Lupita Nyong’o sat down with TODAY Show’s Savannah Guthrie recently to talk about her Broadway debut in Danai Gurira’s acclaimed, Eclipsed, diversity and #OscarsSoWhite. Her composure was elegant and her smile was beaming as she talked us through understudying “The Girl” in the Yale Repertory production, and playing the same role during a sold-out run at The Public. She promised herself that she had to play “The Girl,” and now she’s reprising her role on the intimate Broadway stage at The John Golden Theatre.
But the conversation didn’t stop there.
When the conversations shifted to the brain child of our Managing Editor April Reign,#OscarsSoWhite, Lupita had something to say.
We knew we liked Lupita.
This isn’t the first time the Oscar winner has spoken out about the lack of representation in the Oscars. She took to Instagram weeks ago in alignment with her peers seeking change by saying: “The Awards should not dictate the terms of art in our modern society, but rather be a diverse reflection of the best of what our art has to offer today.”
Like the rest of us, she sees the need for expansion in the diversity of shows in order to better reflect the world we live in. She’s invested in sharing untold stories—much like that of the five African women, bonded together by turmoil and navigating war. The story she’s currently sharing 8 shows a week.
I feel the change coming in the atmosphere and I’d like to believe it will be greater than changes in membership and voting policies. But until then, we’ll be in formation. We’re going to keep on creating. We’re going to keep on supporting. And here, we’re going to keep on highlighting the achievements and successes of African-American theatre artists on and off the Broadway stage.
As for Sunday, February 28th. Well, we’ll be live-tweeting “The Wood.”
The world turned upside down at Friday night’s performance of the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, when Vice President elect Mike Pence took his seat. He was appropriately met with the sound of boos, and perhaps one or two cheers.
It didn’t take long for word to get out on the interwebs, with photos and video uploaded straight to social media.
Following the performance, Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, stepped forward to acknowledge their retreating special guest. After insisting to the jeering crowd that “There was nothing to boo here. We’re all here sharing a story of love,” Dixon proceeded to address VP-Elect Pence on behalf of the colorful production:
“We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” he said. “We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”
It didn’t take long for President-elect (we still have trouble saying it) Donald Trump to put in his two cents and demand an apology from the cast.
Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing.This should not happen!
Of course, it didn’t take long for the dragging to begin. Fury and contention of Black Twitter, Broadway, liberals, and just plain ol’ Trump opposers who could not be here for the white tears of a man, a campaign, who THRIVED on the booing, harassment and belittling of the very people who stood on that Hamilton stage last night. Every SINGLE performer (and most of the themes) in Hamilton represent something that Trump’s campaign vehemently opposed and attempted to oppress, so it is no wonder why those very people insist on being heard.
#BoycottHamilton is now trending on Twitter. Naturally, that’s easy to do when tickets are sold out into 2018.
And of course the hypocrisy is LAUGHABLE. 400+ hate crimes across America go unresolved, but Trump gets his panties in a bunch for a Black man who gets on stage with nothing but respect, intelligence and a call to action. Nice to know what we’re in for.
Theater has always been a space for the voice of the unheard. From Shakespeare to Shuffle Along, the stage is where we tell our story. Following the results of this tumultuous election, there is no doubt artistic anarchy is on the rise. Freedom of speech is a thing, Mr. Trump. Just you wait.
Proud of @HamiltonMusical. Proud of @BrandonVDixon, for leading with love.
And proud to remind you that ALL are welcome at the theater.
“I also feel so badly for Trayvon Martin’s family, because every single time this shit stain comes back up and he tries to gain notoriety from this horrible thing that he did they have to relive [it] over and over and over again!”
These were the words six time Tony winner Audra McDonald delivered passionately on Comedy Central’s“The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore”. The Broadway actress, who is still making promotional appearances for her current show, Shuffle Along Orthe Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, took part in a panel discussion. Here, Larry Wilmore along with two Nightly Show contributors and McDonald, discussed the hot topic of George Zimmerman, murderer (we know he wasn’t convicted. We don’t care) of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, and the auction he started to sale the murder weapon used in that particular crime that was soon taken down.
It’s no secret that McDonald is passionate about equality across race, gender and sexuality. In fact, if you follow her on Twitter, she is very vocal about her stance on these subjects. But, rarely do we hear the Broadway Queen speak so candidly about Race in actual interviews. There could be many explanations for this. One of them being that the Broadway community, specifically media outlets, are predominately white and therefore aren’t quite sure of how to initiate or cultivate a conversation on Race with her. Women’s rights? Yes. LGBTQ rights? Yes. Race? Not so much. This is no fault of the actress. She simply can’t answer questions that aren’t asked and there is always the chance she may come off as “too militant” if she spoke on the subject too often (re: predominately white community).
During the round table discussion, McDonald delivered her most woke statement, saying, “I tell you what. I know this much. That if Trayvon had been a white child and George Zimmerman had been a Black man, and even IF he had ended up being acquitted with the Stand Your Ground law, they would never in a million years have given him back the gun!” (This is where I shouted and damn near threw my shoe at my television, because the Truth she had just delivered made me catch the Holy Ghost. Even now in this coffee shop I’m rocking like a deaconess on the front pew whose obnoxious church hat is barely holding on! MY GOD!) Those words delivered by THAT woman with that amount of certainty gave a feeling too powerful for words.
Her appearance on The Nightly Show was definitely one for the books and her words are very much appreciated. To you, Audra McDonald, we say– #StayWoke *insert Black Power fist*!
Click here to catch Audra along with Brian Stokes Mitchell, Billy Porter, Joshua Henry and Brandon Victor Dixon in one of the most spectacular musicals on Broadway, Shuffle Along! A behind the scenes and aftermath story of the American classic that introduced jazz to theatre directed by George C. Wolfe and choreographed by Savion Glover.