Focus on Arts

Willie Holmes, a rising senior at North Forsyth High School, is into computers and wants to become a graphic designer. He looks forward to the future with confidence and youthful energy.

But just a few months ago, he was reeling with grief after the death of his mother.

"At that point in time in my life, I was going through so much stuff that I just didn't feel like being here," he said. "I was depressed. I was drinking and taking pills. I literally tried to kill myself."

Holmes attends Union Baptist Church. During a youth service there last May, he went to a presentation by three members of the Winston-Salem Youth Arts Institute.

The youths spoke and sang for about 30 minutes. They communicated a message that "we have greatness inside us," Holmes said, and that "we need to realize that greatness so that we can make a better life for the people around us."

The presentation, which the institute calls an "engagement," gave Holmes hope, and he began turning his life around.

"If I hadn't seen them engage, I know I wouldn't be here right now," he said. "They touched my soul.... I wanted to take what they did for me and do it for somebody else."

Holmes will soon have an opportunity to do just that:

He and about 29 other teens will present "apSOUListe" beginning Thursday in Kelly Auditorium of First Baptist Church on Fifth Street, having participated in the institute's summer session.

The word "apSOUListe," created by the institute's teens to express a kind of soul-to-soul communication, is described in press materials as "a live sensation" in which kids from at-risk communities "create and present abstract, uncensored and true works of poetry, monologues, raps, editorials, essays and lyrics from their hearts."

The goal of "apSOUListe" will be to motivate audiences to "change a life" and "make a difference" in such efforts as promoting literacy, preventing violence and keeping kids in school.

When the first of three "apSOUListe" shows is presented, the institute's summer session will have lasted six weeks. Daily practice sessions have been taking place at two locations downtown. Each participant has spent about 10 days writing poetry, lyrics or prose -- which is then transformed into something theatrical.

Nathan Ross Freeman, the institute's artistic director, served as the creative writing teacher, assisted by Charlene McCrae. Now, as the stage director of "apSOUListe," he is overseeing the development of ensemble pieces based on the participants' writing samples.

"Sometimes, you'll hear a poem and it has a little certain rhythm to it," said Ebony Little, a summer-session participant. "Mr. Nathan will hear that and go, ‘Oh no, that's not a poem; that's a song.'"

Holmes said that he wrote six works, having created everything from poetry to prose to explore getting over inner struggles. His writing underlies two segments in "apSOUListe": War of Me and Inside the Flame. Dialogue and singing will be featured in the former; singing and dancing will flavor the latter.

The institute is offering its seventh summer session. In the past, summer sessions have focused on a particular genre, such as film or visual art.

"This year, we have a lot of dance and music," said Lynn Rhoades, the institute's executive director. Rhoades said that "apSOUListe" would be divided into "different collections," with each devoted to a theme. The themes will include love, fire and the blues.

A fairly large creative team has been assembled to help put the various and sundry parts of "apSOUListe" together. In addition to Freeman, McCrae and Rhoades (who is also serving as vocal coach), Charles Gibson is handling the musical direction, and Naomi Greenberg is teaching the choreography.

The program includes some film segments, and Cameron Speaks is helping put these together. There are two mentors who, as Rhoades put it, are there to "support the kids in being successful" -- Cesar Weston and Natasha Futrell.

Many institute participants say they're glad that they've signed on to a program that keeps them writing, singing, dancing and speaking all day.

"Rather than being bored, you do something productive," Chris Reynolds said. "You do something that will express your feelings, be more in touch with your inner self."

Little expressed similar sentiments. "It helps you break things out," she said. "Some people learn about their real lives in these pieces, things they've probably never told anybody. This is a chance to get it out and let people know how they feel. How do people know what's wrong with our community if we don't tell them?"

■ The Winston-Salem Youth Arts Institute will present apSOUListe at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at 3 p.m. next Sunday in Kelly Auditorium of First Baptist Church, 501 W. Fifth Street. Tickets, available at the door, are $10, but reservations are recommended. See www.wsyai.org or call Lynn Rhoades at 336-749-1317.