Less than an hour before sundown, the men wrapped UNLV’s bronze Hey Reb! statue in a yellow sling and rigged it to a forklift.

A pandemic is arguably not the optimal time to make theater, considering theaters are closed and actors can’t come within six feet of each other. Yet there’s some exciting work being done within pandemic parameters. This weekend I took in three remarkable performances developed during these locked-down days, as well as one recorded just prior to it (the riveting What the Constitution Means to Me, now on Amazon Prime)…plus three exhilarating Dodgers games. (Go, Dodgers!)

As one of the nation's most prominent spoken-word artists, and a three-time national poetry slam champion and a four-time national finalist, Javon Johnson now takes to The Pasadena Playhouse stage in STILL. to share his very personal experience growing up as a Black man in America at a pivotal time in our history. Recounted at breakneck speed, thankfully with captions, Johnson blends powerful imagery, witty prose and beautiful lyricism in this timely, unforgettable theatrical event which will fill your senses with wonder, knowledge, and the type of confusion that comes from the bombardment of too much information hitting your senses too quickly.

The historic Pasadena Playhouse is empty. No ticket holders gossiping and rubbing elbows in the Spanish revival-style courtyard. No line at the bar.

The historic Pasadena Playhouse is empty. No ticket holders gossiping and rubbing elbows in the Spanish revival-style courtyard. No line at the bar.

As an expression of performance poetry, spoken word forms a singular link between poetry and theatre. So it is fitting that spoken-word artist Javon Johnson’s one-man show “Still.” is helping launch Pasadena Playhouse’s PlayhouseLive, a streaming platform.

2020 will always be known as the year of the pandemic but one day it could be known as the year of change.

Studies show violence, oppression, and police brutality have impacted the Black community at a disproportionate rate when compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. One way that Black people have learned to fight back is by coming together and using one single voice to demand change.