he production, which was originally produced by the Young Vic Theatre in London, has been extended one additional week through January 29, 2023 by Manhattan Theatre Club and the Young Vic Theatre. The play, written by Anthony McCarten and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, features Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope as Warhol and Basquiat, respectively.

Warhol. Basquiat. Electric, eccentric, polar opposites… together, for the first time in the most unlikely partnership the art world has ever seen. Paul Bettany (The Avengers, “WandaVision,” “A Very British Scandal”) and Jeremy Pope (Choir Boy, Ain’t Too Proud, The Inspection) star in the thrilling American premiere of the London sensation

Set in the summer of 1984, The Collaboration tells the story of Warhol and Basquiat’s decision to work together on what could potentially be the most talked about exhibition in modern art history. The play explores the question of whether these two creative giants can coexist and thrive together.

The Collaboration features set and costume design by Anna Fleischle, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Emma Laxton, projection design by Duncan McLean, wig design by Karicean “Karen” Dick and Carol Robinson, original music by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, dialect and vocal coaching by Deborah Hecht, and casting by Caparelliotis Casting and Kelly Gillespie. James Latus serves as production stage manager.

The post The Collaboration Opening Tomorrow, Now Extended Through January 29 appeared first on Broadway Black.

Directed by the late theater legend Harold Prince, “The Phantom of the Opera” has been a New York City landmark, playing at The Majestic Theatre on West 44th Street for its entire run. The production, known for its lavish sets and costumes, large cast, and Broadway’s largest orchestra, has long been considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history.

Producer Cameron Mackintosh said, “The response to the news that ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is finally going to end its record-breaking original Broadway run after 35 years has been as phenomenal as the show itself.” In light of the demand for tickets, all performances for the final ten weeks will be on sale, except for a major charitable event on April 14 and the final performance on April 16. Proceeds from the charity performance will go to several Broadway charities as a thank-you from the “Phantom” team to the Broadway community.

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said, “I am delighted that, after such an incredible reaction from audiences, ‘Phantom’ at The Majestic is extending. If only the theatre wasn’t closing for a major refurbishment, we’d be there for an awful lot longer.”

Tickets for the extension will go on sale on Wednesday, November 30, and can be purchased through the box office, Telecharge.com, or by calling (212) 239-6200. Don’t miss your chance to see this legendary production before it concludes its record-breaking run on Broadway.

The New York production currently stars Ben Crawford as ‘The Phantom,’ Emilie Kouatchou as ‘Christine,’ Jason Forbach as ‘Raoul’ (Paul Adam Schaefer returns December 7 and John Riddle returns January 2), Nehal Joshi as ‘Monsieur André,’ Craig Bennett as ‘Monsieur Firmin,’ Raquel Suarez Groen as ‘Carlotta Giudicelli,’ Maree Johnson as ‘Madame Giry,’ Carlton Moe as ‘Ubaldo Piangi’ and a rotating cast as ‘Meg Giry’ (Sara Etsy returns from a leave of absence January 2).  At certain performances, Julia Udine plays the role of ‘Christine.’

The Ensemble features Giselle O. Alvarez, Polly Baird, Jessica Bishop, Janinah Burnett, Xiaoxiao Cao, Joseph DePietro, Kanisha Marie Feliciano, David Michael Garry, Chris Georgetti, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Satomi Hofmann, Ayaka Kamei, Ted Keegan, Kfir, Kelly Loughran, Scott Mikita, Greg Mills, Justin Peck, Patricia Phillips, Lindsay Roberts, Janet Saia, Carly Blake Sebouhian, Jeremy Stolle, Stephen Tewksbury, Carrington Vilmont, Jim Weitzer, Elizabeth Welch and Erica Wong.

The post <em>The Phantom of The Opera</em> Announces The First & Only Extension Possible appeared first on Broadway Black.

Written by Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner Erika Dickerson-Despenza and directed by Lilly Award winner Candis C. Jones, CULLUD WATTAH follows three generations of Black women living through the Flint Water Crisis.

The world premiere began preview performances in The Public’s Martinson Hall on Tuesday, November 2, and officially opens on Wednesday, November 17.

It’s been 936 days since Flint has had clean water. Marion, a third-generation General Motors employee, is consumed by layoffs at the engine plant. When her sister, Ainee, seeks justice and restitution for lead poisoning, her plan reveals the toxic entanglements between the city and its most powerful industry, forcing their family to confront the past-present-future cost of survival. As lead seeps into their home and their bodies, corrosive memories and secrets rise among them. Will this family ever be able to filter out the truth? CULLUD WATTAH blends form and bends time, diving deep into the poisonous choices of the outside world, the contamination within, and how we make the best choices for our families’ futures when there are no real, present options. 

The complete cast of CULLUD WATTAH features Crystal Dickinson (Marion), Jennean Farmer (Marion/Ainee Understudy), Lizan Mitchell (Big Ma), Ta’Neesha Murphy (Plum/Reesee Understudy), Andrea Patterson (Ainee), Alicia Pilgrim (Plum), Chavez Ravine (Big Ma Understudy), and Lauren F. Walker (Reesee). 

CULLUD WATTAH features scenic design by Adam Rigg; costume design by Kara Harmon; lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew; sound design and composition by Sinan Refik Zafar; hair, wigs, and make-up design by Earon Chew Nealey; prop management by Corinne Gologursky; vocal arrangements by Justin Hicks; and movement direction by Adesola Osakalumi. Janelle Caso serves as the production stage manager.

Watch a new video released by The Public featuring playwright Erika Dickerson-Despenza and director Candis C. Jones in conversation about their history of collaboration, the themes of the play, and how water justice affects Flint and beyond.

Additionally, to enhance the experience of seeing CULLUD WATTAH, a curated installation about the Flint Water Crisis has been installed on The Public’s Levin Mezzanine, along with a collection of books provided by The Free Black Women’s Library. Learn more about the installation by watching this video on The Public’s Instagram.

The post Erika Dickerson-Despenza’s CULLUD WATTAH Extended to Dec. 12th at The Public Theater appeared first on Broadway Black.

Sun started writing Pike St. in 2013, reflecting on the effects that Hurricane Sandy had on the inhabitants of New York City. Told from the point of view of a Puerto Rican family in residence in Lower East Side (L.E.S.) Manhattan, Pike St. brings to life the story of Evelyn, whose teenage daughter Candace is paralyzed and not able to breathe on her own, and the preparations the family must make in the face of a looming storm.

This project is a bit of a homecoming. Sun was born and raised in L.E.S. and took her first art classes at Abrons Art Center. She has sought to tell a story that embodies the unique diversity of the landscape. 

The artistry is what has me most intrigued by this story. Telling a story from one point of view is one thing, but seamlessly transforming from a matriarch who will protect her daughter by any means necessary, to the daughter who is bound by the dependance of a breathing machine and not being able to walk, to a woman who has survived the Holocaust, to a brother who has fought in Afghanistan, speaks to a special dexterity that you don’t see everyday. 

The nature of all of these characters combined seems heavy. But nightly, like Evelyn, Sun leaves her heart on the stage in an effort to plant seeds of healing and redemption, three years after Hurricane Sandy. 

Sun is a playwright and performer. It is in her Off-Broadway play, No Child, where she played an entire classroom of children and the teacher, that garnered her an Obie award, as well as a Lucille Lortel Award and two Outer Critics Circle Awards. Her TV and film credits include “30 Rock,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and “Louie.”

Pike St. held previews starting November 10 and opened November 15. The direction is helmed by Ron Russell and the show is presented by Epic Theatre Ensemble. Visit Abrons Arts Center for tickets.

The post Nilaja Sun’s “Pike St.” Extended Through December 19th at Abrons Arts Center appeared first on Broadway Black.

Staged by renowned international theater director Leisl Tommy and written by Obie Award-winning playwright Danai Gurira, Eclipsed takes a raw look at the strength and compassion of the resilient women struggling to survive in war-torn Africa:

“Amid the chaos of the Liberian Civil War, the captive wives of a rebel officer band together to form a fragile community – until the balance of their lives is upset by the arrival of a new girl. Drawing on reserves of wit and compassion, Eclipsed reveals distinct women who must discover their own means of survival in this deeply felt portrait of women finding and testing their own strength in a hostile world of horrors not of their own making.”

Artistic Director Oskar Eustis praises, “Eclipsed is both heart-breaking and profoundly life-affirming. We are delighted to welcome the extraordinary Lupita Nyong’o to The Public in this vitally important play.”

The complete cast of Eclipsed features a stunning all-female, all-Black ensemble including Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah, and Saycon Sengbloh.

Clearly, New Yorkers are thrilled Nyong’o is bringing her star power to The Public stage and you can bet Broadway Black will be there to get all the details!

Free tickets to the first preview on Tuesday, September 29 will be available via TodayTix mobile lottery.  Public Theater Member tickets can be accessed now as well as member single tickets, starting at $80. Tickets can be accessed by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street.

The post Eclipsed, Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Announces Second Extension appeared first on Broadway Black.

Twisted Melodies seeks to peel back the layers of a musical genius who was tortured by the mental anguish of paranoid schizophrenia.  In Donny Hathaway’s case, he suffered from delusions of persecution believing that  “white people were trying to steal his sound.” His stability was further diminished by the fact the he inconsistently took the medication that would have helped manage his symptoms.

 In this one-man show written by and featuring  Kelvin Roston Jr.,  Roston delves into Hathaway’s schizophrenic experience through the eyes of the tortured artist. Roston’s credits include: Purlie, Ruined, Death and the King’s Horseman, Othello and Caroline of Change (St. Louis Black Rep). One of his most notable roles was that of Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story where he received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination and received awards from The Black Theater Alliance and The African American Excellence Alliance (Black Ensemble Theater). 

The show seeks to shine a spotlight on the very real battle many people have with mental illness. Often a taboo subject, particularly in the Black community, it remains important to continue the conversation to encourage seeking help for those who suffer. According to Samuel G. Roberson, Jr., Artistic Director at Congo Square Theatre and also the director of Twisted Melodies,

The intent of Twisted Melodies is to open up a safe and healing conversation about mental illness in our community and ways 
we can help each other cope.  Donny Hathaway was a musical genius coping with schizophrenia, 
it was a part of him and a part of his music and brilliance.  Maybe seeing this illness through a beloved artist will allow us to view 
it differently than we have viewed it in the past.

The show is being presented by Congo Square Theatre in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI). Twisted Melodies runs through September 13, 2015 at the Athenaeum Theatre in Chicago.  For ticket information, click here.

UPDATE: Don’t despair if you thought you missed Twisted Melodies! There’s a remount for the show Friday, September 18, 2015 through Sunday, September 20, 2015 at Athenaeum Theatre Studio. The show is not suitable for children under 13 as it contains strong language. A post-show discussion will follow. For ticket information, click here.

If you or someone you know if suffering from mental illness, click here for additional information on support, education resources and raising awareness.

The post Twisted Melodies: Donny Hathaway’s Battle with Mental Illness Topic of a Powerful Play appeared first on Broadway Black.

King Liz is a Second Stage Theatre Uptown production that follows “Liz Rico” (Pittman), a sports agent who faces the obstacles women face in a male-dominated industry. She has money and an elite client roster but she must work twice as hard to stay on top. Rico takes on volatile high basketball phenom “Freddie Luna” as a client and uses the opportunity to lift her career along with his.

Pittman previously starred in Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Disgraced in the role of “Jory,” for which she received critical acclaim for “delivering a powerful and impassioned performance that literally takes the air out of the Lyceum Theatre. “ With a stage presence that has been described as “passionate, witty, glamorous,” Pittman has also appeared on Broadway in Good People and Passing Strange, as well as the off-Broadway production of Domesticated.

In addition to Pittman, the cast includes Jeremie Harris as “Freddie Luna,” Michael Cullen as “Mr. Candy,” Russell G. Jones as “Coach Jones,” Caroline Lagerfelt as “Barbara Flowers” and Irene Sofia Lucio as “Gabby Fuentes.” Lisa Peterson directs King Liz, with scenic design by Dane Laffrey, costumes by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Tyler Micoleau, and sound design by Darron L West.

For more information and tickets, visit www.2ST.com or call (212) 246-4422.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

The post King Liz Starring Karen Pittman Extended Through August 15 appeared first on Broadway Black.

Thanks to Tony Award winning-director Kenny Leon’s Atlanta-based True Colors Theater Company, the little-known story of Paramount Records is unfolding on the stage. Chasin’ Dem Blues featuring acclaimed performers Brad Raymond, Maiesha McQueen, Anthony David, Jeremy Cohen, Spencer Bean and Che Marshall and an incredible set and costumes opened on July 7 at Atlanta’s Southwest Performing Arts Center.

Brad Raymond plays “Blue,” a singer who helps to tell the Paramount story. Maiesha McQueen is cast in the role of “Queen,” a singer who is the female side of the show and provides a rousing rendition of Handy Man. Jeremy Cohen is the show’s music director and also acts, sings, dances and helps to narrate the history of the music. The cast is rounded out with Atlanta-based Neo-soul singer Anthony David who provides guitar playing and singing along with Che Marshall on the drums, and Spencer Bean on guitar.

The production, which has been heralded as a “foot-stomping, multi-media musical celebration, which thrills audiences with storytellers’ accounts,” was written and directed by Kevin Ramsey. Ramsey, according to his bio, “is committed to the historical examination and retelling of the African-American musical experience(s), and its artistic contribution to American and world culture.” Ramsey did a lot of research in order to relay the importance of the role a Wisconsin furniture company turned record company played in the development and rise of one of the most significant musical genres in the early 20^th century.

Due to high demand, Chasin’ Dem Blues has been extended and now runs through Aug. 9. For ticket information: www.truecolorstheatre.org.

Listen to writer & director Kevin Ramsey talk about his inspiration for this piece.

The post ‘Chasin’ Dem Blues’ Brings Paramount Records History & The Blues To Center Stage appeared first on Broadway Black.

The Morningside Players was founded in 1974 with a mission to present “vibrant, meaningful new works and classic plays to our Morningside Heights community and beyond”. Using community and professional actors, the company has seen great success over the decades and was the recipient of the 2014 AUDELCO Award for Best Revival for their production of The Old Settler.

Their current production of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning Fences has been moving audiences for the past few weeks with its deft direction and sterling performances. This timeless story of love, family, and redemption is not to be missed.

The added performances of The Morningside Players production of Fences by August Wilson are Friday, June 5th and Sunday, June 7th. For tickets and more information, visit www.morningsideplayers.org

Watch a clip from the 2010 Broadway production starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis below.

The post August Wilson’s Fences Extends At Morningside Players appeared first on Broadway Black.

The R&B/Pop star was previously set to end her run at Ambassador Theatre on June 21. However, she’s sticking around for a little while longer because she’s just that good and the people want to see her! Just be mindful not to schedule your tickets for certain dates if you want to see her. Norwood will not be performing in the musical on June 22, June 23, June 27 or June 28.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Check out how Brandy performs as the murderess vaudeville star Roxie Hart during last week’s Stars In The Alley below:

The post Brandy Norwood Extends Role On Broadway In Chicago The Musical appeared first on Broadway Black.