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Terri White Says Farewell To The Live Concert Stage

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Having performed in musicals since she was 8, Tony-nominated actor Terri White takes a bow from the live concert stage. White, 68, announced her farewell when she opened the ninth season of Barbara Cook’s Spotlight Series at the Kennedy Center on Oct 11.

According to her official Facebook page, her decision was due to “some vision problems and solo concerts are becoming more difficult to do when you are on the stage for more than an hour alone.” She noted that “retirement is from concert work and has nothing to do with stage productions, which are always group efforts.”

Recent White concerts include: Feinstein’s/54 Below; The Crest Theatre (Delray Beach, Fla.); Lyrics & Lyricist Johnny Burke at 92nd St. Y; Joe’s Pub with Guy Davis; Jamie DeRoy and Friends at Birdland; Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; Broadway Concert Series at John W. Engeman Theatre; Life is Good at Feinstein’s; and Terri in Paradise at Waterfront Theatre in Key West, and San Carlos Theatre in Key West.

Having performed with Liza Minnellii, White earned a BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Award for “Best One-Show Special Event” for a July 2013 performance. Just five years earlier, White was evicted from her apartment. She couldn’t work, couldn’t make rent and couldn’t patch up a breakup with a longtime girlfriend. Rather than ask for help, she slept in Washington Square Park when she didn’t spend nights on a friend’s couch. With a help of a police officer, she was able to live rent-free in a basement apartment. A year later she landed a role in Broadway’s Finian’s Rainbow, which garnered her nominations for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards. A New York Times article poignantly details how she found home, love and her soul.

Enjoying a decades-long career, White appeared as the original “Joice Heth” in Barnum, was Nell Carter’s understudy in 1978’s Ain’t Misbehavin, later replacing Carter in the 1988 revival. Other shows included: Welcome to the Club, The Club (Obie Award); Nunsense I & II and Nuncrackers. She took on “Mama Morton” in the long-running Broadway revival of Chicago in April 2010 and appeared in the Kennedy Center production of the Stephen Sondheim-James Goldman musical Follies as “Stella Deems” from May to June 2011. Her credits also include: Showboat; Bubbling Brown Sugar; The Jungle Book; Two Gentlemen of Verona; and Little Shop of Horrors.

Here is a look at some of her performances:

“Thank God I’m Old” from Barnum with the Fred Barton Orchestra in “American Showstoppers: Cy Coleman” at NYC’s Michael Schimmel Center – October 18, 2014

Thank God I’m Old – Terri White & The Fred Barton Orchestra

Terri White recreates her original 1980 showstopper from “Barnum” with the Fred Barton Orchestra, in “American Showstoppers: Cy Coleman” at NYC’s Michael Schimmel Center, October 18, 2014. The Fred Barton Orchestra and the “American Showstoppers” series is devoted to classic show tunes and standards, and the performers who know how to stop shows with them.

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” at AIDS Walk Opening Ceremony in Los Angeles – October 13, 2013

Terri White, Broadway Legend sings “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

Uploaded by aidswalkla on 2013-10-13.

“Here’s to Life” at Sterling’s Upstairs at The Federal in North Hollywood, CA – September 15, 2013

“Here’s to Life” performed by TERRI WHITE

Broadway and Concert star TERRI WHITE (accompanied by James Lent) sings “Here’s to Life” (written by Artie Butler) in A Sterling Affair at Sterling’s Upstairs at The Federal – North Hollywood, CA (September 15, 2013) Videographer: Anthony Hernandez (contact: aj@ajhernandez.com)

“Just A Couple of Sisters” with Rue McClanahan in Nunsense

Terri White with Rue McClanahan – Just a Couple of Sisters (NUNSENSE)

Actors: Rue McClanahan, Christine Anderson, Christine L. Anderson, Semina De Laurentis, Christine Toy Johnson Directors: Dan Goggin, David Stern Writers: Dan Goggin Producers: Jim McGinn, Neil Rosen

At Theater Marl in Germany – November 9, 2012

TERRI WHITE AT THEATER MARL GERMANY

They say, the day of the Saloon Singer is past. Maybe. Of the legendary vocalists, who were most comfortable working the room in the nightclubs of that golden era, which spanned nearly five decades, only Tony Bennett remains with us today. But the next generation of lounge singers heard so frequently in rapidly disappearing piano bars still survives.

“Necessity” from Finian’s Rainbow at St. James Theater – 2009

FINIANS RAINBOW Sneak Peek: Necessity

http://www.FiniansonBroadway.com Check out Terri White and the FINIANS RAINBOW cast performing Necessity at the New York’s City Center Encores! series. With a sparkling score and a whimsical story that dances between romance, satire and fairy tale, FINIAN’S RAINBOW is a musical theater treasure. Broadway performances at the St.

We look forward to seeing Terri White onstage  again soon in collaborative productions and appreciate all that she’s accomplished so far.

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Award Nominations

Cynthia Erivo Nominated for BAFTA’s Rising Star Award

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Cynthia Erivo at Opening Night of the Color Purple. Photo by Drew Shade

Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award-winning actress, Cynthia Erivo, known for her transformative performance as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple is now one of five actors nominated for the British Academy of Film’s 2019 Rising Star Awards.

Most recently seen alongside Viola Davis in Steve McQueen’s Widows, Erivo says:

“I’m ever grateful to BAFTA and the jury panel for nominating me for the 2019 EE Rising Star Award. It means the world to me to be acknowledged by the community that, for most of my life, I’ve known as home. Thank you for this incredible honour.” – Cynthia Erivo

The BAFTA Awards will take place on February 10th.

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Get Your War Clothes On: Billy Porter Energizes in GLAAD Acceptance Speech

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billy porter

So, I have a question.

In the same line of thought as “innocent until proven guilty,” do we grant the assumption of positive intent in our expectations of our brothers and sister in regards to woke-ness, à la woke until proven problematic?

Now don’t get me wrong, there was no doubt in my heart that Tony and Grammy Award-winner, Billy Porter, was woke. Nope, none. What I wasn’t ready for, was the way he fixed his fingers to pen one of the greatest acceptance speeches of my lifetime, and how he turned the Gospel classic “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” into a battle song.

The 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards honored Billy Porter with the Vito Russo Award, presented to an openly LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance.

He started by affirming the room full of members of marginalized communities, with my personal daily mantra: “You are enough. we are enough.”

Since the beginning of time artists are the folks who engage critically and encourage those who think they are powerless to question the status quo.

Brothers and sisters across the room leaned in.

The days of shut up and sing are over.

Alliteration informed and illustrated as Porter preached on remaining “vigilantly visual” as we tell our stories. Acknowledging the reality of our times, he spoke on Number 45:

Where they slipped up this time is in that declaration of war. It’s not only against Black and Brown people and Queer people anymore, it’s against ALL of us. And as a result, the good news is: white folk, and straight folk, and all those fierce women folk, are mad now. And NOW maybe something might get done!

Get. Your. War. Clothes. On.

From slavery to emancipation, to the 13th Amendment, to Jim Crow, to the Civil Rights Movement. From Stonewall to AIDS, to marriage equality— we gotta remember the shoulders who we stand on—the ones who fought and died for those freedoms that we hold so dear. Let’s use these historical strides we’ve made as a nation to empower us as warriors on this battlefield of equality.

Amen.

Until we can figure out how to love one another unconditionally, no one wins. Freedom. Equality. Justice. Have always come at a cost and evidently the always will.

If that’s not the truth.

Stay strong. Stay vigilante. Stay visible. Stay hopeful. Stay focused. Be brave. Be fierce.

Resist.

RESIST.

RESIST.

RESIST.

For a full list of this year’s winners, honorees, and guests, visit GLAAD.

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