THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 14, 1996 TAG: 9606120136
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: 40 lines
The Not Just For February Players will give a special performance at 7 p.m. tonight at the Potrafka Gallery, 600 Washington St.
``We'll do love poems, poems looking at all aspects of love,'' Billie Cooke Montgomery said. ``Much of it will be new material for us.''
Cooke, a Portsmouth native and a teacher, created the African-American readers theatrical troupe in 1991.
``We pulled together the group to do readers theater for one occasion,'' she said. ``And we just kept on going.''
The group performs in many different situations, she said, and has done many programs for churches. The group's performances range from eight to 90 minutes.
``We do mostly African-American literature,'' Cooke said. ``We do poetry and prose, scripture and hymns, depending on where we are performing.''
In addition to Cooke, the players include Renee Escossery Johnson of Petersburg, Joan Rhodes Copeland of Virginia Beach and George Eason, also of Portsmouth.
Wayne Potrafka, owner of the gallery, said the troupe gives ``very moving'' performances.
He said that one of his goals at the gallery is to create a cultural center that ``chips away at the racial divisions that often have held this city back.''
``This evening can be an important step in that direction, and I strongly urge people of all races to join together for a wonderful evening of entertainment,'' Potrafka said.
Two special exhibits are now featured at the gallery.
Pastels by Raymond Bell of Dumfries, who specializes in wildlife and garden scenes, and oils by Dan Porzio, who does large abstract canvases, will be shown through the month of June.
For more information, call 399-4774. by CNB