News

New York’s Public Theater Gives Money To Its Out-Of-Work Freelancers

Source: ArtsJournal.com | Posted: August 25 2020 @ 10:31 am

“The theater said it has given $1,000 ‘financial relief payments’ to 368 people including technicians and crew members like carpenters, truck drivers, engineers and programmers; teaching artists, who facilitate classes, workshops and talkbacks; and members of working groups, which support artists as they develop.” – The New York Times

Black Is King Director Blitz Bazawule to Helm The Color Purple Movie Musical

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: August 25 2020 @ 10:24 am

Blitz Bazawule, who co-directed Beyoncé's recent Black Is King for Disney+, has been tapped to lend his talents to Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg's new movie musical version of The Color Purple. Deadline reports Winfrey and Spielberg were wowed by Bazawule’s 2018 Ghana-set film The Burial of Kojo on Netflix.

As previously announced, Winfrey, who played the role of Sofia in the 1985 film adaptation, and Spielberg, who directed, will co-produce the movie musical with Quincy Jones and Scott Sanders, who co-produced both Broadway productions with Winfrey. Menno Meyjes crafted the screenplay for Spielberg’s original film; this one will be written by poet and playwright Marcus Gardley.

Based on the novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple follows the inspirational Celie as she journeys from childhood through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life. The first film starred Whoopi Goldberg in an Oscar-nominated performance as Celie. The original Broadway production starred LaChanze in the role; she won a 2006 Tony Award for her performance. Fantasia earned a Theatre World Award taking over the role in the original Broadway mounting. Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) garnered a Tony, Grammy and Emmy …

Broadway Songs to Help You Study

Source: BroadwayDirect.com | Posted: August 25 2020 @ 12:28 am

We can enjoy music in so many different ways, from blasting sing-along tunes in the car to humming along to tracks in the kitchen, to playing music to help you focus on work. In Broadway shows, instrumental songs can be used in dance sequences, or to set the tone of the show within the overture.…

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The Little Mermaid‘s Jodi Benson on Working with Lyricist Howard Ashman

Source: BroadwayDirect.com | Posted: August 25 2020 @ 12:05 am

Some of Ariel’s most famous and instantly recognizable lines in The Little Mermaid like “Flounder, don’t be such a guppy,” “But Daddy, I love him!” and “Maybe he’s right, maybe there is something the matter with me,” were all recited that exact way because the film’s lyricist told Jodi Benson to say them that way.…

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Eligible Shows for the 2020 Tony Awards

Source: BroadwayDirect.com | Posted: August 24 2020 @ 6:10 pm

After the Broadway season was cut short on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing have finally announced that the 74th Annual Tony Awards ceremony will take place online this fall 2020. Productions that have opened prior to February 19, 2020 will be eligible for this year’s…

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