Facebook: Tina Cates
Phone: (916) 595-7944
Meet Tina Cates. She’s a Poet, an Actress, Promoter, & Playwright
Her passion is the theater and she loves acting.
Tina is originally from St. Louis Missouri and began writing as a child. She’s been using her writing talent and spoken word to tell a story. In 1983 she relocated to the Long Beach area (Southern California) and has only been living in Sacramento since 2011. Earlier in the years, 2002 she started an online poetry group based in New York, Maryland, and Atlanta while living in Southern California. In 2005 she began performing on stage doing showcases and as of 2016 she has two published books (Spoken Word, a book of poems), a short play that debuted in San Francisco, “Collard Greens and Sugar Cane” Hip Hop Dee’s in 1985 and “The Untold Stories of Hip Hop a short film, and is currently working on a film / play scheduled for release as a showcase sometime near the end of 2016.
Tina enjoys the Sacramento area and loves performing on stage with some of Sacramento’s brilliant & talented local artists. She has shared the stage with local artists Tey Yaniis & Ronald Matthews, just to name a few. “It’s amazing. I think there’s more opportunities here even though you would think it would be in Los Angeles”, Tina said. “It’s kind of unbelievable. The music, the poetry, the fashion. I mean everything is here”. She gives Khiry Malik from Mahogany Urban Poetry credit for helping encourage her to join the Sacramento scene.
A lot of her pieces are educational, some go back in history. “I like to write from different periods. A lot of it is history-based knowledge. Some of my pieces are internal feelings expressed; like fear, and accomplishing goals, identifying and healing”, said Tina describing the concept of her work. She does some of her performances with and without music and is looking forward to getting into the studio and working her poems into music. “It’s something new and fun to do”. When it comes to her play writing, she is transitional. She can write a play for multiple actors and perform the same play solo. She enjoys acting and is open to taking on the stage more.
Future plans consist of promoting another Music And Spoken Word event at the William Geary Theater in downtown Sacramento. A quaint little place with about 50 seats and most comfortable. She’s also working on establishing a company called “Benevolent Productions, LLC that will give poets, musicians and artists a platform in Sacramento to showcase their talents. Tina has been a social worker since 1989 and it has given her the opportunity to unify with people on all different levels. She’s a mother of two and they all three share the same birthday.
“I Love to see my stories come to life, walking and breathing. I think that’s one of the best things compared to the books. I love my books too! I love reading them but I just love to see them walking on the outside of pages”.
Tina Cates’ gallery
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Comments
I am so proud and thankful for your work I pray that God will continued to bless you as. you go on your journey
Awesome write up T and well deserved. You are a gifted poet with ‘a story to tell’ and ‘a story to share’. I met you as Dyvacat and you ignited poetry within me that I never knew existed….I’ll forever enjoy the dance. I wish you nothing but the best…
Such an amazing talent. Tina possess a warmth that draws you in words that stir your soul a smile that lights heart and eyes that leave you longing for more. Where Tina aka Dyvacat performs I’ll be there.