The Greene space Archives - Broadway Black https://www.broadwayblack.com/tag/the-greene-space/ When Theatre Goes Dark Fri, 04 Dec 2015 17:46:24 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/www.broadwayblack.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cropped-Broadway-Gold-B-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 The Greene space Archives - Broadway Black https://www.broadwayblack.com/tag/the-greene-space/ 32 32 26346292 The Soul Now Sings: A Musical Christmas Journey At The Greene Space https://www.broadwayblack.com/soul-now-sings-musical-christmas-journey-greene-space/ https://www.broadwayblack.com/soul-now-sings-musical-christmas-journey-greene-space/#respond Fri, 04 Dec 2015 17:46:24 +0000 http://broadwayblack.com/?p=12268 Tis the season for new musicals! The Greene Space announced its newest addition to this holiday season: the premiere of The Soul Now Sings, a new Christmas musical directed and composed by award-winning recording artist Damien Sneed, with libretto by author Karen Chilton. The Soul Now Sings tells the story of “world-weary New Yorkers” and, as they trudge […]

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]]> Tis the season for new musicals! The Greene Space announced its newest addition to this holiday season: the premiere of The Soul Now Sings, a new Christmas musical directed and composed by award-winning recording artist Damien Sneed, with libretto by author Karen Chilton.

The Soul Now Sings tells the story of “world-weary New Yorkers” and, as they trudge through a cold December night, the holiday spirit seems far away. But a few chance encounters inspire tender reminiscences and an unexpected spiritual journey begins.

This is a story of hope and transformation with a stellar cast of singers and musicians performing Sneed’s original arrangements of “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child,” “Fix Me Jesus,” “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” and other holiday classics, as well as a powerful rendition of “Rejoice Greatly” from Handel’s Messiah.”

The stellar cast and musicians include Martin Bakari, Chenee Campbell, Latice Crawford, Ayana George, Kaleb Hopkins, Anitra McKinney, Lynette Rhett McNeil, Tiffany Stevenson, Brandie Sutton, Matia Washington, Justin Cunningham (bass); Jammal Graham (keys); Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Patrice Jackson-Tilghman (cello); Segdrick Marsh (drums); Stephanie Matthews (violin); Stacy Dillard (sax); and Damien Sneed (piano). 

Damien Sneed (director and composer) is a multi-genre recording artist, pianist, organist, conductor, composer, producer, arranger, vocal coach, professor, and arts educator. He is a 2014 recipient of the prestigious Sphinx Medal of Excellence honor, presented annually to emerging Black and Latino leaders in classical music. In May 2015, he was tapped by Tony Award winner George Faison as the musical director and conductor for the City Parks Foundation’s Central Park’s Summer Stage production of “The Wiz: A Celebration in Dance & Music.”  The production included Phylicia Rashad, André De Shields, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Ebony Jo-Ann.

Karen Chilton (librettist) is a New York-based actor and writer whose work has been seen on film, television and off-Broadway. Ms. Chilton is the author of the critically-acclaimed biography Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC and co-author of I Wish You Love, the jazz memoir of legendary vocalist, Gloria Lynne. Her dramatic works for the stage include a five-character drama, Convergence, winner of the New Professional Theatre Writers Festival. Saying Grace, a solo performance piece directed by director/choreographer Ken Roberson (Avenue Q), was performed in the 2003 Women of Color Theater Festival at New York’s landmark theater, Henry Street Settlement. Other works-in-progress include “Darling of Cafe Society,” the film adaptation of the Hazel Scott biography.

All performances are 75 minutes with no intermission and general admission seating. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. The production only has 3 performances on December 4th at 7pm and December 5th at 2pm and 7pm. So get tickets while you still can and get in the Christmas spirit. Who knows? You might find yourself inspired.

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]]> https://www.broadwayblack.com/soul-now-sings-musical-christmas-journey-greene-space/feed/ 0 12268 Listen To All 10 Of August Wilson’s Plays Until Aug. 26 https://www.broadwayblack.com/listen-10-august-wilsons-plays-aug-26/ https://www.broadwayblack.com/listen-10-august-wilsons-plays-aug-26/#respond Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:24:32 +0000 http://broadwayblack.com/?p=7710 Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson was able to capture 100 years of African American life in his riveting, American Century Cycle. The 10 decade-by-decade plays begin in the early 1900s, right when African-Americans had to deal with the immediate after-effects of slavery, and close in the 1990s, when even an influential Black middle class could not escape persistent racial […]

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]]> Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson was able to capture 100 years of African American life in his riveting, American Century Cycle. The 10 decade-by-decade plays begin in the early 1900s, right when African-Americans had to deal with the immediate after-effects of slavery, and close in the 1990s, when even an influential Black middle class could not escape persistent racial tension. The series includes plays such as Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, which tells the story of migrants who pass through a Pittsburgh boardinghouse during the Great Migration of the 1910s, to Two Trains Running, set in 1969 and telling the story of a diner owner who fights to stay open as a municipal project encroaches on his establishment. No matter the decade or the story, it is apparent August Wilson’s plays have had a monumental impact on Black life and the theatre world.august-wilson

In 2013, The Greene Space brought together close to 100 theater artists from across the globe to create audio recordings for the very first time of all 10 plays, including Tony Award-winner Leslie Uggams; Drama Desk and Obie Award-winner Anthony Chisholm; Obie Award-winner Brandon Dirden; Russell Hornsby; Tony Award-winner Roger Robinson; Emmy Award-winner Keith David; Ebony Jo-Ann;John Earl Jelks; Roslyn Ruff; S. Epatha Merkerson; Wendell Pierce; Harry Lennix and Taraji P. Henson.

The series is presented by The Greene Space in partnership with the August Wilson Estate, where Dr. Indira Etwaroo serves as Executive Producer. It is led by Constanza Romero, Wilson’s widow. Together they brought together many longtime Wilson collaborators and interpreters, including Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who served as Artistic Director for the project, and Associate Director and Tony Award-nominee Stephen McKinley Henderson.

I highly recommend you take a moment of your day to listen. It is truly a joy and makes for a nice Sunday afternoon treat. I also strongly suggest you listen to them in chronological order to understand how the African-American experience progressed over time. Audio will only be available through August 26, 2015.

Click here to listen now.

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