Khan made her Broadway debut as Sofia in The Color Purple in 2007 alongside Bebe Winans as Harpo and Zonya Love (Broadway debut) as Celie.

The special holiday edition of the series powered by Hallmark Mahogany will take place November 18, broadcasting live from Los Angeles at 8 p.m. Eastern. You’ll be able to stream the show on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and more!

This is bound to be one for the record books. These two no-holds-barred industry titans always have truth to share along with their phenomenal vocals and music and are sure to be a joy to witness together. Find the full announcement via Instagram + a Chaka Khan bonus fact below.

Remember when Chaka Khan said Broadway was akin to slave labor? Refresh your memory with the interview from VLADTV below.

The post QUEENS: Chaka Khan & Stephanie Mills VERZUZ Battle Announced appeared first on Broadway Black.

Hamilton 

What is a best of 2015 list without Hamilton? Not a list at all. The hip-hop musical about America’s most controversial founding father with its diverse cast and #hamiltunes that will be stuck in your head forever earns its prized spot on the list. Any show capable of selling out for over a year is a winner in my book. #HamilTonys

Invisible Thread 

Did I mention I saw this show four times? I’m not kidding. The only reason it wasn’t more is because I’m not rich and I went home for Christmas break. The show that tells the story of one man’s incredible journey of self and the people’s lives he impacts was a no-brainer on my list. The dancing, the acting, and the singing is enough to bring you in and take you to new places. #Belamusana

The Color Purple 

Of course, The Color Purple was going to make this list. Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks and Jennifer Hudson make their Broadway debuts and they enter with a big ol’ splash. The simplistic styling of this musical requires the actors to give their all and bare it on the stage, which they do every night. I see Tonys in their future.

Whorl Inside A Loop 

No wonder it’s going to Broadway!  It’s that darn good. Second Stage is doing some pretty awesome things over there on 43rd Street, if this show is any indication. It tells the story of an actress teaching prisoners how to tell and act out their personal stories. This show definitely tugged at my heartstrings and now, hopefully, many more will be able to witness its brilliance.

The Gin Game 

Legendary. James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson sharing the stage again was one of the most amazing moments of 2015. Being able to just be in that room and watch these masters grace the stage effortlessly was a big deal. Black don’t crack, and neither does our ability to memorize scripts and get out there and be amazing eight nights a week.

Barbecue 

The Public Theater also has some hits on their hands. Barbecue centered around family, addiction, and making difficult choices. Written by Obie Award Winning Playwright Robert O’Hara, the play was full of twists and turns that left audiences gasping and guessing about what was going to happen next.

Paradise Blue

Our girl Dominique Morisseau came through. The production is directed by the always amazing Ruben Santiago-Hudson and stars Tony Award-nominee De’Adre Aziza (Passing Strange), Golden Globe-nominee Blair Underwood (A Street Car Named Desire), and Andre Holland. This show, which is the first in a trilogy, made waves at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Like Morisseau herself, I doubt it’s the last you’ll hear about it.

An Octoroon 

An Octoroon (the term “Octoroon” is a person who is one-eighth Black) is all about race in the United States. The brilliant show written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins got its start at Soho Rep and uses satire to get at the United States’ horrible legacy of slavery. Incorporating Black face, red face and everything in between, this show took it there unapologetically. An Octoroon can make an entire audience uncomfortable and force them to face the harsh realities of this “great” nation all in one. After all, art is an imitation of life, right?

Amazing Grace

Gone too soon. The song I sang as a child suddenly held more weight when I finally was able to see this show in the summer. Beautifully and thoroughly executed, Amazing Grace was a gracious piece of theatre that wasn’t afraid to go there. While it may have left Broadway, the cast recording will be enough to keep me going.

Eclipsed 

This is another one that moved from Off-Broadway because of its stellar cast and amazing story. Danai Gurira is genius. Set during the Liberian Civil War, Eclipsed tells the stories of the captive wives of a rebel officer who band together to form a fragile community—until the balance of their lives is upset by the arrival of a new girl. Heartfelt, funny, and mesmerizing are just a few adjectives to describe how great of a show this is.

Special Mention: The Wiz Live!

How could I make a list without The Wiz Live! on it? This show and all of its #melaninmagic captivated audiences everywhere. The old classic story of The Wiz with a modern twist appealed to audiences young and old, and brought together an entire community on Dec. 3rd. That night also made us realize Shanice Williams was going places, Stephanie Mills has still got it, David Alan Grier has some serious pipes, Uzo Aduba and Queen Latifah can do no wrong, Amber Riley was underappreciated on Glee, and “conversate” is an actual word.

Thats our list, what did you see that you put on your list? Sound off in the comments below and check out in-depth information on all of these shows on our site!

The post And The Winner Is…Broadway Black Top 10 of 2015 appeared first on Broadway Black.

The Apollo Theater presents its annual Amateur Night Holiday Special,  a community favorite and one of the highlights of the Apollo season. The special show is an evening of entertainment presented by talented child dancers, musicians and singers all who are past Amateur Night Stars of Tomorrow winners.

This year features special guest performances by TV and Broadway performer Corbin Bleu (In the Heights, Godspell) and breakout star of NBC’s The Wiz Live! Shanice Williams. Co-hosted by Chaz Shepherd and Corbin Bleu.

Some of the performers for the night include Alexis Morrast, Christian Guardino, Lianah Sta. Ana, Mathew Whitaker, Dominique Gervais, Solomon Hicks, Austin Paul Jr. , Haruto Maeda, Street Justice Crew and Ex-Crew of Junior Exile.

Amateur Night at the Apollo is one of New York’s most popular live entertainment experiences, attracting performers and audiences  from all over the world. Amateur Night is known for its “tough crowd” audience that ultimately decides who will go on to win the grand prize. That is if they aren’t swept off the stage first. Many singers and even some Broadway Black stars got their start on the famous Apollo stage including Billie Holiday, Pearl Bailey, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Patti Labelle, Aretha Franklin, and Williams’ own co-stars Ne-Yo and Stephanie Mills (who won Amateur Night six weeks in a row when she was only 11 years old!)

Amateur Night Holiday Special is a one-night only special on Saturday, December 19th starting at 7:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased here.

In NYC?! You can see @luvbeingshanice live @apollotheater as guest for #amateurnightapollo TONIGHT! Make your way to Harlem!

A photo posted by Broadway Black (@broadwayblack) on Dec 19, 2015 at 8:24am PST

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The post Broadway Black Exclusive #TheWiz Live Watch Party appeared first on Broadway Black.

In less than three weeks, we will be able to relish the glory of this production. The cast is like the Broadway Black version of The Avengers, bringing together our favorite veterans to give life to the revamped 2015 version of The Wiz. Shanice Williams leads us through the streets of Oz as “Dorothy”, Queen Latifah serves as the powerful, yet powerless legend: “The Wiz”, Mary J. Blige is “Evillene” (The Wicked Witch of the West), David Alan Grier searches for courage as the “Cowardly Lion”, Uzo Aduba is “Glinda”, Amber Riley is “Addaperle”, Stephanie Mills joins the company as “Auntie Em”, Elijah Kelley finally gets his brain as the “Scarecrow”, Common is the “Bouncer”, and Ne-Yo gets loose as the “Tin Man”. In the midst of so many talented stars, it’s no surprise that creativity produced magic. Ne-Yo, Elijah Kelley, music producer Harvey Mason, Jr., and music director Stephen Oremus, co-wrote a new song that will be featured in the show.

My concerns are abated; this production is going to be fantastic. Will you be watching?

The post The Wiz Live! Debuts a New Commerical! appeared first on Broadway Black.

This year is the 40th Anniversary of The Wiz and we are so thankful that NBC has been showing respect in so many great ways. The newest of ways is in the People.com web exlcusive. You’ll see Stephanie Mills & Shanice Williams along with Broadway musical director Zane Mark. As Mark plays the piano, the two amazing talents duet and sing “Home” with such ease and grace it will blow your mind. We also love that a “Sing, Shanice!” was thrown in there because we were saying the same thing on our end. This is just a piece of heaven.

Stephanie Mills, who was the original Dorothy in the Broadway production of The Wiz in 1975 and for the revival in 1984, will play Aunt Em in NBC’s live production of the musical December 3.

Watch Mills & Williams sing “Home” from The Wiz in intimate performance below. 

The post When Dorothy Meets Dorothy: Stephanie Mills & Shanice Williams Duet “Home” From The Wiz appeared first on Broadway Black.

The post NBC Takes Us Behind The Yellow Brick Road With The Making of The Wiz Live! appeared first on Broadway Black.

True to their word of incorporating amazing acrobatic feats, several of the ensemble cast have experience as Cirque du Soleil performers. We can’t wait to see how choreographer Fatima Robinson has these amazing performers soaring.

Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah & Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige are also in the cast of The Wiz Live. Latifah will play “The Wiz”, a role originated on stage by the incomparable Andre De Shields (Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Full Monty). Blige will portray the role of “Evillene”, the horrible wicked witch known for the upbeat “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” In addition to Stephanie Mills as “Aunt Em,” Uzo Aduba as Glinda The Good Witch, and Amber Riley as Addaperle, also previously announced.

Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct & Fatima Robinson will choreograph, as previously announced. The show will also head to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz for NBC will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring the live and Broadway productions to life. William F. Brown wrote the original book of the show. This time around, Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein will add new material to the book.

The post The Wiz Live! Full Ensemble Cast is Announced appeared first on Broadway Black.

On the “Today Show,” Aduba, best known for her Emmy-winning portrayal of “Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren” on the hit Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black,” discussed the moment she received the call telling her that she got the part, saying “I just could not believe that they offered me the job. What a company to be a part of, just an amazing cast of people. And just to be a part of this show, I’m excited.”

Aduba also mentioned how three years ago she was crying on the subway returning from an audition when she decided to quit show business and re-train as a lawyer after a stretch of not receiving any roles. But, 45 minutes later, she got a phone call telling her that she was up for the role of “Crazy Eyes.” Of course, that seminal moment changed her life. Quoting the song “Believe in Yourself” from The Wiz, she says, “If you do believe, anything is possible.”

“Getting to go into the Wiz and to sing a song like ‘if you believe’ seems all that more impactful,” she says.

Meanwhile, Grier, who’s been cast as “The Cowardly Lion,” (and is HILARIOUS in The Carmichael Show, by the way) appeared in the production’s first promo. In the first preview for the live performance, Grier discusses his role and how he expects it to be groundbreaking.

“I’m really excited to be playing the cowardly lion,” he says. “More importantly, my daughter said, ‘Daddy, are you going to look like a lion lion?’ I said it’s going to be a little different: I’m going to have dreads. We’re doing a whole new vision of the lion.”

He also has another commercial where he talks about telling his friends & family exactly how they’ll be able to watch him in The Wiz Live. Just FYI, there are no tickets! It’s on television. NBC to be exact.

As previously announced, Grier and Aduba join a star-studded cast that includes Stephanie Mills, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Amber Riley, Elijah Kelly, Common, Ne-Yo, and newcomer Shanice Williams. Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct and Fatima Robinson will choreograph. The show will also head to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring both the live and Broadway productions to life.

The original book of the show was written by William F. Brown. This time around, Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein will add new material to the book. The show will be executive produced by The Sound of Music and Peter Pan duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

The post Uzo Aduba & David Alan Grier Get Ready for The Wiz Live appeared first on Broadway Black.

Well, it looks like young vocal powerhouse Shanice Williamsan, an 18-year-old newcomer from New Jersey, will take on the role of Dorothy. Her voice sounds PERFECT! She’s got the look, the youth, the adorable & vunerability factor. We couldn’t have asked for a better choice! This is everything we asked for. Thank you to Kenny Leon & the entire creative team. Williams’ casting was announced on “The Today Show” Aug. 5.  an 18-year-old newcomer from New Jersey.

Williams was selected from hundreds of young aspirants who auditioned across the U.S. She has five years of musical training that also includes extensive dance and piano. Williams has co-starred in several local productions, including West Side Story; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; 42nd Street; Seussical and Pippin. In 2014 Williams was nominated for best leading actress in a musical at the Paper Mill Playhouse’s annual Rising Star Awards.

Williams will join Tony nominee David Alan Grier who will take on the role of “The Cowardly Lion”, as well as join the Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah & Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige in the cast of The Wiz Live, set to air on NBC Dec. 3rd. Latifah will play “The Wiz”, a role originated on stage by the incomparable Andre De Shields (Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Full Monty). Blige will portray the role of “Evillene”, the horrible wicked witch known for the upbeat “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News.” In addition to Stephanie Mills as “Aunt Em”, who was also previously announced.

Tony Award winner Kenny Leon will direct & Fatima Robinson will choreograph, as previously announced. The show will also head to Broadway in 2016 with Leon directing. The Wiz for NBC will partner with Cirque du Soleil to bring the live and Broadway productions to life. The original book of the show was written by William F. Brown. This time around, Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein will add new material to the book.

Universal Television will produce. Casting for both the NBC telecast and Cirque du Soleil‘s Broadway production will be announced at a later date.

Also check out Broadway World’s exclusive interview with the new starlet and hear her sing a snippet of “Home” from The Wiz!

The post And Dorothy In The Wiz Live Is… Shanice Williams appeared first on Broadway Black.