Also this issue: Strikes, Fights, Big City A turbulent New York theater season produced some notable work. -Toby Zinman Lullaby of Broadway This season’s musical theater scene has been a bit sleepy. -David Anthony Fox Alone Again, Naturally -Susan Hagen Artsbeat -Debra Auspitz Green Violin -Steve Cohen The Plotz Retrospective -A.D. Amorosi Bell Esteem -Kristina Weise Don DeLillo -Andrew Ervin

April 24-30, 2003

artpicks

Black Ice

Black Ice: usually it’s that nasty, nearly invisible stuff that causes accidents in the winter -- slippery and oh-so-dangerous. This time it’s just as slick and lethal with the flick of the tongue. Black Ice is Philadelphia-born poet Lamar Manson, the first spoken-word artist signed to the prestigious record label Def Jam. Russell Simmons first laid his music-moguling, money-making eyes on Mr. Ice at New York City’s Soul Café during the pitch for HBO’s Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. That led to Black Ice’s acclaimed performance on Simmons’ TV and Broadway Def Poetry Jams. While Manson’s been dishing out poetry for almost 10 years, it’s only now that the roar of the crowd and the glimmer of stardom are visible for Ice. He’s rocked it to standing ovations at the Hip-Hop Summit and the Black Congressional Caucus. Now, it’s time for Philly’s latest mouthpiece for social change to bring it home one more time before bigger curtains call. And with labelmates like DMX, Jay-Z, Ludacris and Ashanti, there’s only one place to go: up, up, up. Also along for the ride are poets Monica Peters, Miz Earth, Aishah Bradley, Herb Gray, Misty Sol, Taj El, Louis Moses and the incredible Temple University professor, Ms. Kimmika Williams.

Black Ice, Mon., April 28, 7 p.m., $10, Freedom Theater, 1346 N. Broad St., 215-844-4296.

—Ainé Ardron-Doley