Kain, 51, first rose to prominence in his role as “Raheem” opposite Tupac in 1992’s “Juice.” But, he’s probably best know for his role as “Maya’s” husband “Darnell Wilkes” on the sitcom “Girlfriends” for seven years. Kain has also appeared in “Love Jones” (1997) and he played the lead in Showtime’s “The Tiger Woods Story” (1998). In a stark departure from his nice guy roles, Kain portrayed the rapist “Bill” in Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls” (2010).

Kain recently ventured into the theatre world, penning the stage drama Lambs to Slaughter which tells the story of a mourning single mother living alone in the city after the murder of her son “Emmett.” The play was read in December 2014 at the cell theatre in New York.

“Arkabutla” was inspired by an incident that Hall witnessed as a teenager and marks her first attempt at filmmaking. The film is scheduled to begin filming in Memphis on October 20.

Hall was the first African American playwright to win the Olivier Award for The Mountaintop. Since her rise on the Broadway scene, her work has been produced at acclaimed theatres across the nation, bringing her signature style to the forefront of the theatre scene.

Her most recent production was The Mixed Blood Theatre‘s Pussy Valley, which closed a successful run on May 10th. The play centered around the lives of four women working in a Mississippi strip club, a world that Hall describes as “the intersection of hip hop and strip club cultures.”

The post Katori Hall Finds Leading Man for Arkabutla in Khalil Kain appeared first on Broadway Black.

“The Blood Quilt” tells the story of the Jernigan sisters coming together to create a quilt to honor their mother who has recently died of cancer. The reunion swiftly takes a turn once their mother’s will becomes the focus and relationships are tested amid laughs and tears in this new American play.
What Hall has been able to capture in her work is a direct line to the human spirit despite differing experiences. She writes from a place of truth and accessibility that allows audiences to instantly relate to whoever is on stage, wether it is a daughter tackling the grief of her late mother in “The Blood Quilt” or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in “The Mountaintop”. There is a connection that goes deeper than what is seen that allows for the supernatural to occur in her art, making it timeless. We are in need of these voices; the voices that are different than the norm who tell stories that cause us to elevate our sight and imagination and truly examine what it is to exist and connect in this life. This is what Katori Hall does so splendidly and what “The Blood Quilt” is sure to do as well.

The world premiere of Katori Hall’s “The Blood Quilt” is directed by Kamilah Forbes and runs April 24- June 7 at Arena Stage 1101 Sixth Street, SW Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and more information, visit www.arenastage.org

ALSO:

Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad will join Event Chair and Arena Stage Board member Shawna Watley (Senior Policy Advisor with Holland & Knight) as the Honorary Chair for The Blood Quilt World Premiere Celebration tonight

Blood Quilt World Premiere Celebration
TONIGHT, May 7, 2015
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 Sixth St., SW)
*5:30 p.m. Cocktail reception
6:30 p.m. Seated dinner, including remarks
8:00 p.m. World-premiere opening performance of The Blood Quilt
*Post-show dessert reception and cast party
*Denotes an event that is open to photography
Complimentary valet parking will be available
Cocktail Attire

Individual tickets and corporate sponsorship opportunities for The Blood Quilt World Premiere Celebration range from $150 to $50,000. For further information and to secure tickets, contact Maria Corso at 202-600-4176 or email rsvp@arenastage.org.

**Photo Credit: C Stanley Photography

The post The Blood Quilt By Katori Hall Opens To Celebration With Phylicia Rashad appeared first on Broadway Black.

This year comedian, presenter and acclaimed, award-winning actor Lenny Henry hosted.

Among the nominees were Brandon Victor Dixon for his role in Scottsboro Boys at Garrick Theatre in London. Beverly Knight for her role in Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre. Both were nominated as leading actor and actress in a musical respectively. Watch them both talk about their nominations below along with Rolan Bell for his nomination for supporting role in Memphis The Musical. Not shown in av video below is Jason Pennycooke for his nomination for supporting role for Memphis The Musical at Shaftesbury Theatre

Memphis The Musical took home the Oliviers for Best Sound Design and Best Choreography.

But were nominated for a total of 7 Oliviers

• Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music
• Best Actor in a Musical
• MasterCard Best New Musical
• Best Actress in a Musical
• Best Costume Design (Paul Tazwell)
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Also, among the nominees:

For Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

Juma Sharkah for her performance in Liberian Girl at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court

Tanya Moodie for her performances in Intimate Apparel at Park Theatre and The House That Will Not Stand at Tricycle Theatre

For Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

The Gershwins’ Porgy And Bess  at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Now watch the performances from these shows below, as well as video performances from the pre-show on ITV. We’ve even included the one of Nicole Scherzinger singing Memory from Cats.

CONGRATS TO ALL THE NOMINEES AND WINNERS!

The post The Best Of The 2015 Olivier Awards: Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Broadway Black.