BOOKS
Jesse and the Caterpillar Who Got Its Wings
Aaron Braxton
Jesse is an intelligent, sensitive, yet socially awkward kid, who has a vivid imagination, a hard time fitting in and desperately needs a little help making friends. Facing the added pressures of 5th grade, his whole world changes when his teacher brings caterpillars to class. As the entire class watches, in awe, the meltdown of the caterpillars' magical transformations, Jesse uses their shape shifting metamorphosis--from humble earthbound creatures, to graceful winged beauties as a metaphor for life, love, rebirth and healing. When a pretty girl named Khalilah suddenly takes interest, he discovers that his life and the lives of his classmates will never be the same.
GOING SOLO-Creating Your Own Dynamic One-Person Show
Aaron Braxton
Have you ever had an idea you thought would make a great one-person show? Ever thought about writing that idea yourself, but didn't know how to start? Are you ready to get out of your own way?
GOING SOLO takes you through the entire process of developing, writing, marketing, and producing, your own dynamic one-person show. By following the exercises outlined in this book, critically acclaimed writer/actor, Aaron Braxton, shows you how to thoroughly complete your first solo draft in 8 weeks or less.
What is the story you want to tell? How do you want to authentically create it?
With GOING SOLO, you will reveal the framework by which you think in order to create an engaging plot with 3 dimensional characters who have substance, depth and move audiences. Put your dreams into action and step into your greatness. With GOING SOLO, you're halfway there.
Homeboy's Guide to Southern Cookin-And other Stuff
Aaron Braxton
My grandmother, Lena Bell Cunningham's Sunday dinners were legendary. On the first Sunday of every month churches all across the city would close down early in order to stand in line just to get a taste of her scrumptious cuisine.
Every summer my grandmother and I would carve out a patch of my family's already miniature inner city backyard and plant a vegetable garden. It was an opportunity for her to show me how to plant, harvest, and cook fresh vegetables; with an attention to detail, an appreciation for nature, and a love of the craft.
I miss my grandmother. I still get teary-eyed when I think of her passing and I smile at remembering the pure joy in her eyes when she fed other people. This book, and those that will follow, honor her memory, and in some small way keep her traditions alive. I know you will love these recipes as much as I have over the years. She taught them to me, and now I'm teaching them to you. Enjoy!
Plays
Did You Do Your Homework?
Aaron Braxton
DID YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK? chronicles the realities, comical, tragic, and inspiring, of the public school educational process and one substitute teacher's journey through the bureaucracy of an inner city classroom.
The 12 character One-Person show was developed out of a need to showcase how the American educational process affects everyone, by exploring the idea that we all must take responsibility for creating a safe educational environment, in order for our youth to lead productive, capable lives.
A show that transcends language, race and culture, the story takes place in an urban classroom with LaQuita, a boisterous, outspoken, troubled teen; Bryan, a kid struggling with homelessness and family addiction; Trevon, a kid with hygiene problems and America, a shy but very bright girl. Then there's Mr. Braxton, an idealistic teacher, who thinks he has all the answers, but soon learns that sometimes the most poignant lessons in life, come from those he's trying to save.
Broken
Aaron Braxton
Mental illness does not discriminate based on race, color, gender or identity. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their background. However, how you understand and cope with these conditions are very different in African American communities. Because mental health is seen as a sign of weakness and judgement in African American Communities, many people suffer in silence.
BROKEN is a witty, Two-Act Play centered around the stigma of mental illness in a typical African American family, where the painful, personal experiences of a woman rejecting psychological help, suffers drug and alcohol addiction as well as extreme visual and auditory hallucinations. All while vigorously attempting to rectify her own sorrow.
Winner of the Max K. Lerner Fellowship Award, BROKEN examines what transpires when families do not know how to fully support each other when dealing with severe mental health trauma. It explores pathological guilt and addiction as a byproduct of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Belafonte Unauthorized
Aaron Braxton
Most people do not know the true history of the Civil Rights Era and how a handful of celebrities used their influence, at the detriment of their careers, to move the movement forward. Harry Belafonte is one such notable entertainer and activist who fostered philanthropy and activism through art integration.
This solo play and monologue book displays Belafonte’s advocacy towards racial justice and social change. A good friend to Martin Luther King, he altered the context of “celebrityism” in order to effect transformation into the hearts of Americans. Learning a great deal from predecessors like Paul Robeson, Harry Belafonte enacted a way of attracting financial contributions for the Civil Rights Movement, by boldly challenging people to question their integrity and recognize that the country wins when our humanity is united.
Art has always been the carrier of human evolution. - Harry Belafonte
*This solo play can be performed solo or as an ensemble.
Tear Down the Walls
Aaron Braxton
TEAR DOWN THE WALLS is a tribute to African American men and women who have made significant contributions to America and the rest of the world in the fields of science, politics, law, sports, the arts, entertainment and many other fields. It honors the struggles and triumphs of African Americans throughout U.S. history, including slavery, the civil rights movement and present day. Those who continue to thrive from standing on the shoulders of giants.
This Black History play is written to be very inclusive. Multicultural students of all ethnic backgrounds, abilities and special needs can and should be included seamlessly in the mounting of this production.
Recently Released
Playwriting Made Simple
Aaron Braxton
PLAYWRITING MADE SIMPLE is the best self-guided course in the industry, specifically designed to teach aspiring playwrights and seasoned professionals, the methods necessary to create and produce compelling stage plays. It offers professional playwriting tips, tricks, secrets, strategic shortcuts and creative insights into playwriting for the theatre, that will bring your play from page to stage in 6 weeks or less!
If you follow this playwriting course and thoroughly perform the playwriting exercises, you will be armed with all the tools necessary to become a better writer, insightful artist and shrewd producer, by transforming yourself into the playwright you always wanted to be.
You will learn scene structure, playwriting formulas, levels of dialogue, character development, subtext, audience expectations, rising/falling actions, tension, format, how to develop your own voice and playwriting style, advertise, market, produce, find money, avoid clichés and more!
If you are ready to put your dreams into action, this streamlined playwriting and producing course is for you. Get the stories out your head and into the world. Take a leap so your passion can sprout wings.
The time is now. Open your heart and say, “YES!” Now begin.
Producing Made Simple
Aaron Braxton
PRODUCING MADE SIMPLE is specifically designed to show aspiring producers, writers, actors and seasoned professionals, methods that are necessary to efficiently produce small to medium-sized stage productions and thereby keep the artist community and the theatre scene alive, vibrant and strong.
By offering professional producing tips, tricks, strategic shortcuts, secrets and creative insights into producing for small and medium sized theatre, it will empower, organize and help bring your production from concept to stage in several weeks!
If you follow these tips you will be armed with all the tools necessary to become a better producer and transform yourself into the “boss,” you always wanted to be. You will learn the art, craft and technical aspects of theatre producing; how to find theatres, negotiate contracts, marketing, advertising, press releases, finding money and much more!
Are you a playwright who is tired of waiting for someone else to say, “yes,” to your work? Are you ready to mount your own productions? It’s time to get out of your own way and put your dreams into actions.
The only way to do it, is produce it!
I Am
Aaron Braxton
What have you done TODAY that gets you closer to your DREAMS?
Can’t seem to get what you want out of life? Ever feel like days pass by and you haven’t followed your passion or accomplished anything meaningful? Are you living under other people’s terms or agendas? Constantly telling yourself, “Today is the day…” but end up falling into old patterns of allowing life to simply pass you by? Need help becoming more productive? More effective? Desperate for a change?
Maybe you don’t like your job. You feel it’s robbing you of your happiness. Maybe you want to be promoted in your company, start a new career, or become an entrepreneur. Maybe you want to become healthier, write a book, get out of debt, be more present with loved ones or start a new life. Whatever your goals or aspirations, life happens, and when there’s a gap between who you are, and who you intend to be, your life is out of balance.
I AM is a premium, lined, 8.5" x 11", daily, inspirational journal with 365 quotes that effectively provide a unique roadmap to inspire greatness and set you on the path of turning your Dreams into Actions. By offering 365 daily quotes on success (with 12 bonus quotes) from some of the world’s most extraordinary minds of past and present, it sorts through mental clutter and provides a canvas that dramatically improves mental clarity, explores deepest desires, and refocuses the subconscious mind towards authentic daily execution, physical reality, and success.
Want to synergize every area of your life and become more aware and self-confident? Want your days filled with reduced stress and bursts of imagination, creativity and motivation? Daily journaling is the best and most powerful habit you can do.
If you have just 10 minutes or less per day, you have the power to create the life you want. On the pages of the I Am 365 Daily Inspirational Journal, the world you want is waiting for you to create.
I Am: Special Edition
Aaron Braxton
What have you done TODAY that gets you closer to your DREAMS?
Can’t seem to get what you want out of life? Ever feel like days pass by and you haven’t followed your passion or accomplished anything meaningful? Are you living under other people’s terms or agendas? Constantly telling yourself, “Today is the day…” but end up falling into old patterns of allowing life to simply pass you by? Need help becoming more productive? More effective? Desperate for a change?
Maybe you don’t like your job. You feel it’s robbing you of your happiness. Maybe you want to be promoted in your company, start a new career, or become an entrepreneur. Maybe you want to become healthier, write a book, get out of debt, be more present with loved ones or start a new life. Whatever your goals or aspirations, life happens, and when there’s a gap between who you are, and who you intend to be, your life is out of balance.
The I AM: Special Edition, is a ultra premium, beautifully COLORED version of the lined, 8.5" x 11", daily, inspirational journal with 365 quotes that effectively provide a unique roadmap to inspire greatness and set you on the path of turning your Dreams into Actions. The only journal offering 365 daily quotes on success (with 12 bonus quotes) from some of the world’s most extraordinary minds of past and present, it sorts through mental clutter and provides a canvas that dramatically improves mental clarity, explores deepest desires, and refocuses the subconscious mind towards authentic daily execution, physical reality, and success.
Want to synergize every area of your life and become more aware and self-confident? Want your days filled with reduced stress and bursts of imagination, creativity and motivation? Daily journaling is the best and most powerful habit you can do.
If you have just 10 minutes or less per day, you have the power to create the life you want. On the pages of the I Am 365 Daily Inspirational Journal, the world you want is waiting for you to create.
AMERICAN MADE: My World in Poetry
African American poetry is central to American literature and African American poets have always celebrated their heritage by viscerally connecting with communities all over the African Diaspora. It is a unique tradition that deeply draws roots from jazz, hip hop, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll; with intonations reminiscent of churches, barbershops and urban sprawls.
This book of poetry is a powerful commentary on the times of African American people; men in particular. “How we are feared and oftentimes silenced in a myriad of unorthodox and unethical ways. How refusing to play small, maliciously and deceptively, labels us angry and violent. How being criminalized and hunted like animals consumes our core while quiet stress consumes our lives.”
The poems gathered in this collection are an event. Often political, they are a prevailing, lyrical and intensely moving documentation of spirit; continuing the richness in African American poetry and American poetic tradition. They are love poems to ancestors who sacrificed and persevered. They are love poems to “self,” for unwavering, fervently listening, and a continuing tenacious faith in the unseen. They are a steady sign of the times, a refocusing of American literary legacy, a celebration of artistic expression and a contemporary flowering under the harshest of conditions.
Most importantly, many of the poems outlined in this book are produced out of protest and activism. They are a constant reminder to all Americans that African Americans are not resident aliens in the country of their birth. “We are America. We built it, and through free, forced labor, we made it strong. We are founders and this country is just as much our birthright.”
We are---AMERICAN MADE!
Film Scripts (Unproduced)
A LONG WAY FROM SUNDAY (Feature film) - A gritty, faith-inspired film about a series of revelations that lead to an Apostolic Pentecostal preacher questioning his faith in friendships, family, and God, resulting in him killing a man and burning down his church.
THE LONGEST GOODBYE (Feature film) - THE LONGEST GOODBYE is the beginning of a mother and son's journey with dementia and the courage it takes to keep love alive as memories fade and life is rearranged to moments in time.
TO LIE BENEATH (Feature film) – A zany, suspense driven horror about a recently divorced restaurateur who gets entangled with a beautiful, Succubus, femme fetal, and her Incubus husband.
Television Scripts (Unproduced)
THE SUB (Limited 10 episode TV series) - A single camera dramedy about a substitute teacher's journey through the bureaucracy of a dysfunctional urban educational system, while taking over a disruptive, dysfunctional class because the regular teacher quits.