If ever there was a time we needed to bel

Since the tv movie aired in 1997 on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney, viewers have been unable to see a full version of the classic film in over 20 years! But just in time for Black History Month, we get the gift of our first Black Cinderella and our first Black Fairy Godmother.

The 1997 musical classic was ahead of its time for casting some of the most diverse performers on Broadway and in Hollywood. R&B vocalist Brandy played the title role of Cinderella, while her Prince Charming was played by Paolo Mantalban. The King and Queen were played by Tony-nominee Victor Garber and EGOT, Whoopi Goldberg. The role of The Wicked Stepmother was brilliantly played by the legendary Tony-winner, Bernadette Peters; who alongside her onscreen daughters, Veanne Cox as Calliope, and Natalie Desselle as Minerva (who we recently lost in December of last year). Tony-winner Jason Alexander played the royal assistant, Lionel. And rounding out the stellar cast is none other than the “The Voice” herself, Whitney Houston, who played The Fairy Godmother, whose rendition of “Impossible” gave hope and inspiration to every Black boy and girl to believe in miracles and believe in yourself.

Brandy and Whoopi Goldberg reunited on The View today to make the formal announcement. There is music in all of us, and impossible things are happening every day!

 

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The post Dreams Come True: Cinderella Starring Brandy & Whitney Houston Coming to Disney+ appeared first on Broadway Black.

Hughie is a short, two-character play by Eugene O’Neill set in the lobby of a small hotel in midtown New York during the summer of 1928. The play is what’s known as a two-hander, a term for a play with only two main characters. It’s about the recently deceased night clerk of a grim hotel on Manhattan’s West Side who’s still mourned by “Erie Smith,” a drunk and hustler keen on impressing Hughie’s replacement, “Charlie Hughes,” with memories of past hijinks and adventures.

Whitaker will star as “Erie Smith” and Wood will take on the role of “Charlie Hughes.” Tony winner Michael Grandage, who also helmed the Tony-winning Red and the current West End production Photograph 51 starring Nicole Kidman, will direct the play.

Most of us are accustomed to seeing Broadway newcomer Whitaker in films such as “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Bird,” and “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.” In 2007, he won an Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 2006’s “The Last King of Scotland.” He also received Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards for his performance. He is slated to appear next on the big screen in “Star Wars: Rogue One.” Whitaker is also a noted director having directed the iconic film “Waiting To Exhale” starring Whitney Houston, Loretta Devine, and Angela Bassett.

Wood won a Tony Award in 1999 for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Side Man. He played “Bill” in the Broadway production of August: Osage County.

Hughie was last seen on Broadway in 1996 at the Circle in the Square Theatre in a production directed by and starring Al Pacino. Previews for the production will begin on February 5.

The post Forest Whitaker Gets Co-Star & Official Dates For His Broadway Debut appeared first on Broadway Black.

Tituss Burgess

Tituss Burgess (The Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, Good Vibrations, Guys and Dolls) is most recently known for his portrayal of Titus Andromedon in the Netflix series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” But he’s not letting any moss grow under his theatrical feet.  Burgess recently revealed, “I’m writing a musical…that I will likely star in. I [have a working title that I can’t tell you]. I can tell you that it’s based on a movie Whitney Houston did, and it’s not ‘The Bodyguard.'”

By process of elimination, it’s probably not “Cinderella,” since it was just onBroadway in 2013, and it’s obviously not “The Bodyguard.” This leaves “The Preacher’s Wife,” “Waiting to Exhale,” and “Sparkle” as possible choices.

In “The Preacher’s Wife,” a cleric begins to doubt himself and is visited by an angel. The heavenly emissary is supposed to help the good reverend over his midlife crisis, but he is distracted by the cleric’s lovely young wife (Houston). A 1996 remake with gospel music of the “The Bishop’s Wife,” with a soundtrack featuring Houston’s soaring vocals aided with the Georgia Mass Choir,”The Preacher’s Wife,” could be a natural transition to adapt this story to the stage.

“Sparkle” is a timeless story of the bonds of family, the trials of success and the power of music. Sparkle, a young woman whose big dreams seem almost impossible is warned against the pitfalls of the music industry by her protective mother (Houston), yet encouraged by the handsome and ambitious Stix. Sparkle forms a trio with her sisters. Together, they perform the soul-stirring songs that Sparkle pens. But as their fame grows, so does the risk of jealousy, self-doubt and insidious temptation. “Sparkle’s” Dreamgirls-like story and wonderful music would work well on the stage.

The most interesting and perhaps challenging idea would be “Waiting to Exhale.” Navigating through careers, family and romance, four friends bond over the shortcomings in their love lives — namely, the scarcity of good men. Both as the “other woman,” Savannah (Houston) and Robin carry on relationships with married men, each believing their lovers will leave their wives for them. On the flip side, Bernadine ends up alone when her husband divorces her for his mistress. Meanwhile, Gloria finds love with a new neighbor. “Waiting to Exhale” is a compelling story and, although music would have to be written, the story and characters are strong enough to be a draw for audiences.

No time frame has been set for the musical to be finished, but it is sure to be a hot ticket once it comes to fruition. Broadway Black will have the news on which Whitney Houston movie will become a theatrical musical as soon as it breaks!

The post A Whitney Houston Movie Turned Musical By Tituss Burgess On The Horizon? appeared first on Broadway Black.

The Bodyguard: The Musical was first mounted on the West End starring Tony Award winner Heather Headley (Aida, The Lion King) in 2012. The same director from the West End,  Thea Sharrock, will also direct the tour. Cox will star as Rachel Marron, the character made famous by Whitney Houston in the movie of which the musical is based.

We were expecting this musical to head to Broadway at some point but it doesn’t seem likely if the show is going straight into a national tour. However, you just never know what will happen.

Just In: @Deborah_Cox will star in The Bodyguard Musical National Tour as Rachel Marron starting in Fall 2016! pic.twitter.com/ai5rum5fR2

— Broadway Black (@BroadwayBlack) May 14, 2015

According to Playbill, Deborah Cox had the following to say:

“The opportunity to sing all of these songs that people have grown to love over the years — to share her legacy and her catalogue of music and bring it right to the people. I mean, ‘Bodyguard’ is one of my all-time favorite movies, and it just has the best music, and I think the show is going to be compelling and mysterious, and it’s going to have the backdrop of all this really beautiful classic music.”

Singing the music from the soundtrack made legendary by Whitney Houston, as we all know, isn’t the first time Cox will have had her voice around some of these tunes. Recently she sang the music for a Lifetime biopic on Houston’s life. The made for television film was directed by Angela Bassett and starred Yaya Docasta as Whitney Houston.

Read more of her interview to find out how she feels about stepping to this iconic role, what all she had to say about the life and death of Whitney Houston, and what the music means to her. READ HERE

Additional casting and cities will be announced at a later date. Visit TheBodyguardMusical.com.

Former Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge – what they don’t expect is to fall in love… Based on the smash‑hit film, this breathtakingly romantic thriller features a whole host of irresistible classics, including One Moment in Time, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and, of course, the legendary I Will Always Love You.

Watch the trailer of The Bodyguard: The Musical from when Heather Headley starred in the show on the West End below.

The post Deborah Cox To Star In The Bodyguard National Tour appeared first on Broadway Black.