A Few Words About Tarell Alvin McCraney

 

Tarell Alvin McCraney



I was introduced to playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney through his seminal work The Brothers Size. The Public Theater decided to mount a limited engagement of this new voice that was just about to graduate from the Yale School of Drama. Ilene Rosen, who was then director of marketing at The Public, called me to provide marketing assistance for the production. She sent me the script. I read it. But, my response to it was so unexpected.

After reading The Brothers Size I burst into tears and cried for a very long time. By allowing me into the world/lives of young black men, sharing their truths/his truth, Tarell, in the words of Ntozake Shange, was “layin’ me open to myself”. The experience of reading the play was shattering because it blew up every notion of what I thought it meant to be young, black and male in America in the 21st century. The language, the emotion, the action of The Brothers Size caught me completely off guard and I was thrilled by it. I knew at that moment I would always say “Yes” to bringing Tarell’s work to the broadest possible audience – especially to black folks. Even if my marketing services were not professionally engaged, I would be an ambassador for his work. I committed to sharing with anyone who would listen about the wonder of Tarell because his stories told us who we are, where we’ve been and where we are going. And his stories made people talk – to each other. Not all of the conversations were easy, but people talked about Tarell and how he saw the world. That said it is important for him to continue to tell his truth so the next generation of playwrights can tell theirs. There would be no Tarell without August. No August without Lorraine. No Lorraine without Langston.

When Debra Waxman-Pilla, director of marketing at Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC), told me that the theater was going to mount Tarell’s new play Choir Boy – and asked if I was available to assist with marketing the production to a broader audience -- I jumped on the opportunity. Tarell’s body of work had grown tremendously. The Brothers Size was part of a trilogy called the Brother/Sister Plays (I will be forever grateful to Tarell for introducing NYC to the limitless range of the actress Kimberly Hébert Gregory). And then there was Wig Out! plus several more. Choir Boy, a new play featuring gospel music? Written by Tarell? What??? Of course, I wanted to be part of this new journey.

I attended a reading of Choir Boy at MTC at the end of January 2013. What a joyous occasion! Tarell was in the room – I had not seen him in a good while. And Chuck Cooper, the amazing Chuck Cooper, was part of the cast.

Again, I was moved beyond words by Tarell’s work. Like The Brothers Size, the lives of young black men in Choir Boy were played out in ways that were both familiar and unexpected. How he chose to feature gospel music, sung a cappella, underscored the play’s emotional impact on me. I was particularly struck by the way a non-gospel song, “Love Ballad,” one of my favorite songs by the 70s R & B group LTD (Love, Togetherness & Devotion), was presented. I was so taken by the moment I could not remember the correct name of the song. I called it: “What we have is much more than they can see.” The line is part of the chorus and also the final words of the song. The actor, Kyle Beltran, who sang “Love Ballad“ during the reading, helped me find/know/feel/see the scared in something secular. “I have never been so much in love before,” the first words from the song took on new meaning for me as well. Through Choir Boy, Tarell Alvin McCraney and his truth telling was layin’ me open to the new, the familiar, the bold, the unexpected, and to our common humanity -- AGAIN.

I find/found Tarell in myself. And love/ loved him -- Fiercely.

About the play

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s CHOIR BOY,

the new play featuring gospel music

Directed by Trip Cullman

with Nicholas L. Ashe, Kyle Beltran, Grantham Coleman, Chuck Cooper, Austin Pendleton, Jeremy Pope and Wallace Smith

CHOIR BOY was commissioned by MTC with support from Time Warner Inc.

CHOIR BOY is a co-production with Alliance Theatre.

The Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys is dedicated to the creation of strong, ethical black men. Pharus wants nothing more than to take his rightful place as leader of the school's legendary gospel choir. Can he find his way inside the hallowed halls of this institution if he sings in his own key?

Tarell Alvin McCraney is author of The Brother/Sister Trilogy: The Brothers Size, In the Red and Brown Water, & Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet. His other works include Wig Out! set in New York's drag clubs and The Breach which deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He was the first recipient of The New York Times' Outstanding Playwright Award, the 2009 Steinberg Playwrights Award, and the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award.

Manhattan Theater Club

The Studio at Stage II

131 West 55th Street , NYC

Previews Begin: Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Opening Night: Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Tickets on sale now! All Seats $30

Get Tickets

Visit Website

2013 Chrysler 300C | Who We Are | Motown: The Musical

This the most moving and coolest commercial ever! Happy Holidays!!!

Why I Love Colman Domingo And Other Thoughts

 I first met Colman Domingo in 2008 when I was part of the marketing team for the Tony Award winning musical PASSING STRANGE. I thought that both he and the musical were amazing. He is an artist of great skill, depth and scope. AND he is not hard on the eyes.

In 2010 I witnessed Colman's work as a playwright and solo performer. A BOY AND HIS SOUL was an autobiographical trip through his life in Philadelphia underscored and punctuated by some serious soul music. I laughed, sang and cried during that 90 minutes. I, too, hail from Philly so it was great to hear the music and recognize the places that held great meaning for me.

Next up, a Tony nomination for THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS.  Although many in the African-American community were outraged by the work, Colman never, ever lost focus or his dignity as an artist, serving as a bridge between the producers, director and the community.

With the opening of the Signature Theatre's new $75 million space on West 42nd Street, I finally got to see Colman perform in a play -- Athol Fugard's BLOOD KNOT. All I could say after that performance was "Wow." Up until that point I had only known Colman as a song-and-dance-musical-theater-guy. Fugard makes the actor and the audience dig deep. And dig we did. I couldn't wait to see him do another play. Little did I know the next play I would see him in would be WILD WITH HAPPY -- an ensemble piece that he wrote.

WILD WITH HAPPY takes us to the bizarre comedy that lies between death and healing.  I have never laughed so hard or cried so much  during a production. Why? Because Colman always delivers me to a place that allows me to embrace/celebrate my humanity fully, without question and without judgement.

Want to experience why I love Colman Domingo? Go see WILD WITH HAPPY. It is playing at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St @ Astor Place) through November 18, 2012. Use code STORM and get your tickets for $25. 212.967.7555. www.publictheater.org. www.colmandomingo.com

CULTURE CLASH AT THE PIANO LESSON

I went to see THE PIANO LESSON, the stunning rival of the Pulitzer Prize winning drama by August Wilson, deftly directed by Tony winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson. This Saturday matinee was sold-out with a wonderfully diverse audience of black and white theater goers.

Well -- the white folks in the audience did not, I repeat did not, like the call and response/commenting tradition of black audiences. When black folks started to talk, we got shushed! SHUSHED! Shushed and shut down. There was very little vocalizing after the shush shutdown. Later on during the performance one lone "Oh Oh!" was met by much sucking of the teeth. When I left the theater, I heard two white women laughing about the running commentary of the people behind them and how "terribly annoying" it all was.

All I could think of was the line from PURLIE VICTORIOUS by Ossie Davis -- and I am sure I am paraphrasing this:  "It sure is fun being colored -- when there ain't nobody looking."

THE PIANO LESSON is playing at Signature Theatre, 480 W. 42nd Street through December 16. www.signaturetheatre.org., 212.244.7529. Go see it. And make some noise.

ICED OUT

My good friend Mo Beasley has co-written a play called ICED OUT. It is a drama infused with movement, music, spoken word, monologues and scenes that draw a straight line between the legacy of slavery and the conditions/behavior/lives of the descendants of the enslaved. It is a riveting work with tour de force performances from Stephanie Berry and Bianca LaVerne Jones. GO SEE IT. It runs through November 18 at the National Black Theatre, www.nationalblacktheatre.org, 212.722.3800, 2033 5th Avenue @ 125th Street, NYC.

A Few Words About Walter Dallas, The Amen Corner and Project1Voice

In just a few hours a cast of stellar performers, including Tony Award winners Lillias White, Chuck Cooper and Adriane Lenox, will take the stage at Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College to present a benefit reading of James Baldwin's THE AMEN CORNER. The reading is part of a nationwide event called 1Voice, 1Play, 1Day, presented by Project1Voice, a grass roots movement dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacies of Black Theater and her playwrights. Over 28 theaters, including 10 in NYC, will read Baldwin's seminal piece to raise money and awareness for this very important cause.

Walter Dallas, currently senior artist-in-residence at the University of Maryland, College Park and former artistic director of Freedom Theatre in Philadelphia, will direct the NYC production. I met Walter in the early 90s. I was working at the Philadelphia Drama Guild and he was the director of the first August Wilson play I ever saw -- Joe Turner's Come and Gone. We became good friends and Walter, is without a doubt, my favorite director. You'll find out why if you come out to see THE AMEN CORNER tonight at 7pm.

Let me introduce you to Walter and to his words about his friend James Baldwin:

Walter Dallas, a celebrated director, playwright, and photographer is pleased to direct the Project 1 Voice reading of The Amen Corner in memory of its author and his friend, James Baldwin. He and Baldwin worked on Baldwin’s last play, The Welcome Table, here in the States and in the South of France. Dallas directed the world premiere of the play at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. A legendary icon in the African American theater, Dallas has directed theatre and opera at major regional theatres, on and off Broadway, and abroad. He has received numerous accolades including a Philly Barrymore Nomination for Best Director of 2010, Creative Genius Awards, an Audelco, several Best-Production of Season honors, garnered a San Francisco Emmy Award for KQED-TV for the televised version of his first play, Willie Lobo, the Mover and Shaker Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Promotion of South African Arts and Culture, and a NAACP Best Director nomination. He has been a Director Fellow for the NEA, a board member of Theatre Communication Group, and was lead writer for the international award-winning documentary, Standing in The Shadows of Motown, whose soundtrack won four Grammy Awards. His creative work has been shared at the O’Neill, Sundance, and in England, France, India, the Caribbean, Ireland, Russia, South America, and in West and South Africa. He studied at Morehouse College, the University of Ghana, Harvard Divinity School, and the Yale School of Drama. He is currently artist-in-residence at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Walter on James Baldwin: “The people at Baltimore's Center Stage insisted I take a bow on opening night. It was 1982. I had just directed The Amen Corner with Frances Foster and Bill Cobbs. When I ended my bow and stood up, next to me was my opening night surprise, the playwright James Baldwin. We fast became friends and he asked me to help him develop (and promise to direct) the new play he was working on, The Welcome Table. During the next few years, whenever Jimmy was in the states, to speak or to be interviewed, he'd always come to visit with me in Philadelphia and we'd work on the play. Or I'd go to his villa in the South of France where we designed the set. It's an honor to direct the reading of his The Amen Corner for Project 1 Voice. And with such a brilliant, brilliant cast. Raising funds and bolstering awareness of the joys and challenges of America’s black theatre is a cause that I know Jimmy would eagerly endorse. We are adding his voice to the national conversation as over 28 theatres across the country pay homage to him, to his legacy, by reading his play, The Amen Corner, on the same day.”

 So there you have it. An introduction to my good friend and favorite director Walter Dallas. I hope that you will come out tonight to know what I know about this incredible, huge talent. Here are the details:

Project1Voice, in association with the Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College, presents THE AMEN CORNER by James Baldwin.  One Night Only Monday, June 18, 2012 @ 7pm, Gerald W. Lynch Theatre, 524 W. 59th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues. Tickets: $15-$50. To purchase tickets -- Tonight at the theatre box office, visit www.project1voice.org or call 631.464.7421.

Hope to see you at the theatre in support of the effort to keep the Black Theater live, vital and strong!

Check Out What's Happening This week In Brooklyn, NY

Color Between the Lines
Presented by Brooklyn Historical Society, Irondale Ensemble Project & Weeksville Heritage Center

Final Performances
Tues May 22 7pm $10
Wed May 23  & Thur May 24 8pm $35 General Admission; $20 Student Rush

For tickets: Visit www.irondale.org, call 866.811.4111 or
Irondale Center Box Office | 85 South Oxford Street | Brooklyn, NY
30 minutes before the performance

Color Between the Lines is a new play about the antislavery/abolitionist movement in Brooklyn. The play is part of In Pursuit of Freedom, a public history project, which is a collaboration between Brooklyn Historical Society, Irondale Ensemble Project & Weeksville Heritage Center.

Meet Victoria L. Ward. She is part of the Irondale Ensemble Project. Here are some details about her participation in the project in her own words:

Victoria L. Ward in Color Between the Lines

This project literally came out of no where for me. Jim [Neisen, director, Color Between the Lines] emailed me on a Saturday saying that an actress in the show needed to leave because of complications with her pregnancy, and he needed a replacement ASAP. He gave me a brief description of what the show was about, but all I needed to read was "a show about Brooklyn's involvement with the abolition of slavery"...I read that and knew it was the show for me. I love black history and the chance to be in such a monumental production, was something that I couldn't pass up. I called him as soon as I was done with the email and I said, "I'll be there Monday morning". This is my second "new work" but first show where there is no "playwright". I've never been in a production where the cast creates the peice from the ground up. It took me a few days to wrap my head around the process, but once I released my expectations of "how a production SHOULD be put together" the process became freeing. I would come home and tell my husband, "I can't believe they're paying me to play." Thats what it was: play. We would read the history as a group, disect it, digest it, then put the books down and play!  However I was feeling on the day of rehearsal I could come in and use it, and the group always said YES, everyone was open to any idea. No one ever shot anything down.  It was try it and then after we'll see if we like it or not, and does it serve the purpose of the peice? The Irondale ensemble is different than any place I've ever worked before because the ensemble alows themselves to play. Just be who you are in your true self and the create work will flow out of you like a fountain. That's what I've learned here, and that's what I'll take with me. Jim would always say to me, "We don't know what it is yet, but we'll find it." That is how art should be created, don't think, just go...be...live. From that comes magic, through that we were able to find the voice of these people. I specifically say people because they were not characters in a story book or script. These were real live human beings striving for a better tomorrow. And it was our duty to bring them back to life via the history that we read. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my career. This process reminded me why I became an actress in the first place. I was put on this earth to tell the story of those who cannot tell it themselves. This production is necessary to today, to this community and I am honored to be the voice of these poineers."

Make sure that you catch Victoria and the rest of the Irondale Ensemble in this seminal work that gives voice to our fore mothers and fathers.

--Marcia Pendelton

  

BAM/DanceAfrica!

One more thing! Check out DANCEAFRICA at BAM. Programming is now underway with the huge vendors market slated to begin on Friday, May 25th. Vendors from all over the globe will gather in the People's Republic of Brooklyn to sell their wares. Dance, music, food, film, fashion and DANCE will be in full effect this Memorial Day Weekend. Baba Chuck Davis has an amazing festival in store for us all! For more information about DanceAfrica at BAM  visit 30 Lafayette Avenue, call 718.636.4100. or visit www.bam.org/danceafrica.

By the way -- I attended an amazing concert on Sunday, May 20th at the BAM Opera House that featured some of the original companies and dancers who participated in the very first DanceAfrica in 1977. My favorite? Arthur Hall's African American Dance Ensemble? Why? Because they are from Philadelphia, PA and so am I! Arthur Hall really changed the arts and culture landscape in Philly. I am grateful for his infusion of a bold and unapologetic celebration of the African Diaspora.

A Few Words about...COLOR BETWEEN THE LINES

Color Between the Lines is a new play about the anti-slavery/abolitionist movement in Brooklyn, NY presented by Irondale Ensemble Project. The play, now running at Irondale Center (85 South Oxford Street in Brooklyn) through May 24, kicks off In Pursuit of Freedom, a multi-site, multi-faceted project by Brooklyn Historical Society, Irondale Ensemble Project, and Weeksville Heritage Center. In Pursuit of Freedom recovers the role that Brooklyn played in one of the tumultuous periods of American History.

I had the chance to ask Irondale Artistic Director Jim Niesen (who also directs Color Between the Lines) and Executive Director Terry Greiss about how the theater piece developed for this very exciting public history project.

 How did Color Between the Lines develop?

Jim Niesen, Irondale Ensemble Project Artistic Director: It started with a summer of research, followed by a three day workshop and "performance" as part of our annual retreat in Maine. This was a traveling environmental piece which bore more resemblance to Sleep No More than to what you're seeing at Irondale, but both were attempts to deal with the fact that the historical narrative is made up of contributions of many individuals who either worked quietly behind the scenes or rose up briefly to public prominence. The obvious solution to the problem is the history pageant or living picture approach, and right from the beginning that was something we wanted to avoid.

When Nolan (Kennedy) returned from his sabbatical to Chicago, I made him the musical director for the show. Historically music played a dominant role in the movement, but the songs as written and performed were firmly rooted in another era. Nolan's first charge was to take the dust off this material and then to add some original incidental music. In the process working musical skills on a daily basis became a part of the company's rehearsal process when we turned our full attention and time to the development of the show in January. The fall of course had been spent working on our Henry V. Part of the reason for doing this was an experiential investigation of how the world's greatest playwright shaped history into drama. (At one time we even considered using the dramatic and dynamic structure of Henry as a basis for the show.) At this time we still had no idea that music would play such a major role in the show. Then we went down a number of dead ends trying to find our form and content--improvised scenarios, storytelling exercises. Eventually Nolan developed some song exercises allowing individual songs, based on character and relationship) to emerge. A result of this is that almost every song was initially developed by the actor who performs it in the show. At some time I asked Nolan what he thought about the idea of the entire show being sung within a format of intuitive connections rather than a linear narrative. And that’s how it all happened.

Why and how did Irondale become involved with the project and its partners Brooklyn Historical Society and Weeksville Heritage Center?

Terry Greiss, Irondale Ensemble Project Executive Director: The city of New York issued an RFP (Request For Proposals) for cultural organizations who would create a project that celebrated the abolition and anti-slavery history of Brooklyn. I knew Deborah Schwartz (President, Brooklyn Historical Society) for many years. We had often talked of doing thing together (not dirty things, just projects).When I got the RFP I went to the phone to call her and she had called me with the same thought in mind. We knew that we needed the additional voice of an organization like Weeksville (Heritage Center) to give the project its full due. Deborah called Pam (Pamela Greene, Executive Director, Weeksville Heritage Center) and we three created the project. For us, it's an extension of our (Irondale's) history based work: Degenerate Art, Peter Panic: Flying Underground, Murals of Rockefeller Center, Outside the Law. It made artistic, community and educational sense.

Talk about artist selection/participation.

Jim Niesen: I think I covered this to some extent in the first answer. As always we begin with the contributions of the core company and what skills they bring to the project. In this case, that included Terry Greiss, Patrena Murray, Damen Scranton, Scarlet Marissa Rivera, Nolen Kennedy, and our two student interns: Alex Miyashiro and Ben Matthews. To fill this out we brought in Taifa Harris, a terrific actress I've known for about 13 years and has experience developing this kind of work. When Taifa had to drop out (she just gave birth to twin daughters) Vicki Ward replaced her and continued developing Taifa's stuff as well as making strong contributions of her own. Antwayn Hopper and Natasha Soto-Albors came in to do the dances when the show started moving in that direction. The designers Ken Rothchild (set and lights) and Hilarie Blumenthal (costumes) have been with us almost since the beginning of Irondale.

I have to say that this has been the most collaborative piece we have ever done. There was a strong sense of ownership and excitement about the material that kept propelling us through the entire process.

What do you want the audience to learn/take away from experiencing Color Between the Lines?

Jim Niesen: That the battle to make this a better, fairer [world] is never done, that we have the example to these brave, steadfast, courageous and largely unknown women and men to remind us of the necessity to keep on going no matter what and to not let the bastards get you down.

Irondale Ensemble Project’s Color Between the Lines
Now through May 24
Tuesday 7pm $10
Wednesday-Saturday 8pm $35, Student Rush $15
Irondale Center – 85 South Oxford St, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Tickets: www.irondale.org or call 866.811.4111

For more information about:
In Pursuit of Freedom – www.PursuitOfFreedom.org
Irondale Ensemble Project – www.irondale.org
Brooklyn Historical Society –www.brooklynhistory.org
Weeksville Heritage Center – www.weeksvillesociety.org

A Few Words with...ADRIANE LENOX!

Adriane Lenox has received rave reviews for her role as Mrs. Duke in REGRETS, the critically acclaimed new play by Matt Charman, now playing at Manhattan Theatre Club. The play, an uncommon tale of friendship, loss and finding the courage of one’s convictions is directed by Carolyn Cantor and also stars Alexis Bledel ("Gilmore Girls"), Curt Bouril ("Boardwalk Empire"), Ansel Elgort (Off-Broadway debut), Brian Hutchinson (MTC's From Up Here), Lucas Caleb Rooney (Orphan's Home Cycle), and Richard Topol (The Normal Heart).

Lenox returns to MTC after having created the role of Mrs. Muller in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt, for which she received the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play. Her other Broadway credits include Caroline, or Change; Kiss Me, Kate; How to Succeed…; Dreamgirls and Ain’t Misbehavin’. Off-Broadway she has appeared in Miss Evers’ Boys, Dinah Was (Obie Award, AUDELCO), and Cavedweller. She was most recently seen in the long-running Off-Broadway hit Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Her regional theater credits include Blithe Spirit, The Color Purple (premiere), On the Town (Helen Hayes Award). We’ve seen her in films such as The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, The Blind Side, Black Snake Moan, My Blueberry Nights, Where God Left His Shoes, and Preachin' to the Choir. She has a long list of TV credits that include appearances on “Damages,” “30 Rock,” “Detroit 187,” “Lipstick Jungle,” “Griffin & Phoenix,” “Third Watch,” "Law & Order: SVU," “Law & Order,” and "Shark."

Not long ago we got the chance to ask Lenox a few questions about Mrs. Duke. Here’s what she had to say about this truly fascinating woman.

Tell us about your character, Mrs. Duke. Who is she? Where is she from? How did she, an African American woman, become a business owner in 1950s Nevada?

Mrs. Duke is a product of the great migration when blacks moved north from the oppression of Jim Crow in the South to places like Chicago or New York. Of course, racism was still experienced (in Nevada) but not to the extent in places like Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and the like. The playwright, Matt Charman, met me before rehearsals and even casting had been completed to talk with me about Mrs. Duke's character so he could flesh it out more. I gave him a "biography" of who I thought she might be, where she's from, the kind of car she drove or music she may listen to as well as what she might do for a living, etc. He took that sketch and a lot of it ended up in the script.

Why did you choose to take the role?

I took the role because I liked her. She's intelligent and feisty; savvy business wise and a little crusty but decent overall.

What lessons can Mrs. Duke teach us about negotiating the world as an African-American woman in 1954 and in 2012?

This cannot be answered without bringing the recent incident/tragedy surrounding Trayvon Martin into the picture. Mrs. Duke is a mother and she would not see much difference between a lynching of a son in 1954 and the shooting of this boy. Therefore negotiating some 58 years later in America is not hugely different now than then in some circumstances. Negotiating would entail watching your back, living to the best of your ability with integrity and intelligence and appropriate courage. The truth is that laws have been passed but they do not change the heart of a man. There is still the struggle for equality. Ask any African American mother from any generation what she fears concerning her black son in America. Trayvon's story is not an aberration - there are many similar ones from around the country. Discrediting the child is a smokescreen it seems to cover up what is now coming to light from the voice analysis of who was actually pleading for help on the 911 call to who this Zimmerman certainly appears to actually be. Yes, there are two sides to every story but which story is more plausible?

You can check out Adriane Lenox in REGRETS at MTC’s City Center Stage 1, 131 West 55th Street through April 29th. For more information about the play and a complete list of performances visit www.RegretsPlay.com.

One more thing: See REGRETS and save over 40% off the regular ticket prices. Tickets are just $45 (reg. $80). There are three easy ways to purchase these discount tickets: Online: Visit www.nycitycenter.org and enter code 9082. Call: CityTix® at 212.581.1212 and mention code MBTB. In Person: Bring this offer to the New York City CenterBox Office, 131 West 55th Street, NYC.

Group Pricing! Blair Underwood, Nicole Ari Parker, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Wood Harris on Broadway in A Streetcar Named Desire

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
16 WEEKS ONLY!

This season, desire is taking on a whole new rhythm as the greatest play
from America’s most celebrated playwright sizzles onto the stage at The Broadhurst Theatre.

From the producers of the trailblazing 2008 Broadway production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, starring James Earl Jones and Terrence Howard,comes a hot new take on Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire. Leading this sizzling new cast is Blair Underwood (L.A. Law) in his Broadway debut as Stanley Kowalski, Nicole Ari Parker (Soul Food) as Blanche DuBois, Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent) as Stella Kowalski and Wood Harris (The Wire) as Mitch. Directed by Emily Mann (Artistic Director of Princeton’s esteemed McCarter Theatre) and featuring an original score by five-time Grammy Award® winner Terence Blanchard, this scintillating Streetcar brings a whole new rhythm to Williams’ enduring portrait of sex, class and secrets in one of America’s most fascinating and diverse cities.

Come and feel the heat.

Preview performances will begin on April 3, 2012 and opening night will be April 22, 2012 at the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West 44th Street, NYC.

Performance Schedule
Tues 7pm, Wed 2 & 8pm, Thurs 7pm, Fri 8pm,Sat 2 & 8pm, Sun 3pm
Week ending July 8: Mon 7pm, Tues 7pm, Wed-Dark-July 4th,
Thurs 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2 & 8pm Sun 2 & 8pm

Pricing for Groups 10+ • Preview Performances

Wed Mats
Premium $160 (reg $176) Orch AA-P $79.50 (reg $116) Orch Q-T $69.50 (reg $86.50) Mezz A-E $79.50 (reg $116) Mezz F-J $69.50 (reg $86.50)Mezz K-L $41.50 (reg $49.50) Student Mezz $41.50

Tues, Wed, Thurs Eves
Premium $160 (reg $199) Orch AA-P $79.50 (reg $126) Orch Q-T $69.50 (reg $86.50)Mezz A-E $79.50 (reg $126) Mezz F-J $69.50 (reg $86.50)Mezz K-L $41.50 (reg $66.50) Student Mezz $41.50

Fri Eves, Sat Mats & Eves, Sun Mats
Premium $160 (reg $199) Orch AA-P $79.50 (reg $131)Orch Q-T $69.50 (reg $86.50)Mezz A-E $79.50 (reg $131) Mezz F-J $69.50 (reg $86.50)Mezz K-L $41.50 (reg $66.50) Student Mezz $41.50- Not available Sat & Sun

Pricing for Groups 10+ • Post opening

Tues-Fri, Sat Eves
Premium $160 Orch AA-P $79.50 Orch Q-T $69.50 Mezz A-E $79.50 Mezz F-J $69.50 Mezz K-L $41.50
Student Mezz $41.50 - Not Availabile Sat Eves

Sat & Sun Mats
Premium $170 Orch AA-P $89.50 Orch Q-T $79.50 Mezz A-E $89.50 Mezz F-J $79.50 Mezz K-L $51.50
Student Mezz - Not available

To book your group, plan a theater party that includes the performance
and pre and post show events,contact:

Marcia Pendelton
Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theatre Online
646.467.7393 marcia@walktallgirlproductions.com

www.StreetcaronBroadway.com

A Streetcar Named Desire Revival Will Play the Broadhurst Theatre - Playbill.com

A Streetcar Named Desire Revival Will Play the Broadhurst Theatre - Playbill.com

Magic/Bird Producers Find Their "Magic" Johnson; Kevin Daniels Will Play Basketball Star - Playbill.com

Magic/Bird Producers Find Their "Magic" Johnson; Kevin Daniels Will Play Basketball Star - Playbill.com

How come Lynn Nottage is not on Broadway?

History is being made on Broadway this season. For the first time EVER, three African-American women playwrights are being produced on the Great White Way at the same time. I made this observation months before the New York Times acknowledged the occurrence on this blog and on my Black Theater Online e-newsletter.

I say all praises, ashé, amen, hallelujah and whoo hoo for Katori Hall, Lydia Diamond and Suzan Lori Parks. Hall and Diamond are newcomers to the Broadway party with their plays The Mountaintop and Stick Fly, respectively. Parks has been invited to the dance before with her Pulitzer Prize winner Topdog/Underdog. She has written the book for the re-imagined musical theater production of the opera Porgy and Bess. Gershwin's Porgy and Bess will make its Broadway debut in a few short weeks.

While I embrace and celebrate the amazing groundbreaking work of these African-American women on Broadway, I find myself completely dumbfounded by the fact that the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage has not yet had her Broadway debut.

Why? How come? What is up with that?

The last four Nottage stage plays produced Off Broadway -- Intimate Apparel, Fabulation, Or The Re-Education of Undine; Ruined, and By the Way, Meet Vera Stark -- were hits with critics and at the box office. Additionally, the plays won many awards including the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Nottage can claim the successful playwright check list: Financial success – Check! Critical acclaim – Check! And a ton of accolades – Check!

I have a thought. Lynn Nottage has not made it to Broadway because she writes about black women. Why else would a play like Ruined, which won every major theater prize, was extended nine times and ran for nine months not transfer to Broadway? It could have run longer, but the producer, the Manhattan Theatre Club, had to begin its new season. Imagine my surprise when I heard that this Pulitzer Prize winning play could not find the financing to move to Broadway for a limited engagement. Potential investors asked, “Who/where is the audience for this show?” WHAAAAT? This is an important question. However, Ruined ran for nine months in front of sold out audiences. Once MTC’s large white subscriber base witnessed the beautiful play, its audience became more diverse, consisting of whites, African-Americans, Africans, women, and students. Small and large multi-generational groups of African American and African women especially, came to see women who looked like themselves onstage.

Most plays produced in the theater are about men. However, the audience is largely comprised of women. That said, wouldn’t it make sense that a woman who writes about women would find a welcome audience among women? I think so.

I believe that any play by Nottage would make a major impact on Broadway. However, I have some friends who believe that her Intimate Apparel, which starred the sublime Viola Davis off Broadway in 2004, should bow on Broadway for a limited engagement and again feature the talents of Ms. Davis. The two-time Tony winner and Oscar nominee is sure to be nominated for every film-acting award for her knock out performance in The Help. Broadway loves movie stars – especially ones who are at home onstage. Davis definitely fits that description! They also want Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe to direct. Wolfe can make a reading of the telephone book seem engaging, engrossing and exciting. Intimate Apparel has an interracial supporting cast and that opens the door for intriguing casting possibilities and a diverse audience.

It is time for Lynn Nottage to make her Broadway debut. Is Intimate Apparel the right choice? Award winning play – Check! Movie star – Check! World-class director – Check! All-star supporting cast – Check! Clearly defined audience for box office success – Check!

Is anyone listening? One can only hope -- Or begin the campaign.

One More Thing: 2011-2012 is not the year of the Black presence on Broadway

The current Broadway season has been lauded in some corners of the media – especially black media -- as the year of an extraordinary presence of African Americans on the Great White Way.

This proclamation is not quite true. Let's take a look at the last five or six years. Since 2005, the productions such as The Color Purple, Sarah Jones Bridge and Tunnel, Hot Feet, Gem of the Ocean, Radio Golf, Fences, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, FELA!, Memphis, Race, Ragtime, 110 In The Shade, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, Thurgood, Passing Strange, The Scottsboro Boys, and Sister Act have featured the talents of many African Americans onstage and behind the scenes. The productions have run simultaneously or within the same season showcasing big film stars returning to their stage roots, reliable theater veterans and breakthrough performances. Long running productions such as The Lion King and Chicago continue to provide ongoing employment for African Americans. And how can we forget Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Bill T. Jones and Darryl Waters all winning Tony Awards in 2010?

The best kept secret about the black presence on Broadway is contained within its biggest hit, The Book of Mormon. The musical, created by the forces behind the South Park television show, won nine Tony Awards including Best New Musical in 2011. What is the secret? Half the cast is African American, including Nikki M. James who won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

With all that being said, 2011-2012 is clearly NOT the year of an extraordinary number of Black folks on Broadway. What is extraordinary? The visions of three African American women playwrights are being produced on Broadway -- the pinnacle of American commercial theater.

I'm Back...With a few thoughts

I watched the Tony Awards a few weeks ago and I was supremely entertained by the broadcast. From the opening number (Broadway's is just not for gays anymore), to the song and dance number featuring past and present Tony hosts Hugh Jackman and Neil Patrick Harris respectively, to Chris Rock's hilarious rant before announcing the Tony for Best Musical, I had a great time watching the show from the comfort of my livingroom. I've attended the ceremony several times and felt no real need to go this year.

Despite my joyous Tony watching experience, I felt a huge wave of disappointment. Yes, it was great to see Nikki M. James win a Tony, witness the enormous talents of the cast from the long shuttered production of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, be excited by the sleek presence of Samuel L. Jackson, and cheer as Patina Miller and the cast of Sister Act took the stage after an intro from their lead producer Whoopi Goldberg. However, my disappointment came from the lack of work created by people of color. Yes, you can see many African Americans performing on the Great White Way. But no. Our stories are not being told. And if they are told, they are not written by African Americans. And it is not because Black playwrights aren't writing about Black folks. There is a wealth of material out there that can appeal to a wide audience.

Where do we find these stories? Largely at African American theatres. Companies such as Negro Ensemble, New Professional Theatre, Freedom Theatre, Penumbra Theatre Company, Crossroads Theatre, African Continuum Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Congo Square Theatre, New Federal Theatre, Ebony Repertory Theatre and so many more are producing stories that cover all aspects of Black life. These are the companies where artists such as August Wilson, Charles Fuller, Lynn Nottage, Denzel Washington, Alfre Woodard, Samuel L. Jackson and others got their start.

African American theatre needs support. Funding. In-kind services. Volunteers. If you are able to provide time, talent or resources to an African American theatre company, please, by all means get involved. Erich McMillan-McCall did just that. He is a New York-based actor who became acutely aware that these companies, long mainstays of employment for artists of color, were stuggling to survive during the economic downturn. He created Project1Voice to raise awareness and funds for African American theatres.

On June 20, 2011, 19 theatres in 15 cities participated in benefit staged readings of the classic Alice Childress comedy-drama TROUBLE IN MIND. Through sheer faith and the courage of his convictions, Erich pulled together this unprecedented event under the umbrella of 1VOICE, 1PLAY, 1DAY. It proved to be the spark that the participating theaters needed to introduce or reintroduce themselves to their communities. One person -- Erich-- made a difference for 19 theaters. You can be the difference for a company, too.

If you want to find out more about Project1Voice visit http://www.project1voice.org/. If you want African American stories told, support theater companies by being in the audience -- with a ticket that you paid for. Although it is wonderful to see our favorite film and television stars onstage -- especially on Broadway, backup emerging artists with your presence in the theater. If you are a journalist, mention them in your column or on your blog. Got a radio program, television show or web cast? Give a shout out, read a PSA, or grant a quick interview. Black media must stop waiting for mainstream media to tell us who or what is important. Seize the moment. Be part of creating the "next big thing." If you have the financial resources and can invest in a commercial theatrical venture, do so. Contact the Broadway League. They are actively looking for producers of color. It makes no sense to me that the amazing Lynn Nottage has not had any of her work moved to Broadway -- including her Pulitzer Prize winning drama RUINED. Somebody needs to change this! Release your inner-producer!

It looks like there will be at least two plays on Broadway this season, both written by African-American women -- The Mountaintop by Katori Hall and Stick Fly by Lydia R. Diamond. Stew, the brillant mind behind PASSING STRANGE will return to The Public Theater with a new work about a Black gospel artist and a White record producer. And you know that Woodie King, Jr's New Federal Theatre will offer something rich and provocative for our theatrical palates.

So support Black theater, playwrights and artists. They, and the stories they tell, are worthy of your time and attention. No matter where you find them.

REALLY COOL CHICKS

Happy holidays everyone!

December has been quite a busy month.

On Saturday, December 4, 2010, I partnered with Marva Allen, CEO of Hue Man Bookstore in Harlem and the Arts and Entertainment Task Force of the National Association of Black Journalists to bring best-selling author TERRY McMILLAN to Broadway!

Terry graciously agreed to be part of a grand experiment cooked up by Marva and I to bring books to Broadway. Participants got a discount ticket to see the award-winning musical FELA! and a copy of Terri's latest novel, GETTING TO HAPPY, the sequel to WAITING TO EXHALE for just $85. In addition, they were treated to a post-show discussion with Terri about telling our stories which was moderated by Patrick L. Riley, co-chair of the NABJ A & E Task Force, plus a book sale and signing.

Let me tell you. That Terry is one really cool chick -- funny and absolutely brilliant. So is Marva. It was beyond my very vivid imagination as a marketer to find myself in the position to collaborate with such forces of nature.

I also had the privilege of working with another really cool chick. Her name is April Silver and she is the founder and CEO of AKILA WORKSONGS. I have worked with April for over a decade. She is a solid sister whose company is all about arts and activism.

On Wednesday, December 16th, April and I put together Be A Father to Your Child Night at FELA! Be A Father to Your Child is a book of essays, interviews and poetry about real black men and their views/experiences with fatherhood. It is an amazing book. Some of the contributors from the book including Byron Hurt, Kevin Powell and Mo Beasley were joined by some of the FELA! cast for a panel about the power of Fela and issues of black masculinity. April, who edited the book, served as moderator. It was an amazing event.

To catch up with these really cool chicks and all that they do visit their web sites:

Terri McMillan -- www.terrymcmillan.com
Marva Allen -- www.huemanbookstore.com
April Silver -- www.akilaworksongs.com

If you want to find out more about the National Association of Black Journalists, check out www.nabj.org.

One More Thing:

FELA! completes its Broadway run on January 2, 2011. You still have a little bit of time to see this award winning musical with the amazing PATTI LaBLLE. Some discounts are still around. Here is one:

Save when you use code FEWTG81.
Orch Seats -- $89 (reg. $122)
Rear Mezz -- $49.50 (reg. $99)

Three ways to purchase tickets:
Online: www.broadwayoffers.com and enter code FEWTG81
Phone: 212.947.8844 and mention code FEWTG81
In Person: Go to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Box office and mention code FEWTG81.

Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa!

This 'n That

I have been doing some serious hanging out with friends lately.

Two weeks ago I went to see FOR COLORED GIRLS with about 25 women. We were four generations strong! Following the movie that was playing at the Regal on Court Street in Brooklyn, we headed to Night of the Cookers where we ate, talked, sang and shared about being colored girls, colored women, colored elders and colored queens. We made the commitment to stay in touch, go to other events together and create projects together. I got everybody's email address and created a FCG Club list serve. We'll see what we come up with!

Last Friday I went with seven friends to see A FREE MAN OF COLOR produced by Lincoln Center Theater (http://www.lct.org/) It is written by Tony Award winner John Guare (Six Degrees of Separation), is directed by Tony winner George C. Wolfe (Noise/Funk, Angels In America, Topdog/Underdog) and stars Tony winner Jeffrey Wright (Angels in America, Noise/Funk, Angels in America, Boycott, Ali), Mos (aka Mos Def), Joseph Marcell (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) and about 30 other people.

We had an amazing time. The play takes place in New Orleans, Haiti, and France in 1801 before the Louisana Territory was purchased by the United States from France. And people of color -- quadroons, octoroons, mulattos, sambos and other shades of black were not constrained by the social, economic, and political conventions that were governed by race and that peculiar institution like their neighbor to the east. Once Louisana became part of the United States, the sale and stoke of a pen said that your degree of blackness did not matter anymore. You were black. Period. All rights and privileges of being free and of color were revoked. Instantly.

The play was funny. Tragic. Truthful. And produced on the scale of grand opera. Jeffrey Wright has got to be the most underrated and the most brillant actor of his generation.

Following the performance I had dinner with two of the seven folks I started with. We talked, laughed and debated about what we had just experienced. Before we knew it, it was 1:30 a.m.

Go see A FREE MAN OF COLOR. Now! Right now!

Books

Been doing a lot of reading lately. Right now I am reading Terry McMillan's Getting to Happy, Her sequel to Waiting to Exhale. Terry is a master storyteller. I am having a ball reading about Savannah, Robin, Bernadine and Gloria 15 years later. It is wonderful to read about women who are not 25 years old and silly.

Loved reading Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. Dr. Cornel West is an awesome brother. Thank God for him!

Had not read a sweeping saga in a long while until I was given a copy of Some Sing Some Cry, A novel by Ntozake Shange and her sister Ifa Bayeza. Seven generations of African American women, their love of life, of music, and what it means to be family. Wow. I was swept away.

Dance

I love to dance and recently found myself in a West African dance class taught by one of the featured dancers in the Broadway musical FELA! Hadn't been in a class in years, but I was moved to go after I danced with Temples of Praise (the dance ministry) and Prime Time (the ministry for people who are "nicely seasoned") at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn. Oh I had danced during Prime Time emphasis weekend before. But never had my soul said "You've have got to dance!" So, I am dancing. And loving it.

FOR COLORED GIRLS

I had the privilege of attending a private screening of FOR COLORED GIRLS last Friday night. As a colored girl whose life was changed by reading, seeing, performing in and teaching the text to undergrads while I was in graduate school, I was ready not to like the Tyler Perry film. Could the creator of Medea really pull off translating this beloved classic from theater to cinema?

Well. The film is not perfect (What film is?) The performances are solid. My favorite moments are by all the theater divas -- Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, and Loretta Divine. Wait until you see an intense scene shared by Ms. Rashad and Thandie Newton. You will shout "WORK!" just like we did during the screening.

The film works best when it stays true to Ntozake Shange's language and its original intent. Things go a bit awry when the poetry going into and coming out of the narrative feels forced, contrived. BUT. It is truly a joy to see black women, in all our various shades of black, on screen in living color.

When you see FOR COLORED GIRLS (and you must experience the film), see it with several generations of women, if possible. Go to a restaurant, diner, or cafe afterwards and break bread. Talk. Connect. Be blessed by the experience. And look for the Broadway revival of the play for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf in 2011.

Theater with Friends

About two weeks ago, I went to see a preview performance of The Scottsboro Boys, the new Kander and Ebb musical, with about 8 serious theater-going friends. The Scottsboro Boys re-tells the story of the infamous 1931 case about nine young African American males falsely accused of raping two white women as a minstrel show.

Now. Without giving details about our post-performance discussion at a mid-town diner, I will tell you that our discourse was spirited and fun. Theater is a communal experience. The next time you go to a live performance, a lecture, a film, a book signing -- share it with a friend or friends. That will make all the difference.

A few things to remember when going to the theater

I have been an ardent theater goer and arts warrior for over 20 years. In that time, I have witnessed some amazing things (the absolute joy of my nephew Gregory experiencing his first Broadway show) and some outrageous occurances (a playwright cursing out a patron when she refused to stop talking on the phone during the performance).

There is so much for black folks to see in NY theater this season: FELA! RACE, MEMPHIS, THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, A COOL DIP IN THE BARREN SHAHARAN CRICK, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, LANGSTON HUGHES IN HARLEM, THROUGH THE NIGHT, FENCES (with Denzel!!!)...And I definitely want to encourage everybody to be in the house when the curtain goes up. However, I'd just like to share some things that will make the theater-going experience more -- shall we say -- pleasant for everyone:

HATS. Don't wear your amazing crowns -- church hats, or other major head gear to the theater. You may be "wearing that hat," but the PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE THE SHOW. They can't see over or around up-do locks either.

DINNER AND A SHOW. What a wonderful way to spend an evening engaging in food for the body and spirit. Can't finish the meal? Don't ask for a doggie bag to take with you. The usher working on Broadway will not allow it in the theater. Even if you manage to sneak it in, please don't unwrap your goods and chow down during the performance. The actors, and everbody else in the theater, will hear and smell what you're eating.

CALL AND RESPONSE. Black folks come from a "call and response" tradition. "Talking back" to the actors can add a lot to the theater going experience -- when it is honest. Making comments to upstage what is going onstage is, well, annoying.

CELL PHONES. Turn them off before the performance begins. Or put them on "silent" or "vibrate." If you forget to silence your phone, don't act like it is not yours and continue to let it ring. And please don't answer it and start a conversation. Actors will call you out or curse you out -- all in character of course.

GIVE texting, sexting, tweeting, updating your Facebook status and emailing a rest during the performance. That blue or white light is distracting. Yes. The actors and just about everyone in the audience can see it. Besides, why would you want to miss a minute of a performance that you spent $75 to see in order to check on somebody who's ignoring you anyway?

BE ON TIME. If you spent your hard earned money on orchestra center tickets, be in those seats when the curtain goes up. All eyes will definitely be on you as you make all the people in your row get up to let you in. You will hear much sucking of the teeth if you purchased H107 and H108 and arrive twenty minutes late. I saw a Tony-winning performer have a spotlight follow a sister to her seat when she was 20 minutes late for his show. Everybody was having a good laugh except her.

It Has Been A While...

FELA! is still going strong on Broadway. I saw the show again on Wednesday, February 17. I had the priviledge of hosting a number of community leaders, many of whom had never been to Broadway. It really bouyed my sagging spirits. Kevin Mambo was on in the title role. He was amazing.

For those of you who don't know, the role of Fela is shared by two actors -- Sahr Ngaujah and Kevin Mambo. Please learn their names. It drives me crazy when people proudly say that they've seen the show twice (That's good). Once with the dark skinned Fela and the other with the light skinned one (That's not so good).

Here is another discount code that will save over 30% off the regular ticket price: FEWTG107. You can redeem by visiting www.broadwayoffers.com, calling Telecharge at 212.947.8844 or mentioning it at the Eugene O'Neill Box Office - 230 West 49th Street, NYC

For you educators: A special student discount of $25 for the following Wednesday matinees -- 2/24; 3/3, 3/10 and 6/9. Curtain is at 2pm. For more information give me a call at 646.467.7393.

On My Radar:

The Scottsboro Boys at the Vineyard Theater (www.vineyardtheatre.org)... Black Angels Over Tuskeegee at St. Luke's Theatre...The Neighbors at The Public Theater (www.publictheater.org)... Daniel Beaty's Through the Night at Crossroads Theater in New Brunswick, NJ (www.crossroadstheatrecompany.org)... SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK at the Metropolitan Museum of Art -- In Concert March 5 @ 7pm (www.sweethoneyintherock.org)

Can't wait to see FENCES with DENZEL and Viola www.fencesonbroadway.com Previews begin April 14th at the Cort Theatre in NYC! Get your tickets ASAP. It is truly a hot ticket.

Did You Know...
That there are several musical productions about Barack Obama underway in Europe? It is so true. Google it!

Oh Lord! Denzel is coming to Broadway...with VIOLA DAVIS!

Kenny Leon is set to direct two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and Oscar nominee and Tony Award winner Viola Davis in August Wilson's perfect play, Fences. Previews begin April 17 at the Cort Theater. Opening night is April 30.

Davis gave us the most searing 12 minutes on screen ever in Doubt (Adriane Lenox played the same role on stage and won a Tony for it). I've also seen her in at least one scene in several movies starring George Clooney. I absolutely loved her in Tyler Perry's Medea Goes to Jail (Look. No matter what you think of him or Medea, TP keeps lots of folks of color working on stage and screen).

She won a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play in August Wilson's King Hedley II. If you are an actress looking for the "monologue of life" to perform at your next audition, you'll find it in King Hedley. Read the play. You'll know when you come across it. And understand why this sister won the Tony.

Stay tuned for more details about Fences. Make sure you go see FELA! while you're waitin' on Denzel to bring his A game to Broadway. http://www.felaonbroadway.com/

One more thing...Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny's Child, returns to Broadway in the long running hit musical Chicago. She'll be playing the role of Roxie Hart beginning Feb. 15, 2010. Check her out at the Ambassador Theater http://www.chicagothemusical.com/

What's On My Radar

Happy New Year Everyone!

Here's what's on my radar:

FELA! On Broadway continues to electrify audiences! There is nothing like it on Broadway. If you didn't get a chance to see it over the holiday, make sure you put it on your calendar! It is the perfect vehicle to celebrate Black History Month! Use this code to get 40% off the regular ticket price from January 4 - February 28, 2010. Visit http://www.broadwayoffers.com/ and enter code FEWTG93. Call 212.947.8844 and mention code FEWTG93. Or go to the Eugene O'Neill Theater Box Office at 230 West 49th Street, and take a printout of this blog entry with you!

RAGTIME -- The beautifully done revival will play its final performance Sunday, January 10, 2010. For more info/tickets visit http://www.ragtimeonbroadway.com/


SHE'S BAAACCKKK! Tyler Perry returns to the road in a new play featuring MEDEA! Medea's Big Happy Family will be at the WAMU Theater at Madision Square Garden in NYC January 27 through January 31. I'll have more details later! http://www.tylerperry.com/

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS -- A new musical drama featuring one of my favorite people, Colman Domingo (Passing Strange, A Boy and His Soul), at the Vineyard Theatre beginning February 15, 2010. The piece is based on a true story about nine African American men who were falsely accused of wrongdoing. POWERFUL! Music by musical theater legends Kander and Ebb (Really?? Yes. Really) Directed by Susan Stroman. We'll definitely have more to tell you about this production. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/.

The Black Gents of Hollywood Theater Company -- These are the L.A.-based brothers who gave us the provocative WEBEIME produced by the Negro Ensemble Company. They are headed back to NYC with a critically-acclaimed, award-winning production about the Tuskegee Airmen -- BLACK ANGELS OVER TUSKEGEE. Lamman Rucker (Jill Scott's superfine love interest in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?) is a founding company member. Stay tuned for details. http://www.theblackgents.com/

THROUGH THE NIGHT -- Written and performed by Daniel Beaty (Emergence-SEE!) Directed by Charles Randolph Wright. This is the story of six African American men age 10-60, and those who love them, about what it means to be black and male in America. Sneak Preview: The Riverside Theater. 91 Claremont Ave. NYC , Thursday, January 21 at 7pm. http://www.theriversidetheatre.org/

CONGRATULATIONS to THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS, FELA! and RUINED for making many Best of 2009 lists!!!

Want to know more about Black theater productions? Join my blacktheateronline mailing list. Visit www.walktallgirlproductions.com and click on "mailing list." Make sure you let me know your preferences!

Happy 2010! See you at the theater!

Peace,
Marcia