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Russell Simmons Is Bringing Hip Hop Back To Broadway With Scenario

Broadway Black — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:40:45 +0000

Hip hop mogul, and lets not forget, Tony Award-winner, Russell Simmons (Def Poetry Jam 2002) is set to bring the genre back to Broadway with Scenario, a musical slated to open in late 2016. The production will be a mixture of original classics from over 30 years of hip hop in addition to stylized versions of well-known songs. In an article with Rolling Stone, Simmons likened Scenario to a hip hop version of Rock of Ages, a rock and roll musical that played on Broadway for 5 years that Simmons said was his inspiration. In fact, it is reported that the producer for Rock of Ages, Scott Prisand, will also produce Scenario, along with Simmons. Dan Charnas, no stranger to hip hop as a journalist and record producer, has been tagged to pen the script.

“Hip hop’s explosion was fueled by a generation with an incredible hunger to discover new ways of expression,” said Simmons. “These artists were always breaking the mold with new rhythms and new ideas, while at the same time telling so many important and timeless stories that over the decades have continued to remain just as relevant. This is why the music continues to strike a chord with fans worldwide. It felt like such a natural fit to weave the best of these sounds and stories into an energetic and thrilling musical that would transport audiences through one of the most innovative artistic movements of our time.”

Jake Stein, who is shepherding the project on behalf of Def Pictures and will also produce with Simmons, “These classic songs, stories and rhythms will find a new audience on the theater stage. We believe this show will be an entirely new entry point for appreciating hip hop as a transformative art that has shaped culture, fashion, music and entertainment of all forms, and we hope it will help open the door for other live theatrical experiences.”

While Holla If You Hear Me, the musical about the life of hip hop legend Tupac Shakur, failed to gain any traction on Broadway, Simmons doesn’t envision similar problems for Scenario. Instead, he views Scenario, and hip hop in general, much more mainstream. “It’s a whole different world. We’re talking about something that’s right down the middle versus something that’s really alternative.” Simmons is no stranger to success on Broadway. His Def Poetry Jam won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Theatrical Special Event. We look forward to the opening of Scenario next year.

Check out the work that garnered Russell Simmons his Tony Award the first time around back in 2002. Do you think he can bring a fire for the times, again?

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Never Forget: Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee Kennedy Center Honors

Drew Shade — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:04:41 +0000

SEAN COMBS (P. Diddy) introduces OSSIE DAVIS and RUBY DEE at the 27th Kennedy Center Honors awards ceremony. ANGELA BASSETT & COURTNEY B. VANCE narrate the story of Ossie and Ruby’s life together and their accomplishments. AUDRA MCDONALD & the Howard University Choir sing “Let Us Break Bread Together”. The other honorees this evening were Warren Beatty, Elton John, Joan Sutherland, and John Williams.

“The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within – strength, courage, dignity.” -Ruby Dee

“I find, in being black, a thing of beauty: a joy; a strength; a secret cup of gladness.” -Ossie Davis

http://youtu.be/bc6hR3cRjtU

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In Case You Missed It: The State Of Black Theatre Discussion

Drew Shade — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:36:51 +0000

Last week HowlRound.com hosted an entire week of talk about Black theatre. The week was filled with twitter discussions, interviews, and articles that targeted the development of black theatre. Anything and everything you could have thought to bring up was talked about during this time. We hope that you were able to find a place within this discussion but if not, you can find all that happened right here. Click and read away. The topic is not over and it’s never complete. Feel free to comment on the articles and join the ongoing discussion of the Black theatre movement. It’s who we are and who we’ll always be.

Some of Our Favorites:

What Shall We Tell Our Young Playwrights Who Are Black? by Carla Stillwell

Who We Are: Black theater in the Bay Area by Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe

The Tradition of Defining a Tradition by Talvin Wilks

Keeping the Flame by Sarah Bellamy

The Roster: Black theaters in America by Michael Dinwiddie & Jonathan McCrory

AND THERE’S PLENTY MORE HERE!!!

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