Gdavis & Thelma from Good Times

This April I will celebrate 16 years and counting  of presenting urban stage plays. It has been a wonderful ride and I pray the next 16 and counting will be eveng greater.

I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of people through the years and today I just wanted to say Thank Youfor all that you have done for me, I am indeed greatful. I can’t list eveyone that has been in one of my productions but to those that made an impact on me I just wanted to let you know!

Donnie Harper of the New Jersey Mass Choir, you were my first national act back in the day. I want put the year up for fear of telling our age (lol) Thanks for all the time we spent together and giving me the opportunity to travel with the New Jersey Mass Choir.

Gerald Alston from the Manhattans, man we had a great ride. I really enjoyed each and every minute that we spent together on stage. You are truly a professional. What I remember most, is how you helped me out when I was down. You didn’t have to do it but you did I will always remember how you respected my gift. I wish we could have gotten things worked out for that Sam Cooke Story but you who knows maybe one day.

Trina Jefferie aka Sister Cantaloupe OMG you was my little sister. I miss you. We really had fun togheter on stage. Jessie and Sister Cantaloupe was a force together. I have always admired your skills and craft.  You were there for me in the good and bad times and I will forever be greatful to you. Wishing you the best in your career as well.

Luther Barnes what can I say to the man who is the ultimate professional as far as I an concerned. You were there for me in “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool Ya” it was a great run, would love to work with you again.

Melvin Williams of the Williams Brothers. Wow, you were always there for me and my company even on short notice.  You are a dream to work with as well and looking forward to getting you in my Christmas show this year.

Bern Nadette Stanis “Thelma” Thank you for just being honest and real. Your insight on things have really helped me and motivated me to do things outside what I can see. You are one of the main reasons for “Jessie & Lucy” thank you!

Freddie Jackson man you helped me sell out my first venue over 2,000 seats. Miss working with you and would love to work with you again on a future project.

Duranice Pace of the Pace Sisters, girl you are truly anointed and I will never forget how you came into that rehearsal straight off the plane and and turned it out and that was in 1996. Miss you, thanks for the spirtual insights.

Carl Payne from the Marin Lawerence Show. You told me in 2002 that I had something if I could perfect it with my interactive style. You were right look at us now. Thanks for being honest in NY with me it was great working with someone I enjoyed watching on TV.

Ann Nesby from the Sound of Blackness What can I say you are something else Miss Shirley. From one production of mine to the next you have always been consistant. Will never forget  how you opened up your home to me one Thanksgiving it was out of sight. Girl you can cook!!! It means a lot to me to have someone of your talent and travels to respect my gift I am honored and just like I promised you, when I get there you will be right there too!

Thanks again you guys. You may be national stars in the eyes of many and I respect that but to me you will always be considered my true friends in the business through thick and thin.

Love Ya’ll

Gdavis

Oliva Foxx & Garrett Davis

For one of the few times in my life I was speechless from the love and support that was shown to Hosea Productions and Gdavisplays  along to my cast and crew while we played at the Warner Theater last week.

From opening night you guys were really into the show. We were amazed at the thousands that came out on a Thursday night with still so much snow on the ground. Friday night was another great show but that Saturday afternoon crowd, whew!!! you guys really had me going  on stage.

Because I have made my production interactive, DC you guys were off the chain!! I can’t begin to tell you how much fun it was performing for you. To all of you that talked back to me on stage “thank you” I know you got  your monies worth.

I can’t  thank everyone but I do want to thank a few people who went the extra mile while we were there in DC. First up, Brain with the Holiday Inn & Suites, we appreciate the food every night you provided for the cast. Gregory Ward, TQ, Warren Good-vibe for your assistance in street promotions and getting our people from point A to B. DC Gospel, your eblast proved to be a difference.

What can I say about Oliva Foxx, you are the Bomb, I got a spot for you in the show anytime you want it!

To all of  the DC announcers including my man Rev. Leelooking forward to breaking bread with you soon, thanks for your support. Speaking of bread the cater was off the chain, those yams, and greens OMG!!!! We’ve already booked you for Baltimore, thanks also for the warm compliments in the kitchen.

It was great seeing high school classmates and college mates that I had not seen in years. I have never heard so much noise and applause after a show in 15 years than the one that we received Sunday night.

Thank you Washington, DC I am humbled and to those pastors that spoke those words in my life I receive them and please continue to pray my strength in the Lord that I may be all that he has called me to be.

DC our next stop close to you area is Baltimore, Maryland May 20-23 at the Lyric Opera House, please help me spread the word about this show, I really think that this show all can enjoy.

In closing, if you have time and saw the show in DC, please make a comment below.

No matter how high God takes me with this production and I foresee great things happening in the future, I promise to always give Washington, DCthe credit for rapping their arms around me and launching “The Lord Will Make a Way” on to the next level

I love you DC!!!!!

Gdavis

Washington DC

As I sit here working in my studio I think for a moment how blessed we are to be comfortable and to have the comfort of heat and shelter. As I prepare for my  next show in Washington, DC I think about how much snow has hit our nations capitol over the last few weeks and to think that there are people still logging on to www.livenation.com to purchase tickets for my show there next week is very humbling to me.

There is so much more to worry about but still tickets are selling and that is why I am so driven to make this DC performance a very special one that they city of Washington will be talking about for years to come.

It is so easy to take things for granted, so easy to get comfortable and so easy to just exspect things to be given to you on a silver platter just becuase we think we deserve it.  However, the point is, we should always work towards the mark of the higher calling because we never know the blessing that is behind what we do for God.

Behind the stage it has been a stressful couple of weeks, it seems that there has been so many distractions that its been hard to focus on the task at hand but still I press on. Why, because I realize that what I am doing is bigger than me, bigger than my cast, bigger than anything that I can possibly imagine.

I am afraid to see what God has for me of fear that I can’t handle it or for fear that I will get too comfortable,  so I purposefully operate in the NOW.  For me, if I do that I can concentrate and handle my daily task because to me NOW stands for NEVER OVER-WHELMED.

Writing makes me stronger. I have done my best work when I was stressed out or going through the most. Not that it is a good feeling but it is my way to release the frustrations of life on paper.

So as I sit and think about all that I have been through the past few weeks it nothing compared to those in Haiti, its nothing compared to those who have been inconviienced in Washington due to the snow, yet the still took the time to purchase a ticket to see “The Lord Will Make a Way” so what does that tell me?

Suck it up Garrett, be greatful for what you have, it could always be worse and there are people in DC who have been locked up for weeks and come Feb 18-21 at the Warner Theater, they are looking to have a good time and God has set the table and prepared you for such a time as this so get ready.

Washington, DC I say thank you in advance for helping keep me on tractk and my God continue to be with you and I will see you next week.

Gdavis

Sometimes I find myself in a chair reflecting for a moment on what I need to be doing when I start to fall asleep.  With the daily schedule that I induldge myself, I operate on about 5 hours a sleep at the most.

To give you and idea, I’m up at 6am every morning. Teaching class from 7:30am – 11am. On break I’m doing Gdavis stuff as much as my schedule will allow. Back to teaching class from 12:30-2pm. From 2pm until 2am I am doing Gdavis business.

Of course that includes production, paperwork, rehersals with cast members of my current shows nationally and regionally. In between all of that I am in constant communication with my national promoters Hosea Fox Productions,  honestly I love the relationship I have with Beverly and Hosea, we literally  speak at least 20 times a day.

I am very passionate about what I do with my company and  set the bar for the success of Gdavisplays very high.  That is why I pick and choose what I give my time to very carefyully due to the fact that it is very limited.

However, when I see a young person who has chosen to walk that path of being a playwright and is hungry I can’t help  but offer a helping hand.

Being in this business 16 years this April I did not have somone to hold my hand and tell me what to do and what not to do. I have made a lot of money in this business and I have also lost my fare share and others people’s share too (that is not a good feeling).

So even though I don’t have the time to put into anything that does not have the lable Gdavisplays on it, I just can’t say NO when a young man ask for my help.  Plenty people ask for my services but he was HUNGRY to make his production better. He was HUNGRY to learn, he was HUNGRY to learn whateaver he needed to in order to make his cast better.

He was very persistent and that struck a cord with me.  When I met with his cast to start blocking his show, the light in their eyes and the glow on their faces when they were exposed to knowledge gave me the energy and the feeling of apprciation for this passion that I have for theater to go on no matter how tired I may have been unbeknowing to them.

Its one thing for the director to be HUNGRY but when I felt the energy of his cast it was easy for me to give of my time. I drive close to 2 hours twice a week to work with his group. The work is almost done and I can say it has been a great experience. 

I love teaching and I love spreading wisdom. Its not that I know it all but I just don’t want this young man to make the same mistakes I did early on in his career that I did in large part because I was learning for myself, by myself.

I look at the time I am giving to this group as a sacrafice to show “GOD” that no matter how high HE takes me, its never about ME. 

I am striving for success beyond my wildest imagination, not so that I can be rich and famous but so I can give back and help the next person along the way.  In my eyes, if I do it on this level, its just one way of showing “GOD” what I am willling to do with what I have until HE feels I am ready for more.

This month is Black History Month, lets remember that no matter where we find ourselves today, we did not get here yesterday and there is another place that we are reching to be tomorrow.  So, take the time to stop and help another fellow brother or sister today who has asked you more than once to assist them with their dream.

We are all only one contact away from that person who can help us obtain the wealth and knowledge we need to take our business to the next level.

Ask yourself this question, that one person that you call your mentor, that one person who helped you get where you are, that one person that you call on when you are in a jam, what if they were to say No or said No?

Take the time to help a brother or sister this day.

Gdavis

Many of you have read my blogs over the past few months to understand my view on the black church and how it closes its doors sometimes to the very people that need their help the most.

A few weeks ago I was the youth day speaker at First Baptist Church Capitol Heights Maryland. I was accompanied by my national promoters Hosea and Beverly Fox along with my wife Monty and cast member Samantha McSwain.

I was impressed with how active the youth were involved in the church and I could tell it was not just for that particular Sunday. I have always said if you want young people to attend your church you must have something for them to do once they get there.

I would lik to thank Pastor Druggar and the First Baptist Church Capitol Heights Family and staff for the warm welcome and reception that you showed me and my guest on that particular day. I look forward to coming back anytime that you need me to assist with any events that you may be having at your church.

It warms my heart to know that even though we live in a world that is framed by how much money is needed to drive a ministry, there are still some black church’s out there that will support another ministry that is not directly associated with them.

The bottom line is helping God’s people, its not about who gets the credit but did you do your part regardless of someone saying thank you or someone else getting a financial blessing.

I will forever be grateful to you in your support of my production “The Lord Will Make a Way”coming to the Washington, DC area in February and I look forward to seeing you there, May God continue to bless you!

Gdavis