The six-time Tony winner will be absent from the production for three months starting Tuesday, June 21, 2016 through Sunday, September 25. It’s been announced that her absence is to fulfill a prior commitment. However, there have been no details released on what that commitment is or who will fulfill the role in her absence. McDonald is scheduled to return to the show on September 27.

Shuffle Along will present the landmark 1921 African-American musical revue Shuffle Along alongside the behind-the-scenes details that led the songwriting team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake and librettists F.E. Miller and Aubrey Lyles to create this groundbreaking work. In what has been billed as a revival, McDonald will take on the role of “Lottie Gee” and Brian Stokes Mitchell will appear in the the role of “F.E. Miller.” Porter takes on the role of “Aubrey Lyles,” with Brandon Victor Dixon and Joshua Henry as “Blake” and “Sissle.”

Other cast members include Adrienne Warren from Bring It On: The Musical, Darius de Haas (Rent, Kiss of the Spider Woman), Felicia Boswell (Motown: The Musical, Memphis), and Christian Dante White, c0-creator of Broadway Legacy.

George C. Wolfe will write the book and direct and Savion Glover will choreograph the highly anticipated production. As previously announced, the rest of the creative team includes Orchestrator Daryl Waters (musical supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations), Santo Loquasto (scenic design), Ann Roth (costume design), Scott Lehrer (sound design), Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer (lighting design), and Shelton Becton (musical director).

In 2014, the extraordinarily talented McDonald made Broadway history with a record-setting sixth Tony Award, for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. She also has the distinction of being the first person to receive awards in all four actress acting categories. She has also won Tonys for Carousel, Master Class, Ragtime, A Raisin in the Sun, and Porgy and Bess.

Shuffle Along begins previews at the Music Box Theatre on March 14, 2016. For more information on tickets, click HERE.

The post Audra McDonald to Take Shuffle Along Hiatus appeared first on Broadway Black.

Want me 2 sing 2 u? Or have hot chocolate w/me? All while helping @CovenantHouse kids? Check out my sleep out page! http://t.co/Mc3otMO7iT

— Audra McDonald (@AudraEqualityMc) July 30, 2015

In addition to McDonald, many other Broadway actors will sleep out, including Lisa Dawn Clark, Terren Wooten Clark, Eddie Cooper, Lilli Cooper, Aisha de Haas, Darius de Haas, Dionne Figgins, Kevin R. Free, Dana Marie Ingraham, Tamika Lawrence, Miguel Edson, Maurice Murphy, John Eric Parker, and Todd Pettiford. All participants are stars of Broadway, Off-Broadway, or Broadway tour productions.

http://t.co/0yI5r8JORD https://t.co/VnYREeiL1i

— Mr Chuck Cooper (@Ebonyactor) July 30, 2015

This is McDonald’s second year participating in the event. Although Sleep Out: Broadway Edition takes place on August 17, she will sleep outside in solidarity with homeless youth on November 19, following the annual Candlelight Vigil for Homeless Youth in Times Square. McDonald serves on the executive committee and the board of Covenant House International. Jenkins (Newsies, Caroline, or Change) and Darius de Hass (Kiss of the Spiderwoman, Carousel (revival), Rent) are both third-year participants in the event and serve on the executive committee as well.

To see the impact that Sleep Out has, Jenkins takes viewers on a tour through the neighborhood of “The Cov,” the reality of the night, and the impact of the Sleep Out.

Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and essential services to homeless youth in 27 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Latin America. According to the organization, the funds raised by Sleep Out participants are put to work immediately, keeping the lights on and the doors open for more than 57,000 kids who will seek help this year.

For more information and to donate to your favorite Broadway star, visit www. sleepout.org.

The post Broadway Actors Will Sleep Out for Homeless Youths appeared first on Broadway Black.

This was the first look into that project that made us intrigued and full of anticipation.

LAUNCHING SOON pic.twitter.com/2NRCvTztdi

— Broadway Legacy (@BroadwayLegacy) March 25, 2015

Well, the launch has happened and it was first reported by BroadwayWorld.com. The project, fittingly entitled, Broadway Legacy is described below:

BROADWAY LEGACY is a photographic and editorial exhibition that boldly celebrates African American achievement in the Broadway industry. The beautiful showcase of talented black men was directed by one of the same, Broadway actor Christian Dante White. The exhibition’s stunning portraits features Chuck Cooper, Darius de Haas, Charl Brown, Kyle Taylor Parker and more!

White’s aspiration was to feature men who not only are fiercely talented but also inspiring to each other and others. These are men who give life and love on and off the stage. His goal was to not only show appreciation for their remarkable contributions to entertainment but for these men to be recognized in a high fashion setting and to be presented by an outlet that reaches masses so they can be enlightened and educated.

In collaboration with celebrity photographer Brent Dundore, the pair came up with the concept and aesthetics to bring life to the essence of each man presented. Tony Award winners and nominees, Broadway veterans and gypsies, and the fresh, raw, and future legends are all a part of this project. This still but moving presentation in itself is a legacy. The creators invite you to learn, fall in love, and be inspired by a few good men in BROADWAY LEGACY.

In this amazing exhibition you’ll see what inspiration looks like in a timeless and classic manner. The crisp and clean presentation of Broadway Legacy is what Black Broadway and Broadway as a whole has been missing and longing for. Take a look at a few photos but make sure to check out the website www.BroadwayLegacy.com to get the full experience and find out more on why each person highlighted deserves their spot in the legacy chair. Web design was powered by LaCrafts Creations, owned and run by Elijah Ahmad Lewis, currently playing Stevie Wonder in Motown: The Musical 1st national tour.

Congrats to the entire team and all that made Broadway Legacy possible. This really makes our hearts happy. Look out! There is surely more to come and we can’t wait to see it. We have a feeling a Broadway Legacy of Women will be up next!

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