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Destination Freedom Black Radio Days

Destination Freedom Black Radio Days presents highy produced orginal Audio Dramas and interviews with people who get stuff done. Produced and directed by award winner filmaker and radio host donnie l. betts. Co produced by audio wiz Maurice (aka Reese) Smith.
Featured guests, Lynn Nottage, Sharon Washington, Charles Wright, Allison Semmes, Idris Goodwin, Marla and Angela Gibbs to name a few.
Audio Dramas, A letter from Heaven to America from Emmett Till, The Voice of The Spirit is Clear
Destination Freedom (now branded Destination Freedom Black Radio Days, this program illuminates a largely unknown, but important chapter in the history of human rights and tells how radio played its part from the very beginning. That boundary-breaking program, Destination Freedom, dramatized the lives of great figures in African-American and other people of color past and present, continues in its spirit with all-new scripts. This series honors and expands on that theme of the orginioal series from Richard Durham.

Latest Episodes:

S3 EP11 The Eclectic - Conversation about Juneteenth with retired Judge Vallera Johnson, marketing rep Danielle Brooks, plus host donnie l. betts, all born on June 19th Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

June 19th is host donnie l. betts birthday. Born and raised in east Texas he reached out to others that were born on this day and are not from Texas and asked their thoughts on this day - retired Judge Vallera Johnson and marketing rep Danielle Brooks.

Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. It is much more than just these two sentences. It means Freedom Day to many Black Americans. No more auction blocks. Working for free. However, Freedom is not free, there is a lot more work to be done in America and the world.

Listen in to our conversation.

donnie l. betts

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S3 EP10 The Eclectic - Conversation with multi-hyphenated artist Sharon Washington May 31, 2023

Show notes

Join me producer donnie l. betts for my conversation with SHARON WASHINGTON (Co-Book Writer) "New York New York" Tony nominee. A proud Native New Yorker with her family living in Manhattan since 1835, Sharon is celebrating over 30 years as an actor. She is thrilled to continue her collaboration with this incredible creative team who she worked with on The Scottsboro Boys musical—this time as a writer. Sharon made her debut as a playwright with her solo play Feeding the Dragon. Off-Broadway it was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel Award, and won an Audelco. Published by Oberon Books it was also recorded as an Audible Theater Original. She is currently writing a children’s picture book version for Scholastic Books. Sharon is a co-writer/executive producer on a project in development for Disney+. She is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and The Dramatists Guild.

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S3 EP9 Grave Diggers Handicap, The Story of Isaac Murphy Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

Folks may be familiar with the fine clothes, big hats, and of course the fast horses. But did you know the first 10 winners of the Derby were Black? The first 3 time winner was Issac Murphy. Many consider Murphy the greatest American jockey of all time. By his own account, Murphy won 44% of his races. Racing historians can only verify 34.5% from the era, but it's likely that some of Murphy's races were not documented. Either way, Murphy set a standard that no other jockey has come close to matching. Consider that Eddie Arcaro, recognized as the greatest U.S. jockey of the 20th Century, had a winning percentage of only 22%. Murphy was the first jockey inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1956. Next up on Destination Freedom one of my favorite audio dramas from our series - THE GRAVE DIGGERS HANDICAP, The Story of Isaac Murphy.

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S3 EP8 The Eclectic - Conversation with Marla and Angela Gibbs Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, activist, writer, and television producer whose career spans seven decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons (1975–1985), for which she received five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She is a legend, an icon, and a lovely human being.

Angela Gibbs: Writer/ Director/Acting Coach. Currently featured in Not Dead Yet on ABC and Hulu. And she used to rock the screen in Hacks. Her most famous roles include Doris Jackson in Straight Outta Compton and Barbara Cochran in The People v. OJ Simpson. She has also appeared in hit American shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, S.W.A.T, Suits, and NCIS: Los Angeles. He portrayed Randall Pierce mother of the last season of This Is Us.

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S3 EP7 I AM, an audio drama written by Kenya Fashaw, produced and directed by donnie l. betts, co-produced, edited, and mixed by Maurice Smith Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

“I Am” was written by Kenya Fashaw and directed by donnie l. betts.

Mimi and Jabari are in love however will Mimi's insane jealousy spoil the young lovers' quest for a beautiful life together? Mimi might need a little help from an unexpected source. Let’s find out in this episode of Destination Freedom Black Radio Days.

"I Am" features as MIMI: Nadiya Jackson, JABARI/DADDY/MALIK: James Brunt, I AM: Latifa Johnson and MAMA: Larea Edwards. This episode is co-produced, edited, and mixed by Maurice Smith for DiatonicLabs.com.

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S3 EP6 Cages, an audio drama written by Kenya Fashaw, directed by donnie l. betts, co-produced, edited and mixed by Maurice Smith Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

After a global race war the year is 2071. We find a world full of life chips, skin sealers and the beige nation. The world has tried to eliminate all the dark people. There are no traces of dark skinned people, or are there?

Cages is an audio drama written by Kenya Fashaw and directed by donnie l. betts. This episode is co-produced, edited and mixed by Maurice Smith.

The cast included Nadiya Jackson as Ebony, Larea Edwards as Black Woman, Kurt Soderstrom as Billy and Latifa Johnson as Life Chip and Amani. The theme song is performed by Larea Edwards and produced by Maurice Smith.

Filled with an amazing soundscape. Come journey with us to the world of Cages.

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S3 EP5 The Eclectic - Interview with Co-Creator of Theatre of The Mind and musical great, David Byrne Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

I’m donnie l. betts. "Now I've been very lucky in my life to meet some of my artistic and scholarly heroes. People like August Wilson, Sonia Sanchez, Grace Lee Boggs, and Oscar Brown Junior. Next on the Eclectic, I sit in conversation with another one of my creative idols. He is the co-creator of the Immersive Theater experience Theater of the Mind as well as Here Lies Love and American Utopia. And he is the founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of the Talking Heads.... I welcome the amazing David Byrne!"

theateroftheminddenver.com/about

David Byrne is the founder and in-house headline writer of Reasons to be Cheerful, and the founder of the Arbutus Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to re-imagining the world through projects that inspire and educate. Reasons to be Cheerful is the Arbutus Foundation’s first project.

In conjunction with the premiere ofthe immersive production Theater of the Mind, co-created by creator of the Broadway hit American Utopia, David Byrne, and writer Mala Gaonkar, Byrne has created a series of seven lenticular artwork images in five editions and a short piece of new music to coincide with the production.

The Eclectic is a companion podcast to Destination Freedom Black Radio Days that features interviews with difference makers, artists, authors, bold thinkers, and people we love who get stuff done. Produced and hosted by donnie l. betts of No Credits Productions, LLC.

Follow @nocreditsproductions on Facebook and Instagram, and @donniebetts on Twitter. #Blackradiodays #socialjustice #destinationfreedomblackradiodays #donniebetts

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S3 EP4 The Eclectic - Interview with Director of Theatre of The Mind, Andrew J. Scoville Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

We are joined by Andrew J. Scoville, a NYC-based, Chicago-born theater director and creator of original work. He specializes in immersive layouts, technological landscapes, and hybrid-genre theater-making with an emphasis on integrating science ideas into theatrical experiences. Current projects: Money Heist: The Experience (at One Hanson Place in Brooklyn- association with Netflix, Fever and JJLA), Theater of the Mind by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar currently at Off Center, which is a part of Denver Center for The Performing Arts. The production can be experienced at 3887 Steele Street in Denver, Colorado.

This is the second of my interviews with the creative team of Theatre of The Mind. Theater of the Mind is the newest, and arguably most ambitious, production of DCPA Off-Center. It doesn’t just explore the human brain; it allows YOU to explore YOUR brain through story and science. I am honored to share with audience members 6 days a week as a member of the cast.

The Eclectic is a companion podcast to Destination Freedom Black Radio Days that features interviews with difference makers, artists, authors, bold thinkers, and people we love who get stuff done. Produced and hosted by donnie l. betts of No Credits Productions, LLC.

Follow @nocreditsproductions on Facebook and Instagram, and @donniebetts on Twitter. #Blackradiodays #socialjustice #destinationfreedomblackradiodays #donniebetts

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S3 Ep3 The Eclectic- Conversation with Producer of Theatre of The Mind, Charlie Miller Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of The Eclectic, I'm joined by Charlie Miller, the Executive Director & Curator of Off-Center and part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Executive Team.

Off-Center was originally conceived by Miller and former DCPA Theatre Company Artistic Producer Emily Tarquin, who is now artistic producer at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Off Center produces artistic work that is surprising, fun, challenging, and at times visually stunning. we discuss multi-media artist, David Byrne (American Utopia, Talking Heads, Reasons to Be Cheerful, A History of the World in Dingbats) and co-writer Mala Gaonkar, and their creation, Theater of the Mind.

Theater of the Mind is the newest, and arguably most ambitious, production of DCPA's Off-Center. It doesn’t just explore the human brain; it allows YOU to explore YOUR brain through story and science. As a member of the cast, I experience this creation every day.

The Eclectic is a companion podcast to Destination Freedom Black Radio Days that features interviews with difference makers, artists, authors, bold thinkers, and people we love who get stuff done. Produced and hosted by donnie l. betts of No Credits Productions, LLC.

Follow @nocreditsproductions on Facebook and Instagram, and @donniebetts on Twitter. #Blackradiodays #socialjustice #destinationfreedomblackradiodays #donniebetts

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S3 Ep 2 The Tale of Stackalee: The Live Concert Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

As a follow up to S3 Ep1, this episode features a concert by Lionel Young, Roy Hightower, and Otis Taylor recorded live directly following the audio drama The Tale of Stackalee.

Lionel Young

Mr. Young has won numerous awards including The Young Artist Award (Pittsburgh Symphony); The Concerto Contest (Carnegie-Mellon); The Passamenic Award (Branchwood String Quartet); and the award for the Best Blues Band in Westword’s Best of Denver. He’s also won a position with The Denver Chamber Orchestra and premiered a solo piece by William Hill. Lionel has had the honor of working with such show biz luminaries as: Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Paige/Robert Plant, Doc Severenson, Linda Ronstadt, Living Color, Billy Taylor. Otis Taylor, Since 2009’s award-winning Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs, Taylor has released five more celebrated albums and his music has been included in Hollywood and foreign movie soundtracks and television shows including Shooter and Public Enemies. Personal highlights of Taylor’s career were when he was an answer in the New York Times crossword puzzle in 2009, and in 2016 Taylor was proud to be included in the inaugural exhibition of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Roy Hightower

Well-regarded as a blues guitarist and soulful singer around Chicago, Roy Hightower has carved out an equally impressive niche as an actor in various Windy City musical productions. Among his starring roles: portraying Muddy Waters and Otis Redding.

Even in death, the larger-than-life figure of Stagger Lee triumphs. It is unfathomable why the obscure murder of a levee hand in a red-light bar would attain such far-reaching notoriety, while songs about equally sordid killings—fact-based murder ballads such as “Ella Speed” and “Duncan and Brady”—are doomed to relative obscurity. Nonetheless, “Stagger Lee” spread with extraordinary speed, beginning shortly after the actual killing. It was soon being sung in various forms by workers on the levee, convicts on chain gangs throughout the South, saloon and street singers, and even school children. Soon, the musical, mythical iteration of “Stack Lee” supplanted the man himself, as black America cultivated and nurtured a heroic outlaw to admire.

Follow @nocreditsproductions on Facebook and Instagram, and @donniebetts on Twitter. #Blackradiodays #socialjustice #destinationfreedomblackradiodays #donniebetts

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