Flowers are in full bloom—in Mr. Isaiah’s classroom, in the halls of the correctional boarding school where he teaches, and in the depths of his students’ imaginations. After one boy dies by suicide, Mr. Isaiah is committed to saving the students he teaches from a world that tries to crush their softness.

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Dot, which has been called a “testament to the enduring bonds of family,” tells the story of “Dotty,” a family matriarch who’s dealing with dementia and squabbling children during the holidays. The play features a stellar cast including Marjorie Johnson who originated the title role when the production premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Ky. Johnson’s stage credits include The Little Foxes on Broadway and Hoodoo Love, M: The Mandela Saga, The House of Bernarda Alba off-Broadway. She’s also appeared on the big screen in American Gangster, Boiler Room, Life Breath, Hill and Gully, and Fleecing Led Zeppelin.

Sharon Washington, Stephen Conrad Moore, Libya V. Pugh, Colin Hanlon, Michael Rosen, and Finnerty Steeves join Johnson in the New York production. Susan Stroman, who won a Tony Award for The Producers, will direct Dot.

This isn’t Domingo’s first foray into playwriting. The Tony-nominated actor also penned a one-man autobiographical play A Boy and His Soul, for which he won a GLAAD Award: Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off–Broadway. He also wrote and starred in Wild with Happy.

Dot is scheduled to run through April 3, 2016 at the Vineyard Theatre. For tickets and more information visit vineyardtheatre.org.

Featured photo by Carol Rosegg

So nice to share opening night with my Selmafam. @vineyardtheatre pic.twitter.com/YJqzTD9APB

— Colman Domingo (@colmandomingo) February 22, 2016

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The Jukebox musical that garnered Tony award nominations for Broadway Black stars Victor Trent Cook, B.J. Crosby and the illustrious Brenda Braxton, is set for a revival, with rehearsals starting around the end of May, according to an Actors Equity audition posting.  Previews are scheduled for July 19

Original producers Richard Frankel, Steve Baruch, Tom Viertel and Marc Routh are joining original cast Tony-nominated director Jerry Zaks to revive the hit revue.   The show features songs by writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, including fan favorites “Hound Dog,”  “Jailhouse Rock,” “I’m a Woman,” and “On Broadway.”  After Midnight Choreographer,Warren Carlyle, has also signed on, along with musical direction by Sonny Paladino.

Smokey Joe’s opened on Broadway March 2, 1995 and despite harsh critical reviews, had substantial commercial success.   The revue earned five Tony award nominations in 1995 including Best Featured Actress, Best Featured Actor, Best Choreography, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Musical.  It also won the Grammy for Best Musical Show Album in 1996.  After a nearly five year run and a bevy of special appearances, including Gloria Gaynor, Lou Rawls and Gladys Knight, the show closed Jan of 2000 after 2,036 performances.

In 2014, nearly 20 years after the first performance, Braxton directed original cast members for reunion concert performance of Smokey Joe’s at the famed Feinstein’s/ 54 Below.

“There’s so much history with us,” Braxton shared with the second of two sold-out crowds. “We weren’t just [together] on Broadway, we were a family.”

Production has yet to announce a venue.

Be sure to check in with Broadway Black for all the latest information!

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For all of Sarah’s character development she conducts extensive research, including close studies of people from diverse backgrounds in the environments in which they live, work, and play. From the townships in South Africa to the beaches of Brazil; from schoolyards in the Bronx to barber shops in Los Angeles to the halls of government in Washington, DC, Sarah travels with an eye and ear toward creating characters and writing stories that transcend stereotypes. The product of a multicultural family and upbringing—her background ranges from African American on her father’s side to an Irish-German American grandmother and a Caribbean American grandfather on her mother’s side—Sarah is passionate about the humanity of all her characters and discovering the specific details that make each person unique. By carefully incorporating authentic aspects of the cultural style, accent, dialect, and physicality of real individuals, Sarah aims to construct and bring to life recognizable, multifaceted characters and narratives based on their experiences and beliefs.

Sell/Buy/Date explores the topics of  human trafficking and the sex industry. In her typical genius style, Jones conjures five characters in her one-woman show. The characters examine how people of the future may interpret modern attitudes towards gender, sexuality, and sex work. According to the event description,

Sell/Buy/Date is an exuberant new play inspired by the real-life experiences of people affected by the commercial sex industry. Through her masterful, multicultural characterizations, Jones explores an array of diverse perspectives on a fascinating and incendiary subject, all while preserving the full humanity and humor of voices seldom heard in the theater.

Sell/Buy/Date, written and performed by Jones, is directed by Carolyn Cantor. A first look production is being presented by special arrangement with Manhattan Theatre Club by New York Live Arts January 6-10 and 12-16 at 7:30 pm and January 9 & 16 at 2 pm. The tickets to the workshop start at $25 and can be purchased here. 

.@jonesarah brings first look of new work, Sell/Buy/Date, to #livearts. Don't miss it! https://t.co/vPQ0o7z2tW pic.twitter.com/NtRTJWjSgb

— New York Live Arts (@NewYorkLiveArts) November 19, 2015

The show will have its world premiere at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Previews for the show will begin Tuesday, September 27, 2016 with opening night scheduled for  Tuesday, October 18, 2016. For ticket information, click here.

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Hip Hop is once again taking the theater by storm in the form of the newest hit contemporary musical iLLA!  After premiering at this year’s annual New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), iLLA received the 2015 Award for Excellence for the NYMF Developmental Reading Series.

iLLA! follows Robert, a classically trained dancer, who dreams of becoming a famous rap star.  After suffering a humiliating defeat at a leading open mic competition, Robert struggles to redeem himself in the eyes of his peers. He falls hard for a girl named Stacy but his family’s prejudices threaten to tear them apart.  Can Robert overcome his fears and troubled home life to achieve his Hip Hop dreams? It’s a journey of Swagger, Struggle and Self-love that we all must travel.

The fresh production touts musical influences ranging from hip hop to R&B to gospel with music by Jevares C. Myrick and book and lyrics by Ronvé O’Daniel.  Alumni of Wright State University, the writing duo are both theater veterans, having collectively performed in shows including Book of Mormon, Seussical the Musical, Ragtime, Smokey Joe’s Cafe and Altar Boyz.

In more exciting news, iLLA! was recently selected as the first NYMF Next Link Project for 2016.  An exclusive writer service opportunity, Next Link entitles the production to subsidize production slots at the festival, training sessions that optimize the creative team’s access to funds and professional contacts, and a qualified dramaturg to assist the writer in improving the show.

It’s thrilling that shows like Hamilton are setting the stage and opening up new doors for innovative takes on a traditional art form.  Congratulations to the cast and crew of iLLA!  Stay tuned for all the latest news on this HOT new musical.  You heard it here, it’s gonna be FIRE!

The post New Hip Hop Musical iLLA Is Creating A New Beat appeared first on Broadway Black.

The First Noel, a commissioned work by Jason Michael Webb and Lelund Durond Thompson, has released a video from the show called “Life Happens” to give us a glimpse into this new and refreshing holiday narrative. It is, in a word, chilling. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the show shapes around this one piece of the puzzle. If this is a litmus test for the passion and creativity that has been pured into this work, I think we are all going to be in for a treat.

Following three generations of a family in Harlem, The First Noel touches on the topics of resilience, renewal, and community.  A tragic loss has stolen the holiday joy for this family, but all is well when Grandma unexpectedly comes back to town. The generous acts of many help rebuild the love and morale, one person at a time.

As previously reported, The First Noel will be on stage Dec 13-31, with previews Dec. 11-12 at The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Composer/lyricist Jason Michael Webb (Brooklyn Tabernacle, Motown: The Musical, Violet) and writer/lyricist Lelund Durond Thompson (CTH artistic associate and founder of YellaFella Entertainment) created the work over two years. The duo has re-imagined classic Christmas songs as well as created new melodies designed to become holiday favorites. The soundscape is wonderland of disco, rock and gospel genres. Tickets are limited, as the Soundstage only holds 200 people. Delight in joy of the holidays this Christmas. Get your tickets now!

And if you haven’t seen this video of the first rehearsal for the show, let me bless you.  Mykal Kilgore is in here SAAAAAAANGING!

The post Must See: First Glimpse Of The First Noel, “Life Happens”! appeared first on Broadway Black.

We are less than TWO WEEKS away from the musical television event of the SEASON and, of course, you know Broadway Black has all the breaking news right here!

In case you’ve been living under a rock, NBC released two new promos for The Wiz Live! last week featuring a wizardly Queen Latifah and a deliciously wicked Mary J. Blige.

Now, obviously, we’re all anticipating the performances, but can we talk for a second about these COSTUMES?!?!  The whole time Evilene was screaming about water, all I could focus on was Paul Tazewell’s brilliantly glimmering headpiece and fascinatingly wired corset.  Even in the promo shots, I was dazed by the monochromatic stylings given to each one of Oz’s mythical characters.  I’m always mesmerized by the details.  Ok…back to business!

In the new television commercial, we get to hear a clip of Evilene belting the gospel show-stopper “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News,” proving to the naysayers that R&B diva Blige is definitely ready to take on this iconic Broadway role.  The Queen herself (Latifah that is) brings her familiar regality to the role of the Wizard as she advises the bewildered foursome on how to proceed.

“There was no other name talked about,” director Kenny Leon professed at the Wiz Live! press event.  “Queen Latifah was the only choice for ‘The Wiz.'”

Broadway Black attended the press event last week and chatted with the cast and creative team about costumes, casting and choreography.

“We’ve incorporated the Nae Nae, we’re hitting the Quan, every current dance out today we’re using it,” touted choreographer, Fatima Robinson.

While I’m not sure George Faison would have approved of the “Nae Nae” in his original works, I just remind myself that Robinson was the soulful choreographer behind the Oscar-nominated film adaptation of “Dreamgirls” and (most of) my faith is restored.

So, get your tickets to the Broadway Black Exclusive #TheWizLive Watch Party  on Dec. 3, and we can all see what happens together!

In the words of the newest Dorothy, Shanice Williams, “You ain’t ready for it.”

The post NBC Releases New Promos as The Wiz Live! Prepares for Premiere appeared first on Broadway Black.

Wayne Brady is no stranger to the stage. He is probably best known for his role on the improv comedy series “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” but he appeared in the hit musical Chicago as Billy Flynn back in 2004. He later played Collins in a Neil Patrick Harris directed production of RENT at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010. He also starred in a production of Kiss Me Kate at the Pasadena Playhouse last year. So he’s pretty well equipped for the challenge that is “Lola,” it seems.

“I’m thrilled to join the Kinky Boots family and unleash my inner Lola,” says Brady. “It’s the role of a lifetime! Billy and his prodigious talent have left some pretty big red boots for me to fill. Starring in a Broadway show of this caliber has been my dream since I started performing at age 16. I’m ready to jump in with both feet!”

“Wayne Brady is a wonderful triple threat. I first had the pleasure of working with Wayne on a Disney film and have been a fan ever since,” adds Kinky Boots director Jerry Mitchell. “Like Lola, he has the sass, the voice and the heart and we cannot wait to see him strut his stuff when he joins the Kinky Boots family!”

Kinky Boots is a British film turned Broadway smash hit about Charlie Price who is the owner of a failing shoe factory. However, he soon finds that Lola, a sassy drag queen, has the answer to save his factory. It’s a wonderful musical, truly enjoyed by the whole family.  This is a great role for Brady. Like he said, he’s got some big boots to fill. The musical score was created by Cyndi Lauper and the book by Harvey Fierstein.

This photo is credited to Joan Marcus and was first seen on Vanity Fair. Accompanying the photo was a article that discussed several things, including Wayne Brady’s drag name. Her name is Cinnamon de Bergerac and she will be appearing in L.A. really really soon, he says. Brady wants to try out the alter ego before heading to Broadway. In the interview he also says:

“I’ll really be going in, and making something of it. After we did our photo shoot, I saw some of the proof pictures. And I’ve gotta say, while I won’t be winning any beauty contests, I definitely think that I’m a very attractive Lola—and you don’t see any of Wayne Brady there, you definitely see Lola.”

Read the entire article HERE

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