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THE HOLLY

THE HOLLY: a documentary feature (TRT: 102 mins); Genre: True Crime, Social Justice

Rights: All rights available, including to the main character whose life rights are with the award-winning book, The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun and the Struggle to Save an American The neighborhood was published in 2021 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

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Additional Information about Ep 1, 2, and 3

Welcome to episode one of Destination Freedom Black Radio Days Podcast. I’m your host producer/director donnie l. betts

Destination Freedom Black Radio Days, live radio show/podcast celebrates 20 years picks up where the first nationwide African-American radio drama, produced in Chicago by Richard Durham more than sixty years ago, left off.

The show walked a daring line between reform and revolution, and was shut down by its network in 1950, as McCarthyism and anti-communism tightened its grip on American broadcasting. As well as drawing on the archive of Destination Freedom (now branded Black Radio Days classic) this program illuminates a largely unknown, but important chapter in the history of human rights and tells how radio played its part from the very beginning.

That boundary-breaking program, Destination Freedom, dramatized the lives of great figures in African-American and other people of color  past and present; betts now continues in its spirit with all-new scripts. The 2019-2020 season will examine the intersection of law and law enforcement and community of color. Exploring police shooting, immigration and gender bias. Join us

Destination Freedom Presents

BLACK with a Capital B. BLACK.

by Lamaria Aminah

After one more young black man dies at the hands of police, a community is shaken. A conversation evolves between two mothers at the vigil – one white and one black. Through their interaction, BLACK. gets to the heart of the matter on communication between races. The cast includes Such as Black, Devra Keyes as white, Kerrie KJ Joy and Andrew J. Betts.

Stay after the performance for a robust community discussion led by donnie l. betts and musical guest Monique Brooks Roberts

 

For more information visit www.nocredits.com  and go to Destination Freedom.

Welcome to episode two of Destination Freedom Black Radio Days Podcast. I’m your host producer/director donnie l. betts.  Destination Freedom is a radio drama series recorded live in front of a studio audience which is then followed by a community discussion about the subject of the play and a musical guest. Destination Freedom is an audio journey through the Black Experience in America and other unheard voices

The original Destination Freedom came to be in 1948 and ended 1950 all written by radio hall of fame writer Richard Durham. I reviled the shows in 1998 and I have been producing the series ever since.

When first produced The series walked a daring line between reform and revolution, and was shut down by its network in 1950, because of its pro Black stance and as McCarthyism tightened its grip on American broadcasting.

This season join us as we will examine the intersection of law enforcement and communities of color. Exploring police shooting, immigration and gender bias.

Destination Freedom Episode two

“The Dark Legend of Detroit Blue” written by Hugo Sayles with musical guest Lionel Young.

It was nineteen hundred, and thirty-three  in Detroit, Michigan.  Legends can be born, even in  lowly places. Evil needs, create evil intentions This here is the story of a dark soul. Cast features John Futrell aka Panama Soweto, Faith Goins Simmons, Greg Ward and donnie l. betts who also directs and produces.

Detroit Blue had walked down murderer’s way so many times, on this day it would be his knife. Our killer lives in the darkness of places like this dim hallway, poised for murder   In the dimness of the doorway, and he heard was a soft, “Mmmff,” as he drove his blade home.  Wrong target. Very wrong. He felt a need to be something . . . someone else . . . not a killer . . . never a killer. Never Detroit Blue.  But evil always find evil.

 

Out-tro

Greg Ward- KKK

donnie- Mr. Troy and others

John Futrell aka Panama Soweto-Eric and Detroit Blue

Faith Goins Simmons -wrong target, foley sound effects and others roles

Lionel Young - guitar, violin, vocals and after show performance

 

Follow us on facebook at nocreditsproductionsllc, twitter @blackradiodays @donniebetts instragram #nocreditsproductionsllc

Destination Freedom Episode three

Music Stray Bullet-“The Tale of The Bullet” tells the story of America’s obsession of guns from the bullet’s perspective. According to the bullet “We do all the work and the gun gets all the love”.  This podcast features Prince Po of the hip hop duo Organized Konfusion whose song Stray Bullet addressed some of that violence. Plus, vocal artist Such whose song Wakeup Call is dedicated to high school shooting victim Claire Davis. Our conversation includes activists and families that have been impacted by gun violence immediately follows The Tale of The Bullet. It will feature among other Rep Tom Sullivan whose son Alex was killed in the Aurora Colorado Theatre shooting. Now join us for Destination Freedom’s, The Tale of The Bullet.

 

Summer 2014

Saturday, June 14th, 2014

Summer will be busy. Keep checking back to the site as well we will be filming our multi platform series “Rock Pile” work on our film on Dr. Vincent Harding “In Search of A more Perfect Union”.

A Documentary Film on the Life and Works of Scholar, Poet, Activist, Author and Veteran of Hope – Dr. Vincent Harding

Dr. Vincent Harding worked with his late wife, Rosemarie Freeney Harding in the Southern –based Black freedom movement for peace and justice. Dr. Harding was a senior academic advisor to the award-winning PBS documentary “Eyes on the Prize”, former director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center and one of the organizers of the Institute of the Black World.His social activism has deep spiritual roots in the Mennonite tradition and in the Black church. Dr. Harding has been one of the chroniclers of the Civil Rights movement as a participant, historian and social observer.

Dr. Harding says, “ I do not know when this concern for the meaning of our history in the United States as black and white and red (and all of our neighboring contributing varieties) began fully to grasp me. Having been raised in a tight, Bible-centered black church community of Harlem, I was surely open to such a search from the outset”

Quote from “There Is a River: The Black Struggle for Freedom in America” Trailer coming soon.

We also will be finishing up work on your film “The Artist, Henry Lowenstein”

Theatre, the Holocaust, art, ethnic inclusiveness,

love and loss, and family ties provide scenes of a blessed life. Lowenstein feels blessed because just when it seemed the door on his life closed, another door of opportunity opened.

The film focuses on Henry Lowenstein, a Berlin native and Denver theatre icon, whose work as a set designer, producer, and artist has endured for over half a century and five hundred productions. Lowenstein’s life spans over eight decades of political history, cultural strife, military service, theatre, and the loves and losses that accompany a life lived with heart.

Destination Freedom Black Radio Days: Jackie Robinson

Monday, September 30, 2013

Main Stage
Who should go?

Historians and baseball fans alike – play a part in a live radio broadcast!

More details
Featuring a live Foley artist, musical guests and living historical figures, this live show is broadcast throughout Denver and often picked up on other national stations. This radio play explores the life of America’s first black Major League Baseball player. Robinson first stepped onto the diamond with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and played ten seasons. He played in six World Series and was selected for the All-Star Games six seasons in a row. Robinson left his mark on history as a boundary breaker and cultural influence as well as a top player.

Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days is a radio series aired on KGNU 88.5 FM and 1390 AM. Recreating the feel and focus of the original broadcasts of Richard Durham in 1940’s and 50’s Chicago, Producer donnie l. betts explores the magic of radio from a different era with a sharp focus on famous African-Americans.

Tickets $15 (plus $3 service fee)

KGNU, Logo

No Credits Production, Logo

The Fall is going to be busy. 3 plays and some films plus Destination Freedom so get in where you fit in Friday, August 23rd, 2013
Slut Energy Theory in New York at the All For One Theatre Festival. 10/12/13/18/20 2013 written and performed by Rene Marie
directed by donnie l. betts

Metro Radio Show

Sunday, September 5th, 2010

Join us for Metro on KGNU 88.5 FM and 1390 AM Tuesday March 27 at 3PM for a conversation with our guest from Lone Tree Arts center and history Colorado Center.

Please visit our new and we think improved shoppping site for all of our products. It was rough getting it to work but we think you will like it so please visit our shopping site. New items will be added every so often, www.blackradiodays.com/shop

Thanks

Donnie

Coming up Destination Freedom radio drama hosted by dlbetts

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Coming up Destination Freedom live plus streaming on www.kgnu.org.

LONE
TREE ARTS CENTER CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A TRIBUTE TO JESSE OWENS

Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days will be Live from LTAC Feb 25

LONE
Jesse on StandTREE, CO – The World’s Fastest Human will be remembered on February 25 at 7:00pm at the Lone Tree Arts Center (LTAC). Jesse Owens, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, earned four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, a feat no single athlete had before accomplished. Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days will pay tribute to this incredible, boundary-breaking athlete in the live radio broadcast at LTAC. The broadcast will air on KGNU Boulder/Denver 88.5 FM and 1390 AM as well as www.kgnu.org.

betts hosts the broadcast, which will feature Theo Wilson in the role of Jesse Owens. Known to some by his stage name, Lucifury, Wilson has taken the slam poetry world by storm both as an individual poet and as a part of the group Slam Nuba. Wilson was recently a featured speaker at TED Denver.

betts is an Emmy Award winning filmmaker, four-time CABJ award winning radio journalist and a Broadway performer. He is a founding member of two theatre companies in Denver, City

Stage Ensemble and Denver Black Arts Company. He attended the Yale School of Drama. betts is also an artist-in-residence for the State of Colorado.

Also featured in this broadcast are Kurt Soderstrom, featured in all of Destination Freedom Shows; Kim Dawson, member of the a cappellagroup Urban Method, members of Highlands Ranch HS Choir. Musical effects are offered by Carlton Bacon and piano accompaniment will be provided by Brenda Steel.

donnie’ s

Thursday, March 18th, 2010

Hey working on the upcoming shows. Please be there. April 2013 directing the Color Purple

donnie's Headshot

The spring is very busy. Working with the education department of History Colorado for the opening of the nerw museum April 28th hope to see you there. Writing script for next radio show on Ella Baker.

Check out my sample videos especially We Wear THe Mask. I need funds to help finish this important film on Childhood Sex Abuse. Film on the Five Points of Denver, The great theatre artist Henry Lowenstein, seeker of peace and justice Dr. Vincent Harding, the New Jim Crow, Hope to hear from you and you and especially you, soon.

Also just started a radio talk show on KGNU called Metro heard every Tuesday at 3PM MST. My next show is Tuesday June 15th please listen.

The spring was very busy. Working on videos of the 50th reunion of SNCC, radio dramas about SNCC and Haiti, plus the 761st Tank Battation from WWII.

Check out my sample videos especially We Wear THe Mask. I need funds to help finish this important film on Childhood Sex Abuse. Hope to hear from you and you soon.

Also just started a radio talk show on KGNU called Metro heard every Tuesday at 3PM MST. My next show is Tuesday June 15th please listen.