Marcia's Black Theater Blog

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

2012-02-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-25T10:50:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

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

How come Lynn Nottage is not on Broadway?

2011-12-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

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

2011-06-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-12-23T15:54:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-18T16:20:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-01T15:53:00.001-07:00

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

2010-11-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-02-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

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

2009-12-30T10:51:00.000-08:00

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

Hello!

2009-11-11T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone.

Welcome to my Marcia's Black Theater Blog!

I love theater. Especially theater that tells the stories of people from the African Diaspora. I look forward to sharing what I am learning about, seeing, experiencing. I hope you'll let me know what you're seeing as well.

You'll also find commentary about music, dance, performance art, visual arts and literary arts. BUT, the emphasis here is on theater.

What's on my radar right now?

FELA! on Broadway. www.felaonbroadway.com/walktallgirl.php -- This show is like nothing you've experienced. Ever. This musical about the life of Nigerian artist, activist and Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti is a must see for everybody. Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones serves as co-conceiver, director and choreographer. Now in previews at the Eugene O'Neill Theater on Broadway.

THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS at The Public Theater. Remember this name: TARELL ALVIN McCRANEY. Go see this trilogy by this awesome young brother. http://www.publictheater.org/ The plays: In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, and Marcus, Or the Secret of Sweet are amazing. Tarell keeps it real!

DENZEL WASHINGTON is coming to Broadway in the spring in a revival of August Wilson's FENCES. I am drooling already. Look for an April start date!

That's it for now.

Oh. One more thing. If you want to join my email list and get information about discounts, group sales, etc. go to my web site www.walktallgirlproductions.com and sign up!

Peace!

Marcia