Antonyo Award nominations will be announced Tuesday, June 9th at 7:00 pm EST on Broadway Black’s YouTube and Facebook pages by Bryan Terrell Clark and Kristolyn Lloyd and the public will vote on their favorites.  The Online voting will be open from June 9th, 7:30 pm EST through midnight on June 12th at BroadwayBlack.com. 

The Antonyos will take place at 7:00 pm EST on June 19, 2020, Juneteenth, and will be shown on Broadway Black’s YouTube and Facebook pages.  The streamed ceremony will include a pre-show virtual red carpet, original musical numbers, star presenters and performers, and more.  Four special “Kinfolk Awards”  – the Lorraine Hansberry Award, the Langston Hughes Award, Welcome Award and The Doors of the Theatre are Open Award – will also be presented to members of the Black theatre community as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award to be announced prior to the event.

Current presenters and performers include: Audra McDonald, Tituss Burgess, Alex Newell, Jordan E. Cooper, Teyonah Parris, Ephraim Sykes, LaChanze, Derrick Baskin, Nicolette Robinson, Jelani Alladin, Christiani Pitts, James Monroe Iglehart, Amber Iman, Kalen Allen, Nzinga Williams, Jackson Alexander, Cody Renard Richard, Ashton Muñiz, Shereen Pimentel, Kirsten Childs, Aisha Jackson, Antoine L. Smith, Griffin Matthews, Michael McElroy, Jocelyn Bioh, and L Morgan Lee.

Voting is open to the public right now. Visit the booth and cast your vote here.

Check out the entire list of nominations for The Antonyo Awards.

The post The Antonyo Awards to Celebrate Black theatre on Juneteenth…Audra McDonald, Tituss Burgess & more to appear! appeared first on Broadway Black.

Cooper begins explaining that playing Hans was the first time he had played a role that had nothing to do with him being black. It was the first time he had booked a role without the novelty of him being attached to it in some way.

“So much did I not expect to get this part that when I got the callback, I rolled my eyes and didn’t take the actual callback seriously. I mean, there was a zero percent chance that Disney would ever let me play a Prince, especially when the dude in the movie is a ginger.”

Cooper goes on to speak about how this casting changed everything he’d previously thought possible for his career. As a biracial man he speaks about never feeling inwardly white or black but always existing as Cooper. He then goes on to speak on aggressions he’d endured in high school from being called “blackie” by his then best friend to being told he was “the whitest person they ever knew/saw” because of how he acted.

“So, imagine getting paid good money to put on that 10,000 dollar costume and waltzing out to 4,000 people a day to play a really amazing part.” He talks about the value in a role like Hans, a character that gets to sing one of the most beloved songs in the show, “Love is an Open Door” and have an interesting arc of transition by the show’s climax without his race ever being mentioned. He was being valued as Cooper for his talent as an actor and not the skin he is in.

Howell credits the show’s original director, Tony Nominee and Director of the upcoming ‘Respect’ Biopic, Liesl Tommy for making sure the people of color in that cast felt like equals to their white counterparts. The cast embraced the idea that Arendelle is a fictional kingdom and can look however they want it to because it is not real. Liesl encouraged this group to be artists. Tommy encouraged them to dig deeper in their text, to ask questions, and discover things for themselves. Though the experience was as magical as a Disney park it takes place in, it wasn’t without its downfalls in the beginning.

Howell recounts cast members from another show in the park saying “If that black girl can play Princess Elsa then I should be able to play Princess Tiana” referring to actress Tiana Okoye (The Cher Show, Summer: A Donna Summer Musical). Then looking to Howell to affirm their comments as if he wasn’t also playing a role that’s not traditionally white as well.

“On Liesl’s final night I came up to her and said “ I don’t now why you did it but thank you so much for casting ME in this part” to which she replied “You mean why would I cast a handsome, talented, person in this role?” And I stuttered something like “well, I mean, I’m black. You know…” to which she tilted her head to her side and said “No. I don’t know why. Tell me why that matters.” And I had no idea how to answer. Seeing that I had no answer, she smiled. That was the answer, there was no reason. On the spot, my outlook about myself changed. Windows into what I thought was possible for me opened.”

Howell then goes into the hell portion of his post. This is where Roger Castellano is introduced as maintenance director and begins to introduce these aggressions in a position of power. On his first day, Roger informed the cast his task was to change the show. They were not told how it was to be changed but that changes were on the way. This cast of sixty that had just spent three months working on this text as if it was shakespearean and was now being told all their work had to be changed. Initially it was met with discomfort from the cast, but it was clear that the period of collaboration was over. Changes in the show were made without explanation or care so naturally, the cast began to push back. Management met that with removing days from their schedules or even replacing actors completely. Their safe space had just become lawless and anyone could go at any moment. Howell notes that this is when hell broke loose within the show.

In Cooper’s first note sessions with Castellano and co-star, Domonique Paton (Les Miserables) they were told their performances together were “Too…Urban”. (The section they were being noted on is the “Mental Synchronization” bit in “Love is an Open Door” that they’d been given freedom to improvise in the show, see here.) Cooper begins to expand upon the other language Roger had failed to use in the situation to express effectively that Howell and Paton could have been too comfortable with each other onstage. But all that was said was “When the two of you perform the together it’s too… urban” and when asked what he meant Castellano responded “You can figure that out. You’re smart.” With a shrug and a smile.

From that point, Cooper and Domonique became labeled as black Hans and Black Anna.

Cooper noticed that all his shows with other actresses were note-free or met with little resistance until he performed with Domonique and copious notes began to funnel in. The notes became so tedious that it developed into a game onstage to guess how many notes they had accrued at any given moment in the show. None of their other counterparts had been bombarded like this though there were instances of having someone completely change a character’s intentions in a scene or adding unnecessary moments to the show.

The next topic of notes was Howell’s penis. Cooper calls them the “penis sessions” in the sessions he was told to not make “it” (his penis) so apparent and that if “my daughter were younger I wouldn’t want her to come to a show you were performing at” which was only made more unprofessional because his daughter was cast member in the show that Cooper considers to be lovely and a friend of his.

There he started demanding Cooper purchased his own dance belt (Which is a responsibility of the costume department. The department had not been notified of the issue because these meetings would take place without the presence of stage management). After Cooper stood up for himself these “penis sessions” would happen in public. One of these sessions took place in the cast green room during lunch in which he screamed about he was “Tired of seeing my dick and that if I didn’t go buy myself one (a dance belt) then I didn’t deserve to be there anymore.”

During the time, Howell reached out to the Human Resources Department and was met with silence for months after repeated attempts at contact. Cast members encouraged his efforts but out of fear of losing their jobs remained silent. He was eventually told that there would be an investigation into the incident, and he would receive a phone call when it was completed.

Cooper never received a phone call.

With no protection from stage management about the sexual harassment and racial targeting of Cooper and others, he began to think about quitting. During a show, a white stage manager made a mistake and laughed it off to the cast with a lynching joke. After that moment, Cooper quit and his departure from the show casual to say the least.  

“My departure was unceremonious. Bizarre. 100% un-magical. I hung up my costume one last time and it was given to a new Hans, one who looked very much like me oddly, and stepped out of the theater. The park was playing “Every wish your heart desires will come to you” and I remember laughing at how dead that song felt.”

Cooper Howell, we hear you. We see you. And know you are not alone.

The post Cooper Howell speaks out about racism at Frozen: Live at Hyperion appeared first on Broadway Black.

I’ve been given the opportunity by the August Wilson estate, he did 10 plays—I’m directing, producing and acting in one, and I’m executive producing the other nine. I made a deal with HBO. We’re going to do one a year for the next nine years.

Fences is the sixth play in Wilson’s provocative and avant garde ten play spread known as The Century Cycle, which explores African American life beginning in the 1900’s and ending in the 1990’s. This play is set in 1950’s Pittsburgh. It is the story of Troy Maxson, ‘a restless trash-collector and former baseball athlete struggling to provide for his family’. The film adaptation will be directed, produced by and will also star Washington along with Emmy and Tony award winning actress Viola Davis. Washington and Davis are reprising their roles from the 2010 Broadway revival of the play.  Fences was not a part of the HBO deal and is instead slated to be filmed by Paramount with producer Scott Rudin. In 1987, Paramount Pictures bought the rights to Fences, but the project floundered because Wilson had the absolute foresight to insist that the project should have a Black director. Understandably, Paramount did not move forward with the adaptation without Wilson’s approval.

Kushner has an impressive list of successes that include most notably the seven hour, 2 part play Angels in America that explored AIDS and homosexuality in 1980’s New York. The play was later adapted into a powerful mini series by HBO. Additionally, Kushner and Rudin have worked together previously on several other projects.

Certainly, it’s exciting that the adaptation of Fences seems to finally be moving forward but the question that is becoming less of a thought and more of a roar, is at what point will African Americans be granted the full opportunity to participate in the telling of their own stories? While I am not throwing shade at the accomplishments of Kushner, isn’t this a prime opportunity for an African American screenwriter to have the opportunity to participate at the very highest level of the creative process on a play that is truly beloved by many Black theatre aficionados? Surely there is no doubt that with the plethora of smoking hot Black playwrights who are turning Broadway and the silver screen  on its previously lily white ear, we could have found one, two an entire TEAM of writers who could fully embrace the magic of the venerable August Wilson?

Simply put, there must be more. And it begins by boldly throwing open the doors and saying welcome at every level of the production process. I will be happy to see Fences reach a broader audience. I am thrilled that Washington has been entrusted with this wonderful opportunity and that the amazing Viola Davis is again a part of the cast, but I can’t lie I just AIN’T satisfied and won’t be satisfied until I see our reflection peeking out from every aspect of Broadway and Hollywood; particularly when it comes to OUR stories. It’s progress, but still we must press on.

The post Tony Kushner Joins Denzel Washington For Fences Film Adaptation appeared first on Broadway Black.

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!

The post Smokey Joe’s Cafe Sets Broadway Return appeared first on Broadway Black.

If you haven’t caught Lewis on stage, what better time than now to experience the warm presence of one of Broadways’s most versatile actors in the intimate setting of Broadway’s favorite supper club.

Apparently this has been a goal of the Tony-nominated leading man for quite some time.

He shared with 54 Below:

To be in the heart of Manhattan at this time of year and share the holidays with an audience is something I’ve always dreamed of doing. It’s like having your own TV Christmas Special…Only LIVE! I am really looking forward to it and we’ve already started rehearsing …so I’m ready for some surprises. I also plan on inviting some SPECIAL GUESTS to join me for each of the nights.

Norm Lewis Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas will be directed by Richard Jay-Alexander, the past director of Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s american company. Come expecting to hear some of the songs he’s made famous, along with others you’d never expect him to sing. Of course he’ll be ringing in the holiday cheer with Christmas classics, but he’ll be adding a twist.

Special guests will be announced at a later date.

For tickets visit  54below.com or normlewis.com. 

The post Norm Lewis Hosts Swingin’ Holiday Concerts appeared first on Broadway Black.

Summers, who’s best known for creating and producing Off-Broadway’s From My Hometown: A Rag To Riches Celebration of the American Dream In Classic Rhythm & Blues, made his Broadway debut in the original production of Dreamgirls. Since then, he has appeared Off-Broadway in Miss Marguarita’s Way with Estelle Parsons, as an original cast member of From My Hometown, in the musical Little Ham, as well as in numerous cabaret and regional performances.

As a director, Summers has directed shows in venues ranging from New York’s Urban Stages, AMAS Musical Theatre, New World Stages, The Triad Theatre, Flushing Town Hall, Theatreworks in Palo Alto, CA, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and many more.

A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway, where it won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. The American classic takes place in the late 1950’s on Chicago’s South Side, and revolves around the dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son “Walter Lee,” his wife “Ruth,” his sister “Beneatha,” his son “Travis,” and family matriarch “Lena,” called “Mama.”

The Harlem Repertory Theatre is a professional theatre company based in the heart of Harlem in New York City, founded by Keith Lee Grant. The Harlem Repertory Theatre will run the play every Friday at 7pm until December 11th. The theatre’s resident acting company includes Mario C. Brown, Kyria Geneva, Mabel Gomez, Roberto A. Guzman Jr., Jarrid Jones, Bianca Madison, Derrick Montalvo, Eric “Le Roy” Myles, and Joe Sabateur.

For information on tickets and directions, visit www.harlemrepertorytheatre.com.

The first Broadway revival of the play ran at the Royale Theatre from April 26, 2004 to July 11, 2004. The cast included Sean Combs as “Walter Lee,” Phylicia Rashad as “Lena,” Audra McDonald as “Ruth,” and Sanaa Lathan as “Beneatha.” It was directed by Kenny Leon and received two Tony awards: Best Actress in a Play (Rashad) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (McDonald).

A second revival ran ten years later from April 3, 2014 to June 15, 2014 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre with Denzel Washington in the lead role of “Walter Lee.” Other cast members included Sophie Okonedo as “Ruth,” LaTanya Richardson Jackson as “Lena,” and Anika Noni Rose as “Beneatha.” Leon again directed and the play won three 2014 Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Okonedo) and Best Direction of a Play (Leon).

The post A Raisin in the Sun at Harlem Repertory Theatre appeared first on Broadway Black.

Twinkie, who cast the late Whitney Houston’s last movie, “Sparkle,” as well as the films “Notorious” and “Stomp the Yard,” also encourages Black artists to know their craft. For Ms. Byrd, this means knowing your history and where the contemporary artist stands in relation to all those who came before. Ms. Byrd’s last piece of advice is for the artist to give him- or herself a break and acknowledge at the end of the audition that a best effort was given and to say “you’re welcome,” when thanked for coming in. Most artists stay in ingratiating mode and simply say, “no, thank YOU,” but Twinkie, who is credited with launching the careers of Laz Alonso and Michael Kenneth Williams, encourages artists not to gloss over the fact that “you’re welcome” is self-affirmation of a job well-done.

Actor Anthony Mackie has spoken on the “importance of being a Black actor and the importance of theater to an actor” in an article featured in the Guardian in 2011. After a turn on Broadway in “A Behanding in Spokane,” Mr. Mackie took a hit from Black writer and New Yorker theater critic Hilton Als, who stated candidly: “The sad fact is that, in order to cross over, most black actors of Mackie’s generation must act Black before they’re allowed to act human.” Mackie’s advice is to think beyond someone else’s definition of you as an artist because, “you can’t limit yourself.”

And then of course, there’s that ‘drops mic’ moment detailed by the NY Times blog in 2012, given to us by Lady Vi, Ms. Viola Davis, on the Tavis Smiley show, when he expressed “ambivalence” over the movie, “The Help.” Ms. Davis, with the dignity and humanity she brings to every role, illustrated why she should be allowed to write roles as well as act them. She offers: “That very mindset that you have, and that a lot of African-Americans have, is absolutely destroying the Black artist,” she said. “The Black artist cannot live in a revisionist place,” she added. “The Black artist can only tell the truth about humanity, and humanity is messy. People are messy. Caucasian actors know that. We as African-American artists are more concerned with image and message and not execution.” With that, Viola tells artists to focus on craft, as only someone who has been doing so for decades can.

Finally, a rule for the artist in us all, straight out of the mouths of babes as detailed on BlackCelebKids.com from an interview with Backstage.com. Yara Shahidi (Black-ish) brings us full circle with: “Never jeopardize who you are for a role.” Artists would be wise to heed these words of the successful young artist and not trade one’s “moral compass, or anything like that, to have a role.”

The post Auditions in Black and White appeared first on Broadway Black.

The all-star line-up features Faith Evans , Angela Winbush, Meli’sa Morgan , Monifah , Candace Benson, runner-up on season 7 of BET Sunday Best and Urban Guerilla Orchestra. Perhaps best known as the original “Deena Jones” in Dreamgirls on Broadway, Ms. Ralph earned a Tony nomination and won a Drama Desk award for her star-making effort. In 1990, the actor turned activist and chartered the 501c3 Driving Infectious Viruses Away or DIVA Foundation.

The actress, producer and singer, turned best-selling author with her 2012 book, Redefining Diva, which took on a additional meaning as DIVA has become known as Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed. The foundation appears to evolve in the same dynamic way its founder can reinvent herself.

Reinvention is one of several talents that come easy for a woman of equal parts style and substance. Ms. Ralph graduated college while still in her teens and has earned a doctorate in connection with the work she’s done in honor of those she has lost to AIDS. Divas Simply Singing, the longest consecutive running musical AIDS benefit in the nation, will feature HIV screenings and testimonies from those impacted by HIV/AIDS.

Ms. Ralph also performs the one-woman play she wrote and directed, Sometimes I Cry, to tell the story of women impacted by the virus and disease. Ralph is the AIDS Ambassador for Jamaica and the recipient of the United Nations first-ever Red Ribbon award which recognized her unique utilization of the arts as part of her AIDS activism. Tickets for Divas Simply Singing on Saturday, August 22 at the Dell Music Center at 7pm can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

On May 25, Broadway Black met with Sheryl Lee Ralph backstage at Washington DC’s Howard Theatre before the one night only performance of Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical, that is being presented in collaboration with Ms. Ralph and her D.I.V.A. Foundation.

The post Sheryl Lee Ralph Keeps Giving Back! 25th Annual Divas Simply Singing Benefit Concert appeared first on Broadway Black.

GO GREEN: Pop Up! is a free pop-up festival, that will our ability to sustain ourselves while embracing the unpredictable nature of our environment. Using environmental elements–such as water, earth, fire and air–as a guide, a collection of artists ranging from theater to dance to music will create site-specific performances exploring the magical and volatile nature of our Earth.

GO GREEN is an annual performance event started by The Movement Theatre Company that focused on giving artists of color a place to explore sustainability and the natural world. The event challenges these artists to utilize sustainable practices, while utilizing NYC community gardens and parks to creating theatre. By working in these public settings, the aim is to connect with and inspire members of the communities to learn about and take part in the evolving green movement. This year’s event is co-produced with Radical Evolution. Both companies share the commitment to creating, producing, and supporting work done by emerging artists of color that are based in NYC.

In addition to the Pop Up! performances by artists Eboni Hogan, Andrei Matorin, Sonia Villani, Raquel Almazan, and Ebony Golden, there will also be live music, drinks, food & craft vendors, and an Open Mic from 5:00 till 6:30 hosted by Robyn Hood.

Schedule of Events:
3:00 – 3:45 Live Music
3:45 – 5:00 Pop Up Performances (Round 1)
5:00 – 6:30 Open Mic
6:45 – 7:15 Live Music
7:15 – 8:15 Pop Up Performances (Round 2)
8:15 – 9:00 Music & Dancing

The event is from 3pm until 9pm at Urban Garden Center located at 1640 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10035 (116th St/Park) and admission into the event is FREE, though there is a suggested donation of $10. You can RSVP at the website here and sign up for the open mic night by contacting them via email at tmtcsubmit@gmail.com.

The post The Movement Theatre Company Presents GO GREEN: Pop Up! appeared first on Broadway Black.

Starting June 19 attendees this year will be able to dive into all aspects of theater for when the festival takes over the District of Columbia for ten days.

The ten day festival is divided up into five categories consisting of workshops and stage performances.

Attendees will have the opportunity to see full length plays in three categories: Traditional, Urban and Gospel. This year only 100 plays were selected out of the 300 submissions and will introduce audiences to emerging playwrights and enjoy the works veterans such as August Wilson.

One of this years anticipated performances will be from Vanessa Bell Calloway in Letters from Zora in her Own Words.

Washington DC is home to one of the largest deaf and hard of hearing populations in the United States. This year for the first time the festival will partner with these unique artist and writers to give hearing audiences an in depth look into deaf culture.

Acting workshops, for stage and film,will offer actors ranging  from beginning to professional the opportunity to better their skills with workshops ranging from auditioning tips to improv classes.

Workshops in stage makeup, set design and costumes will also be offered to those who want to make magic behind the scenes.

Competition will take place at the festival in the form of the Director’s Challenge.

Aimed to highlight the creative process of directing the Director’s Challenge five directors are randomly chosen and blindly given a script for play to cast and direct within ten days. Each play is no longer than 25 minutes and will certainly put budding directors to the test.

Serving as an incubator for dramatic works the New Works Reading Series will provide emerging and established playwrights the chance to see their work on stage and collaborate with other professionals and engage in audience discussions. This is one of the free festival events, but those interested in attending must register and reserve a seat.

DC Black Theatre Festival take place from June 19 until June 28 and tickets can be purchased here.

The post DC Black Theatre Festival Makes 2015 Return appeared first on Broadway Black.