Jonathan Smothers, director of the African American Shakespeare Company season favorite, "Cinderella." It is quite marvelous and continues through Dec. 28 at Zeum Theatre in San Francisco. Visit www.african-americanshakes.org This morning's show concludes with a conversation with Dr. Runoko Rashidi, African scholar who is visiting family in Southern California and sending out dispatches from his extensive archive. Two things that struck me were his references to the history of Christmas, pagan history, and the many African scholars like Chancellor Williams whose birthdays are towards the end of the year. Mr. Williams, whose seminal work includes: The Destruction of Black Civilization--Great Issues of a Race from 4500 B.C. to 2000 A.D., born Dec. 22, 1898. He passed in 1992. Dr. Rashidi is just a phone call away from many of our great thinkers and by extension, so are we when he touches us with his wisdom. So tune in for a rare treat. We might go over. The show will conclude, time permitting with a commercial for Black Rep's season finale with Paul Mooney, "Black President." The show opens Friday, Dec. 26 and its a fundraiser for the Black Rep's Music in the Community program. Sunday, Dec. 28, 6 and 8 p.m., is a fundraiser for the San Francisco 8 and Freedom Archives.