The film seeks to place a spotlight on the dismal recurrence of gun violence in the Chicago neighborhood of Englewood, and stars Samuel L. Jackson, John Cusack, Jennifer Hudson, Angela Bassett, Dave Chappelle, and Common.  As politicians including the city’s Alderman and Mayor have rushed to chime in on their disapproval of the film’s title, there is no doubt that Lee’s choice has struck a chord. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel who has been dogged by many high profile shootings during his tenure, met with Lee in April. Said the Mayor,

We had an honest, frank conversation… He said that while the movie is about the neighborhood of Englewood, I was clear that I was not happy about the title. I told him also that there are very good people that live in Englewood who are raising their family and there’s a lot of positive things that are happening in Englewood mainly driven by the people that make up Englewood.

Alderman William Burns had more criticism for the name stating,

These are communities where people are doing the right thing, people trying to have a decent neighborhood. Having a movie called ‘Chi-raq’ will make it much more difficult for folks like me and other aldermen to bring economic development to those neighborhoods. Who wants to live in a place that people call Chi-raq?

The Alderman went so far as to suggest that Lee should not receive a $3 million tax break for filming there.

“Part of the deal with the tax credit is that the film production company has to prove that the film will have a positive economic impact on the state of Illinois…And I think by calling a whole part of the city of Chicago ‘Chi-raq,’ that will make it hard to bring economic development to those communities, to bring jobs to those communities, and will therefore have a negative economic impact on the state of Illinois. And for that reason, they should deny it.”

An unbothered Lee responded with the brutal facts via Instagram.

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With all of the fervor around the name, one of the most interesting parts of the movie still speaks of Lee’s genius and creativity. The film is reportedly a musical comedy based upon Aristophanes’ comedy, Lysistrata.  “Lysistrata” persuades the women of Greece to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands and lovers as a means of forcing the men to negotiate peace ending the war.  The power of…unity… indeed! It’s exciting to wonder how Lee will weave this classic comedy into the modern day ails of a staggeringly violent city, nicknamed Chi-raq.

The post Politicians Attack Spike Lee Over Upcoming Film, Chi-raq appeared first on Broadway Black.

As we previously reported, Diggs, who first appeared on Broadway in Rent, is the first African-American to take on the transgender rock singer role. This will be the first time audiences have seen Diggs on the stage since he starred in 2005’s A Soldier’s Play.

There has been some discussion that Diggs’ portrayal of “Hedwig” contributes to the emasculation of African-American men. The list of Black male performers who have cross-dressed in roles is long and has had some accusing these performers of perpetuating racial stereotypes.

Comedian Dave Chappelle, who refused to wear a dress while filming “Blue Streak” with Martin Lawrence, once told Oprah Winfrey that “I don’t need no dress to be funny,” and suggested that Black male performers who cross-dressed for roles had negative effects on the black male image.

However, for Diggs, Hedwig is a role that he told the New York Times “is everything I’ve ever wished for.” He further added that he’d told his ex-wife Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel “‘I want a chance to show everybody everything. I can dance and I can sing, and everybody knows I can act.’ ’’

Judging from the reviews and reactions he’s gotten from social media, it’s a chance he won’t regret taking.

Debut performance – Sold Out!

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“Flawless, intense and devilishly funny….”

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After the show

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“UNBELIEVABLE”

@HedwigOnBway WAS UNBELIEVABLE pic.twitter.com/ftbEnwKPDi

— Alex Robertson (@A_Rob98) July 26, 2015

“One glistening mofo”

@TayeDiggs is one glistening mofo. He added a new flavor to @HedwigOnBway. #TheFlavorIsChocolate #MoreShowsNeedIt

— Keith Livingston (@The_RunnerUp) July 25, 2015

https://twitter.com/jhoffert/status/624794080615231488

You can see Diggs in Hedwig at the Belasco Theatre, 111 W. 44th St. New York, New York 10036. For ticket information visit HedwigBroadway.com.

#Repost @izzifeld ・・・ Saw Taye Diggs as Hedwig last night and he was incredible and the show was amazing! Still can’t believe we were 5th row! #hedwigonbroadway #tayediggs

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 30, 2015 at 7:04am PDT

#Repost @nicolebridgeford ・・・ #NationalLipstickDay #HEDWIG #tayediggs

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 29, 2015 at 12:40pm PDT

#Repost @hedwigonbway ・・・ I’ve got a sweet tooth for licorice drops and jelly roll Taye Diggs is #HedwigOnBway Tues-Fri 8 PM, Sat 2 & 8 PM, Sun 3 PM @tayediggsinsta photo: Joan Marcus

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 28, 2015 at 2:49pm PDT

#Repost @thephansyd ・・・ Here is Taye Diggs as Hedwig. #tayediggs #hedwigandtheangryinch #hedwig #hedwigonbway #hedwigbroadway #broadway #musical #musicals ——– #PlanetHedwig #NewDiggs

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 27, 2015 at 8:50am PDT

#Repost @teamcurtains ・・・ Ok Gurl! #TayeDiggs is fierce on Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Would you pay to see it?

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 26, 2015 at 4:34am PDT

#Repost @jasorude ・・・ I need answers #TayeDiggs

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 23, 2015 at 8:19pm PDT

#Repost @sladeny ・・・ First and only time I’ve ever taken a pic in a theater but HOLY SHIT I HAD TO.

A photo posted by Taye Diggs (@tayediggsinsta) on Jul 23, 2015 at 8:11pm PDT

The post Taye Diggs’ Hedwig Debut is a Hit appeared first on Broadway Black.

Of course, everyone has their opinion on who would be an ideal fit, and I am no exception.  Caveat: the following picks were chosen because of how I think their voices would sound on particular songs, not necessarily because they have the dramatic chops to pull off the role. (which reflects how these things are perceived sometimes to be cast)

With that in mind, these are my casting choices for The Wiz:

Dorothy: There are several artists who could perform this role (e.g., Janelle Monae, Jordan Sparks), but I think an interesting choice would be Tamia. Tamia is one of those singers who is a success but completely underrated.  Tamia has vocal control, tone, emoting, and range. She would be a great choice.  And as this clip shows, not only can she sing, but she harmonizes well, which is critical in most of the songs Dorothy sings.

Evilene: This was a tough call. There are a lot of singers who can belt out a song. The main requirements for “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” are that the singer needs to blow the roof off of the theatre and needs to take the listeners to church. But what also needs to be conveyed is some serious attitude. I dare you to watch this and not think that Ledisi won’t have you ready for the offering plate and scared out of your ruby red slippers at the same time.

Glinda; Hands down, my choice is Patti LaBelle.  “Home” is obviously the centerpiece song of the musical, but “Believe in Yourself” is a powerful song that can move one to tears in the hands of the right singer. If LaBelle’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is any indication, there won’t be a dry eye in the audience.

Cowardly Lion: This was a bit tough, as finding a true tenor isn’t as easy as one might think.  But after much thought, Anthony Hamilton came to mind. His recent tribute to Percy Sledge and B.B. King shows that his voice would be well suited for “(I’m a) Mean Ole Lion.”

Tin Man: Obba Babatunde (Dreamgirls), no stranger to the Broadway stage, would be a great fit for Tin Man.  The Tony nominated actor dances, sings, plays instruments, and would add much needed gravitas to “What Would I Do If I Could Feel.”

Scarecrow: This is an interesting one. After going back and forth trying to decide between a few options, it came down to young Chris Brown (the pre-tattoos and jail version). He can sing, dance, and act well enough to convey the sense of sincere naïvete for the Scarecrow. A predictable choice? Perhaps, but one that would be a simple fit.

The Wiz: Dave Chappelle would be an unorthodox choice. His comedic timing is obvious, but since walking away from the spotlight, Chappelle has acquired a bit of seriousness, even in his standup routines, which could translate to his ability to make The Wiz a sympathetic character.  It’s a risky choice, but could yield a huge payoff.

Obviously this list is quite the dream, but I’m anxious to see what NBC will do with their final castings.  No matter who is chosen, I’ll be watching.

The post How It Could Go Down: The Wiz Live Cast appeared first on Broadway Black.