Fans of the Canadian based singer will get to experience “a uniquely personal musical exploration of the John Kander/Fred Ebb canon.”  Along with musical director Mark Selby, Hinds will introduce the audience to insight on the famous songwriting duo and their lesser known songs, as well as present exciting, innovative new takes on their more popular pieces.

“I adore the intersection of musical theatre and Blackness,” explains Hinds.  “With Kander and Ebb we saw it in Kiss of the Spider Woman and Chicago before their amazing work on Scottsboro Boys, and [this] show is a blend of my personal experiences with their music.”

Hinds first presented #KanderandEbb at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times last December.  After receiving a stammering standing ovation from a full house at the world’s largest LGBTQ theater complex, the show received a remount this fall followed by an additional run at the Mainline Theater in Montreal.

Few know that before Taye Diggs, Hinds was actually the first Black actor to play the role of Hedwig in John Cameron Mitchell’s punk-rock musical Hedwig & the Angry Inch.  Since then, Hinds has become an international name, playing in venues everywhere from Montreal to L.A. to Rio de Janeiro.  The artist has also performed with headliners including Liza Minnelli, Todrick Hall, Debbie Reynolds, and Lady Bunny.

Composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb are one of the most prolific songwriting duos in musical theater history.  Their 50-year collaboration produced such great works as Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Steel Pier, New York, New York, and my personal favorite, The Scottsboro Boys.

Ryan G. Hinds in #KanderAndEbb premieres at Don’t Tell Mama on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. For tickets call (212) 757-0788 or visit DontTellMamaNYC.com.

The post Canadian Artist Ryan G. Hinds Takes on #KanderandEbb appeared first on Broadway Black.

Dorothy, The Wiz

Are you looking for a classic costume that’s easily identified and even easier to put together? Look no further than “Dorothy”! All you need is a light blue gingham dress with a silk ribbon at the waist, or a white blouse and light blue skirt, white tights or lacy socks and of course you MUST rock the sparkly shoes. To finish the look, style your hair into two ponytails and you are ready to travel the yellow brick road!

Rafiki, The Lion King

Are you the creative type with time on your hands? Well consider “Rafiki” from The Lion King. This character is full of color and the costume opens up a world of possibilities for the open minded costumer. Face paint in bright colors and an assembly of colorfully beaded necklaces and bracelets, rattan rope, burlap and fur embellishments should get you well on your way to bringing this dynamic character to life.

Hedwig, Hedwig and The Angry Inch

If fabulous is your destination and you’ve got the confidence of a rockstar, then what better inspiration than rocker “Hedwig”? Platform shoes, BIG blonde hair, distressed denim with your own graffiti are necessary to pull of this costume. The essential ingredient is a ton of super glittery and flamboyant makeup and voila! You are ready to rock any Halloween party.

Marvin Gaye, Motown The Musical

Let everyone know exactly “What’s Going On” when you arrive at the Halloween party. Channeling the soulfulness of “Marvin Gaye” is a breeze with just a few simple items. A red toboggan or a simple crocheted kufi,  a plainly colored tee shirt layered with a denim shirt and denim jeans should do the trick. Top it off with a beard and you will be ready to croon or maybe lip sync the night away.

Dreamgirls

There’s only one thing that more fun than dressing up for Halloween and that’s pulling off an ensemble set of costumes. A perfect play for the ensemble outfit for you and few of your diva friends, the fellas or a mixed group of Halloween revelers. Ladies, whip out those once used bridesmaid dresses from the back of your closets and fellas hit your local thrift store for wide collars, swinging bell bottoms or an extra shiny and tight suit. Ladies, tease your hair into a sleek updo or a big bouffant and gentlemen pick out your hair or make a quick stop at the beauty supply for a short conked out wig and your ensemble is ready to go.

Motormouth Maybelle, Hairspray

Are you looking to make an impact as soon as you step on the scene? If so, “Motormouth Maybelle” is the character for you. The easiest way to pull off this costume is to start with a gold or satin dress. Purchase a couple of red feather boa’s and attach them to the hem and sleeves. Finish off this sassy look with a blonde wig with curls as tall and plentiful as you can make them and you are ready to liven up any party.

We hope you enjoy these costumes inspired by our Black Broadway stars. Tweet us a picture of what you decided to wear @broadwayblack!

The post 6 Broadway Black Inspired Costumes for Halloween appeared first on Broadway Black.

Dixon, who received a Tony nomination for his role as “Harpo” in the Broadway production of The Color Purple, will perform original music in a show entitled “Journey to the Center.” He will be accompanied by musical director Michael Mitchell and fellow actors/singers Ryan Shaw, Kenita Miller, Amber Iman, and Crystal Lucas Perry. Shaw, who appeared alongside Dixon in Motown, will also serve as producer.

I hope you all can join me for my debut solo concert!
All proceeds will benefit @BwayServes!
Visit @JoesPub for tix! pic.twitter.com/EIwVG3dTC8

— Brandon Victor Dixon (@BrandonVDixon) August 20, 2015

Dixon made his professional theatre debut in 2003 in the role of adult “Simba” in the national tour of The Lion King. He has appeared in the off-Broadway productions of Rent and The Scottsboro Boys. In 2013, Dixon originated the role of “Berry Gordy” in Motown for which he was nominated for a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance. Recently, Dixon appeared in The Scottsboro Boys at The Garrick Theatre in London and is currently starring in The Odyssey at The Delacorte for Public Theatre.

2013 proved significant for Dixon in more ways than one. He and Motown choreographer Warren Adams formed WalkRunFly Productions to support young artists. The duo co-produced Hedwig and the Angry Inch starring Neil Patrick Harris and Of Mice and Men, starring James Franco and Chris O’Dowd. Hedgwig went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and also garnered the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical. Of Mice and Men was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play.

In 2016, he is scheduled to join Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Billy Porter, and Joshua Henry in a new musical based on the making of Shuffle Along, as previously reported.

For more information and tickets, visit Joe’s Pub.

The post Brandon Victor Dixon Debut Concert at Joe’s Pub appeared first on Broadway Black.

HEDWIG ALERT! After 500 triumphant shows, 6 Hedwigs, and 4 Tony Awards, Hedwig is putting her wig back on the shelf. pic.twitter.com/G6Lpw68VBx

— Hedwig on Broadway (@HedwigOnBway) August 18, 2015

WE WERE THERE: TAYE DIGGS IN

HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH

https://twitter.com/ashleymariap7/status/633023361052975104

Still reeling from how incredible @HedwigOnBway was today. @TayeDiggs was phenomenal and brought a whole new side of our girl to life.

— Allie (@alliesweezy) August 16, 2015

Including former Hedwig, Neil Patrick Harris,

Saw @TayeDiggs tonight in the truly wonderful production of @HedwigOnBway. Sad that the show is closing soon. If you've yet to see it, do.

— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) August 19, 2015

While Diggs will be donning his awesome wig and pair of golden boots until the end of the Broadway show, fans of the show can raise their hands for the tour scheduled to begin in San Francisco on October 4, 2016. Diggs closes out Hedwig and The Angry Inch with panache, raw emotion and sizzling hot energy. And as Hedwig would say, that’s not bad for a “slip of a girlyboy from Communist East Berlin.”

For more information on Hedwig and The Angry Inch, the tour and ticket information, click here.

The post Taye Diggs Closes Out Hedwig and The Angry Inch On Broadway 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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A post shared by HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (@hedwigonbway)

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A post shared by HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (@hedwigonbway)

“Flawless, intense and devilishly funny….”

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A post shared by HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (@hedwigonbway)

After the show

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A post shared by Emmanuelle Chriqui (@echriqui)

“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.

The press has started to ramp up in anticipation of Diggs’ debut as Broadway’s first black Hedwig. Diggs has handled it all with an air of grace that is only known to him.  The press has not been known for their “gentle touch” when it comes to issues of race and sexual orientation but they seem to have put on the kid gloves this time.  When Diggs was asked on “Entertainment Tonight” about how his son was reacting to him in this role, he had this to say,

“[Walker] is so damn adjusted. He’s unfazed. I think he’s on the path of being a really cool adult.”

Rebecca Naomi Jones took over the role of Yitzhak in Hedwig in April 2015, as we reported here.  She has been the husband to Glee star Darren Criss’ Hedwig but now will be in support of the first Black man to take on the role.  The two sat down recently at The Labs Club Restaurant to talk about being the first “chocolate” husband and wife duo for these roles and the flavor they are bringing to these characters.

Taye Diggs will take over the role on July 22, 2015 at the Belasco Theatre, 111 W. 44th St. New York, New York 10036. For ticket information visit Theatremania.com 

The post First Look: All Black Hedwig With Taye Diggs & Rebecca Naomi Jones appeared first on Broadway Black.

Other Broadway credits attributed to Ms. Jones are: American Idiot, Kinky Boots and Passing Strange. Outside of Broadway Jones has appeared in Dracula, Tarzan, 42nd Street, CATS and The Toxic Avenger. On July 22nd you can see Taye Diggs take on the role of Hedwig for a lead cast chock full of actors of color.

Broadway.com did a feature web series following Rebecca and her performances in Hedwig.  Not only do we get a backstage look for a Broadway show we get to enjoy Rebecca Naomi Jones’ bubbly and vibrant personality. You can also hear about and watch her get into drag. Spoiler alert: she does wear a prosthetic while she performs. To get to know a little bit of the woman behind the voice and other cast member check out the episodes. Episode one you can watch below!

For ticket information visit www.hedwigonbroadway.com. Plus, you can also follow Rebecca Naomi Jones on Twitter @rebeccasername here.

The post Rebecca Naomi Jones Transforms As Yitzhak In Hedwig And The Angry Inch appeared first on Broadway Black.

However, some have pointed out that because of Diggs’ portrayal of a transgender character, he is contributing to the emasculation of black men. Actors such as Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, and Tyler Perry have all taken on roles that could be described as minstrel performances and perpetuating racial stereotypes.

Dave Chappelle famously recounted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that while filming “Blue Streak” with Martin Lawrence, the producer of the film told him they had adjusted the script and in the next scene Lawrence’s character would break him out of jail, but he would have to be dressed as a prostitute. After Chappelle refused, the director came in to stress how funny it would be for him to wear the dress. Finally, after seeing that Chappelle was not going to change his mind, a new script was presented to him.

Taking a slightly opposing view, in an interview with Vibe magazine, Chris Rock said, “I mean, hey, lots of comedians dress up like women, not just Black. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book. Men in drag…There was Mrs. Doubtfire. [Adam] Sandler’s next movies is Jack and Jill. He plays his brother and sister. [The Black community] doesn’t have that many movies, so if there’s only four Black movies in a year and two of them star Black men in dresses, I could see how that would upset some people. But that’s a job for some people. Tyler Perry is great in a dress, but I don’t want to see Denzel or Will Smith in a dress. And I don’t think we’re in any danger of seeing that.”

The larger (and arguably more notable) issue is that Diggs was cast in a role that does not deal in any sort of racial components; it is a racially neutral role, and the director and producers should be lauded for making a choice based on talent, which should always be the case.  Certainly, the lack of traditional black male images in the media is an issue that needs to be addressed, but black men are not monolithic, and the public should be able to see all types of roles that run the gamut.  That is what needs to be focused on; ensuring that there is material for audiences to digest that represents diverse aspects of the black male experience.

The post Taye Diggs as Hedwig Emasculating The Black Man? Really? appeared first on Broadway Black.

News from the #TurnerUpfront press luncheon: looks like Taye Diggs is in line to be the next star of Hedwig & the Angry Inch on Broadway.

— Jason Lynch (@jasonlynch) May 13, 2015

The current star of Hedwig, Darren Criss, is scheduled to play the show until July 19th. There hasn’t been any confirmation that this is a definite. However, we are thrilled that Diggs’ is willing to take this leap into something new and different from his body of work. If this is true, Diggs’ would join the small list of stars to take on this role, including Neil Patrick Harris, who won the Tony Award for his performance last year, as well as, Michael C. Hall (“Dexter”), and the show’s creator and original off-Broadway star, John Cameron Mitchell. He would also be the first African American to play the role. He would join Rebecca Naomi Jones who is currently co-starring as Yitzhak

Diggs’ has been seen on the Broadway stage in Rent, Carousel, Chicago. As well as on your television screen in “The Good Wife,” “Private Practice,” “Murder in the First,” “Kevin Hill”. Some of your favorite movies he’s starred in also; “The Best Man,” “The Wood,” “Brown Sugar,” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” with Angela Bassett.

Today, Diggs’ posted a photo of him getting a special “I love Daddy” tattoo in his son’s handwriting. Right in front of him you can see the Hedwig book. Could this be a hint?

https://t.co/Lx1qjkiKnY pic.twitter.com/Yee21cFMh7

— Taye Diggs (@TayeDiggs) May 14, 2015

We are excited for him and the future of this show, if this is true. It shows a great big step towards more diversity for the Broadway stage, If it doesn’t work out we can always campaign for him to play Lola in Kinky Boots! Yay or nay?

Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of a fictional rock ‘n’ roll band, fronted by Hedwig, a transgender woman from communist East Berlin. Between rock songs, Hedwig regales the audience with both humorous and painful stories about her life, including her botched sex change operation.

How do you feel about Taye Diggs starring in Hedwig on Broadway???

The post Taye Diggs May Return To Broadway In Drag For Hedwig appeared first on Broadway Black.