12 Angry Men, based on the book 12 Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today, is a collection of personal stories of Black men from across the United States about being racially profiled. During a time when racial tensions are at an extreme high, conversations about this topic are not only necessary but extremely rewarding. The original book is a compilation of stories, essays, and personal accounts of racial profiling from Black men of various professions, backgrounds and ages. 

Each performance begins with a “talk back” conversation that will start seventy-five minutes before each show. The show stars Oberon K.A. Adjepong, Jerome Preston Bates, Sheldon Best, W. Tre Davis, Jason Dirden, Dulé Hill, Chuckwudi Iwuji, Dorian Missick, Roscoe Orman, Roger Robinson, Terrell Tilford, and John David Washington.

Shows run on Saturday, November 14th through Friday, November 20th with all performances starting at 8:00 p.m. and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 15th. All performances take place at Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts at Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are available now and can be purchased here. 

There will be a student matinee on Wednesday, November 18 at 11:00 a.m. Email billieholiday.events@gmail.com for more information. Student seats are free and available to 8th-12th grade students, as well as college and university students, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The post 12 Angry Men Directed by George Faison Gets An Extended Run appeared first on Broadway Black.

12 Angry Men is an original theatrical adaptation of the book “12 Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today” by Gregory S. Parks and Matthew W. Hughley. The original book is comprised of essays by journalists, artists, professional sports players, and prosecutors of different backgrounds and ages, reflecting on their experience as being a Black man in America.  Described as “powerful”, and “beautifully written, yet painfully honest” by Jet Magazine, 12 Angry Men unravels the American dream and just how attainable that is in a world plagued with social injustice.

Directed by Tony Award winning choreographer, George Faison (The Wiz), 12 Angry Men will be on stage October 15-18, 2015. The cast features a rotating cast of actors including: John Amos, Jerome Preston Bates, Jason Dirden, Nelson Ellis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Dule Hill, Russell Hornsby, Dorian Missick, Roscoe Orman, Michael Potts, Victor Williams, Sheldon Best, Brandon Dirden, Frank Harts, Chukwudi Iwuji, Gabriel Lawrence, Roscoe Orman, Michael Potts, Terrell Tilford, and John David Washington.

The post World Premiere of 12 Angry Men Directed By George Faison Examines Racial Profiling appeared first on Broadway Black.

August Wilson‘s Seven Guitars will be performed at Two River Theater from September 12, 2015 to October 4, 2015. The play, part of Wilson’s famous Pittsburgh Cycle, chronicles the story of Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton following his release from jail and a subsequent offer to sign a recording deal due to one of his songs becoming a musical sensation. A classic and timeless production that explores themes emblematic of Wilson’s work such as African-American masculinity and a search for success even in the midst of a racist society, Seven Guitars is an incredible play that still holds relevance in today’s society.

A part of the New Jersey theatre world for twenty-one years, Two River Theater has entertained audiences of over 55,000. The theatre is also known for producing new work and new plays, committed to “cultivate a new generation of theatregoers.”

Seven Guitars will see the directorial debut of Two River veteran, Brandon J. Dirden. Dirden is no stranger to the stage as he is best known for portraying Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Tony Award-winning play, All the Way. Additionally, Dirden has starred in Clybourne Park and Prelude to a Kiss on Broadway and also done some amazing work Off-Broadway. August Wilson’s Piano Lesson at the Signature Theatre & Detroit 67 at The National Black Theatre are definitely at the top of that list for us. The production, in addition to Dirden’s directing, hosts a fabulous cast of Broadway talent. Taking the stage is Dirden’s wife Crystal Dickinson  (You Can’t Take It With You, Clybourne Parke) as Louise, as well as his brother, Jason Dirden (A Raisin In The Sun, Fences) as Canewell. Also Brittney Bellizeare as Ruby, Brian D. Coats as Hedley, , Charlie Hudson III (A Raisin In The Sun) as Red Carter, Kevin Mambo (Fela!) as Floyd Barton and Christina Acosta Robinson as Vera.

Here at Broadway Black, we are thrilled to see a classic production with a new perspective and are sure that this will be a hit. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased here.

Watch an interview with Brandon J. Dirden down below where he talks about what inspired him to direct, among other things!

The ever so lovely Crystal Dickson did a really great interview with Theater Mania and it seems that the couple have other Wilson pieces they would like to conquer together.

Are there any roles on your August Wilson bucket list?
Brandon and I talk about this all the time. We would love to do Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and play Seth and Bertha. I would adore playing a married couple to Brandon onstage.

Read the entire interview HERE. It’s a treat!

The post Brandon Dirden Makes Directoral Debut with August Wilson Play appeared first on Broadway Black.

The readings of all 10 of plays will now be streamed live and you can watch them here!

Join us for an historic series as an extraordinary cast of actors and directors — many who worked directly with Wilson — gather to make the first-ever recording of his celebrated 10-play cycle capturing 100 years of African American life in the 20th century.

The readings will feature many actors reprising the roles they performed on stage, including Tony Award winner LESLIE UGGAMS as Ruby in King Hedley II; Drama Desk and Obie Award winner ANTHONY CHISHOLM (Oz, Premium Rush) as Fielding in Jitney and Elder Barlow in Radio Golf; BRANDON DIRDEN (The Big C, House of Payne) in his Obie Award-winning role as Boy Willie in The Piano Lesson; RUSSELL HORNSBY (Grimm, Shameless) as King Hedley in King Hedley II; Emmy Award winner KEITH DAVID (Crash, Armageddon) as Seth Holly in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone; EBONY JO-ANN as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON as Canewell in Seven Guitars; JOHN EARL JELKS as Sterling Johnson in Radio Golf; ROSLYN RUFF (Rachel Getting Married, The Help) as Berniece in The Piano Lesson, among others.

Other Wilson actors will take on new roles, including Tony Award nominee S. EPATHA MERKERSON (Law & Order, Lincoln) as Bertha in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and WENDELL PIERCE (Treme, The Wire) as Red Carter in Seven Guitars.

Academy Award nominee TARAJI P. HENSON (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Person of Interest) and JESSE L. MARTIN (Law & Order, Rent) will make their Wilson debuts as Molly Cunningham in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Lyons in Fences, respectively.

Check Back here to watch the reading recordings each week.

In the meantime listen to Ruben Santiago Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, and others talk about the legacy of August Wilson, read the cast lists for the recordings, and copy the schedule of the recording series below

SCHEDULE

All readings start at 7pm at The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street (at Varick Street), Downtown Manhattan.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom– Monday, August 26
Directed by Ruben Santiago Hudson

David Margulies……………………………Sturdyvant
Tuck Milligan…………………………………….Irvin
Charles Weldon…………………………………Cutler
Clarke Peters…………………………………..Toledo
Harvy Blanks……………………………….Slow Drag
Ebony Jo-Ann…………………………..…Ma Rainey
Joniece Abbott-Pratt………………..…….Dussie Mae
Jonathan Majors………………………..…… Sylvester

Fences–Wednesday, August 28
Directed by Kenny Leon

Eugene Lee………………………………… Jim Bono
Jesse L. Martin………………………………….Lyons
Ray Anthony Thomas………………………….Gabriel
Jonathan Majors………………………………….Cory
Regina Taylor…………………………………….Rose

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone– Wednesday, September 4
Directed by Phylicia Rashad

Keith David…………………………….…..Seth Holly
Taraji P. Henson……………….… Molly Cunningham
S. Epatha Merkerson……………………. Bertha Holly
Roger Robinson……………………….……… Bynum
Raynor Scheine………………….……Rutherford Selig
Jason Dirden…………………….……..Jeremy Furlow
John Douglas Thompson……….……..Harold Loomis
January LaVoy………………….……Mattie Campbell
Nile Bullock………………….………Reuben Mercer
Alexis Holt…………………….………..Zonia Loomis

The Piano Lesson– Monday, September 9
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Brandon J. Dirden………………………….Boy Willie
Roslyn Ruff…………………………………..Berniece
Jason Dirden…………………………..……….Lymon
Alexis Holt…………………………..…………Maretha
Eric Lenox Abrams………………….……….….Avery
Chuck Cooper……………………….……Wining Boy
Mandi Masden……………………………..…….Grace

Two Trains Running– Wednesday, September 11
Directed by Michele Shay

Ron Cephas Jones……………………………….Wolf
James A. Williams………………………….Holloway
Owiso Odera………………………………….Sterling
Leon Addison Brown……………………….Hambone
Harvy Blanks…………………………………….West

Seven Guitars– Friday, September 13
Directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson

Ruben Santiago-Hudson…………………… Canewell
Wendell Pierce……………………….……Red Carter
Brenda Pressley…………………………………Louise
Lou Ferguson………………………………….Hedley
Harry Lennix……………………………Floyd Barton
Cassandra Freeman………………………………Ruby

Jitney– Monday, September 16
Directed by Ruben Santiago Hudson

Anthony Chisholm…………………………….Fielding
Amari Cheatom………………………….Youngblood
Stephen M Henderson…………………………Turnbo
Barry Shabaka Henley…………………………..Doub
Harvy Blanks…………………………………..Shealy
Joaquina Kalukango……………………………..Rena

King Hedley II– Saturday, September 21
Directed by Michele Shay

Russell Hornsby………………………King Hedley II
Leslie Uggams…………………………………..Ruby
Kevin Carroll……………………………………Mister
Stephen M. Henderson………………………..Elmore
Marsha Stephanie Blake………………………..Tonya
Arthur French……………………………Stool Pigeon

Gem of the Ocean– Tuesday, September 24
Directed by Kenny Leon

Eugene Lee…………………………………………Eli
Stephen Tyrone Williams……………..Citizen Barlow
Phylicia Rashad……………………………Aunt Ester
Danai Gurira………………………………Black Mary
Raynor Scheine………………………Rutherford Selig
Anthony Chisholm………………….Solly Two Kings
Keith Randolph Smith…………………………Caesar

Radio Golf– Saturday, September 28
Directed by Marion McClinton

Anthony Chisholm………….. ….Elder Joseph Barlow
John Earl Jelks………………………..Sterling Johnson
Rocky Carroll…………………………Harmond Wilks
Sharon Washington………………………Mame Wilks
James A. Williams……………………Roosevelt Hicks

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