Reid’s hit revue, which premiered in 2012, makes its Birdland debut on Feb. 8 to take the audience on a sensational musical ride through 1934 Harlem.

According to press notes, Drop Me Off in Harlem,

 is an evening of club-hopping to the music of Harold Arlen, Duke Ellington and Andy Razaf…through the elegant nightclubs and working class speakeasies that made uptown gay and delightful, however dull and depressing downtown Manhattan could be. In 1934, on a Saturday night in New York City, if you were boozin’ and jazzin’, you were doing it in Harlem.  In this club-hopping journey, Reid propels us into a night of uptown enchantment using his unique arsenal of talents.

Reid, a stunning vocalist and accomplished dancer, was most recently seen in After Midnight and has also appeared on Broadway in Mary Poppins, The Wedding Singer, La Cage aux Folles, Never Gonna Dance, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Follies and Kiss Me, Kate.

Hughes is currently gearing up for the City Center Encores! production of Cabin in the Sky which opens on Feb. 10 with a limited five-night engagement through Feb. 14.  Additional Broadway credits include Beautiful, Ghost the Musical, Book of Mormon, Ragtime, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Chicago. 

Broadway at Birdland presents Drop Me Off in Harlem Monday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.  All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum.

The post Carly Hughes Joins T. Oliver Reid in Drop Me Off In Harlem appeared first on Broadway Black.

I also love the ability to challenge perspective. I love the idea of a sophisticated, fun, attractive, and driven female lead.

I love the idea of that woman being black.

Delta Nu’s favorite lawyer may be known for her beach blonde hair and pink skirt suits, but I’m sure Elle Woods would agree that blonde is more than a color– it’s a lifestyle. A lifestyle is not constrained or reserved for a woman of any specific race. With that being said, I believe rising star, Alysha Deslorieux (Hamilton, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) should be cast as Elle Woods in a revival of Legally Blonde.

Legally Blonde will forever hold a special place in my heart because it’s the first professional show I experienced. I sat in the balcony of the theatre, with a couple of tears in my eyes, moved by the energy and enthusiasm behind Laurence O’Keefe’s music. I’ve always been in love with the story of a girl rising to the occasion and discovering that she’s “So Much Better” than what her peers thought of her, and even how she valued herself. Seeing the show on stage further fed into one of my life mantras: nonconformity still reigns.

Elle’s character represents transformation. She has everything going for her but the attention and love of the man she followed to Harvard Law. Everything that glitters isn’t gold and that rings true even with Malibu’s finest. When she’s directed within, we are introduced to a woman that understands her worth and teaches us the importance of forming a “Chip on Your Shoulder” to achieve the goals set for ourselves, while unapologetically refusing to change who we are. A woman that embodies strength, sincerity, and sex appeal must shatter expectations… by being portrayed by a Black woman. 

Alysha Deslorieux made her Broadway debut in 2012 in Sister Act. However, I was first introduced to her through her work at University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. Deslorieux has a commandng presence even in her supporting roles. I can’t wait to see her conquer a leading lady. You can hear Deslorieux on the Beautiful and Hamilton cast albums. She’s currently understudying all three Schyuler sisters in Hamilton.  

Light, yet soulful, Deslorieux will send the heart of audiences soaring as they connect with the first Black Elle Woods. 

I’ll be in the audience cheering in all pink! 

The post BB Casting Agency: Legally Color Blind? A New Elle Woods appeared first on Broadway Black.