ENTERTAINMENT
TALE OF
DECEPTION
Cesar, right, in a scene in “Master of the Crossroads,” with fellow actors Obi Abili, left, and Sarah Kate Jackson.
David Zayas Jr.
Caribbean Life, Jan. 11–17, 2019 37
By Alexandra Simon
A Haitian-American actor is playing
a lead character in the premiere
of a new production debuting at The
Bridge Theater on Jan. 16. Brooklyn
raised actor, Nixon Cesar, plays a
soldier back home, and fresh from a
tour in Iraq in “Master of the Crossroads.”
The play follows his character
Cornbread, who returns to find out
that his wife has given birth to his
child, while also suffering with a
bout of post traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD). But with a looming feeling
that the child may not be his, and
actually his twin brothers — a tale of
deception and family drama ensues,
said Cesar.
“Although the rumor is based on
suspicion and not fact, he feels like he
is losing his family and is unsure how
to feel about this illegitimate child
that he’s been told is his, but knows
for sure isn’t,” he said.
But the infidelity plot is only part
of the play’s main theme of approaching
mental illness. Cesar, a graduate
of Brooklyn College, says its a very
eye-opening look on how it can affect
an everyday family, and explores how
mental disorders can further trigger
other issues for certain men of color.
“The play really tackles PTSD, and
a more broader aspect of how it
affects African Americans who suffer
from it,” said Cesar. “We are already
live in an institution, where we deal
with society and a police departments
that have stipulations out on
us, and coming home from a war into
Continued on Page 38
The VP Records store on Jamaica
Avenue in Queens, circa 1980s.
VP Records
By Alexandra Simon
The world famous VP records celebrates
its 40th anniversary this year.
The Queens-based independent reggae
music label is going to commemorate
the milestone with a year of musical
releases, and celebrations spanning
from North America, the Caribbean,
and the United Kingdom.
Founded in 1979 as a record store
by Jamaican music producer and
record holder Vincent Chin and his
Continued on Page 38
By Alexandra Simon
It’s a shed of light on their fight.
A new exhibit on display at Arts East
New York is showcasing the stories of
domestic workers now until Jan. 12.
The “Domestic Worker’s United History
Exhibition (Art)ifacts from DWU’s
Archive and Worker Stories Kiosk!,” is a
brief timeline of the organization’s battles
and successes.
Through various pieces of material,
such as banners, fliers, brochures, and
media clips — the exhibit chronicles
the fight leading up to the passing of
the domestic workers Bill of Rights,
which passed in 2003, through the eyes
of the Brooklyn-based advocacy group
— Domestic Workers United (DWU).
In partnership with the art gallery
through a grant, the group tells their
Continued on Page 38
FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT, GO TO CARIBBEANLIFENEWS.COM/ENTERTAINMENT
VP celebrates
40 years
Advocacy
exhibit
i M f h C d ” i Jack-
Haitian actor to play lead role
/ENTERTAINMENT