The Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation is making waves in the theatre community by sponsoring a performance of the world premiere of Nia Akilah Robinson’s Push Party, presented by The Hearth. This special performance will occur on Thursday, June 20, at 7 p.m. at Theaterlab, 357 W 36th St, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10018. Running from June 7-23, Push Party promises to be a highlight of the season.

In an extraordinary gesture of support, the Foundation will cover all ticket costs for the June 20 performance. Additionally, they will provide patrons with a stipend to cover round-trip subway fare and a snack. Initially, The Hearth will extend invitations to groups from their partner organizations, and any remaining tickets will be made available to the public.

Actor and Associate Producer Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew, who worked with Will Smith on the film “King Richard,” as the eldest Williams sister, Tunde Price, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the Foundation’s support. “I’m overjoyed, filled with gratitude, and simultaneously befuddled by Mr. Smith’s unwavering dedication and continuous support of my work as an artist,” Bartholomew shared. “It is a testament to the man and artist he is. He’s helped me learn that it is an immense privilege to tell stories about our people, for our people, centering our people, and with this collaboration, Push Party will get to do just that. We get to make sure that this play has the audiences it deserves: the people of Harlem, birth workers, mamas, the unhoused, Black women— all of the people the theater usually forgets. I thank Mr. Smith and the whole team for trusting in Nia Akilah Robinson’s work, The Hearth, and me. In times like these, it is a gift beyond words to give people a chance to see themselves represented onstage, to give people a night at the theater, a night to escape.”

Playwright Nia Akilah Robinson expressed her excitement about the attention her comedy has received. “I’m so happy that this comedy starring six Black women has garnered this attention,” Robinson said. She credited The Hearth for bringing her dream to life and thanked the Foundation for amplifying the community room.

Push Party is a lively ensemble comedy about six Black women attempting to uphold fifteen years of friendship at a post-birthing party in Harlem. The story centers on Lelo, who hopes for a smooth event, but tensions rise and explode when an unhoused person enters the community room. Inspired by Black women’s stories of birth and motherhood and life experiences in Harlem, the play confronts moments when friendship erodes, hope falters, and communities come together in laughter and pain.

The remaining performances of “Push Party” are scheduled as follows: Wednesday, June 19 at 7pm, Thursday, June 20 at 7pm, Friday, June 21 at 7pm, Saturday, June 22 at 7pm, and Sunday, June 23 at 2pm. Tickets (First 10 $18; General Admission $29, Pay it Forward $45) can be purchased in advance at Theaterlab’s website.

The Hearth is dedicated to addressing the gender gap in theatre by welcoming more women, trans and non-binary artists, and artists of underrepresented genders into the field. They also focus on launching the careers of emerging artists by offering rare opportunities for institutional support, development, and production. The Hearth’s mission is to elevate diverse and representative viewpoints, challenge gender stereotypes, and advance the conversation about feminism. For more information about The Hearth, visit their website.

With the support of the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, “Push Party” is set to be an unforgettable experience. It will illuminate important stories and provide a night of theatre to those who might otherwise be forgotten.

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Photo Courtesy of Black TV & Film

Adrienne Warren is spreading her wings and lending her talents to a new miniseries set to air on ABC in 2021. The Women of the Movement will be a six-part program that will star Warren as Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmet Till. The series will follow Mamie Till-Mobley as she champions the fight for justice after her son was brutally murdered in the Jim Crow south in 1955 at the age of 15 years old.

The series is inspired by the book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson and is created by Marissa Jo Cerar. The miniseries will be produced by Will Smith and Jay Z (production team for Fela!).

Adrienne Warren is currently nominated for a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her role as Tina Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. We know Warren will be simply the best! 

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