#Atlanta Archives - Broadway Black

The Suzi Bass Awards Celebrate the Best in Atlanta Theatre

Broadway Black — Sat, 12 Sep 2015 17:20:28 +0000

The Suzi Bass Awards were created to recognize and foster professional theatrical excellence in the Atlanta area, to honor the late and beloved actress Suzi Bass, and to provide a valuable regional and national marketing tool for individual theatres and for the Atlanta professional theatre community as a whole.

Suzi Bass was a well-known actress in the Atlanta area, making a name for herself not only for her talent but as an affable and generous person. She died of cancer in 2002 after a career that included film, theatre and television. It is widely accepted as a point of pride for a production to be listed as “Suzi Recommended.” Additionally, being “Suzi Recommended” designates that a production will also be on the Nominating Ballot at the end of the season. The awards show, now in its eleventh year, was originally modeled after the The Joseph Jefferson Awards in Chicago but has since evolved to better reflect the community in Atlanta. The Awards seek to recognize outstanding contributions in both plays and musicals with almost thirty categories.

This year, some of the nominees include Leon Smith for Outstanding Sound Design in a musical for Black Nativity and Outstanding Lead Actor in a play by Eugene Lee for How I Learned What I Learned at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company. Chasin’ Dem Blues at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company nabbed seven “by show” nominations and eight nominations by the theatre company including: Outstanding Lighting Design in a musical by Joseph Futral; Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a musical with Maiesha McQueen, Brad Raymond, Anthony David, Jeremy Cohen, Spencer Bean and Che Marshall; Outstanding Musical Direction by Jeremy Cohen; Outstanding Direction for a musical by Kevin Ramsey; and Outstanding Production in a Musical.

For a complete list of Suzi Bass Awards and Nominees click here.The Suzi Bass Awards will be held on November 2.

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Fetch Clay Make Man Comes to True Colors!

Broadway Black — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 21:04:42 +0000

Float like a butterfly down to True Colors Theatre Company and watch the fascinating and electrifying Fetch Clay Make Man. The play by Will Power follows the story of the days before Cassius Clay’s biggest fight as he forms an unlikely friendship with controversial actor Stepin Fetchit. Of course, Clay is better known as The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. The juxtaposition of Ali’s youth and Fetchit’s washed-up Hollywood days creates a tension between the two with a backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s and a struggle to create the legacies that they want to ultimately leave behind.

The production stars a talented cast of actors, directed by True Colors veteran and well-renowned actress, Jasmine Guy (A Different World, Vampire Diaries): Amari Cheatom (Django Unchained, Night Catches Us); Atlanta native Danielle Deadwyler (The Book Club Play, Horizon Theatre); Rob Demery (Love on the Rocks); Brian Kurlander (Horizon Theatre, Denver City Theatre); and Brad Raymond (Cats Don’t Dance).

Fetch Clay Make Man will kick off the 13th season of the True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta. Founded and curated by Broadway veteran Kenny Leon and the late theatre artist Jane Bishop, True Colors Theatre Company aims to bring fresh and new life to Black theatre classics as well as continue to create “a moveable feast of theatre grounded in the rich canon of African-American classics and branching out to include bold interpretations of world drama and a strong commitment to diverse new voices, helping to develop those early-career writers who are creating tomorrow’s classics today.” Leon, who will be directing the NBC production of The Wiz: Live, has worked to be inclusive of Black voices in theatre for the entirety of his career.

Fetch Clay Make Man premieres at Southwest Arts Center on October 27, 2015 and runs until November 22, 2015. To find more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.

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2015 National Black Arts Festival Runs July To September In Atlanta

Broadway Black — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 16:09:21 +0000

Art of African descent will be celebrated through music, dance, film, and a variety of interactive activities this July during the 27^th annual National Black Arts Festival.

Atlanta will serve as the backdrop for the festival this year and has since the festival began.

Founded in 1987, the NBAF uses fashion, dance, film, literature, music, theatre and visual arts to put the spotlight on the art and culture of people of African descent.

Before the Festival began for the 9^th year in a row, department store Neiman Marcus’ (Peach Tree location) hosted Fine Art and Fashion at the beginning of the year.

The annual event serves as a benefit for the NABF and recognizes artists in fields ranging from performing arts to fashion while raising money for the festival.

From July to September the festival will give those who attend the chance to dive head first into a variety of art.

The focus of the 2015 NABF will be African dance , its evolution from the 18th century to today and its global impact through the festival’s performances and interactive workshops.

When the Festival kicks off July 11 participants will be able to discover the influence Africa has had on art through the Galas, Film Screenings, Poetry Slams and many other events.

The NABF is the one of the oldest organizations in the United States that highlights art of African descent and its influence on modern artists.

Tickets to the events being offered during this year’s festival will range from $5 to $500+ and it will run from July 11 to September 19. Click here to checkout the festival line up.

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