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What If… All Black Cast of Next To Normal?

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11 Tony Nominations. 3 Wins. A Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

Next to Normal is the rock musical that shook 2009, and the score isn’t the only thing that is electrifying. 

It’s hard-hitting. It’s gritty. It’s sad. But, above all, it’s true. And it meets us in the alley of our mind most of us have spent the majority of our lives shying away from.

It rips down the kitchen curtain of suburban America, allowing us to peer into the life of the stereotypical “perfect and loving” family. Pop the pills in their medicine cabinets. And sit at the dinner table with their depression.

Diana, the mother, is desperately searching her heart to provide love to her daughter and husband through the haziness of hallucinations and severe depression. It’s heartbreaking to see a mother trying her best to feel numb. We cry with her husband trying to hold on to thin air. We empathize with the frustration of the daughter as she attempts to churn chaos into brilliance, in order to seek approval and attention, and her place in the family.

Composer Tom Kitt and book writer/lyricist Brian Yorkey wrote a show that shattered the normality of a hard working family— a family that could just as easily be yours or mine.

It’s no secret that discussions of mental health are taboo in the Black community. No matter how much we as beautiful and strong African Americans persevere and provide, it’s okay to admit that depression, thoughts of suicide, drug abuse, and mental imbalance permeate our seemingly impenetrable skin and the lives of those we love.

Sometimes we need help and no, it’s not a sign of weakness.

Sometimes we need someone to talk to. And it’s okay if it’s a therapist.

Our family and faith hold us down. But we must understand that, sometimes, this is just not enough.

This work strikes so close to home because it reminds us that we’re all truly living on an avenue to the left of Normal, several blocks from Average, and across the tracks from Easy. It’s about time we bring this pressing topic to the stage with people who look like us and embody our truth.

In 2012, Director David Norwood and Musically Human Theatre mounted a production with Nicole Powell (Ragtime, Hairspray) as Diana. Producers were on the money with realizing the opportunity in casting a Black woman as Diana and how it could shed light on mental illness in the Black community. We could and should do more.

We need to see a strong Black man and father standing by his wife’s side, through thick and thin, and in sickness and in health. We need to see a Black daughter—beautiful, intelligent, and musically adept—crumbling under the pressure of a dysfunctional family, but fighting to hold them together. We need to see a Black family cope and search for hope, in the darkness of the loss that has waged a different toll on all of them. 

It’s time to stop sidestepping this pressing topic and bring it to the eyes of our people, through one of the most powerful pieces of this lifetime. If we build a masterpiece for us, our people will come. Hopefully, then we’ll be ready to dialogue and make changes to the ideology of our future, starting from within.

Next to Normal originally opened on Broadway in 2009 starring Alice Ripley, Aaron Tveit, Brian d’Arcy James, Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat, and Asa Somers.

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It’s A Snoopsical! Snoop Dogg Joined by Tamar Braxton for Redemption of A Dogg Musical Stageplay

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Yes, You read that right. Snoop Dogg will make his theatrical debut in a new stage play titled Redemption of a Dogg also starring R&B superstar Tamar Braxton. Teaming up with the same producer who brought us Set It Off Live!Je’Caryous Johnson, the play will begin touring in October starting in Houston, TX.

Johnson also serves as writer and director for the production, described as the chronicles of  “a character built around the persona of Snoop Dogg – a multi-faceted character who is a gangsta rapper, family man and man of God.”

The stage play is said to ‘examine the internal battle one man has between preserving his life-long legacy and losing the love of his life when he is faced with choosing fame and fortune over faith and family.”

“Redemption of a Dogg is set against a backdrop of Snoop Dogg’s greatest hits, as well as, songs from his recently released chart-topping Gospel album, Bible Of Love.” according to the press release.

 “Please believe you’ve never seen urban theatre like this! With my flavor and his (Je’Caryous Johnson) expertise, we’re gonna bring the people an unmissable show. I can’t wait for everyone out there to see it!”  — Snoop Dogg

 

FALL 2018 REDEMPTION OF A DOGG TOUR DATES:

October 5-7                          Houston, TX                    Hobby Center

October 11                           Newark, NJ                     NJPAC

October 12-13                      Philadelphia, PA             Tower Theater

October 14                           Brooklyn, NY                  Kings Theatre

October 19                           St. Louis, MO                  Stifel Theatre

October 20-21                      Chicago, IL                     Arie Crown

October 25-27                      Detroit, MI                      Music Hall

October 28                           Cleveland, OH                 KeyBank State Theatre

November 2                         Atlanta, GA                      Fox Theatre

November 8                         Norfolk, VA                       Chrysler Hall

November 9-11                    Washington, DC               Warner Theatre

November 16                       Los Angeles, CA                Microsoft Theater

November 17                       Long Beach, CA                  Terrace Theater

November 18                       Oakland, CA                       Paramount Theatre

*Dates Subject to Change Without Notice and More Cities To Be Added

For more info go to www.jecaryous.com

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Award Season '18

Tony! Toni! Toné! Awards 2018 Presenters and Performances

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It’s time Y’all, for the 2018 Tony Awards. This Sunday. Go to church. Grab a plate from your grandma or play-cousins house and get comfy!

Some of the performances we are looking ready for include the wig snatch that is Caissie Levy! Bruce Springsteen, who is also going to rock the stage! EVERYTHING that is Once On This Island! While we too are secretly hoping for that Yolanda Adams bop from Spongebob The Musical to be performed, we know whatever Tina Landau and her aquatic squad bring to the Radio City Stage is sure to help us get through the inevitable Tony recovery week that looms head on Monday.

 

New musicals nominated include: “The Bands Visit,” “Mean Girls,” “Frozen,” and “Spongebob Squarepants The Musical,” each nominated for Best New Musical. Adding to that list,  “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” which brings along two performance nominations.

 

This season of musical revivals includes “Carousel”, “Once On This Island”, and “My Fair Lady”. 

Once on This Island
Photo: Joan Marcus

Plays nominated this season, new and revived, include: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, “The Children”, “Farinelli And The King”, “Junk”, “Latin History for Morons, Angels In America”, “Three Tall Women”, “The Iceman Cometh”, “Lobby Hero”, “Travesties”, and Saint Joan’s Condola Rashad.

 

Some of the presenters include Bernadette Peters, Brandon Victor DixonKerry Washington, Titus Burgess, and Viola Davis (not really. But if we say her name in the mirror three times, she’ll appear right?)

 Who else is set to appear? Glad you asked. You’ll see the familiar faces of Uzo Aduba, Leslie Odom Jr., James Monroe Iglehart, Christopher Jackson, and more!

So tune in to CBS June 10th, Sunday at 8 pm eastern time to catch all the fantastic performances and see who gets to turn from Tony Award Nominee to Tony Award winner!

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Twitter: @BroadwayBlack

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