‘Word Up’ Brings People Together

By Eric George Tauber

SAN DIEGO — Let those who are hungry for live performance come and dine at the table of Word Up! These events are part improvised performance, part workshop and part conversation. They are held periodically at the Copley Plaza at the Old Globe in Balboa Park. Feeling homesick and needing to tie up some loose ends, I made aliyah back to my favorite city from Cincinnati and was fortunate enough to catch one performance last Friday.

If you’re not up on the latest street slang, “word up” means “I comprehend what you are saying and verify that your statement is true….” (urbandictionary.com) in other words, it’s the street-smart Amen.

The featured artist was Omari Abdul-Alim who recently completed his MFA in Violin Performance at the University of Cincinnati. He improvised a number with the aid of his brother, Idris Abdul-Alim freestyling lyrics. Drummer Rashad Graham lent his percussive expertise with only twelve hours notice.

We couldn’t stop the bell tower from chiming, so when you can’t beat ‘em, play along, which the musicians did with alacrity. And speaking of chimes, the audience got to chime in on the discussion part, giving short answers to questions like:

-What are some grown-up obligations that you didn’t have before?

-When you’re going through it, how do you find moments of escape?

—What’s something you thought was a pillar in your life that turned out not to be?

The musicians played “Stand By Me” while Idris sang, incorporating elements of the discussion into his song.

It’s not a polished performance and it’s not supposed to be. It’s just a fun way to bring people together to make live art again and have a conversation about issues that affect all of us.

There are more events coming up. Find out what they are and where to go by visiting www.theoldglobe.org.

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Eric George Tauber is a Cincinnati-based freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com