This marks a significant milestone as the first major Broadway production of this classic play in nearly 25 years. “Our Town,” known for its timeless portrayal of life in the village of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, has achieved status as an enduring American classic with universal appeal. Thornton Wilder’s masterpiece, which first graced Broadway in 1938 to widespread acclaim, went on to receive the prestigious Pulitzer Prize, solidifying its place in the annals of American theater history.

The cast includes Jim Parsons as the “Stage Manager,” Zoey Deutch as “Emily Webb,” Katie Holmes as “Mrs. Webb,” Billy Eugene Jones as “Dr. Gibbs,” Ephraim Sykes as “George Gibbs,” Richard Thomas as “Mr. Webb,” Michelle Wilson as “Mrs. Gibbs,” Julie Halston as “Mrs. Soames,” Donald Webber Jr. as “Simon Stimpson,” and a talented ensemble consisting of Ephie Aardema, Heather Ayers, Willa Bost, Bobby Daye, Safiya Kaijya Harris, Doron JéPaul, Shyla Lefner, Anthony Michael Lopez, John McGinty, Bryonha Marie, Kevyn Morrow, Hagan Oliveras, Noah Pyzik, Sky Smith, Bill Timoney, Matthew Elijah Webb, and Nimene Sierra Wureh. The final two actors will be announced at a later date.

Previews for Our Town begin on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, with the grand opening set for Thursday, October 10, 2024, at the Barrymore Theatre for a limited engagement.

“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town – in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre. I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust of The Wilder estate to present this classic to another generation of theatre lovers. It’s long been a burning desire to collaborate on a Broadway production of such magnitude that speaks so beautifully and intimately to all people about our shared time on the planet.”

Kenny Leon, Tony Award winning director

The design team will include scenic design by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt (New York, New York; Act One), costume design by Tony Award-nominee and Drama Desk Award- winner Dede Ayite (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding; Suzan Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog), lighting design by Tony Award-nominee Allen Lee Hughes (Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog; A Soldier’s Play), sound design by Tony Award-nominee Justin Ellington (Ohio State Murders; for colored girls…), casting by Jim Carnahan, with Kate Wilson (The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window) as the dialect coach.

Speaking for the Wilder family, the playwright’s nephew, Tappan Wilder said: “Shortly before the Broadway opening of Our Town in 1938, my uncle, Thornton Wilder, described it to the press in these words: ‘You might say that it is a kind of an attempt at a complete immersion into everything about a New Hampshire village which, I hope, is gradually felt by the audience to be an allegorical representation of all life.’ In the first twenty months after the Broadway production closed, his drama about living and dying in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, with a minimal set of tables, chairs, and a ladder, would be performed in 658 American communities—in forty- seven of the then forty-eight states — as well as in four Canadian provinces and several European countries. This universal embrace of the play has never ended. Even now, Our Town, with its message about the transcendent value of our growing up, our living, and our dying, is performed at least once every day somewhere in the world. Its ‘allegorical representation of all life’ really does unite us all. I got to know the play on an intimate level for the first time in 1955, when, as a high school freshman, I played Professor Willard on a postage-stamp-sized stage in our gymnasium. The responsibility of performing my uncle’s words left me a frightened puppy. Almost seventy years later, I am once again frightened, but not from stage fright. We live in a dangerously fractured world. It’s hard for us to recognize the experiences we all share: life, death, love. Which means that it’s a good thing that my uncle’s play is back on Broadway, with its timely reminder that we all live together in our town.”

For more information, visit OurTownBroadway.com and experience the magic of Our Town on Broadway once again.

The post Our Town Returns to Broadway with a Stellar Cast including Michelle Wilson, Ephraim Sykes, Billy Eugene Jones, & More appeared first on Broadway Black.

Receiving immediate acclaim from event participants were the creators of Off the Kuff, Ephraim Sykes, Sasha Hutchings (Hamilton, Rocky), and Shaun Derik. Other honorable mentions include Stage Manager, Anthony Dunning; Door Operations Manager, Nathan Appleby; and Sound Engineer, Taylor Williams (Hamilton).

Shaun Derik is a nationally recognized Motivational Speaker and Engagement Expert and Ephraim Sykes is a television and film actor with  Broadway credits with the casts of Vinyl,  Leave It On the Floor, and Hamilton. The two dazzled a 300 attendee audience of the community’s finest; the tastemakers, writers, and poets, those who educated others in the arts. Revelers were treated to memory making performances from the delectable wordsmith Daniel J. Watts (Vinyl, Hamilton, Whorl Inside A Loop), not to  mention:

Marcus Paul James (Motown, Rent), Crystal Joy (Motown), Alysha Deslorieux (Hamilton, Beautiful), Anthony Ramos (Hamilton), Derrick Baskin (Difficult People, Memphis), Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) Crystal Thomas, Jasmine Cephas Jones (Hamilton), and an unparalleled midnight wrap-up performance with soiree headliner, Morgan James (Motown, Godspell).

The party goers jammed through the night with music courtesy of the one and only Preston “DJ DUGGZ” Duggers (Motown) and special treat Lucianna Padmore’s 4-piece band.

Sighted mingling about were television, film and Broadway actor, the amazing Leslie Odom Jr. (“Smash”, Hamilton), the very beautiful Teyonah Parris  of “Chi-Raq” and “Dear White People”, “Straight Outta Compton’s” Corey Hawkins and other celebrities like Kelly McCreary of “Grey’s Anatomy”, J Bernard Calloway of “Blue Bloods” and Memphis Jonathan Groff (“Glee”, Hamilton) and Hair Vlog Celebrity, Taren Guy. What a magnificent way to bring in the New Year!

The post Solomon And Kuff’s Host An ‘Off The Kuff’ New Year’s Eve Affair! appeared first on Broadway Black.

This JAM is a look-back at my experiences growing up in the South, encounters with friends, family, and police, and recognizing positive role models in television programming, all while navigating through predominantly white environments. These memories propel me to continue the conversation that began with the flash mob. This JAM ain’t sweet!

A play-on-words, THE JAM pays homage to his great-grandmother, who after making jam from scratch would share with others what she was unable to consume herself.  THE JAM is Watts’continuation of that legacy, featuring his original spoken word sometimes set to music and/or dance.

https://youtu.be/bf9L5PiKWBQ

Watts is not alone in this production that features Gilbert L. Bailey, II (Book of Mormon) as music director and keyboardist, Derrick Baskin (Whorl Inside A Loop, Hulu’s Difficult People) as featured vocalist, Preston Dugger, III aka DJ Duggz (Motown, Memphis), Ephraim Sykes (Hamilton, HBO’s “Vinyl”) on drums, Taharqa Patterson (Lights Out On Broadway) on guitar, and Voltaire Wade-Greene (Hamilton) on bass.

Check out video of a previous performance of The Jam at the Clark Studio Theatre at Lincoln Center.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Broadway Black stars is their capacity to use their gifts not only as expressions of their craft, but to shape the narrative around issues that impact the community at large. Beautiful things often come from adversity. We are grateful that artists are using their platforms to make beautiful things out of the adversity we face. Daniel J. Watts’ THE JAM: Spoken Word Preserves will take place Monday, November 16 at 8pm at The Studio at Webster Hall. For more information click here.

The post Daniel J. Watts Presents THE JAM: Spoken Word Preserves appeared first on Broadway Black.