Review: “The Love That Woke My Heart”

Whether it was a date night with your love, girls night with your besties or group outing with church members. You were in for a treat at Saturday night’s stage play “The Love That Woke My Heart.”

Drama, comedy, realness, friendship, family, faith and of course love were all themes throughout the nearly three hour play (which started on time, by the way) at the historic Wink Theatre in downtown Dalton, Ga.

Detroit native, Kenyatta Burse, who recently made Dalton her home clearly put her heart and soul into the play. Wearing many hats, Burse wrote, produced, directed and even lent her amazing acting and singing gifts to the play. The play featured five original songs by Burse and one co-written with LaV Davis.

Above: Kenyatta Burse

Behind every great woman are even greater men and women, the cast of the play, many first timers could easily be seen on your favorite television shows. They were that good.

Let’s start with the three women whom the play is built around. LaSasha (Kenyatta Burse), Jada (Venus Rice) and Konstance (Michele Satcher).
Sasha’s single hard working entrepreneur not really looking to mingle, that’s until she meets Shaun (Joseph Jennings) and all of that changes. They fall head over heels in love and he make plans to head down the aisle, but something (or someone) halts those plans.
Jada, is a hopeless romantic, she loves her husband Tim (Marcus Linder) and wants their marriage to work. However it’s hard to make it work when there is one, two maybe three additional people in the way.

Above: Jada plays no games when it comes to her man. Don’t move Tressa.

Next is Konstance, THE FIRST BLACK PARTNER AT A MAJOR LAW FIRM as she loves to remind everyone. Konnie, as her friends calls her has no time for anything (unless it’s a glass of red wine) or anybody, until she meets Donnell (Horace Burse).

Above: Three is a crowd. Who will chose Donnell? Konstance or the “baby mama?”

Take those three couples and add the realness of Jason (Damon “Big Boi” Gordon), the charm of Keith (Shurah White), messiness of Tresse (Jasmine Madden), cuteness of Katalaya (Danika Morton) , thugness of J-Roc (Kawan Powell), innocence of Nuna (Jennifer McLaurin), smarts of the Detective (Trenton O’Neal), clueless of Jasmine (Linnette Socorro-Perez) hood Shay (Alexis Carmichael), lies of Alana (Keisha Greenwade), desperation of Akeelah (Lisa Jackson) boldness of Aaron (Gene Jackson),patience of Greyland (Adrian Storey) and comedy of Selina (Dionne Rice Powell) and Chase (Vonta Macon) and you have a hit stage play, “The Love That Woke My Heart.”

Above: Some of the talented crew backstage.

Here is what people are saying about the play…

Congratulations to all of you for a job well done! Especially to the CEO of Burse Productions: Kenyatta”Keke” Burse! Love you all and God bless. Pastor Pat Gross

I truly enjoyed it, you guys are definitely the bomb! I’m waiting in anticipation for the next play! Great job! Terri Betton

Play was outstanding, awesome cast, hats off to all….I laughed and truly enjoyed myself. Joanne Ellington

It was really great to see the turnout for the play in Dalton put on by Burse Productions. The play was good and the acting and singing was really good!

Congrats to the cast of the stage play “The Love That Woke My Heart” great job guys. Dennedy Wright

Giving thanks: Dalton and surrounding counties…THANK YOU! Your support at the Wink Theatre was unbelievable. I’m still in awe. Continue to be a blessing to your/our community and watch God change things! Debbie Madden
If you missed the play no worries. Burse Productions will have copies soon available for purchase. Contact them at (313) 676-8203.

Five Days of Daddy (Day3)

When I got married almost two years ago I went through a lot of my daddy’s pictures to make a slide show for the Father/Daughter Dance.
I found lots of pics I’d forgotten all about and of course the memories came flooding back.
In the late 80s early 90s daddy had this smurf blue Toyota that he would drive to Alabama and pick me up in. My favorite times were in the summers when I got to stay a extended time. My daddy worked in retail during that time and I would go to work with him.
He worked in a clothing store at Avondale Mall, everyone knew him in the mall and I’d go from store to store visiting the managers.
One day I was at work with my dad and I guess I was bored, I picked up the phone when daddy wasn’t paying attention and dialed 9-1-1. As soon as someone on the other end answered, I’d hang up. I did this about three times, until finally an officer showed up.
I was sitting behind the counter and it was still early in the day so there weren’t any customers in the store. The police asked for the manager and daddy identified himself.
By now I’m scared, but still sitting quiet.
The officer told daddy they received several calls from this store and asked if everything was okay. Daddy looked at me and asked “Shaka did you call the police?”
I told him yes, he asked why and I told him because I was bored. (LMAO)
I was about 9-years-old and always bored. The officer laughed and told me not to do it again. Daddy popped my hand and told me not to do it again and that was the end of that. Later on my daddy said next time I do something like that he was going to let them take me to jail since I was so bored then he gave me this long lecture about playing on the phone with the police. Needless to say I never dialed 9-1-1 again unless it was an emergency.

Daddy and me heading to work in the smurf blue Toyota

Hoecakes! Get your hoecakes

It’s no secret that I was a foodie in my prior life. I love food and until about three years ago I could eat whatever I want and not gain one single pound. Boy those were the days:)
Today I eat almost anything I want in moderation, then I run to the gym and work it off.
Anyway, so knowing that I love food, I’m always taking pics of my food and posting it for my friends to see. I’ve notice that recently people will take pics of their food and tag me in it on Facebook or send it to my phone.
Today my cousin sent a pic of some food he cooked, collards, lemon pepper fish, brown rice and hoe cake.
Right, hoe cake, which is basically like a corn bread patty.
Since this is not the first time he’s sent a meal that included a hoe cake, I said to him, “You love cooking hoe cakes.”
Then my inquisitive mind began to wonder, “Why are these called hoe cakes?”
I told him I was going to Google it, which I did. The answer I found is below, but first let me tell you what my grandma Annie Hardrick said.
I called her and asked why were they called hoe cakes and she didn’t really have an answer, but she told me how to cook them.
“Hoe, cakes are like cornbread, cooked on top of the stove in a skillet.You cook one side, then once it’s brown you flip it and cook the other side,” my grandma said.She continued, “It’s made with meal and water, but you can also make flap jacks, with flour and water.”Grandma said flap jacks are thin and hoe cakes thick. I remember when I was little my other grandma made flap jacks all the time and served them with thick cane syrup. Shout out to Gram in Alabama.
Okay this is what my Goggle search said. “The term hoecake first occurred in 1745, The origin of the name is the method of preparation, field hands often cooked it on a shovel or hoe held to an open flame. Hoes designed for cotton fields were large and flat with a hole for the long handle to slide through; the blade would be removed and placed over a fire much like a griddle.”
Other names are johnny cake, shawnee cake and of course the ever so popular pancake! 🙂
For a variety of hoe cake recipes simply Google it or ask any elder in your family for their recipe. Enjoy

Marquise and his many ties

To a man who wears many ties:

The tie of fatherhood, he calls them his “Trilogy” Marquise Jr., Madison and Mason.
The tie of pastor-ship, not only does he bless the pulpit of Central Metropolitan CME in Jacksonville, Fl. every Sunday, but he’s available 24-7 to his members when needed.
The tie of son, If there were an almost perfect child Charlotte, Rick and Ron has one. But since no one is perfect, we’ll settle for “almost perfect.”
The tie of big brother, Racheatu, Allen, Eugene, Malik,and Rainey has a great leader to look up to.
The tie of Shaka’s Favorite Cousin, that’s a special tie. You’ve always had my back and I’ll always have yours. Point, blank, period. #THEE end.com
The tie of nephew, friend, fraternity brother grandson, and cousin.
For all the ties you wear and for the blessing you are in all of our lives we say thank you and HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY!

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May God continue to bless you abundantly.

Mudear and the coconut cake

Last year my paternal great-grandmother turned 99-years-old on May 20, I called to wish her a happy birthday and she thanked me, she then asked “Where my cake?”

I responded, “What cake Mudear?”

She responded back firmly, “You said you were gone make me a coconut cake.”

I knew I didn’t tell her that, but at her age, with a touch of dementia I went along.

“Okay Mudear, when you come down in July, I’ll have you a coconut cake.”

In that deep southern voice that I loved so much she said, “Okay baby, thank ya.”

Sure enough when she made her yearly summer trip from Rochester, New York down south for the Pace Family Reunion I had her coconut cake.

The day before I searched Kroger and Publix looking for a coconut cake, to no avail. I even called the bakery who I’d hired to make two hundred cupcakes for my upcoming wedding. I thought surely if she can do that in three different flavors she had coconut cakes, but she didn’t.

Finally I decided to bake the cake myself, I’m not much of a baker, but if Mudear wanted a coconut cake, she was going to get one. After all she’s 99-years-old and she deserves to have whatever she likes.

I bought my ingredients, a bag of shredded coconut, vanilla icing, yellow cake mix and fresh strawberries to garnish.

As I prepared, I thought of all the times she must have cooked and baked for my grandma, daddy and even me, I felt extra proud.

I finished my cake and the next day I took it to her hotel room. She sat on the edge of the bed and my cousins, aunts and my then fiancé sang happy birthday to her.

Let me preface this by saying my great-grandma was one of the nicest women I met, however she spoke exactly what was on her mind.

She looked at the cake,

“It sho is pretty, I wonder what it taste like.”

(Funny thing is I thought the same thing.)

My great Aunt Thelma took a knife and cut Mudear a piece of cake. Mudear took a bite…then she spit it out.

“What is this? Paper,” she asked.

It was hilarious; my whole family couldn’t stop laughing.

Finally, through laughter Aunt Thelma said to Mudear.

“You asked Shaka for a coconut cake and now you don’t want it.”

Mudear replied, “I sho appreciate it, but I don’t like it.”

As I type, I’m laughing through tears.

Sadly that was the first and last cake I made for her, she passed away this morning. My entire family was looking forward to celebrating her 100^th this year. I planned to ask her what kind of cake she wanted. However God had other plans, I thank Him for leaving her here as long as he did. A lot of people never get to know their grandmother let alone great-grandmother, but for my cousins and I we were truly blessed. She will always be in our hearts.

Above is Lisa, Rachetau, Marquise Jr., Charlotte, Myself and of course Mudear and the coconut cake!

This piece is dedicated to Matilda Pace and the loving funny memories she left with us all.

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards

Sunday night, armed with my snacks of tortilla chips and a pina colada I prepared for the Grammy’s.
Now I knew there would be a somber tone, because of the recent death of Whitney Houston, but I had no idea I’d be bored out of my mind.
My goodness, what in the world happened?
Since all of my friends are at least an hour away, I watched the show alone. But, ummmm, not really.
Thanks to Facebook I was able to partake in some hilarious dialogue.
I must admit, I don’t have over 600 friends because of popularity, out of that bunch are definitely some characters.
Speaking of characters, shout out to Little Red Riding Hood for making an appearance last night. Oh wait, that was Nicki Minaj! Where in the world is the Big Bad Wolf when we need him? I prayed so hard he’d show up and eat her, but he didn’t. Moving on…
Chris Brown, welcome back, but one performance of dancing was enough. Before I share some of my status updates because they are quite entertaining (or is it timeline updates now). Anyway, let me just say to the people who were expecting Jennifer Hudson to sing as great as Whitney did…Um Really?
Nobody and I do mean nooooooBODY will or can ever sing “I Will Always Love You” like Whitney. Not even the original artist Dolly Parton (no disrespect Miss 9 to 5).
Jennifer did a wonderful job, given the time she had to prepare and considering how much Whitney meant to her. (Round of applause for Jhud).
With that being said, here are my posts from last night during the show, in no particular order. Enjoy!

“I’m sad all over again. A tribute to Whitney doesn’t seem right, but Jennifer did a great job under the circumstances. And she looked great. Whitney I love you always.”

“No lie, I like Blake Shelton. He’s so country, love that voice.”

“Now THIS is a performance! #Adele”

“Is Katie Perry paying tribute to Blue Ivy or something?”

“Yall still awake?”

“Lol, someone called them Beach Grandpas.”

“Yes LL! Prayer!Amen!”

“Shout out to Tina Turner for allowing Rihanna to wear her wig.”

“Fergie, my grandma said, you need a slip baby.”

“Somebody said Bruno Mars looks like El Debarge and Gloria Estefan’s love child! Lol”

“I ain’t gonna lie; I dozed off for about five minutes.”

This piece is dedicated to everyone who kept me laughing during the awards show. I never want to watch a major show with my Facebook Family.

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