For the Sake of Aaron: Celebrating Our Black Men |
"Men for All Seasons" by Charles Bibbs
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Andre Lee Ellis: Art in Motion
by Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo
Lithe bodies, pulsating drums, vivid contrasts and modulating pastels, contralto and sopranos; captivating drama, or hip-hop beats, all describe the wonder of the arts.
We are mind, body and soul! The spirit, often neglected and typically relegated to secondary priority status, is the seat of our being.
The part affected by meditation, music, beauty, and art that stimulates all of the senses, is the area that brings us the most peace, personal power and joy!
People of the arts are creative, capable of seeing things in multiple colors, shapes, and sizes, Andre Lee Ellis, Milwaukee’s epitome of "the Artist" says: "people frequently call us weird because of our talent.
"We view the world differently, not just dark or light. We contribute a lot! Think about the times of war, bad things, those good times, a song, a dance, poetry, even a book, can brighten your day.
"We often associate special times in our lives, both sad and happy, with a song or a sequence of events that made that day more than the norm. Artists attempt to take feelings and observations and express them, through their eyes, using multiple mediums."
Born in Milwaukee, the ninth child of fourteen, Andre Lee Ellis, began singing at the age of seven at the Jericho Missionary Baptist Church, Reverend A. L. Robbins, pastor. Yes, you’ve heard the name several times now, and yes, Ray Robbins, is Andre’s cousin.
Andre attended Bay View, beginning the l2th grade, and graduated from the Arts Specialty in 1977, where Mrs. Sarah Scott was principal. He had his first formal vocal lessons at Bay View. Yet, it was Mrs. Janie Hatton, teacher/sponsor of the Custer Gospel Choir, who encouraged and validated his early interests. Her support led him to believe he had talent.
Milwaukee’s early families were small in number, closer and more contiguous. However, Andre’s family includes over 70 nieces and nephews; 59 great; and 2 great, great. At age 46 years, Andre is also father to his 27-year-old son, Loren, and 20-year-old daughter, Alexandria. He has one grandson, clearly the "apple of his eye." And, he is completing the steps necessary to become legal guardian to two of his great nephews. "Family means family,’ says Andre, "we are always one!"
Ellis’ portfolio is a kaleidoscope of art forms, venues, celebrities and performances. He began his professional singing career with various bands and festivals, and he was a regular at the VIP Lounge, by age 27 years. The lounge, owned by former Common Council President Ben Johnson and his daughters Jan and Paula, was a transition from singing in the church, but Andre loved the applause and the audience interaction.
He later auditioned for a part in an upcoming play that Songodina Ifatunji was directing and got a minor part. One of the actors was ill, one night, and Andre convinced them he could do the part. "I sang a duet with jazz singer Adekola Adedopo, as a fill-in, in the play, ‘Quiet As It’s Kept,’ commissioned by Hansberry Sands Theatre, with Willie Abney," Ellis explained. The Hansberry Sands Theatre experience introduced acting along with singing, and Andre was bitten and smitten.
He left Milwaukee, in 1987, and enrolled at the Herbert Bergoff School, a.k.a. H.B. Studios, located in the village in New York City, the experience was a true awakening.
"People frequently attempted to discourage me," he shared. "My ethnicity eliminated some parts, but I did not let that hold me back. There were always other African Americans trying out, along with Europeans, Asians, all of the cultures, in all kinds of styles and colors."
When acting jobs did not come right away, Ellis looked for other jobs. He waited tables in restaurants and bars, and often turned to bartending because he had lots of experience in making drinks and liked talking to the customers. They frequently told him about plays that were coming or auditions that would soon be held.
His time, as bartender, at different Broadway spots led to introductions to many celebrities such as August Wilson, one of the great playwrights. He met Queen Esther Morrow who played Mahalia Jackson in the play, "Truly Blessed," a story about the life of Mahalia Jackson. He has sat with Ruby Dee and Tachina Arnold, who now plays the mother in the "Everybody Hates Chris," television show.
He met Charles Dutton, who played "Rock," at the H.B. Studios. Many active actors were also teachers, there. So was Frances Foster, the "judge" on "The Guiding Light." "She gave me endless pointers on handling the audition, like open your eyes," he shared. "I always did the parts with my eyes closed because I was trying to imagine the part, mentally, and act out what my mind’s eye was revealing."
One day, while still in New York, Andre saw the play, "Sister’s" by Jomandi Productions, with Tom Jones and Marcia Jackson. Jomandi was a very successful Black production house out of Atlanta. "I was so impressed with Jomandi, I decided to go to Atlanta to see if I could be signed on," said Ellis.
"They gave me a job in telemarketing. I was all over the city introducing the theatre to different groups for group ticket sales, to corporations for donations, and to churches and individuals, but I was also watching every show that I could, learning all of the parts in hopes of one day being able to fill-in in an emergency."
Well, as fate would have it, one night that opportunity presented itself. "I asked the director if I could read for the part. I began to repeat parts of the play, convincing him that I was an actor. They gave me the script and I memorized most of it overnight. We opened the next week at Georgia State University in ‘Do Lord Remember Me,’" Andre remembers.
"The reviews said I did a good job. There were a lot of old adages like, ‘step on a crack and you’ll break your Momma’s back; and ‘don’t step on that broom, you know that’s bad luck.’ I remembered my Mother using those old adages so it was easy to act them out the way she used to," he recalled.
Jomandi was a tremendous experience for the artist. He met Kenny Leon of the famous Alliance Theatre and the successful Broadway rendition of "Aida," which first ran in Atlanta in Jomandi and then the Alliance. Freddy Hendrix and Carol Mitchell and Harry Lennix were giants in Andre’s theatrical development.
With these experiences under his belt, he came back to Milwaukee, in 1992, hoping to share these experiences and contacts in developing a serious theatrical following for Hansberry Sands.
He applied for the position of Artistic Director, was hired and began to pour all of his energies into strengthening the Milwaukee artistic community. In the interim, he was called to Los Angeles, California for an administrative position at the Mark Taper Forum for one season, then returned to Milwaukee to begin Andre Lee Ellis and Company, which lasted for nine seasons.
Under former Mayor John H. Norquist, Andre directed, for nine years, the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. He helped with the Marquette University Upward Bound Program; and worked with the American Players Theatre, under the auspices of Chris Salzwedel; Andre worked with over 500 youngsters, ages 9 years to l6.
With over 150 of the kids coming from the central city, the summer camp, at Bethel Horizons in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, afforded learning about staging, scripts, acting, scenery and all of the components of the theatre, front stage and backstage.
Several of the youngsters from the program have been very successful, taking their art to many markets beyond the state. Amir Ali, a student in MATC’s Work Study Program, worked for Andre Lee Ellis and Company and now has his own company, For My People Production Company.
The play, "Telling It Like It Tis," a favorite, through poetry and short stories, actors, and first timers, get on stage and tell it like it is. The play was called "powerful" when it first ran and Andre promises to do that production again, in the near future. He expects the same acclamations!
Black Theatre techniques are different from classical theatre, yet Andre believes that Milwaukee cannot be permitted to regress, further, in the arts. Inner City Arts Council is no longer active.
The venue for visual artists no longer exists in the building now empty and unused. Hansberry Sands is around, but needs more community support. However, we retain a treasure, in the professionally historic performances, of Ko Thi, under the effervescent, Fern Caulker Bronson.
Ellis applauds The African American Children’s Theatre that continues to create opportunities for youngsters to test their interests and develop skills. But schools, locally and nationally, are abandoning the arts in regular classrooms; and while one school of the arts continues to exist, a specialty offering, early development and early identification of artistic talent, is not available within the public school setting. "I believe when we fail to permit our kids to act out, we encourage them to act up," Ellis proclaims.
Andre has continued to be involved with the arts, increasingly on a periphery basis. Asked by Attorney Tom Jacobson if he would like to own his own bar, he said yes, and Andre’s on Garfield opened, in 2005. He knew immediately he was not a bar owner. He loved the people, but still missed self-expression and the youngsters whom have become a passion for this resilient artist.
"While I managed the bar and continued to work the Garfield Festival Days, I was happiest as I built the annual celebration to the importance and attendance that it enjoys today. Tom Jacobson, Boobie Moore, La Mar Franklin, were the original founders, along with the former coordinator, Barbara White; they then asked me to coordinate the festival. We started with attendance around 5,000, today, the festival, which kicks off the official festival season this July 21, 2007 will get around 25,000 people over the weekend. We have never had an incident. It is always beautiful and really appreciated by the residents of Halyard Park. Attendees do not want to mess up something that has been so enriching."
Continuing, he said, "We have had the Clara Ward Singers for the Gospel stages and all of Milwaukee’s best talent." Yet, the consulting skills have not satisfied the artistic yearnings of this "artist." After a brief stint in Phoenix, where he moved with his daughter, Andre was in direct contact with giants like David Hemphill, executive director of the Black Theatre Troupe in Phoenix; Paul Carter Harrison, the dynamic writer, actor, impressionist; and August Wilson, director of the play, "Sty of the Blind Pig."
Ellis played the lead, Blind Jordan, in the "Sty of the Blind Pig." He also played Elmore in August Wilson’s "King Headley, the II," in Phoenix. "I am in Milwaukee to stay," says Andre, "Milwaukee is home and I am ready to finish what I started here. I am an artist! I am happiest when I can see the process take form and then hear the applause of the crowds. Yes, my applause will now come through the young people we will identify, mentor, teach skills, design performance opportunities for, and their success will be my success," he confides. "At 46 years, you don’t want to do it, you want to live it, show it, transfer it!"
So today, Milwaukee’s artist supreme is designing, writing proposals, consulting and informing his hometown that he will be a part of Milwaukee’s changes.
Like the new happenings in the Bronzeville restoration area, he wants to be a part of Milwaukee’s transformation. "I want to be able to work with the youngster who has the speech impediment. I can help that youngster who is unable to focus, or the one with so much nervous energy that her parents and teachers are wondering what to do next. I hope to create a place where people, young and old, can relax, express themselves, get away to discover themselves. I told my love, Angela Murphy, herself a singer, the one I shall marry, one day, "I must return to my core, my roots and I believe I have something to share!"
So, if you hear about "Sho’ Nuff Gospel Music" soon, you know that Andre Lee Ellis is realizing his dream. He is attempting to get the play off the ground in Milwaukee and move it on, much like Tyler Perry did, with his city to city circuit, before he moved on to the movies.
"Sho’ Nuff Gospel Music" is appealing, interesting, with a great story line and phenomenal music. We can take these kids off the streets, teach them, permit them to find themselves in these lines," quotes the Master. "And we need audience development, here in Milwaukee. There are so many areas that call for the skills and interests of people. Sewing, point writers, typists, graphics, telephone answering. I need five volunteers for five seasons and we can show Milwaukee and the rest of the country just what can be done.
"Churches who are willing to help will eliminate the initial costs of a facility and open up opportunities for youngsters in the ’hood," he continues. Passionately sincere about the possibilities, Andre explains. "I am driven! I am jelling my experiences, my contacts and my desire to help others, as so many helped me. I came from Lapham Park, the projects, and have been all over the country refining my art, but most of all, being able to be who I am. I say, ‘Let us take the kids from the projects and ensure that they do not become rejects.’ That was my survival and that continues to be my success!"
As we focus on our youngsters, this year specifically our young males, we know that children have multiple talents. In early childhood, most youngsters are very creative and gender gaps are not obvious nor apparent. Yet sometime around third grade, artistic expression becomes constrained and those who are genuinely artistic frequently become the brunt of jokes, rejection and suppressed expression. Andre Lee Ellis has been a continuous example of art, the freedom to express it and the tenacity to learn, fine tune the art forms and grow. We applaud his accomplishments.
You Andre Lee Ellis continue to examine ways to bring your experiences to the youngsters inclined to creative/artistic expression. You are commended.
As you embark on your new endeavor, creating opportunities for further expansion through the development and performances of "Sho’ Nuff Gospel Music" we support you, you are the best.
We hope that your current dreams may be actualized in the growth of future Milwaukee artists, performers and audiences who support our youth: "For the Sake of Aaron." We wish you continued success. Art is the soul of who we are, wish to be and are destined to become! We wish you the Best of the Bests.
