Brandy Norwood Archives - Broadway Black

Brandy Brings Her Chicago Run To A Close – Final Week!

Jazmine Harper-Davis — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 16:28:01 +0000

“So long, farewell to you my friend. Goodbye for now until we meet again.” In the words of Out of The Box, it is almost time to bid farewell to one of our favorite Broadway Black stars Brandy Norwood, as her run as “Roxie Hart” in Chicago comes to a close this weekend. If you have yet to make your way to the Ambassador Theatre to see her, clear your schedule and make time for it because it’s a performance you wont want to miss.

I was fortunate enough to see the show last week and can genuinely say it was such a treat to watch her in action. She brings her own flare to “Roxie” that is so uniquely Brandy and is so fitting for the character. Those runs? I see you Brandy. I see you. She’ll make you laugh, she’ll make you cry, but most importantly she’ll make you root for a character that can be questionably unethical. To me, that’s what a really good performance is supposed to do.

Brandy started her run as “Roxie Hart” April 28 and originally was supposed to end her run June 21, however due to rave reviews and popular demand her run was extended until August 2nd. Chicago marks Brandy’s Broadway debut — though it isn’t her first musical. She starred opposite Whitney Houston in the 1997 TV adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. But make no mistake, we doubt that this will be Brandy’s last time on the Great White Way, in fact she even said so herself in her exclusive interview with Broadway Black that she would love to come back to Broadway as “Annie Oakley” in Annie Get Your Gun (Come on Broadway producers! Let’s make this happen!).

For tickets and showtimes to see Brandy give ’em that old Razzle Dazzle in Chicago, visit ChicagoTheMusical.com.

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Brandy Norwood Gives Back To Garden Of Dreams

Broadway Black — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 15:40:01 +0000

Brandy Norwood has been making headlines for her Broadway performance as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago lately, but she recently took time out of her schedule to mentor children who are preparing to be in a talent show, and also participate in the Garden of Dreams Foundation, which helps children that are facing obstacles like poverty, homelessness, illness – and offers them once-in-a-lifetime experiences through the Madison Square Garden Company. The program started in 2006, and has created enduring programs and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that have brought joy and happiness to more than 275,000 children and their families.

(Photo credit: MSG Photos)

The Foundation works with 25 partner organizations throughout the New York area (to include hospitals, wish organizations and community-based organizations) to reach children who are facing challenges such as homelessness, extreme poverty, illness and foster care.

Some of the celebrities who have given their time to be a part of this special experience include: Susan Sarandon, Dave Chappelle, John McEnroe, Adrienne Bailon, Sara Bareilles, Swizz Beatz, Miguel, Mindless Behavior, Michelle Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Cruz, Billy Crudup, Seth Meyers, Adam Horovitz and Mike D of the Beastie Boys, Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182, Jane Krakowski, New York Knicks players, the Rockettes and Broadway stars.

The Garden of Dreams Talent Show, called “Musical Dreams,” was held at Radio City Music Hall on June 18 at 7pm and will have over 100 children onstage performing their talent for their friends and families. Last year over 3,300 people attended; the show is free and open to the public.Norwood recently extended her run in Chicago until August 2 at the Ambassador Theatre

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Brandy Norwood Brings Her Hart To Chicago

Drew Shade — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 15:57:14 +0000

Grammy award winner Brandy Norwood, known to her fans as B-Rocka or just Brandy to most, will join the cast of the Broadway musical Chicago in the role of Roxie Hart. Making her Broadway debut, she will begin performances at the Ambassador Theatre on April 28th and will play an eight week engagement. Her final bow will be on June 21st.

These are the moments we live for. To have an amazing vocalist like Brandy to hit Broadway makes our hearts stop. She is a Grammy award winner who has sold millions of records worldwide. Her portrayal of Cinderella in the TV movie, which featured Whitney Houston as the fairy God mother, is still talked about today. That performance even influenced the first black Cinderella on Broadway, Keke Palmer.

We will be in the seats to see her transform and take on this new challenge as Roxie Hart. It is bound to be something special. Get your tickets now!

Norwood will join a cast that includes Amra-Faye Wright as Velma, John Dossett as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Matron “Mama” Morton and R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine.

Set in the legendary city during the roaring “jazz hot” 20s, Chicago tells the story of two rival vaudevillian murderesses locked up in Cook County Jail. Nightclub star Velma’s serving time for killing her husband and sister after finding the two in bed together. Driven chorus girl Roxie’s been tossed in the joint for bumping off the lover she’s been cheating on her husband with. Not one to rest on her laurels, Velma enlists the help of prison matron Mama Morton and slickster lawyer Billy Flynn, who turn Velma’s incarceration into a murder-of-the-week media frenzy, thus preparing the world for a splashy showbiz comeback. But Roxie’s got some of her own tricks up her sleeve…

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