A Raisin In the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Loosely based on the playwright’s life, the Younger family grapples with an American dilemma that coerces the psyche into believing that separate really is equal. In post-WWII Chicago, where everyone was looking to feed themselves literally and figuratively with a piece of the American dream, Walter, Ruth, Mama, Beneatha, and Travis find themselves in the middle of a custody battle over the soul and integrity of America; believing in the power of change and progression and reconciling with the truth of a divided American landscape. This drama first debuted on Broadway in 1959, starring Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Louis Gossett, Claudia McNeil, and Glynn Turman. It has since seen multiple revivals on Broadway in 2004 and 2014, with the 2004 production winning for Best Actress in a Play for Phylicia Rashaad and Best Featured Actress in a Play for Audra McDonald. The 2014 production resulted in wins for Sophie Okonedo for Best Featured Actress in a Play, Kenny Leon for Direction of a Play, and Best Revival of a Play. A Raisin In the Sun is also the first play written by a Black woman to be performed and produced on Broadway. 

A full audio recording of the play from L.A. Theatre Works can be found HERE.

Fences by August Wilson

Written in 1985 as part of Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle,” Fences closely tracks the internal turmoil that Troy faces in providing for his wife and teenage son. As a man whose dreams were not fully realized as a major league baseball player, Troy tries to build himself up within the city sanitation department as a driver (something Black men weren’t allowed to do). Young people should read this play primarily for the conversation between Troy and his son, Cory, about being a parent, a caregiver, and a Black man. Troy says, “A man got to take care of his family. You live in my house… sleep your behind on my bedclothes… fill your belly up with my food… cause you my son—you my flesh and blood. Not ’cause I like you! Cause it’s my duty to take care of you.” The original Broadway production won the Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play (James Earl Jones), Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (Mary Alice). The 2010 revival won Best Performance by a Leading Actor and Leading Actress in a Play for Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, respectively, and Best Revival of a Play. 

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange 

Shange’s emotional choreopoem, which fuses music, dance, and poetry, is a literary blueprint for understanding and appreciating Black women. It debuted at the Booth Theater in New York City in 1976 and was only the second work by a Black woman to be done on Broadway (it was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play in 1976). Referred to only by a color (red, orange, blue, green, purple, yellow, and brown), each woman relishes in her own self-discovery and self-identity in a world that has yet to see them for the beautiful humans they are. Shange illuminates the power of Black female sisterhood while also encouraging the reader to heal, survive, and reclaim their joy. The Public Theater recently did a production in 2019 that Camille A. Brown choreographed. 

Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau

Omari is a young Black male dealing with the pressures of high school academia in a school where microaggressions are as common as saying the pledge of allegiance. Morisseau’s modern drama on race and the education system may appear to be a shocking reflection of what young people may encounter today. Still, it is also a challenge for educators everywhere to see their students beyond a name on a class roster. Omari and his mother, Nya, push each other to combat the triggers that young Black men face regularly, and do some deep soul-searching to heal their mother-son relationship, so Omari doesn’t lose himself by proving himself. The play was nominated for five Lucille Lortel Awards during its run at Lincoln Center and can currently be found on BroadwayHD.

The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe

Performed as vignettes known as “exhibits,” The Colored Museum illuminates the  Black experience by taking the reader and audience member on a historical journey from the flight to Savannah from the Ivory Coast in “Git On Board” to the ode to Black theatre drama in “The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play” in which Wolfe makes references to Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf and Hansberry’s A Raisin In the Sun. The Colored Museum takes the tragedy and pain of our experience as Black people living in America. It gives it a distinct voice of truth and integrity that has otherwise been whitewashed and gaslit.

Honorable mentions:

A Soldier’s Play by Charles Fuller

Blues For Mister Charlie by James Baldwin

Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond

The post Class Is In Session: 5 Plays by Black Playwrights Every Young Black Student Should Read appeared first on Broadway Black.

Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC), a newly formed organization of talented and experienced Broadway producers, has just announced an inaugural program to prepare the next generation of BIPOC theatre-makers for the future of Broadway. Their upcoming course is a tuition-free program entitled ‘Producing 101,’ and the focus is to train individuals on the foundational principles and strategies of mounting a Broadway show. Over a 10-week period beginning January 25, 2021, participants will receive firsthand knowledge and teaching from BIPOC and White ally producers over a range of topics that include financing and budgeting, marketing, and securing rights to shows. 

“We’ve observed many barriers keeping BIPOC out of commercial producing, and TPOC strives to break these down and make producing more accessible for a variety of voices.”

The program will meet every Monday for two hours (7pm-9pm) with Tony-winning and -nominated guest speakers such as Stephen C. Byrd (A Streetcar Named Desire), Alia Jones-Harvey (Eclipsed), Brian Moreland (Thoughts of a Colored Man), Joey Parnes (Shuffle Along), Maria Manuela Goyanes (Barbecue), and more. Ain’t Too Proud producer Rashad V. Chambers will serve as the program mentor and guide. “I wish this program existed when starting my career,” he says in a statement. Applications are now being accepted until the December 13, 2021 deadline. Space is limited. Now’s your chance to produce the next great Broadway hit! 

Get more information & APPLY NOW!

The post Next Gen Broadway: Theatre Producers of Color Launch free ‘Producing 101’ Course for BIPOC appeared first on Broadway Black.

Which is why Broadway Black has no choice but to share the release of Contemporary Plays by African American Women: Ten Complete Works by Sandra Adell. If there is one voice that’s been undervalued on stage, it’s that of the Black woman. That’s what makes this anthology so great. It’s a combined work that includes prominent Black female playwrights and some up-and-coming writers.

It features works from contemporary Black female playwrights including Blue Door by Tanya Barfield; Levee James  by S. M. Shephard-Massat; Hoodoo Love  by Katori Hall; Carnaval  by Nikkole Salter; Single Black Female  by Lisa B. Thompson; Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine by Lynn Nottage; BlackTop Sky by Christina Anderson; Voyeurs de Venus by Lydia Diamond; Fedra by J. Nicole Brooks; and Uppa Creek: A Modern Anachronistic Parody in the Minstrel Tradition by Keli Garrett.

The description reads:

African American women have increasingly begun to see their plays performed from regional stages to Broadway. Yet many of these artists still struggle to gain attention. In this volume, Sandra Adell draws from the vital wellspring of works created by African American women in the twenty-first century to present ten plays by both prominent and up-and-coming writers. Taken together, the selections portray how these women engage with history as they delve into–and shake up–issues of gender and class to craft compelling stories of African American life. Gliding from gritty urbanism to rural landscapes, these works expand boundaries and boldly disrupt modes of theatrical representation.

Sandra Adell (Ph.D., UW–Madison) is a professor of Literature in the department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Comparative Literature. Her other works include Confessions of a Slot Machine Queen, Literary Masters: Toni Morrison, Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Culture: African American Culture, and Double Consciousness/Double Bind: Theoretical Issues in Twentieth-Century Black Literature.

Contemporary Plays by African American Women: Ten Complete Works was released December 15th and is available for purchase in hardcopy, paperback, and digital copy at Amazon here.

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Well, if you’re in New York January 26, you’re in luck. Lincoln Center will be hosting two Broadway Black favorites in an intimate discussion about the craft, career, and WERK of 6 time Tony winner, Audra McDonald.

Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. These are the 6 shows that have pulled Audra McDonald into Broadway heavyweight status. While we love her on the stage, her talent spans to telvesion and the big screen, too. She’s always working and everything she touches turns to gold.

The Wiz Live! alum, Shanice Williams has let it be known that she loves everything Audra McDonald (just like we do) and wants to follow in her path. It’s as if the stars have aligned because not only does Williams get to be coached and mentored through Q&A by her role model, but we get to sit in the audience with our No 2 pencils and college lined notebooks (aka iPhones), soaking up all of this wisdom! Theatrical Director Lonny Price will handle introductions and formalities, but after that it’s all in the hands of Williams. Go Shanice!

Lincoln Center continues to make arts accessible to the community on a large scale. Directors Lonny Price and Matt Cowart have a few new programs up their sleeves. They are rolling out LC Dialogues, LC Originals, and Late Nights at the Atrium; and because of them we have this gem! If this speaks to the caliber of events to come, we can’t wait to see the rest of the programs for this year.

This event is free and admission is first come, first serve. It will be held at the David Rubenstein Atrium at 7:30pm.

The post Shanice Williams Interviews Audra McDonald at Lincoln Center appeared first on Broadway Black.

Jada wrote a tweet following the announcement stating, “At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards…even entertain, but we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow. With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment.” She followed the tweet later with a video of her expressing this disappointment and calling all Black entertainers to boycott the show.

Spike Lee certainly agreed with her in his own instagram post and a Hamilton quote;

#OscarsSoWhite… Again. I Would Like To Thank President Cheryl Boone Isaacs And The Board Of Governors Of The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences For Awarding Me an Honorary Oscar This Past November. I Am Most Appreciative. However My Wife, Mrs. Tonya Lewis Lee And I Will Not Be Attending The Oscar Ceremony This Coming February. We Cannot Support It And Mean No Disrespect To My Friends, Host Chris Rock and Producer Reggie Hudlin, President Isaacs And The Academy. But, How Is It Possible For The 2nd Consecutive Year All 20 Contenders Under The Actor Category Are White? And Let’s Not Even Get Into The Other Branches. 40 White Actors In 2 Years And No Flava At All. We Can’t Act?! WTF!! It’s No Coincidence I’m Writing This As We Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday. Dr. King Said “There Comes A Time When One Must Take A Position That Is Neither Safe, Nor Politic, Nor Popular But He Must Take It Because Conscience Tells Him It’s Right”. For Too Many Years When The Oscars Nominations Are Revealed, My Office Phone Rings Off The Hook With The Media Asking Me My Opinion About The Lack Of African-Americans And This Year Was No Different. For Once, (Maybe) I Would Like The Media To Ask All The White Nominees And Studio Heads How They Feel About Another All White Ballot. If Someone Has Addressed This And I Missed It Then I Stand Mistaken. As I See It, The Academy Awards Is Not Where The “Real” Battle Is. It’s In The Executive Office Of The Hollywood Studios And TV And Cable Networks. This Is Where The Gate Keepers Decide What Gets Made And What Gets Jettisoned To “Turnaround” Or Scrap Heap. This Is What’s Important. The Gate Keepers. Those With “The Green Light” Vote. As The Great Actor Leslie Odom Jr. Sings And Dances In The Game Changing Broadway Musical HAMILTON, “I WANNA BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENS”. People, The Truth Is We Ain’t In Those Rooms And Until Minorities Are, The Oscar Nominees Will Remain Lilly White. (Cont’d)

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Jan 18, 2016 at 5:03am PST

There have been huge debates all over social media whether or not actors should boycott the Oscars or would it even make a difference at all. Similarly, should we even care about the Oscars or should we just make our own? Here’s the danger with that- I think society as a whole has often equated Oscars exclusively with whiteness when in fact it shouldn’t represent that. It should represent the best in film. Period. Point blank. I’d also add, we already have shows that recognize Black entertainers on the regular but even in our own communities we don’t respect them and some A-list black celebrities don’t bother to even show up.

For some, an Oscar simply represents the highest honor in ones film career field. While I am one who thinks that art is super subjective and  already wary of awards in performances, it doesn’t diminish the fact that there are many performances from Black actors that were are “award worthy.” One place I’ve noticed Black actors having some achievement in is on the stage and at the Tony Awards.

I will never forget the 2013 Tony’s when four out the eight acting categories were given to Black men and women (Cicely Tyson, Patina Miller, Coutney B. Vance and Billy Porter). Or in 2010 when it was a Fences and Fela! takeover. Even when Audra McDonald became the first person in Tony’s history to win one in every acting category possible and has the title of having the most Tony Awards as a performer.

While this isn’t to say the Tonys are completely perfect and without fault, I think over the years the Tony’s has gotten better at being more inclusive. Their nominations are usually on the money, and I can guarantee you this year Black actors will be winning again. So what makes the Tony’s so different? What are they doing right?

Well for one, I think the theatre world is more diverse and open to things that differ from the typical white storytelling narratives. I also think because the voting pool is so small and the voters actually go to the shows, their nominations are much more valid. So why can’t the academy admit their current system is broken and find ways to fix it? Well Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs responded to the Oscar boycott saying they would look into what qualifies for membership to help diversify the pool, so I guess that’s a step in the right direction. My only problem with that is, how long will it last?

The post Have The Tonys Been More Fair Than The Oscars? appeared first on Broadway Black.

As Actors Equity puts it, “swings are those members of the company who cover all the other chorus members. Often the most important to cast because of the nature of the job, a Swing must have a wide vocal range, be able to dance and be able to step into a role from young child to an older character, male or female. A Swing also must know the smallest detail of every ‘track.’ Essentially, the Swing must be able to do it all and must be ready to go on at a moment’s notice.”

So in honor of #NationalSwingDay here’s a few of our favorite swing testimonials from some Broadway Black stars!

Rachel Oneika Phillips

Yesterday was declared #NationalSwingDay by the Actors Equity Association. My Broadway debut was a dream come true…and that dream in reality was some of the hardest and most rewarding artistic experiences of my life. Brought on as a Swing and Understudy I rehearsed relentlessly to learn 8 female tracks and 2 lead roles in FELA! The Musical. Trust me, it is not for the faint of heart. One of my proudest accomplishments. Big respect to those who dare, can and do! As Equity puts it, “Swings are those members of the company who cover all the other chorus members. Often the most important to cast because of the nature of the job, a Swing must have a wide vocal range, be able to dance and be able to step into a role from young child to an older character, male or female. A Swing also must know the smallest detail of every ‘track.’ Essentially, the Swing must be able to do it all and must be ready to go on at a moment’s notice.” #EquityTeamSwing #TBT #FELA! #Kikelomo #bereadyatamomentsnotice #swingnation #blocstars

A photo posted by Rachel Oneika Phillips (@dragonpassionfruit) on Jan 14, 2016 at 1:23pm PST

Phoenix Best

Well I did it!! I made my official Broadway Debut tonight! I can’t believe that I finally achieved me dream! The biggest plus is that I got to do it with this girl by my side! This is the ultimate post for “swings doin things”! I love my color purple family! 1-6-16 is a day I will never forget! @bwaycolorpurple #thecolorpurple #broadway #swings #debut A photo posted by Phoenix Best (@misspheeny) on Jan 6, 2016 at 7:21pm PST

Trisha Jeffery

Once upon a time, I did it, too… And we were #Fierce Happy National Swing Day!!! The show must always go on! #nationalswingday #swingnation #swingsrock

A photo posted by Trisha Jeffrey (@trishajeffrey) on Jan 13, 2016 at 3:10pm PST

Tracie Thoms

In honor of #NationalSwingDay, here’s me as a swing in “Leader Of The Pack” at Towson Dinner Theatre in like, 1993! Yassss #DoeEyes!!! #Beehive #TheyPushedMeIntoPositionInEveryDanceNumber A photo posted by Tracie Thoms (@traciethoms) on Jan 13, 2016 at 9:49am PST

Jaquez Rudolpho

Happy National Swing Day! Almost two years ago I made my Broadway debut in Motown the musical as a swing. It wasn’t easy but I had blast. Swinging to me was like arithmetic, geography, art and music seamlessly fused together to make going on (sometimes at a minutes notice) a joy! Honoring the unsung heroes of MT #equityteamswing #swingnation #nationalswingday #musicaltheatre

A photo posted by Jaquez (@justjaquez) on Jan 13, 2016 at 8:36am PST

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This documentary reminds us of a time when artists used their platforms for more than endorsements, but spoke up about real issues that plagued their communities. When caring about your community was more important than appealing to the white gaze or worrying about how to be politically correct to maintain their “popularity” , Ruby Dee (A Raisin In The Sun) and Ossie Davis weren’t afraid to speak up and out.

Two years before Ruby passed in 2014, her grandson,  Muta’ Ali Muhammad announced a kickstarter campaign to help produce and release a documentary about his grandparents’ lives, activism, and love.

The press release describes the film;

For more than a half century, audiences have been mesmerized by the love story between Hollywood legends Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee. Now, their grandson Muta’Ali unearths the foundation of this unbreakable bond in the documentary “Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee,” which premieres on Centric TV Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 3 pm. Through intimate conversations with the award-winning actress, playwright and activist, Muta’Ali not only discovers intimate details about his grandparents’ relationship, but also questions his ability to carry on the very dynasty that gave him life. In the film, the director breaks the wall between himself and his subject to ask heartfelt questions of his grandmother. “How do you stay faithful? And if I can’t see myself doing that, how can I honestly get married knowing that I could eventually break the heart of the woman I love?”

“I can’t say I didn’t do anything to make Ossie unhappy…” Ms. Dee states as she carefully reveals the core commitment made between her and Mr. Davis. Her answer only sparked more questions for Muta’Ali, provoking him to dig deeper into the family archives and the history that chronicles their remarkable journey as trailblazers in the arts community and activists in the Civil Rights Movement. Muta’Ali also shares exclusive video footage, family photos and memorabilia. In addition, a host of celebrity friends like Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover, Hill Harper, Samuel Jackson, Spike Lee, S. Epatha Merkerson, Phylicia Rashad, Glynn Turman, Dr. Cornel West, Sonia Sanchez and Malik Yoba share eyewitness accounts of this American legacy.

Check out the trailer for the feature-length documentary below and be sure to check your local listings to catch Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee this Sunday, January 17, at 3:00 p.m. EST on Centric!

The post Life Essentials with Ruby Dee Documentary To Air On Centric appeared first on Broadway Black.

During an interview with Urban Bush Babies, the young ladies showed off how insightful they are at their young age. They discussed being awarded a scholarship, what it means to work hard, and one of their idols Misty Copeland. saying “I went to meet her,” said Nia. “She was really nice. She’s humble, a good dancer, and not cocky.” “And she’s a good influence,” Imani chimed in. “She’s not like Miley Cyrus at all.”

In a time when Black youth are rising in the arts and their voices are more prevalent in the fight for justice, Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love Of All” is quite true: the children are the future. These two young ladies are proof of that, continuing to break the mold and exist in spaces that traditionally aren’t “for us.” It’s a good reminder to see when the youth do something positive and groundbreaking. It’s our responsibility to lift them up and to encourage them to never give up on their dreams. This one is for you Nia and Imani. Broadway Black always has your back.

Check the talented duo in a video below! For more, you can subscribe to their YouTube channel here!

The post 11 Year Old Twins Receive Scholarships to the American Ballet Theatre appeared first on Broadway Black.

Brecht’s play follows trader “Anna Fierling” as she pulls her canteen wagon and her children through the carnage of Europe’s religious wars. According to the Classic Stage Company’s web site, “She’ll do anything to hold onto her money-making wagon, even if it means the loss of her children. Experience a timeless tale of war updated to the modern-day conflagration in the Congo, with a new and vibrant score by Tony Award-winning composer Duncan Sheik.”

Pinkins, who was last seen in Joel Drake Johnson’s Rasheeda Speaking, has enjoyed a long and successful career on the stage. She has been nominated for three Tony Awards, winning one for her performance as “Sweet Anita” in Jelly’s Last Jam. She also has won the Obie, the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards among many others. Pinkins has appeared on Broadway in Merrily We Roll Along, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, The Wild Party, House of Flowers, Radio Golf, A Time To Kill, and Holler If Ya Hear Me, the musical inspired by the work of Tupac Shakur.

Although Broadway has become a second home for Pinkins, Mother Courage isn’t her first appearance in an Off-Broadway production. She’s also performed in the role of “Mopsa, the Shepherdess,” in The Winter’s Tale in 1983. And, in 2012, Pinkins starred in the Off-Broadway production of Katori Hall’s Hurt Village, the gritty drama about life and change in a Memphis housing project.

Joining Pinkins on stage in Mother Courage will be Joshua Boone, Curtiss Cook, Jr., Kevin Mambo, Jacob Ming-Trent, Geoffrey Owens, Michael Potts, Deandre Sevon, Mirirai Sithole, and Zenzi Williams.

Mother Courage opens on December 9. For tickets, visit here.

The post Tonya Pinkins Stars in Great Anti-war Drama, Mother Courage appeared first on Broadway Black.

This isn’t the first time NeNe Leakes has appeared on the Broadway stage. Last year, Leakes made her Broadway debut in Cinderella alongside Keke Palmer, the first Black actress in the title role. The role of Matron ‘Mama’ Morton is usually meant for a supreme belter, although Wendy Williams has also played the character. I have no doubt Leakes has the acting chops to be the authoritative, bossy persona Morton needs to be believable on stage.

I did it #chicago #Neneismamamorton #nyc #gettingbacktome #debut

A photo posted by NeNe Leakes (@neneleakes) on Nov 24, 2015 at 12:38am PST

I must admit that when I first heard the news, I let out a sigh. I’m all for a woman making BOSS moves to advance her career. However, as a person who has spent her entire life immersed in theatre, I always feel a sort of bias. People go to school for years, go through years of training in acting, dance, and singing to dream of the moment they can step foot on a Broadway stage. Yet more and more, the theatre is becoming commercialized, focusing more on big names than actual talent.

This is not to take anything away from Leakes, who I’m sure is putting in the work it takes. I just am having trouble with this trend of caring more about star quality than actual talent. After all, isn’t New York the city of dreams? Why not give someone else a chance? Maybe after Leakes’ run we’ll be treated to an unknown in the role. In the meantime, I’m excited to see what NeNe has to bring to the table.

For 4 weeks only, from Nov 23rd – Dec 20th, make your way over to the Ambassador Theatre to catch the woman who is “very rich” in action. Tickets are available HERE.

The post Nene Leakes Is Living Her Dreams During Her Run In Chicago appeared first on Broadway Black.