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Unspeakable, a new seven-character show presented as a “dramatic fantasia,” is headed to the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago for a five-week engagement that begins on October 6. It will be directed by Rod Gailes OBC, and will star James Murray Jackson Jr. as Pryor. Gailes, an alumnus of the NYU Graduate Film Program, directed the first developmental workshop of Disney’s The Lion King Jr. in partnership with Disney Theatricals and Harlem School of the Arts, and most recently, the Araca Project’s Cake by Shawn Nabors. Gailes and Jackson co-authored Unspeakable, which originally debuted at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2005. For his portrayal of Pryor, Jackson received the Festival’s Outstanding Lead Actor Award and was noted by New York Times for his “magnetic lead performance.”

The show, billed as “an unflinching look at the life and times of an iconic comedic genius,” spans the majority of Pryor’s life, focusing on the period between 1967 and 1982. Pryor, the first African American to host “Saturday Night Live,” was the son of a prostitute and a pimp who grew up in a brothel owned and operated by his grandmother in the town of Peoria, IL. He later made wisecracks on stage about his unconventional upbringing. He joked about his sex life, his marriages, his relationship with cocaine and even about having a heart attack. Pryor died in 2005 from multiple sclerosis.

In an interview, Unspeakable co-author and director Gailes said, “Richard Pryor broke down barriers and stereotypes once thought unimaginable, said the unspeakable, and did the unthinkable. He taught us by holding a mirror to the conscience of America while self-destructing, and imploding on his own pain and grief. Though flawed in life, he lived uninhibited onstage. He was part preacher, social commentator, political activist, addict and a whole lot of devil. Richard ushered in a groundbreaking style which paved the way for a generation of comedians. He was able to convert his painful personal experiences and searing political observations into mainstream comedy.”

Unspeakable is presented by Tenacity Park, Creative Mind Entertainment, OBC DreamTheatre, Stefani Nicole Von Huben, and Kenneth Schapiro.

The post Unspeakable, A Play About Comedian Richard Pryor, to Finally Hit the Stage appeared first on Broadway Black.

When NBC made the announcement at the end of March that its next live musical would be The Wiz the internet went into a tizzy! Immediately theatre lovers begin pitching their dream casts! Theatre names like Anika Noni Rose, Nikki M. James , Tituss Burgess, and Condola Rashad were tossed about and mainstream names like Chris Brown, Usher, Janelle Monae, and Beyonce were also thrown into the mix. There was a great concern from many theatre buffs that NBC would cast “known” names to draw in viewers instead of casting actors and actresses more familiar with the stage. To this director Kenny Leon responded with great confidence that commercial casting would not take place. “We will tell the story with the best, available cast..no tricks- no worries!”, stated the Tony Award winner. Keke Palmer, if casted, would bring both audiences; theatre and popular culture fans.

The Wiz– based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz- made its Broadway debut in 1975. The musical went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Original Score among other recognitions. The cast included the talents of Stephanie Mills, Ted Ross, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Mabel King. The film adaptation was released in October 1978 and included an equally impressive cast- Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross and Richard Pryor. There has not been a Broadway revival of the classic since that time so it’s no wonder everyone is over the moon with excitement! We certainly can’t wait!

Make sure you continue to follow Broadway Black for all of the updates on everything The Wiz!

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Iterations of this piece have seen great success in L.A., Chicago, Ohio, Virginia, Texas, Atlanta, and Scotland as well as being called a NY Times “Critic Pick”. Now, under the direction of Kamilah Forbes, it will make its official world premiere at the National Black Theatre.

Throughout Rain Pryor’s career as an actor, comedian, director, producer, educator, and activist, she has been diligent in being true to who she is and all that she is. Refusing to be defined by industry labels, her unique and impactful voice has won her critical acclaim as well as delighted sold-out crowds nationwide.

One of the exciting things about the presence of this type of production is its rarity. Too often seen in the theater are replications of phallocentric narratives that so seldom allow the presence of those belonging to the “other” and when they are seen, they are all too frequently stereotyped. Pryor explores some of those stereotypes as they appeared in her own family and brings the cultures together to show the unifying humanity. In a time where the voices of women and people of color are still struggling to be heard in this country, Pryor stands out as more than a source of humor or entertainment, she is an artist who educates and heals with plenty of laughs along the way.
The world premiere of “Fried Chicken & Latkes” will run June 2-28 at the National Black Theatre 2031 5th Ave. New York, NY 10035. For tickets and more information visit www.nationalblacktheatre.org

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