This isn’t the first time NeNe Leakes has appeared on the Broadway stage. Last year, Leakes made her Broadway debut in Cinderella alongside Keke Palmer, the first Black actress in the title role. The role of Matron ‘Mama’ Morton is usually meant for a supreme belter, although Wendy Williams has also played the character. I have no doubt Leakes has the acting chops to be the authoritative, bossy persona Morton needs to be believable on stage.

I did it #chicago #Neneismamamorton #nyc #gettingbacktome #debut

A photo posted by NeNe Leakes (@neneleakes) on Nov 24, 2015 at 12:38am PST

I must admit that when I first heard the news, I let out a sigh. I’m all for a woman making BOSS moves to advance her career. However, as a person who has spent her entire life immersed in theatre, I always feel a sort of bias. People go to school for years, go through years of training in acting, dance, and singing to dream of the moment they can step foot on a Broadway stage. Yet more and more, the theatre is becoming commercialized, focusing more on big names than actual talent.

This is not to take anything away from Leakes, who I’m sure is putting in the work it takes. I just am having trouble with this trend of caring more about star quality than actual talent. After all, isn’t New York the city of dreams? Why not give someone else a chance? Maybe after Leakes’ run we’ll be treated to an unknown in the role. In the meantime, I’m excited to see what NeNe has to bring to the table.

For 4 weeks only, from Nov 23rd – Dec 20th, make your way over to the Ambassador Theatre to catch the woman who is “very rich” in action. Tickets are available HERE.

The post Nene Leakes Is Living Her Dreams During Her Run In Chicago appeared first on Broadway Black.

Now, we say that it’s surprising because if you haven’t been closely watching George’s career then you would have no idea that he is no stranger to the theatre. Like, at all. He has actually done some great works that include a range from Shakespeare to Suzan Lori-Parks. Need more details? Yeah. We did, too. It’s actually quite impressive but we’ll hold out to see his work in January before we make any judgements. Below you’ll find his bio. (Oh, & FYI George is also the husband of Taj George who is known as 1/3 of hit R&B group SWV)

Eddie George makes his Broadway debut in Chicago following stage appearances in such works as Matthew Lopez’s The Whipping Man (Nashville Repertory Theatre), Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog(Amun Ra Theatre) and in the title roles of both Othello and Julius Caesar at the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. His transition to the stage completes the journey that he began following the conclusion of his NFL playing career, which saw him providing commentary and analysis for the Tennessee Titans and FOX’’s college football coverage. George won screen time in such TV series as NBC’’s “American Dream Builders” and in such films as “Best Man Holiday” and “The Game Plan.” Since then, George has worked to refine his craft onstage, including not only the credits indicated above, but also work with his Nashville-based theatrical troupe, Actors By George, which he founded in 2012. Eddie George won the Heisman Trophy in 1995 while playing for the Ohio State University. That honor served as the prelude to a nine-year career in the NFL, which saw him lead the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV and selected to the Pro Bowl for four consecutive years, finishing his career with the Dallas Cowboys under legendary coach Bill Parcells. Since the conclusion of his playing career, George has additionally received his MBA from Northwestern University and founded Edward George Wealth Management Group. He resides in Nashville with his wife of 11 years, Tamara Johnson, and his family. He is on the board of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville.

We previously reported that reality television star NeNe Leakes would be joining the show as well. However, she will join as “Matron ‘Mama’ Morton” and will complete her run before George joins in January. So, it’s a good reason to see the show at the end of the year and at the beginning, it seems.

With a legendary book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, Chicago is now the #1 longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The winner of six 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Cast Recording. Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

The post NFL Legend Eddie George Will Join Chicago Musical In January appeared first on Broadway Black.

If you know anything about the show or have seen the movie that garnered Queen Latifah an Academy Award nomination, you know this is a singing role. Usually the woman playing the role is a singer, although it has been played by Wendy Williams before.

Even though Cinderella was also a musical, Chicago will take the singing up a notch for Leakes the reality television star & we really are interested to see what she does with the role. We are wishing Nene all the best and hopes she has a blast! Welcome back to Broadway!

Just In: @NeneLeakes will star in @chicagomusical as Mama Morton starting Nov 23rd! Welcome back, Linnethia!

A photo posted by BroadwayBlack (@broadwayblack) on Oct 22, 2015 at 7:57am PDT

For 4 weeks, from Nov 23rd – Dec 20th, you can “BLOOP” your way over to the Ambassador Theatre and check out the show for a taste of reality on Broadway. Tickets are available HERE. In the meantime, take a look back on Nene Leakes’ Broadway run in Cinderella below with a interview from Hot 97!

The post Nene Leakes Will Return To Broadway In Chicago The Musical appeared first on Broadway Black.