Behind The Scenes
Opening More Doors: Finding Perfection in Diversity
As an actress, I believe that part of the journey in improving your craft is to seek roles that stretch the boundaries of what you believe you can do. In my opinion, there are no perfect roles and there are no perfect productions. It is all art and, therefore, subjective. Each production allows the expression of an idea or a story. Each actor provides the nuance that brings the idea or story to 
life. The talented actor or actress has the ability to bring some part of the character’s personality into the forefront of the production. This level of creativity explains why different actors can bring very different aspects of the same character into play. It is truly one of the challenges and joys of acting!
From the perspective of an audience member, I would most like to see a broader spectrum of diversity. The world of theatre is open if we as patrons of the arts also allow ourselves to be open to the idea that the color of an actor’s skin should not dictate their suitability for a role. From the outstanding performance of the late Black actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste cast as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables to the cutting edge foresight of the multi-cultural casting in the Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the doors are opening.
A #Ham4Ham Confrontation on 46th Street!
There was a “Confrontation” on 46th Street tonight (8/15/15) at #Ham4Ham! Watch Les Misérables’ Kyle Jean-Baptiste and Lin-Manuel Miranda face off.
If there is to be a perfect actor in a perfect role, it is achieved by casting the actor that can truly embody the character and transport the viewer into a world where only the art remains. If we are to see an evolution on The Great White Way, we must be willing to see the theatre that we love and cherish so much in technicolor. We must be willing to embrace and accept that the world we live in holds opportunity and promise for all and not just a privileged few. That talent does not live within the skin color of a few but can be found in a diverse array of people. This is the only way that will allow us to ever find the perfect actor in the perfect role. The question is, are we ready to set aside our preconceived stereotypical notions of who should be acting in what and instead open ourselves up to the enormous wellspring of talent diversity in casting can bring?
Go behind-the-scenes of the Vogue photo shoot with the men of Ain’t Too Proud.
Leading the cast as The Temptations will be Derrick Baskin as Otis Williams, James Harkness as Paul Williams, Jawan M. Jackson as Melvin Franklin, Jeremy Pope as Eddie Kendricks, and Ephraim Sykes as David Ruffin. The Broadway cast will also feature Esther Antoine, Saint Aubyn, Shawn Bowers, E. Clayton Cornelious, Rodney Earl Jackson Jr., Taylor Symone Jackson, Jahi Kearse, Jarvis B. Manning Jr., Joshua Morgan, Rashidra Scott, Nasia Thomas, Christian Thompson, Curtis Wiley, and Candice Marie Woods.
Ain’t Too Proud is the electrifying new musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Five guys. One dream. And a sound that would make music history. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. The rest is history — how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest. This thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.
Ain’t Too Proud will play the Imperial Theatre on February 28th, 2019, with an official Opening Night set for Thursday, March 21, 2019.
Eclipsed is returning and this time it’s on television. Well, kind of.
According to the press realease:
BET International releases a multi-part documentary series chronicling the ascent and realization of ‘Eclipsed’; a Broadway play all written, directed and acted by women of African descent.
- Danai Gurira (Zimbabwe), playwright
- Liesl Tommy, (South Africa), director
- Lupita Nyong’o (Kenya), actress
- Akosia Busia, (Ghana), actress
- Zainab Jah (Sierra Leone), actress
- Saycon Sengbloh, (Liberia), actress
- Pascale Armand, (Haiti), actress
A winner of nine accolades including a Tony Award, the play tackles the survival stories of five women near the end of the second Liberian civil war. Written by actress, Danai Gurira who was inspired by a New York Times article about Black Diamond, a female freedom fighter and the female peace activists.
Broken into three episodes, each part delves into a central theme; Context, Cultivation, and Community. The series documents the fearless women using art to combat social injustice and give voice to the voiceless. With a strong production team including Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones Harvey and Michaela Angela Davis the documentary uses cinema-verite style to complement the rehearsal/show footage and ancillary interviews.
Ava L. Hall, executive producer and Vice President, Programming & Brand Advancement, BET International commented:
“It was really important to us to capture and to some extent immortalise the extraordinary stories of these women in Liberia and also the women who fought to bring it to fruition on the other side of the Atlantic, in New York on Broadway. This is a tale of how sisterhood, support and humanity travels globally to create a vision which breaks boundaries, sets new standards and while sobering, inspires a generation to find value and strength in their stories.”
This ground breaking play took its place firmly on Broadway and this documentary will take a place firmly in your heart and mind. Celebrating the intersection of Black and women’s history months airing on March 1, 2017 at 8pm EST on Centric
This is not one you’ll want to miss. You’ll even see a guest appearance from a photoshoot Broadway Black did before the Tony Awards. Live tweet with us tonight! @BroadwayBlack
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