WHAT IS O.N.S.



O.N.S. is simply an acronym for “Over Night Sensation”. It’s also an Oxymoron, as we at O.N.S. stress the ideology that there is no such thing as over-night stardom or success. Usually, by the time we see a person or group rising to the top of the charts or plastered on magazines and tabloids, they’ve been at it for a long time; struggling to make it in the entertainment industry.

 

Parents have often given up careers to travel and coach young artists. Others have spent fortunes traveling to auditions, photo shoots, interviews and the likes. Many bands and performers have practiced for years/decades, utilizing any space they could scrounge; basements, garages, church rectories and any other place where the neighbors might not call the police about the noise. Dancers have worn out shoes, carpets and linoleums, getting the moves right, while singers have suffered sore throats, hernias, inner-ear and sinus problems, rehearsing to get the song down-pat. Magicians have set the house afire and many performers have sustained serious injuries in the pursuit of applause. There are no stars that did not pay grueling prices to get to the top. Relationships suffer as loved ones are on the road (sometimes for as long as eleven months to two years) promoting albums, shooting movies, signing books and touring.

 

Show business is BUSINESS FIRST!……and so many never realize their dreams because they fail to grasp this important concept. Contrary to popular belief, show business is not all about the show: “The Show Must Go On”, is simple TV/Movie talk. Shows get canceled and some never secure enough budget/funding to become more than an idea. The show is a product to be sold…just like shoes, milk or any other consumer item. If consumers do not buy your product---your artistic creation, then you only have the show in your living room for your family and guests. Shows cost money to produce. Venues, production people, film crews, performers, make-up and hair artist….every one expects to be paid. If your act, talent or performance fails to draw a PAYING CROWD, then you have no show because you haven’t got the business.

 

Artist no longer have to wait for producers, mangers and agents to guide their career. The INTERNET has taken lots of the mystery and the mayhem out of the process of getting noticed and honing your craft. Anything that you can create, be it a work of art, an invention, a hand-crafted item or a video of your latest poem or song, can be viewed, appreciated and even sold via the WORLD WIDE WEB. Google’s Youtube, Ebay, PayPal and Social Networking have generated and perpetuated and environment where anyone can share information and creativity with anyone and everyone who is plugged in.

 

Yes……… it’s time consuming, frustrating and often inconvenient…but…it’s POSSIBAL! And it’s worth it. That’s the important thing. The possibilities of exposure on the WEB really has revolutionized the whole entertainment industry. And, the big-time corporations that once ruled the entertainment world, creating a few mega-stars while crushing the hopes and dreams of countless wanna-bes, is gone …Forever!

 

Young hopefuls no longer have to skip-out to San Francisco, Hollywood, New York, Chicago and Seattle, in search of a dream that leaves so many, shattered and broken after years of night-jobs and rejections. Besides, Mini-Media-Moguls are cropping up everywhere; Minneapolis, North Carolina, Atlanta…to name a few, which means you can realize your dreams of stardom (or at the very least performing LIVE) much closer to home - without giving up everything you hold dear, just for a chance to be in the show.

 

These days, artists want to have it all. No longer are they chanting slogans like, “Show business/Music is my life.” Most professional performers are going to college, learning a myriad of trades, crafts and studies unrelated to entertainment. These wise people understand that no matter how famous or popular you are…there will come a time when the public eye will be armed at someone else. And even though you may be a legend…no one stays in the lime light forever.

 

The modern route to international fame and acclaim still has as much to do with WHO you know as it does WHAT you know and what you can do. Entertainers/Artists often need backing from people with the money and connections to get them on TV, Played on the Radio, into Movies and Galleries. A great way to be discovered is the INTERNET! So, go ahead, create a free Youtube account and post your performance for the world to see, it’s ok to give your performance for free in hopes that it will be seen and liked by those backers and producers. But, copy-write your material if you can…it wouldn’t feel good to find out that another group is making money off your act/song while you’re doing all the work. And don’t be fooled into believing the lie that you can ride to the top on the back of someone else…remember Milli Vanilli?

Now that you know who O.N.S. is and what we are about, we hope to see you at our next production, featuring live, local artist and performers…SMILE*

THE ARTIST WITHIN

Everyone is Blessed with creativity in some form of fashion, what sets artists apart is how they used their talents. Not everyone will command applause and cheers, but everyone can express themselves through some artistic medium.

Gardening,   Carpentry ,  Sewing,

Cooking/Culinary,   Oratory,   Auto Detailing

Hair Stylist,   Pet Groomer, Teacher/Instructor

Evan a Blacksmith. Anyone who uses their imagination to solve problems and get the job done is an artist in his/her own right. Using creativity is a flare that all of us possess.

Using one’s creativity to better the world is what defines a master artist.

Meet MsUPSTAGER-MADAMXTRA

Born in Chi-town, I spent many of my first years of life in the country and decided to live in the south when I was seven years old. It took a long time for me to get here, but Thanks to the Lord God Jehovah, the timing of my arrival was perfect.

My mother was educated and cultured. She worked in the retail sector and took pride in her role as wife and mother of four. My dad was a man of many talents. A builder, plumber, mechanic and cook, he also had a green thumb. He worked at a steel foundry for 26 years, before moving with his family, back to his home town in Central Mississippi . When their health began to fail, I was bless to care for each parent until their deaths in “91” and “02”.

Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church was my spiritual home and the most significant growth vehicle. Choir training included classical vocals and allowed me to expand the range of my voice. Traveling with the choir tought me independence and team unity as we crossed the country to Minnesota, the Carolinas, New York, Michigan, Memphis, Canada, Indiana, California, Mexico, and the PTL Ministries. At age 12, I worked in a local bookstore and fell in love with the written word and began to write poems, lyrics and short stories.

I’ve been extremely blessed to have done many of the things that I’ve wanted to do in this life- but the real adventure is just beginning. Mature, with all children grown, I’m still young enough to do all sorts of things, yet old enough to avoid many of the mistakes that would have stifled me if I’d attempted these efforts at an earlier point in life. I’ve enjoyed being a primary care giver to children and adults for over thirty years and worked in a variety of industries, including; factory, State, Local and Federal governments, construction, poultry plant, cashier, driver, cook, carpenter’s assistant and teacher’s assistants with certificates in Welding, CNA, CDL, and courses online. I’ve owned several small and Home-Based businesses, managing operations and employees. Other interests include arts, counseling, computers, gardening, community activism, spirituality, reading, collecting small antiques, blogging and selling on Ebay.

I’m looking forward to using my talents and wealth of knowledge to help young people and any others who would like to share in my colorful vision for a better world and a brighter tomorrow.

I’m exceedingly thankful for the information, kindness and encouragement of friends, loved ones, acquaintances, and even total strangers who believed in me, shared with me, prayed for me, and lent a hand to catch my fall when they saw a sister slipping.

May God bless the hearts and the lives of my hard-working and loyal Sons, especially my eldest who has volunteered to take on so much responsibility, even since he was a very young boy. Hugs and kisses to my grandchildren - they are my special source of joy and energy and thanks to my daughter for blessing me with them. Thanks to my man for loving me- not just for who I am, but for what we strive to be as a unit.

Enough about me- but if you read between the lines, as well as word for word, you’ll get to know bits and pieces of me…the good, the bad, and the indifferent.

It was also in the third grade that my teacher, Mrs. Creed, made my mother aware that I would benefit from special coaching. My artwork was far above average as my drawings were of unusual subjects, with depth and clarity. When the class sang, my voice was heard above all others and I was correctly in tune and could follow detailed instructions given by our music teacher, Mrs. Wheaton. The caring teachers at Westcott Elementary School, located on Chicago’s south side, aided my mother in finding Tudors and programs geared to develop my special gifts and talents. Although my Mother worked as a manager for a department store, along with her responsibilities as wife and mother of three at the time, she still sacrificed a great deal of time and money taking me to classes, exhibits, stage performances and art shows. I was allowed attend tours, trips, and retreats. I was also blessed to have exposure to an expansive array of cultural diversity, as the neighborhood we lived in was ethnically diverse.

Having been an entertainer since the third grade, I’ve always enjoyed the smiles that come over faces when they watch a person perform. It doesn’t have to be a great performance. Just having the courage to strut your stuff in front of other people and not care what they think of you is amazing to some people who are terrified of the very idea. Most of the time as a child, I was a shy introvert, spending lots time alone, just enjoying the company of animals and nature. But when there was a family function or crowd of any size I seized the opportunity to belt out a song or tell one of my corny jokes. If music was playing it was time for me to dance. Where there was a group of people, I felt the urge to be the center of attention, and I knew just how to get it.

In 2005 I founded Over Night Sensations, an Entertainment Productions Company. Working with local artists, we produce a wide range of events, and help improve the community. At home on the STAGE, I truly enjoy performing. Good diction, a clear voice, and my love for the sound of applause make me a natural orator.

So far, my life has been Blessed with love, excitement, beauty, joy and challenges. My prayer is that God will continue to Bless me with good health and wisdom, and that I may be a Blessing to others for many decades to come.