THE JEWELRY BOX
In this hilarious and heartwarming prequel to his hit show “Not a Genuine Black Man,” beloved actor-playwright Brian Copeland recounts two memorable weeks in his youth when he took to the “mean streets” of Oakland to buy his mom the perfect Christmas gift. Rife with references to 1970s Oakland, “The Jewelry Box” follows six-year-old Brian’s adventures as he scours the help-wanted ads, applies for jobs and collects bottles, inching his way toward the coveted present, a jewelry box at the Hegenberger White Front store.
“Destined to be a holiday classic!”
—SF Examiner
LIGHTEN UP FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE
In 1971, Fair Housing advocates considered San Leandro one of the most racist suburbs in America. CBS aired a special in the situation. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights conducted hearings. The next year, eight-year-old Copeland and his African-American family moved in. In an evening of laughter, tears and sociology, “Not a Genuine Black Man” is a hilarious and insightful look at Bay Area history, and at the ways in which our upbringings make us who we are.
“Not a Genuine Black Man” broke records as the longest-running solo show in San Francisco history and brought Copeland critical acclaim as one of the city’s most talented and engaging solo performers.