The production will feature:

• three-time Emmy Award-winner Uzo Aduba (In Treatment, Orange is the New Black), who made her Broadway debut in Coram Boy (’07) and was last seen on Broadway 10 years ago in the revival of Hair
• two-time Emmy Award-winner Ron Cephas Jones (This is Us, Truth Be Told, Between Riverside and Crazy), father of Jasmine Cephas Jones (Hamilton), was last seen on Broadway in Of Mice and Men (’14)
• Reza Salazar (Sweat)
• Lucille Lortel Award winner and Antonyo nominee Kara Young (All The Natalie Portmans, Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven) making her Broadway debut
• A fifth role remains to be cast

Directed by Kate Whoriskey, CLYDE’S will begin previews on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, and officially open on Monday, November 22, 2021, at Second Stage’s Broadway home, The Hayes Theater (240 West 44th street).

CLYDE’S, a stirring and funny new play, a truck stop sandwich shop offers its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at redemption. Even as the shop’s callous owner, Clyde (played by Aduba), tries to keep them under her thumb, the staff members are given purpose and permission to dream by their shared quest to create the perfect sandwich. You’ll want a seat at the table for this humorous, moving, and urgent play. It’s an example of Nottage’s “genius for bringing politically charged themes to life by embodying them in ordinary characters living ordinary lives” (The Wall Street Journal).

The full creative team for CLYDE’S includes scenic design by Takeshi Kata, costume design by Jennifer Moeller, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, sound design by Justin Ellington, original compositions by Justin Hicks, and casting by The Telsey Office.

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President and CEO of the Critics Choice Association, Joey Berlin said, “In a year when the need for entertainment was undeniable, the industry…delighted us, educated us, challenged us, and most importantly, brought us all together.” 

This year’s nominees include a Broadway Black roster of Tony winners and nominees.

Courtesy of HBO

Cynthia Erivo is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on the HBO series “The Outsider.” Erivo is a Tony- and Grammy-winning actress for her role as Celie in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple. 

CREDIT: SERGEI BACHLAKOV/NBC

NBC’s newest comedy, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” stars Broadway and “Glee” powerhouse, Alex Newell. Newell starred as Asaka, Mother of the Earth, in the Tony-winning revival of Once on This Island. He is currently nominated as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Image credit: Fargo

Comedian Chris Rock is stretching his dramatic talents in the FX drama “Fargo.” Nominated for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television, his stage credits include the Tony-nominated The Motherf**ker with the Hat. 

Courtesy of FX

Stage and screen star Uzo Aduba is now nominated for role as Civil Rights icon Shirley Chisolm in the FX series “Mrs. America.” An award-winning television star already for “Orange is the New Black,” she is no stranger to the theatre playing in shows such as Godspell and The Wiz Live!

Image credit: Fargo

Glynn Turman, recently off the release and debut of the Netflix adaptation August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, is nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Televsion for “Fargo.”

Photo Credit: William Gray/SHOWTIME.

Tony-winning Hamilton: An American Musical star, Daveed Diggs, has been flexing his dramatic muscles since departing the original Broadway cast of Hamilton. He is nominated this year for Showtime’s “The Good Lord Bird” as Best Supporting Actor for a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for his role as abolitionist Frederick Douglass. 

*The Critics Choice Awards will be hosted by Broadway vet, Taye Diggs (Rent, Chicago, and The Wild Party) and air on The CW Sunday, March 7, 2021.

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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!

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We have to start by sending a MAJOR congratulations to Broadway Black’s newest sweetheart Shanice Williams, the teen who beat out hundreds of young ladies for the role of a lifetime and made herself a household name with her stunning portrayal as Dorothy in “The Wiz! Live.”  At just 19 years old and in her first major role, Williams has earned a Critics Choice nomination for Actress In A Movie Made For Television or Limited Series.  I can only assume this will be the first of many nominations for the budding star.

“The Wiz! Live” racked up a bevy of nominations for its rating-smashing premiere including Movie Made for TV or Limited Series, a nomination for both veteran David Alan Grier and musical theater newcomer Neyo in the Actor In A Movie Made for Television or Limited Series category, and a surprising (yet much deserved) nomination for Mary J. Blige‘s impressive performance as Evilene.

While Queen Latifah didn’t receive recognition for her portrayal of “The Wiz” in the NBC special, the Queen did garner Golden Globe and SAG nominations for her captivating work in the HBO biopic “Bessie,” based on the true story of jazz legend Bessie Smith.

Another “Wiz” alum, Uzo Aduba also gained SAG and Golden Globe love for her Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series as “Crazy Eyes” in the Netflix phenomenon “Orange is the New Black.”

Black luminaries Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson are going head to head AGAIN as the adorably supportive friends were both awarded Golden Globe and SAG noms for Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series.  Davis leads the poll with a Critics Choice nom as well.

And just in case Hollywood doesn’t get it right (which we know they’re good for), the NAACP Image Awards nominations always make sure that works of color are getting their fair due.  In addition to recognizing “The Wiz! Live,” the awards have also doled out nominations to Misty Copeland (On The Town) for Entertainer of the Year and Julliard Alum Corey Hawkins (Romeo & Juliet) for Best Actor in the critically acclaimed hip-hop film “Straight Outta Compton.”

David Alan Grier racked up NAACP nominations for his work in “The Wiz” as well as his NBC comedy “The Carmichael Show,” alongside his costar Loretta Divine (Dreamgirls) who was also recognized for her work in the sitcom.  Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple) received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her charming portrayal of Taystee on “OITNB.”

Beautiful Broadway ladies are taking over the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture category as Angela Bassett (The Mountaintop) and Jennifer Hudson (The Color Purple) earned nominations for their roles in “Chi-Raq,” while Phylicia Rashad (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and Tessa Thompson (Smart People) both got noms for the new box-office hit “Creed.”

Broadway Black would like to send a HUGE congratulations to all of the nominees!  We’ll be glued to our screens on awards day providing you with all the glamorous details.  Now, who do YOU want to win?

The post Award Season: The Nominations Are IN! 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?

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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.

Queen Latifah and the Flavor Unit Entertainment crew won four Creative Arts Emmys for the HBO Films movie, Bessie, a project she starred in and produced. As we previously announced, Latifah will be playing The Wiz on The Wiz Live! airing on December 3 on NBC. The four Creative Arts Emmy wins for Bessie were: Outstanding Television Movie; Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Series Or Movie; Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Special (Original Dramatic Score); and Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Limited Series Or A Movie.

Reg E. Cathey won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Freddy Hayes in Netflix’s House of Cards. Cathey, who made his Broadway debut in The Green Bird, also played the role of Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in the Wyndham Theatre’s stage presentation of The Shawshank Redemption in London.

Three Black women were nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series of Movie. They were: Mo’Nique as Ma Rainey in “Bessie,” Angela Bassett as Desiree Dupree in “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” and Regina King, who played Aliyah Shadeed in American Crime. The award went to actress and director King, her first Emmy. In her speech, she thanked her sister, mother and grandmother “who have taught me the power and the blessing of being a woman.” Here is her entire speech:

The Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series went to Uzo Aduba for her portrayal of Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.” With this win, her second consecutive, Aduba made history as the first woman and just the second person to win an Emmy in both the Comedy and Drama categories for the same character (Ed Asner was the first with “Lou Grant”). Aduba is a classically trained vocalist and first garnered recognition for her acting in 2003, when her performance in “Translations of Xhosa” at the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts earned her a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play. In 2007, she made her Broadway debut, portraying Toby in Coram Boy. From 2011 through 2012, she sang “By My Side” as part of the original revival cast of Godspell at the Circle in the Square Theatre. As we’ve previously reported, Aduba will portray Glinda the Good Witch in NBC’s “The Wiz Live!” on December 3^rd. In her speech, she thanked show creator Jenji Kohan “for putting belief back in my heart” and her team: “I love you mostly because you let me be me.”

But the highlight of the night was Viola Davis winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Annalise Keating in the Shonda Rhimes’ hit “How To Get Away With Murder.” Both Davis and Taraji P. Henson (Cookie Lyon on “Empire”) were nominated in this category and it was Henson standing in the aisle to give Davis a heartfelt embrace as she approached the stage. After graduating from Juilliard, Davis began her career on the stage, and in 1999, she won an Obie Award for her performance as Ruby McCollum in Everybody’s Ruby. She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and has won twice, for her role as Tonya in the 2001 production of King Hedley II, and for her role as Rose Maxson in the 2010 revival of Fences. As we previously reported, Davis will star in the film version of Fences, which will be directed by Denzel Washington. But it was her Emmys speech, which evoked both Harriet Tubman as an ancestor and Meagan Good as the next generation, which brought tears to the eyes of many. Davis spoke of opportunities for women of color, using her platform in this historic moment as the first Black woman to ever win an Emmy in this category. No words can do justice to her speech but her own, so watch here:

Awards shows, Hollywood, and the media have a long way to go before they are truly inclusive and representative of the people who patronize them. Our country is a tapestry woven from the threads of many communities, many of which still remain marginalized. But with these historic wins tonight, we move just a little bit closer to recognizing the richness of our diversity.

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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.

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Sources tell E! News that producers are also considering Uzo Aduba for the part. Emmy-nominated Aduba is an amazing vocalist and would be right at home on a Broadway-style sound stage. Before being cast as Crazy Eyes on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black,” she was on Broadway, and starred in the revival of Godspell. She’s also classically trained if you didn’t know.

“The Wiz Live!” will premiere December 3 on NBC.

Two major cast members were announced this week with Mary J. Blige and Queen Latifah signing on to the production. Blige will play Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, while Latifah will be playing the infamous Wizard, a bold and creative choice. They will join the previously announced Stephanie Mills as Aunt Em.

Both performers are no strangers to musicals. Latifah was nominated for an Oscar in 2002 as Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie,”Chicago,” and starred in the musical Hairspray in 2007. Blige is the winner of multiple Grammys and made an appearance in the film adaptation of the popular musical Rock of Ages.

Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who worked with Latifah on Hairspray and Steel Magnolias, told Entertainment Weekly, “We are so happy reuniting with Latifah. We’ve been friends for a long time and we’ve had quite a lot of success together. To see her play the iconic role of the Wiz and make it her own is going to be one of the joys of producing this event.”

The Wiz is adapted from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Subsequently, Baum’s book was adapted as a stage musical with a book by William F. Brown, and music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls. The adaptation, which featured an all-black cast, debuted in October, 1974 at the Morris Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore. Starring Stephanie Mills as Dorthoy. It moved to Broadway’s Majestic Theatre on January, 1975, where it ran for four years and won seven Tonys, including best musical.

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