
DATE: Thursday, September 18, 1997          TAG: 9709170133

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 09   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   79 lines

SUFFOLKIAN GROWS UP TO STAR IN HER OWN SHOW IN BOSTON

Back in the `80s I constantly crossed paths with Monet Ledbetter.

I used to emcee talent shows and pageants - there she was - often winding up in first place.

Monet was active with 4-H, and busy taking piano, organ and dance lessons.

``Mom took me everywhere,'' she said. ``My dad helped with the finance and cheered me on.''

The travel, dedication, hard work, and cheering paid off.

These days, Monet A. Ledbetter-Glaude is producer, writer, director and one of the stars of ``Jack's World,'' a hip-hop musical for pre-school and elementary school children.

It is about three wonderful things - love, family, self-esteem.

Never heard of ``Jack's World?'' You've not visited Boston, where the production was quite successful.

``I hope to run it again, there, next year. And, I'd like to bring it to Suffolk,'' Monet said, during a recent visit home - ``maybe Richmond. I'd like to see it done all over the United States - internationally - on television - on video.''

Mostly, she would like to give her regards to Broadway. ``That's where I'd like to bring the play. I'm looking for investors.''

Monet was always ambitious.

She and her husband, Ian, have their her own production company, Inet Productions, which concentrates on ``Jack's World,'' but also produces recordings, jingles, commercials, and other acts including gospel singer, Oral Roberts - no relation to me, or the Okie evangelist.

Monet makes sure of one thing - no matter what she produces, be it rhythm and blues, calypso, reggae, jazz - ``the lyrics are always very positive.''

She was raised that way - succeed, don't stomp on toes, keep it clean.

Monet credits dad, Romie, and mom, Costellar. He owns Rillco Inc., a construction company, she teaches business classes at Gates County High School.

Their other daughters are also doing well. Kenitra Bile, who recently moved back to Suffolk from Atlanta, will start an interior design business. Rosalind Lacy lives in Richmond and works as a computer programmer for the city.

Monet, though, is following in mom's footsteps. She is a teacher - not business, though - her business is music which she teaches in several Boston schools. And, she is minister of music at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in that city.

Privately, she teaches piano and voice. Many of the ``Jack's World'' youngsters are her students - others come from schools around Beantown.

``The next version of the production will be multi-cultural,'' said Monet, noting that version No. 1 is African-American. ``I'll have white and Asian children.''

Monet was such a happy Suffolk child - she wrote a song about the city.

It is included in the ``Jack's World'' CD, although it is not part of the play.

``I was 9 when I wrote and composed the music - ``The City of Suffolk,'' said Monet, a 1986 John Yeates High grad. ``Over the years, I've revised the music and lyrics and would like very much for the city to adopt the song as theirs.''

As for ``Jack's World'' - it is tuneful, happy - a positive for children.

Monet, mom of 1-year-old Christoff Jamal Glaude - who had a teeny part in the musical - enjoys writing music, driving, reading biographies about other musicians, and about health - ``things that enlighten and educate me.''

She would like to have her own book - one that kids can color.

``I'd like to have a `Jack's World' coloring book,'' she said - ``make it the same as Barney - something they can relate to.''

It will be just like the play - telling about love, family, self-esteem. MEMO: To contact Monet A. Ledbetter-Glaude, call (617) 296-3282 or

write to her c/o Inet Productions, 58 Messingercq St., Mattapan, Mass.

02126.

Note to Mayor Underwood:

Call (617) 296-3282 for a copy of the song aout Suffolk. It's quite a

good song. I have a copy - I'll be glad to share.

- Frank Roberts ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Monet A. Ledbetter-Glaude