The Play
3 Divas 3
Ed Feldman
Anthony Cooper
Meet the Cast and the Creative Team
Karen Smith
Alfred Pollitt
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Anthony B. Cooper ( the Announcer) began performing in children’s musicals at the age of four. Since then Mr. Cooper has studied the creative process at The University of Toledo, with Bernie Coin, at HB Studios under Earle Hyman, with Elmo Terry Morgan of Brown University’s Rites and Reasons Theater. He has also studied under Robert Hightower of Antioch University and Stag-East Repertory Company in Philadelphia PA., and Barbara Ann Teer of The National Black Theater in New York.
Some of his performance more notable credits of film, television, and theater
include: “Mo Better Blues”, “Bingo Long’s Travelin All-Stars and Motor Kings,” “Bo-Gator,” “Law and Order,” and the Sylvester Stalone film “Creed” among others. He has toured internationally, performing with Gregory Hopkins’ Inspirational Ensemble where he has been a featured soloist, and in his last tour he played Tom in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mocking Bird”.
Ed Feldman (Tex Ash) has been acting all his life. His first portrayal was of an attentive student. His convincing portrayal fooled all his primary, secondary and university teachers. He then convinced PBS and The Discovery Network into thinking he could produce, write and host a TV show about fixing furniture. The Cable Ace people were fooled into giving him on of those awards. Many colleges have fallen under his seductive portrayal of a teacher. He now fools people into thinking he is a morning radio host on gtownradio.com. But it was all acting. Ed is proud to thank the production of "3 Divas 3" for finally allowing him to be natural on stage. No acting. He is Tex.
Anthony Cooper
Alfred Pollitt (Composer and Musica Director) is a native of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Known to many in the music world as "ALFIE", has been studying and playing music since receiving his first piano lessons at the tender age of three.
Alfie has performed with a broad spectrum of prominent jazz and R&B entertainers, including: Donald Byrd, Archie Shepp, ArtBlakey, Norman Connors, Sister Sledge, Billy Paul, Stephanie Mills, George Howard, and The Four Tops, along with Alfie's own bands and ensembles.
Alfie toured extensively with legendary R&B superstar Teddy Pendergrass, which earned him (Alfie) two platinum recording credits to his impressive list of achievements.
Mr. Pollitt has also represented Philadelphia at the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival in Jamaica (1995) and at the Festin Third International Music Festival in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (1993). Besides being a musician,
Alfie is known as a teacher and mentor to many musicians and other people in his surrounding communities.
Since his first piece of musical composition in 1958 entitled "15th Street", Alfie has written well over one hundred songs. He has composed and co-written theme songs and jingles for events, organizations, etc. His works include: theme/jingles for The Matah Network', "The Black Music Association" and "The Africamericas Festival". He has also collaborated as writer of "Our Family Reunion", and MALCOLM X" (an epic work which depicts events in Malcolm's life in song).
In 2016 Alfie worked on the Precious Places Documentary short in conjunction with the Scribe Video Center and the John Coltrane Place team “John Coltrane Place (Giant Steps In Philadelphia)” as a composer and photo contributor.
nthony Cooper
KAWESOMENESS! Urban Dictionary defines this word as “an un-measurable amount of awesomenimity something can produce.”
Karen Smith (The Playwright) has used the word to describe everything from a drum solo by a current young lion or lioness under her mentorship, to a long-ago performance by a creative genius in any genre whose attention to craft is evidenced by the body of work they have produced.
A Brooklyn native and 20 plus years in Philadelphia area, Karen is a playwright, poet, percussionist (the 3 Ps) along with director and instructor. Since writing
3 Divas 3 in 2004, Ms. Smith has been busy with other writing projects which includes "Frederick Douglass said "Stay Free", "Legacy the play" and most recently "Legacy II: Where are the Tubmans?"
In addition to her literary accomplishment, Karen has utilized her percussive talents with Keepers of the Culture, My Sister's Keeper, For Women Collective, Ms. Smith can be found at gigs around Philadelphia and the surrounding areas with the multi-talented ensembles, Yolanda Wisher and the Quick Fixx, Nu Gruv, Network, Bert Harris Trio, V. Shayne Frederick and Friends as well as her own two groups; Weez The Peeples and Sistahs Laying Down Hands, Laying Hands Down with Love who will be working with the Mann Center of Philadelphia's Summer Camp in July of 2016 that will also feature LadySmith Black Mamboza . Karen has also served as percussionist for readings by Dr. Sonia Sanchez and Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in The Rock. In April of 2016, Karen experienced her first international performance in Montego Bay, Jamaica for an all Women's retreat sponsored by Live Femme. And as if that’s not enough talent from one person, Karen’s favorite quote is “Possible is Possible.”
ren Smith
James Solomon
James Solomon (Composer) is a native Philadelphian and life long resident. In the early sixties as a teenager he began his career in song writing through collaborations with singer and songwriter Eddie Holman. With Eddie he co wrote top hundred songs: “This Can’t Be True”, “Don’t Stop Now”, and ‘ Stay Mine for Heaven’s Sake”, as well many other Harthon Productions.
In 1978 Solomon along with Theodore Agnew he co-wrote the original music for the Stain Glass Production of the play “This Train of Mine.”
In 1983 Solomon compiled six children’s songs he had composed earlier with his wife, Rochelle Nichols Solomon, that serve as an instructional tool for the African American Holiday Kwanzaa. These songs were published with the assistance of Rick Coates and Ujima Records.
In 1987 James Solomon and business partner Quincy Jacobs established Tafodoli Enterprises, a preproduction studio and
publishing company.
Since the mid seventies James’s longest collaboration has been with musician, song writer, and producer Alfie Pollitt, with whom he has done the theme song for the Matah Network in 1995. In 2010 James and Alfie co-authored the original music for the play “3 Divas 3” with play’s author Karen Smith.
In 2016 Sol worked on the Precious Places Documentary short in conjunction with the Scribe Video Center and the John Coltrane Place team “John Coltrane Place (Giant Steps In Philadelphia) as a writer and photo contributor.
es Solomon
