A Decade of Bearing Witness

Adapted from 12 Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today, the 2012 anthology published by The New Press and first staged by The Billie Holiday Theatre in 2015, this production marks a decade of evolution. Now reimagined as Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight, the work expands beyond its origins to encompass the full spectrum of Black experience, including the urgent realities facing Black Trans lives, the trauma of police brutality, and the haunting persistence of systemic racism.

Etwaroo, who first brought the stories to life a decade ago, frames this iteration as both a memorial and a movement. “Those were moments of protest, prayer, and spiritual reckoning,” she said. “Now, a decade later, these stories must be set free at a time when truth is under assault and history is being erased.”

A Cast of Titans

The star-studded ensemble reads like a roll call of artistic excellence across stage and screen:

• Lisa Arrindell (Disappearing Acts, Saints & Sinners)
• Russell Hornsby (Fences, The Hate U Give, Grimm)
• Billy Eugene Jones (A Soldier’s Play, Purlie Victorious)
• Angelica Ross (Pose, American Horror Story)
• Stephen Tyrone Williams (A Master Builder, The Knick)

Together, they embody the living testimonies of survival, resistance, and faith that define the Black American experience. Their performances are underscored by a live trio of musical brilliance—Arden Altino on piano, Daniel Bernard Roumain on violin, and Divinity Roxx, the Grammy-nominated bassist and former Beyoncé musical director. The trio’s original score, commissioned through Harlem Stage’s WATERWORKS initiative, transforms the stage into a living soundscape of struggle and transcendence.

A Theatre as Sacred Ground

Each performance of Freedom Riders functions as more than a show—it’s a communal gathering. Set inside Harlem Stage’s historic Gatehouse theatre, the production invites audiences to sit within a space built from the bones of the Croton Aqueduct system. This structure once carried life-giving water through New York City. Now, it holds something even more vital: truth.

Previews begin October 7–8, with an invite-only opening night on October 9, followed by public performances and student matinees through October 18. In a powerful gesture of access, Harlem Stage has launched a Buy One, Give One ticket initiative: every ticket purchased helps sponsor a student’s attendance, ensuring that young people have the chance to witness this transformative experience.

The Legacy Continues

Founded in 1983, Harlem Stage has built a global reputation as a sanctuary for artists of the Global Majority. The institution’s mission to center radical artistic freedom, equity, and innovation has fostered generations of groundbreaking talent, including MacArthur “Genius” fellows Kyle Abraham, Bill T. Jones, Jason Moran, Vijay Iyer, and Cecil Taylor.

With Freedom Riders, Harlem Stage continues that lineage, proving once again that theatre isn’t just entertainment. It’s testimony. It’s survival. It’s legacy.

Broadway Black celebrates the legacy and future of Black theatre—on Broadway and beyond.

The post Freedom Riders: A Journey With No End in Sight, Harlem Stage Honors 10 Years of Reckoning and Resistance appeared first on Broadway Black.

Written by American playwright Charles Fuller, A Soldier’s Play will be directed by Tony Award winner and Roundabout Theatre Company’s Senior Resident Director Kenny Leon. The North American tour of A Soldier’s Play will begin performances in December of 2022 with tour stops and additional casting to be announced soon.

In 1944, on a Louisiana Army base, two shots ring out. A Black sergeant is murdered. And a series of interrogations triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America.  Charles Fuller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece opened on Broadway for the first time on Jan. 21, 2020, at Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre, nearly forty years after it was written. The acclaimed production was nominated for 7 Tony Awards and 3 Drama Desk Awards, winning Best Revival for both.

“It’s an honor to direct Charles Fuller’s masterwork for audiences around the country. Anyone who has seen Norm on the stage or screen knows that he is a remarkably powerful presence, a true force-of-nature and I can’t wait to see what will happen when we have that power at the center of this play.”

Kenny Leon

“As an institution committed to shining new light on classics, Roundabout was proud to produce the long-overdue Broadway premiere of A Soldier’s Play. On Broadway, I was thrilled to see Charles Fuller’s work and Kenny Leon’s spectacular vision get the recognition it deserved,” said Todd Haimes, Artistic Director and CEO, Roundabout Theatre Company. “Now, the opportunity to bring this production to cities across North America allows us to continue elevating the legacy of this great, American masterpiece.”

A veteran of 14 Broadway productions and countless TV & film appearances, Norm Lewis made history as The Phantom of the Opera’s first Black Phantom on Broadway.  Most recently, he starred in Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed Da 5 Bloods and in the groundbreaking FX series, “Pose.” Additionally, Mr. Lewis can be seen starring in ABC’s newest series, “Women of the Movement” and offscreen, his voice can be heard in Apple TV’s animated series “Central Park.” He was also seen as ‘Caiaphas’ in the award-winning NBC television special, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert!” alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles, and Alice Cooper. 

His additional television credits include “Dr. Death,” “Mrs. America,” “Better Things,” “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Bull,” “Chicago Med,” “Gotham,” “The Blacklist” and “Blue Bloods” as well as in his recurring role as ‘Senator Edison Davis’ on the hit drama “Scandal.”

Mr. Lewis returned to Broadway in the Fall of 2021, starring in Chicken and Biscuits at the Circle In The Square Theatre. He previously appeared in the Broadway revival of Once on this Island and as ‘Sweeney Todd’ in the Off-Broadway production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Barrow Street Theatre, receiving the AUDELCO Award for his performance. He received Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for his performance as ‘Porgy’ in the Broadway production of The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess. Other Broadway credits include Sondheim on Sondheim, The Little Mermaid, Les Misérables, Chicago, Amour, The Wild Party, Side Show, Miss Saigon, and The Who’s Tommy.

Joining director Kenny Leon for the tour of Roundabout Theatre Company’s A Soldier’s Play is the Broadway design team that includes Derek McLane (Sets), Dede Ayite (Costumes), Allen Lee Hughes (Lights), and Dan Moses Schreier (Sound).  The tour of A Soldier’s Play is produced by Roundabout Theatre Company and Tamar Climan.

The post A Soldier’s Play Announces National Tour Starring Norm Lewis appeared first on Broadway Black.

Gregory’s vocal range and acting prowess afforded him the lead role in Chicago’s Black Ensemble Theatre’s production of The Jackie Wilson Story, for which he received major acclaim. The Jackie Wilson Story culminated at New York’s famed Apollo Theater and received rave reviews from the New York Times: “There is essentially one reason – and it’s a very good one – to see The Jackie Wilson Story, and that is the star: Chester Gregory.”

Fast forward to today and Chester Gregory comfortably fits several high profile roles under his belt. Gregory had the opportunity to finally sing for his hometown idol, the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, in 2003. He made his Broadway debut as ‘Seaweed’ in Hairspray and later joined the national tour of Dreamgirls with a jaw-dropping performance as ‘Jimmy Early’.

Audiences can’t seem to get enough of the man from Gary, Indiana with a dream. This year, Gregory adds his star power to  Motown The Musical as none other than Berry Gordy. Unsurprisingly, Gregory is already a hit!

Congrats @ChesterGregory on making his debut as #BerryGordy today you killed of course!! Honored to share the stage with you Jr.!!

— Sophia Patrillo (@LadySykes10) January 6, 2016

Motown the Musical is currently on tour across the USA but will make its return to Broadway July 12, 2016. Don’t miss your opportunity to see the amazing Chester Gregory on tour now. For more information on how you can purchase tickets and where you can see the show, click here. 

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Now the one-man show is making its New York premiere Dec. 16-20, at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). The North American debut began in October at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The tour will culminate at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in February as part of the Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a yearlong international arts festival commemorating the 400 years since his death in 1616.

Joseph – whose credits abound with Royal Shakespeare Company (Julius Caesar, Othello, Henry IV, Hamlet, King Lear) and National Theatre in London (Royal Hunt for the Sun, The Emperor Jones) – “inhabits the curious, daringly determined life” of a composer, social satirist, poet, playwright and general man of refinement. Sancho, a distinguished man of letters who wrote two plays, would quote Shakespeare more than any other author. Among Sancho’s friends were Shakespeare actor and theatre owner David Garrick. Sancho himself became a grocery owner and property owner.

Written and performed by Joseph, the show is billed as an opportunity to cast new light on the often misunderstood narratives of the African-British experience. According to UK’s The Public Reviews, “Joseph is a superb storyteller… he brings Sancho to life in a revealing, poignant and funny show.”

Joseph’s experience involves working-class parents who emigrated to England from the Caribbean’s St. Lucia. He trained at Studio ’68 of Theatre Arts in London before attending the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In an interview, Joseph recalled being asked what he would like his legacy to entail. His answer was to inform Black youth about Black Britain before 1948 so they “would know something of what came before.” When Joseph came across the Thomas Gainsborough painting of Sancho in the book “Black England” by Gretchen Gerzina, he had found his calling. Joseph, 51, now is the same age as when Sancho died. Sancho was 39 when Gainsborough created his portrait – a sitting of about 100 minutes. In just under that time, Joseph re-creates a picture of noteworthy history.

In his author’s note, he writes:

“Charles Ignatius is quite simply a perfect example, and by no means the only one in British history, of the strange, sometimes uncomfortable relationship that the UK has always had with its colonies and colonial peoples. On the one hand exploitation was rife and unbridled, and on the other, the natural and common humanity of the British would not allow them to fully embrace the horrors of the American model of slavery, at least on British soil. And so Sancho’s life was filled with the joy and pain of being at once free and simultaneously caged within his race and place in eighteenth-century society.”

Performances will be at the BAM Fisher Theatre, 321 Ashland Place, in Brooklyn. Click HERE to purchase tickets. Get updates on the show’s Facebook page.

Newsnight on BBC talks about the impact of British theatre, including a brief interview with Joseph and excerpts from Sancho.

The post UK’s Paterson Joseph Paints Sancho’s Life In One-Man Show appeared first on Broadway Black.

http://youtu.be/zqV2Md6qLsM

When the show closed in January, producers already had plans for a New York return. The opening date and venue have been set: July 12. Nederlander Theatre. The number of weeks: 18.

At the end of its debut run, which began in April 2013, 738 performances and 37 previews graced the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The musical frequently reached $1 million a week in box office sales prior to its hiatus; it netted four Tony nominations; and by April 2014, it embarked on a national tour – which is still underway.

Capturing Gordy’s autobiography “To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories of Motown,” the musical has had audiences mesmerized by its set list of 66 numbers. CBS Sunday Morning called it “more than a Broadway show… a celebration of music that transformed America.” Other reviews have bcalled Motown:

“A joy ride!” – The New York Times

“Stunning!” – Associated Press

“Something close to a rapture spreads through the audience!” – The New York Times

“Sets the theatre on fire!” – Time Out New York

“This hit machine is running on all cylinders!” – USA Today

Some production and creative changes (casting has yet to be announced) are expected to streamline the show before it sets the New York stage afire again. Yet, it surely will still have a hold on all who participate in listening to “the beat of a generation, the soul of a nation.”

Tickets now are on sale HERE for the West End premiere, which opens February 2016 at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre.

The post Motown The Musical Returns To Broadway Summer 2016 appeared first on Broadway Black.

The lights dimmed, I restlessly prepared for what could be an agonizing next three hours, and the overture began.  To say it truly was “the music of something beginning” could sound cliché, but honestly, the stirring in my spirit was palpable.  From the start, it was simply the most beautiful combination of expression I had ever experienced.  A stunning score, paired with brilliant direction, simply raised to supremacy by an outstandingly capable cast (side note: in addition to a love for theater, this experience would also incite an eternal obsession with one Ms. Audra McDonald), and most of all, a great story.

Nearly 20 years later, the cast of the Ragtime national tour is telling that story, based on the 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, in theaters all across the country.  The tour, which recently opened in Las Vegas, has shows scheduled throughout the U.S. through the spring of 2016.

I recently had a chance to catch up with actor, friend and certified hoot, Jeffrey Johnson II  (Dreamgirls, Hair, The Color Purple, To Kill a Mockingbird, Ragtime, Hairspray) to discuss his newest task of taking on the role of Booker T. Washington in the national cast: 

Broadway Black (BB): Tell us about your role.
I play Booker T. Washington in the national tour of Ragtime.  I’m one of the historicals interwoven into this fictional story.  In a search for justice, Coalhouse decides to take over the Morgan Library and Booker T. comes in as the mediator.  He’s the voice of reason after this tumultuous situation.  

BB: What have you learned about Booker T. Washington since taking on this role? 
We all know he’s such a great influence, not only in Black history but really in American history.  He had such an incredible sense of honor and labor.  He somehow found his way to Hampton University and worked as a janitor to get into school.  Even the Tuskegee Institute, he built that school.  If they weren’t in class, he and his students were literally building that campus.

BB: Did you already know these things about him or did you do some research?
I researched.  Taking on this role, I wanted to know exactly what I was stepping into.  I picked up the book “Up From Slavery” thinking ‘oh, this will be a good summer read.’  I finished it in three days! It was just so interesting!

BB: What have you learned about yourself as a performer since taking on this role? 
*Johnson was originally called in for the ensemble but, after auditioning, offered to read the part of Booker T. Washington for the assistant director, ultimately securing him the principal role.*
I feel like the director took a big leap entrusting me with this role.  I knew I was younger than some of the men who had played this part before, but I knew I could do it.   I had to trust my gut.  Sometimes you gotta show up, do what you do and hope for the best.

BB: Marcia Milgrom Dodge helmed the Tony nominated revival in 2009.  How was it working with her for this production?
Marcia is incredibly knowledgeable about theater and she is incredibly knowledgeable about this script and this score.  It was a little daunting, but also thrilling because I don’t know anybody who could tell this story this well.  [In reference to those commenting on Dodge’s stripped down adaptation]  I’m a vegan so I think in terms of – she’s juiced it.  She’s taken all the necessary pieces and leaves the audience with everything it needs.

BB: Why do you think this story needs to be told?
When Ahrens and Flaherty created this show, they were referencing subject matter from the early 1900’s, and they thought we were past it.  You know, race, immigration… But life is cyclical and we’re back at the place where we have to talk about these issues.  I hope it will generate conversations in the communities we are able to reach because we really got a long way to go.

To find Ragtime playing at a theater near you, visit HERE.

The post Exclusive! Jeffrey Johnson Talks Ragtime Tour and Playing Booker T. Washington appeared first on Broadway Black.

 “Motown:The Musical is Broadway’s record-breaking smash hit that tells the true story behind the beat that changed minds, touched lives and took the world by storm. Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations – Motown: The Musical  shows how these legendary artists and so many more created the soundtrack that transformed America. With over 40 classic songs such as “My Girl,” “What’s Going On,” “Dancing in the Street,” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” this explosive Broadway event is the next chapter of Motown’s incredible history – and an experience you’ll never forget.”

https://youtu.be/7ScXWusn2AU

Based upon Berry Gordy’s 1994 memoir “To Be Loved,” Motown:The Musical foregoes much of the the drama to focus squarely on the hits.  Attendees can expect blistering hot renditions of the music of Black R&B icons that shaped nearly every musical genre of today. If you missed the show during its Broadway run, don’t despair. After a two year hiatus, the show has begun its American tour. So far, the reviews have been exactly what one would expect from a show that captures the music chronicling the spectrum of Black life, love and politics.

“A towering stack of musical memories! The greatest pop hits of our collective lifetimes just keep on coming! Motown rocks the rafters! –New Jersey Newsroom

Audiences who have already seen the show on tour agree.

After tonight @AllisonSemmes is officially bae! SHE SLAYED THAT SHOW TONIGHT LIKE WHAT?!?!! It's should be illegal to slay that much

— bri. (@Pumkin_Poo) August 13, 2015

The niece and nephew loved @MotownMusical SO much. It's 11pm and they're singing the Jackson 5. No one is sleeping tonight.

— Farrah Rochon (@FarrahRochon) August 10, 2015

Had a wonderful evening jamming out to @MotownMusical at @ATTPAC. Highly recommend for Broadway lovers and music aficionados alike!

— paige (@paigeraiczyk) August 9, 2015

The original tour cast included Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes as Berry Gordy and Diana Ross, Nicholas Christopher as Smokey Robinson, Jarran Muse as Marvin Gaye, and Leon Outlaw, Jr. and Reed L. Shannon as  Young Berry Gordy and the roles of Young Michael Jackson and Young Stevie Wonder.  Also, ensemble members Erick Buckley, Patrice Covington, Christian Dante White, Jamarice Daughtry, Tamar Davis, Lynorris Evans, Melanie Evans, Devon Goffman, Jennie Harney, Latrisa Harper, Rod Harrelson, Robert Hartwell, Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr., Trisha Jeffrey, Grasan Kingsberry, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Jarvis Manning, Krisha Marcano, Marq Moss, Rashad Naylor, Chadaè , Ramone Owens, Nicholas Rowe, Jamison Scott, Douglas Storm, Martina Sykes and Galen Williams all graced the stage that opening night in Chicago.

For more information on tickets and upcoming tour stops, click here.

To see the current tour cast check here.

The post Here Come’s Motown: The Musical on Tour! appeared first on Broadway Black.

If/Then is an original contemporary musical about a city planner who relocates to New York after her marriage ends and whose subsequent life plays out simultaneously along two distinct paths. The show began previews at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on March 5, 2014, and officially opened on March 30. It closed on March 22, 2015 after 29 previews and 401 regular performances.

In the musical, LaChanze portrays “Kate,” an elementary school teacher and new neighbor of Menzel’s character “Elizabeth.” LaChanze won the 2006 Best Actress Tony Award for The Color Purple and received a Tony nomination for Once on This Island. Her other Broadway credits include Ragtime, Company and Uptown It’s Hot. LaChanze’s off-Broadway credits include Dessa Rosse, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, The Vagina Monologues and Inked Baby. She has also headlined the original concert Love Hangover: LaChanze Sings Diana Ross.

If/Then is directed by Michael Greif and features music by Tom Kitt, with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. If/Then earned Tony Award nominations for Best Original Score and Best Actress (Menzel). The musical features choreography by Larry Keigwin, set design by Tony nominee Mark Wendland, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Tony winner Kenneth Posner and sound design by Tony winner Brian Ronan.

The post LaChanze Hits the Road with If/Then appeared first on Broadway Black.

“Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater last visited Johannesburg in 1998 and we are delighted to welcome back this iconic dance company for a groundbreaking return,” says Hazel Feldman of Showtime Management.

Time Magazine remarked that “The Ailey company’s tour leaves South Africa dancing in the aisles.”  The Today Show says the dance theatre is, “Unbelievable. Go see Alvin Ailey. It’s change-your-life good,” and The Miami Herald  declares it is “… a distinctive profile – theatrical, energetic, heartfelt with powerhouse dancers – that has helped make it the most successful and widely seen modern dance company in the world.”

Artistic Director Robert Battle said, “Extending the Ailey company’s five decades of far-reaching international tours, and memorable visits to South Africa, I’m proud to lead the Company back to this continent for the first time this century.  Mr. Ailey said it so well; ‘Dance came from the people and should always be delivered back to the people.’ I’m excited for audiences to share in uplifting performances, and for students to experience life-changing interactions with the world’s most amazing dancers.”

“I know that South African audiences will be transfixed and inspired by the company’s performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as the fantastic educational outreach programs that the group is planning during their visit,” stated United States Ambassador to South Africa Patrick H. Gaspard. “Receiving the Ailey company in South Africa in September will truly be a highlight of my tenure as Ambassador.”

The shows will show a mix of new dance pieces, but each performance will end with the theatre’s signature piece, Revelations.

Check out some of the stunning images and videos from the tour below!

“The only photograph I had preconceived before coming to South Africa was to shoot one or more of Ailey’s dancers with an Elephant. I’ve lived with a reproduction of Avedon’s ‘Dovima with Elephants’ framed on my wall for most of my life and although nothing could equal the serenity and power of that image I wanted to have my day in the (African) sun finding my own interpretation. Yesterday I got the opportunity. This image is of Jamar Roberts (@gibberishdance) effortlessly lifting Jacqueline Green (@jagreen711) over his head with one arm while “Three” mother of two looks on. Glen Afric Lodge, 40 minutes outside of Johannesburg.” #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA [photo by Andrew @Eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 11, 2015 at 3:09pm PDT

the men of #ALVINAILEY in Ronald K. Brown’s “Grace” Thanks for a fantastic two weeks Joburg! Off to Cape Town in the AM! #instaAILEY #AILEYinSA #AlvinAileySA

A video posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 13, 2015 at 7:11pm PDT

Yannick Lebrun strikes an appropriate pose from Asadata Dafora’s Awassa Astrige/Osterich. “With each step, his supple spine curved forward by a foot, mimicking a bird’s serpentine neck. When he squatted down in a deep, second-position plie, going up on his toes and holding the pose for 10 thigh-burning seconds, the crowd went crazy.” – The Washington Post Glen Afric, 40 minutes outside of Johannesburg #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA #birdsofafeather [ by Andrew @Eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:16pm PDT

giving every bit of everything he had left, #ALVINAILEY dancer Michael Jackson, Jr. (@mikejackjr) bared his soul to the Johannesburg audience today in Rennie Harris’s ‘Exodus’ #instaAILEY #goforbroke #AlvinAileySA

A video posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:12pm PDT

#REPOST from photographer Andrew @Eccles ・・・ Although we’re now in CapeTown I’m still processing photos we took in Johannesburg. These are of Hope Boykin (@hbdance) who joined #ALVINAILEY in 2000. Equal parts spiritual and intellectual, Hope is a powerful dancer that performs with as much emotion as she does strength. She embodies integrity. It made sense to work with her in front of the iconic Orlando Towers in Soweto (abbreviation for South Western Townships). We had been given an extremely moving tour of the Apartheid Museum that morning by John Kani and Hope may have drawn from that to help fuel these photos. There are more to come of other dancers from this session. Soweto, Johannesburg. #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 16, 2015 at 3:36am PDT

#REPOST from photographer Andrew @Eccles ・・・ Choosing which dancers to photograph in front of #NelsonMandela’s 30 foot tall bronze statue outside of the Union Building in Pretoria was simple. Linda Celeste Sims joined the company in 1996 and her now husband of 15 years Glenn Allen Sims joined in 1997. They married on January 5th, 2001, the date of #ALVINAILEY’s birth and I’ve been fortunate enough to have collaborated with them a great deal over the past two decades. Here they are recreating a pose from Festa Barocca. I have always thought that Glenn and Linda were the rock of the company. The fact that they’re married and do this incredible thing together is an inspiration to us all. To me they represent #love, #beauty, #art and #commitment. In this photograph they symbolize strength, struggle, and sacrifice. The 3.5 ton likeness behind them depicts Mandela with “outstretched arms and open hands as if to embrace the entire nation”. The statue was unveiled in 2013 shortly after his death. #AlvinAileySA #instaAILEY #AILEYinSA #relationshipgoals

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 9, 2015 at 1:46pm PDT

#fbf with #ALVINAILEY dancers Akua Noni Parker (@onlyupward), Michael Jackson Jr (@mikejackjr) and giraffe, Gauteng. #instaAILEY #AlvinAileySA #AILEYinSA [photo by Andrew @eccles]

A photo posted by Alvin Ailey (@alvinailey) on Sep 11, 2015 at 9:01am PDT

The post Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Returns to South Africa appeared first on Broadway Black.

According to Deadline, the AEA  put the production on its “do not work” list. Apparently, Perry’s production company has yet to sign a contract with AEA. Contracts dictate how much actors will be paid, and when and if actors will receive residual payments if a project goes into syndication or is featured on another platform.  Because Perry has refused to sign the contracts, some argue that it seems that he doesn’t want to be bound to any agreements that might lower his profits from the show.

We are concerned that it appears Perry does not want to allow artists to share in the profits from a show built on their talent. We hope this is resolved quickly to allow recognition of the hard work and dedication theatre artists bring to every performance.

The post Say What?! Two Unions Ban Actors From Tyler Perry Play appeared first on Broadway Black.