Samm-Art Williams, a Tony-nominated playwright, actor, director and the executive producer of NBC’s Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has died. He was 78.
Williams died peacefully in Burgaw, North Carolina on Monday, his cousin Carol Brown confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Mr. Williams’ contributions to American theater and television will live on but he will be greatly missed,” Brown said via statement.
For the theater community, Williams was perhaps best known as the Tony-nominated playwright of Home, which was first directed by Douglas Turner Ward and produced on Broadway by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1980. The show is set to return to Broadway on June 5, with Kenny Leon directing this time.
Williams also wrote stage works such as Welcome To Black River, Friends, and other plays produced in New York, Los Angeles and beyond. In addition to its Tony nod for best Broadway play, Home won the Outer Critics Circle Award,...
Williams died peacefully in Burgaw, North Carolina on Monday, his cousin Carol Brown confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Mr. Williams’ contributions to American theater and television will live on but he will be greatly missed,” Brown said via statement.
For the theater community, Williams was perhaps best known as the Tony-nominated playwright of Home, which was first directed by Douglas Turner Ward and produced on Broadway by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1980. The show is set to return to Broadway on June 5, with Kenny Leon directing this time.
Williams also wrote stage works such as Welcome To Black River, Friends, and other plays produced in New York, Los Angeles and beyond. In addition to its Tony nod for best Broadway play, Home won the Outer Critics Circle Award,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Samm-Art Williams, whose Tony-nominated 1979 play Home is being revived on Broadway this year and whose TV producing credits include Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, died peacefully today in Burgaw, North Carolina. He was 78.
His death was announced by family.
Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.
Performing as Samm Williams, he got his start on the New York stage in the early 1970s, appearing in notable plays such as Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he began performing in other Off Broadway shows under the name Samm-Art Williams.
By the end of the decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage writer, and is today best known for Home, a drama originally staged by the Negro...
His death was announced by family.
Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.
Performing as Samm Williams, he got his start on the New York stage in the early 1970s, appearing in notable plays such as Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he began performing in other Off Broadway shows under the name Samm-Art Williams.
By the end of the decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage writer, and is today best known for Home, a drama originally staged by the Negro...
- 5/14/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In a Broadway season bursting at the seams with new musicals, plays and revivals – 36 productions opened during the 2023-2024 eligibility window – it is not a surprise that the 60 Tony Awards nominators caught theatre aficionados off guard with some of their choices.
The biggest surprise of the morning was the overperformance of new musical “Water for Elephants.” Our users only expected it to earn one nomination, but it ultimately ended up with seven, tying “Merrily We Roll Along” and beating out musicals such as “Suffs.” Its unexpected bids include the top category of Best Musical, director Jessica Stone, book and choreography. The one bid we thought it would land for featured actor Paul Alexander Nolan didn’t actually come to fruition. Speaking of surprise director noms, Michael Greif – who worked on three musicals this season – broke through for “Hell’s Kitchen.” He ranked ninth in our combined odds.
See Tony Awards nominations: ‘Stereophonic’ reaps record 13 bids,...
The biggest surprise of the morning was the overperformance of new musical “Water for Elephants.” Our users only expected it to earn one nomination, but it ultimately ended up with seven, tying “Merrily We Roll Along” and beating out musicals such as “Suffs.” Its unexpected bids include the top category of Best Musical, director Jessica Stone, book and choreography. The one bid we thought it would land for featured actor Paul Alexander Nolan didn’t actually come to fruition. Speaking of surprise director noms, Michael Greif – who worked on three musicals this season – broke through for “Hell’s Kitchen.” He ranked ninth in our combined odds.
See Tony Awards nominations: ‘Stereophonic’ reaps record 13 bids,...
- 4/30/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
With the announcement of the Tony Awards nominations on April 30, we now know the shows and performers in contention for the 77th annual ceremony. The 60 members of the Tony nominating committee recognized 28 of the 36 eligible productions across 26 competitive categories.
See 2024 Tony Awards nominations snubs: ‘Patriots,’ Steve Carell, Chip Zien …
David Adjmi’s new play “Stereophonic” makes Tony Awards history with 13 nominations. This bests by one the previous record-holder “Slave Play” by Jeremy O. Harris, which earned 12 bids back in 2020. Its haul includes recognition for Best Play, Best Director (Daniel Aukin), five nominations for its performers and, rare for a dramatic work, Best Original Score for Will Butler and Best Orchestrations for Butler and Justin Craig.
“Hell’s Kitchen,” a loosely biographical work on the early life and featuring the music of Alicia Keys, leads all musicals and musical revivals with 13 nominations. In addition to a Best Musical nom, the show...
See 2024 Tony Awards nominations snubs: ‘Patriots,’ Steve Carell, Chip Zien …
David Adjmi’s new play “Stereophonic” makes Tony Awards history with 13 nominations. This bests by one the previous record-holder “Slave Play” by Jeremy O. Harris, which earned 12 bids back in 2020. Its haul includes recognition for Best Play, Best Director (Daniel Aukin), five nominations for its performers and, rare for a dramatic work, Best Original Score for Will Butler and Best Orchestrations for Butler and Justin Craig.
“Hell’s Kitchen,” a loosely biographical work on the early life and featuring the music of Alicia Keys, leads all musicals and musical revivals with 13 nominations. In addition to a Best Musical nom, the show...
- 4/30/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
The Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen and new play Stereophonic, about a fictional band in the 1970s, led the Tony nominations with 13 nominations each.
The Outsiders, a musical based on the 1967 S.E. Hinton book, followed with 12 nominations and the revival of Cabaret, starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, followed with nine nods.
With its 13 noms, Stereophonic set a record for the most Tony nominations for a play, surpassing previous record holder Slave Play’s 12 noms in 2020.
Stereophonic‘s surprisingly strong performance even included a best score nomination despite it being a play.
In the best musical category, Hell’s Kitchen and The Outsiders were nominated, alongside the dance-based show Illionise, with music from Sufjan Stevens’ album and a book by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury; Suffs, a musical about the women’s suffrage movement with a score and book by Shaina Taub; and Water for Elephants, based on the 2006 novel,...
The Outsiders, a musical based on the 1967 S.E. Hinton book, followed with 12 nominations and the revival of Cabaret, starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin, followed with nine nods.
With its 13 noms, Stereophonic set a record for the most Tony nominations for a play, surpassing previous record holder Slave Play’s 12 noms in 2020.
Stereophonic‘s surprisingly strong performance even included a best score nomination despite it being a play.
In the best musical category, Hell’s Kitchen and The Outsiders were nominated, alongside the dance-based show Illionise, with music from Sufjan Stevens’ album and a book by Justin Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury; Suffs, a musical about the women’s suffrage movement with a score and book by Shaina Taub; and Water for Elephants, based on the 2006 novel,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Broadway fans: the 2024 Tony Award nominations are finally here!
Each year, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre (aka the Tonys), celebrates the best on Broadway. The nominations were announced by two past Tony winners: Take Me Out‘s Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Hamilton‘s Renée Elise Goldsberry.
This year, the Tonys will be held on June 16, 2024 with host Ariana DeBose returning to host for a third time. Just Jared will be live updating throughout the entire event, so stick with us that night!
Head inside to see the full list of Tony Award nominations…
Scroll down for the full list of Tony Award nominees…
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
The Outsiders
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Best Play
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
Stereophonic
Best Revival of a Play
Appropriate
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A...
Each year, the Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre (aka the Tonys), celebrates the best on Broadway. The nominations were announced by two past Tony winners: Take Me Out‘s Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Hamilton‘s Renée Elise Goldsberry.
This year, the Tonys will be held on June 16, 2024 with host Ariana DeBose returning to host for a third time. Just Jared will be live updating throughout the entire event, so stick with us that night!
Head inside to see the full list of Tony Award nominations…
Scroll down for the full list of Tony Award nominees…
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
The Outsiders
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Best Play
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
Stereophonic
Best Revival of a Play
Appropriate
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A...
- 4/30/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
A new musical, a musical revival and a new play with music will dominate the 2024 Tony Awards nominations, according to our official odds in 17 of the 26 categories. The latest revival of the classic John Kander and Fred Ebb musical “Cabaret,” fresh off a smash run on the West End, and the new musical “Hell’s Kitchen” that is loosely based on the life of Alicia Keys and her music will both net at least seven nominations. New works “Days of Wine and Roses,” “Here Lies Love” and “Suffs” and the starry revival of Stephen Sondheim‘s notorious flop “Merrily We Roll Along” will also earn substantial nominations tallies.
Playwright David Adjmi‘s “Stereophonic” will lead this year’s crop of plays and play revivals with at least five nominations. Right behind are five other works – two new shows and three revivals – that will all tie at least four nominations apiece,...
Playwright David Adjmi‘s “Stereophonic” will lead this year’s crop of plays and play revivals with at least five nominations. Right behind are five other works – two new shows and three revivals – that will all tie at least four nominations apiece,...
- 4/28/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
The 2023-2024 Broadway season that kicked off last June with the opening of “Grey House” featured 36 productions of new and revived musicals and plays. This staggeringly crowded year – especially this spring with its 19 openings in March and April alone – means that the nominations for the 77th Tony Awards will likely be as unpredictable as ever, so review our official racetrack odds in the top 17 of 26 categories. The nominations will be announced on the morning of April 30 by Tony winners Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Take Me Out”) and Renée Elise Goldsberry (“Hamilton”).
These official odds for the 77th Tonys are derived from the predictions of our Experts, Editors, Top 24 Users, All-Star Top 24 and all our Users, who make up the largest and often savviest bloc of predictors.
Below, see our 2024 Tony Awards predictions in 17 of the 26 categories. Make or edit your predictions before the nominations are unveiled on April 30.
Musicals
Best Musical...
These official odds for the 77th Tonys are derived from the predictions of our Experts, Editors, Top 24 Users, All-Star Top 24 and all our Users, who make up the largest and often savviest bloc of predictors.
Below, see our 2024 Tony Awards predictions in 17 of the 26 categories. Make or edit your predictions before the nominations are unveiled on April 30.
Musicals
Best Musical...
- 4/28/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
On Friday, April 12th, the Dance Theatre of Harlem hosted their most anticipated event of the year, The Vision Gala.
Anna Glass, Janet Jackson, Robert Garland at The Vision Gala
Credit/Copyright: Dance Theatre of Harlem
The event honored esteemed ballet dancer Misty Copeland with the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award and civic leaders and philanthropists Terri Prettyman Bowles and Alvin Bowles with the Virtuoso Award. The organization raised $1.3 Million to further their mission of providing arts education, maintaining a world-class school, and presenting a ballet Company of African American and other racially diverse artists.
“Let’s continue to dance, to dream, and to build a world where every child has the opportunity to discover their passion and reach for the stars through dance,” Misty Copeland said on stage while accepting her award.
The honorary committee included Peg Alston, Reginald Van Lee, Susan Taylor, Derrick “D Nice” Jones, Jalen Rose, Kenny Leon,...
Anna Glass, Janet Jackson, Robert Garland at The Vision Gala
Credit/Copyright: Dance Theatre of Harlem
The event honored esteemed ballet dancer Misty Copeland with the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award and civic leaders and philanthropists Terri Prettyman Bowles and Alvin Bowles with the Virtuoso Award. The organization raised $1.3 Million to further their mission of providing arts education, maintaining a world-class school, and presenting a ballet Company of African American and other racially diverse artists.
“Let’s continue to dance, to dream, and to build a world where every child has the opportunity to discover their passion and reach for the stars through dance,” Misty Copeland said on stage while accepting her award.
The honorary committee included Peg Alston, Reginald Van Lee, Susan Taylor, Derrick “D Nice” Jones, Jalen Rose, Kenny Leon,...
- 4/17/2024
- Look to the Stars
The Tony award-winning play Our Town is getting another revival on Broadway!
Jim Parsons and Katie Holmes are set to the lead the cast of the upcoming adaptation, which will have a very limited engagement on the Great White Way, Deadline reports.
Also joining the cast is Zoey Deutch in her Broadway debut!
Keep reading to find out more…
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” director Kenny Leon shared in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust of The Wilder estate to present this classic to another generation of theatre lovers. It’s long been a burning desire to collaborate on a Broadway production of such magnitude that speaks so beautifully and intimately to all people about our shared time on the planet.”
Jim will star as the Stage Manager, Katie...
Jim Parsons and Katie Holmes are set to the lead the cast of the upcoming adaptation, which will have a very limited engagement on the Great White Way, Deadline reports.
Also joining the cast is Zoey Deutch in her Broadway debut!
Keep reading to find out more…
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” director Kenny Leon shared in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust of The Wilder estate to present this classic to another generation of theatre lovers. It’s long been a burning desire to collaborate on a Broadway production of such magnitude that speaks so beautifully and intimately to all people about our shared time on the planet.”
Jim will star as the Stage Manager, Katie...
- 4/3/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch and Katie Holmes will star in the Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town this fall.
In the production, directed by Kenny Leon, Parsons will play the role of Stage Manager, Deutch will play Emily Webb and Holmes will play Mrs. Webb. They lead a cast of 28 actors, who also include Richard Thomas (The Waltons, To Kill a Mockingbird) as Mr. Webb, Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud, Hairspray Live!) as George Gibbs and Billy Eugene Jones (Purlie Victorious) as Dr. Gibbs.
The play will begin previews at the Barrymore Theatre on Sept. 17, ahead of an Oct. 10 opening.
Known for his role as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, Parsons also has extensive stage credits, including a role in Mother Play, which begins Broadway previews April 3. He has previously appeared on Broadway in productions including The Boys in the Band, An Act of God and The Normal Heart.
In the production, directed by Kenny Leon, Parsons will play the role of Stage Manager, Deutch will play Emily Webb and Holmes will play Mrs. Webb. They lead a cast of 28 actors, who also include Richard Thomas (The Waltons, To Kill a Mockingbird) as Mr. Webb, Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud, Hairspray Live!) as George Gibbs and Billy Eugene Jones (Purlie Victorious) as Dr. Gibbs.
The play will begin previews at the Barrymore Theatre on Sept. 17, ahead of an Oct. 10 opening.
Known for his role as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, Parsons also has extensive stage credits, including a role in Mother Play, which begins Broadway previews April 3. He has previously appeared on Broadway in productions including The Boys in the Band, An Act of God and The Normal Heart.
- 4/3/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Entertainment Community Fund has set its sights on Warner Bros. Television Group for top honors at an upcoming gala in New York City.
The studio division, led by chairman and CEO Channing Dungey, has been selected to receive a medal of honor during the gala, set for Manhattan’s New York Marriott Marquis on April 8. Additional honorees at the event include mogul and multihyphenate Seth MacFarlane, and Olivier and Tony award-winning producer Sonia Friedman (Funny Girl, The Book of Mormon).
“We are so honored to be recognized by the Entertainment Community Fund, an outstanding organization that has helped actors and artists for more than 140 years. In the wake of the pandemic and last year’s strikes, the work of the fund continues to be more critical than ever. Everyone at the Warner Bros. Television Group is proud to support the Fund and their incredible efforts,” offered Dungey in a statement.
The studio division, led by chairman and CEO Channing Dungey, has been selected to receive a medal of honor during the gala, set for Manhattan’s New York Marriott Marquis on April 8. Additional honorees at the event include mogul and multihyphenate Seth MacFarlane, and Olivier and Tony award-winning producer Sonia Friedman (Funny Girl, The Book of Mormon).
“We are so honored to be recognized by the Entertainment Community Fund, an outstanding organization that has helped actors and artists for more than 140 years. In the wake of the pandemic and last year’s strikes, the work of the fund continues to be more critical than ever. Everyone at the Warner Bros. Television Group is proud to support the Fund and their incredible efforts,” offered Dungey in a statement.
- 4/1/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Home, the Samm-Art Williams play directed by Kenny Leon and opening on Broadway this summer, has announced its cast.
The Roundabout Theatre Company production will star Tory Kittles (The Equalizer) as “Cephus Miles,” Brittany Inge (Atlanta) as “Woman One / Pattie Mae Wells,” and Stori Ayers (The Last O.G.) as “Woman Two”—all in their Roundabout Theatre Company debuts.
The production will mark the first Broadway staging of Home since 1980. The play was originally staged by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1979.
The synopsis: Cephus Miles has the whole world in his callused hands—until his sweetheart Pattie Mae goes off to college and marries another man. Roundabout describes Home as “a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that gives voice to the unbreakable spirit of all Americans who have been searching for a place to belong.”
Home will begin preview performances on Friday, May 17, with an official opening on Wednesday, June 5, at the Todd Haimes Theatre.
The Roundabout Theatre Company production will star Tory Kittles (The Equalizer) as “Cephus Miles,” Brittany Inge (Atlanta) as “Woman One / Pattie Mae Wells,” and Stori Ayers (The Last O.G.) as “Woman Two”—all in their Roundabout Theatre Company debuts.
The production will mark the first Broadway staging of Home since 1980. The play was originally staged by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1979.
The synopsis: Cephus Miles has the whole world in his callused hands—until his sweetheart Pattie Mae goes off to college and marries another man. Roundabout describes Home as “a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that gives voice to the unbreakable spirit of all Americans who have been searching for a place to belong.”
Home will begin preview performances on Friday, May 17, with an official opening on Wednesday, June 5, at the Todd Haimes Theatre.
- 3/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are all set to star in a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello on Broadway. Kenny Leon, who won a Tony award for directing Washington in 2014’s A Raisin in the Sun will be directing the film.
Denzel Washington as Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling in Courage Under Fire
While, Washington will be playing the titular role in Othello, one of William Shakespeare’s great tragedies, Gyllenhaal will be seen as Iago, the story’s villain.
Suggested“It has more sense of humor”: Jake Gyllenhaal Reveals His Road House Remake is Wildly Different from Patrick Swayze – But Does That Make it Better?
The story follows Othello, ‘the Moor of Venice,” who is manipulated by Iago, Othello’s standard-bearer into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful, leading to tragic consequences for all three. Shakespeare’s Othello has been a great source for adaptation and it...
Denzel Washington as Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling in Courage Under Fire
While, Washington will be playing the titular role in Othello, one of William Shakespeare’s great tragedies, Gyllenhaal will be seen as Iago, the story’s villain.
Suggested“It has more sense of humor”: Jake Gyllenhaal Reveals His Road House Remake is Wildly Different from Patrick Swayze – But Does That Make it Better?
The story follows Othello, ‘the Moor of Venice,” who is manipulated by Iago, Othello’s standard-bearer into believing his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful, leading to tragic consequences for all three. Shakespeare’s Othello has been a great source for adaptation and it...
- 3/20/2024
- by Prantik Prabal Roy
- FandomWire
Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington are joining forces and heading to the stage.
The duo are set to star in a production of Othello, which is heading to Broadway next year.
Read more about Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington’s project…
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Denzel will play the titular character while Jake brings Iago to life. Kenny Leon has signed on to direct.
Neither actor is a Broadway novice. Denzel made his debut back in 1988 in a play called Checkmates. He’s even starred in another Shakespeare project – 2005′s Julius Caesar.
Meanwhile, Jake made his Broadway debut with 2014′s Constellations. His most recent starring role was 2019′s Sunday in the Park with George.
We will update you as we learn more about the project. It is currently expected to premiere in the spring of 2025.
Before that, Jake will take over Prime Video with his new movie Road House.
The duo are set to star in a production of Othello, which is heading to Broadway next year.
Read more about Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington’s project…
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Denzel will play the titular character while Jake brings Iago to life. Kenny Leon has signed on to direct.
Neither actor is a Broadway novice. Denzel made his debut back in 1988 in a play called Checkmates. He’s even starred in another Shakespeare project – 2005′s Julius Caesar.
Meanwhile, Jake made his Broadway debut with 2014′s Constellations. His most recent starring role was 2019′s Sunday in the Park with George.
We will update you as we learn more about the project. It is currently expected to premiere in the spring of 2025.
Before that, Jake will take over Prime Video with his new movie Road House.
- 3/7/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal will star in a 2025 Broadway revival of William Shakespeare’s Othello, producer Brian Anthony Moreland announced today.
The production, to be directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, will open in Spring 2025 at a Shubert Theatre to be announced.
Washington will portray the title character, while Gyllenhaal will play ‘Iago’.
Few other details were provided in Moreland’s brief announcement today.
Neither Washington nor Gyllenhaal are strangers to Broadway. Washington most recently starred in the 2018 revival of The Iceman Cometh (earning a Tony nomination), and starred as Walter Lee Younger in the 2014 revival of A Raisin in the Sun. In 2010, he appeared in (and won a Tony for) Fences, and in 2005 he played Marcus Brutus in Julius Caesar. His Broadway debut came in 1988 with Checkmates.
Gyllenhaal has performed on Broadway in Sea Wall/A Life in 2019, Sunday in the Park With George in 2017, and Constellations in...
The production, to be directed by Tony Award-winner Kenny Leon, will open in Spring 2025 at a Shubert Theatre to be announced.
Washington will portray the title character, while Gyllenhaal will play ‘Iago’.
Few other details were provided in Moreland’s brief announcement today.
Neither Washington nor Gyllenhaal are strangers to Broadway. Washington most recently starred in the 2018 revival of The Iceman Cometh (earning a Tony nomination), and starred as Walter Lee Younger in the 2014 revival of A Raisin in the Sun. In 2010, he appeared in (and won a Tony for) Fences, and in 2005 he played Marcus Brutus in Julius Caesar. His Broadway debut came in 1988 with Checkmates.
Gyllenhaal has performed on Broadway in Sea Wall/A Life in 2019, Sunday in the Park With George in 2017, and Constellations in...
- 3/6/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal are slated to star in Othello on Broadway in spring 2025.
The production, which will see Washington in the title role and Gyllenhaal as Iago, will be directed by Kenny Leon, who directed this season’s Purlie Victorious and previously directed Washington in A Raisin in the Sun and Fences, opposite Viola Davis.
In addition to those stage credits and a lengthy film career, Washington has previously starred on Broadway in Julius Cesar, Checkmates and most recently, the 2018 revival of Iceman Cometh, in a large cast which also included Austin Butler. His upcoming film credits include Gladiator 2.
Gyllenhaal has starred in three Broadway shows, including Sunday in the Park with George and most recently in the 2019 production of A Life, a one-person monologue, which was paired with Tom Sturridge in Sea Wall. His next movie, the action thriller Road House, is due to premiere at...
The production, which will see Washington in the title role and Gyllenhaal as Iago, will be directed by Kenny Leon, who directed this season’s Purlie Victorious and previously directed Washington in A Raisin in the Sun and Fences, opposite Viola Davis.
In addition to those stage credits and a lengthy film career, Washington has previously starred on Broadway in Julius Cesar, Checkmates and most recently, the 2018 revival of Iceman Cometh, in a large cast which also included Austin Butler. His upcoming film credits include Gladiator 2.
Gyllenhaal has starred in three Broadway shows, including Sunday in the Park with George and most recently in the 2019 production of A Life, a one-person monologue, which was paired with Tom Sturridge in Sea Wall. His next movie, the action thriller Road House, is due to premiere at...
- 3/6/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Stars like Katie Holmes, Alan Cumming, and Rose Byrne are all joining Broadway’s best talent in supporting the Roundabout Theatre Company!
The three stars – who have all starred on Broadway themselves – stepped out for the 2024 Roundabout Theatre Company Gala on Monday night (March 4) at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.
The event honored director Kenny Leon with the Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre and The Rudin Family with the Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. These awards are given to those who have made an indelible impact on both theatre and Roundabout.
Oscar winner Ariana DeBose gave a special concert performance at the gala.
Head inside to see all of the attendees at the gala…
Keep scrolling to see all of the celebs who attended…
Katie Holmes
Jim Parsons and husband Todd Spiewak
Kelsey Grammer
Matt Dillon
Rose Byrne
Vanessa Williams
Anna Chlumsky
Richard Kind
Alan...
The three stars – who have all starred on Broadway themselves – stepped out for the 2024 Roundabout Theatre Company Gala on Monday night (March 4) at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.
The event honored director Kenny Leon with the Jason Robards Award for Excellence in Theatre and The Rudin Family with the Ovation Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. These awards are given to those who have made an indelible impact on both theatre and Roundabout.
Oscar winner Ariana DeBose gave a special concert performance at the gala.
Head inside to see all of the attendees at the gala…
Keep scrolling to see all of the celebs who attended…
Katie Holmes
Jim Parsons and husband Todd Spiewak
Kelsey Grammer
Matt Dillon
Rose Byrne
Vanessa Williams
Anna Chlumsky
Richard Kind
Alan...
- 3/5/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
The Roundabout Theatre Company tonight renamed its Broadway venue – a 104-year-old building that began as the Selwyn and most recently went by the prosaic American Airlines Theatre – to honor its late artistic director Todd Haimes.
The 42nd Street venue officially became the Todd Haimes Theatre in a dedication ceremony tonight. The name change was announced last June, and becomes official just in time to welcome its first tenant: The revival of John Patrick Shanley’s Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt: A Parable, directed by Scott Ellis and starring Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber, begins previews this Friday ahead of a February 29 opening night.
The venue’s name change was made to honor, in the words of the company, the “extraordinary dedication to the institution [Haimes] called home, and his enormous contributions to Roundabout and the entire theatre community.”
Haimes, the Roundabout’s artistic director and chief executive for nearly 40 years,...
The 42nd Street venue officially became the Todd Haimes Theatre in a dedication ceremony tonight. The name change was announced last June, and becomes official just in time to welcome its first tenant: The revival of John Patrick Shanley’s Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt: A Parable, directed by Scott Ellis and starring Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber, begins previews this Friday ahead of a February 29 opening night.
The venue’s name change was made to honor, in the words of the company, the “extraordinary dedication to the institution [Haimes] called home, and his enormous contributions to Roundabout and the entire theatre community.”
Haimes, the Roundabout’s artistic director and chief executive for nearly 40 years,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: With interest in the great 20th Century American writer Thornton Wilder about to get one of its periodic surges – a major Broadway revival of Our Town is coming this year, and Hello, Dolly!, the musical based on Wilder’s 1954 play The Matchmaker, will open on London’s West End this summer in a revival starring The Crown‘s Imelda Staunton – the estate guarding the author’s works has named its first non-family Literary Executor in 28 years to oversee all of its intellectual properties.
Jeremy McCarter, the former New York Magazine drama critic and co-author with Lin-Manuel Miranda of the bestselling behind-the-scenes non-fiction book Hamilton: The Revolution, has been named Literary Executor of the Wilder Family LLC. He assumes the role this month from Thornton Wilder’s nephew Tappan Wilder, who has held the post since 1995.
Tappan Wilder announced McCarter’s appointment to Deadline today. McCarter will serve as a...
Jeremy McCarter, the former New York Magazine drama critic and co-author with Lin-Manuel Miranda of the bestselling behind-the-scenes non-fiction book Hamilton: The Revolution, has been named Literary Executor of the Wilder Family LLC. He assumes the role this month from Thornton Wilder’s nephew Tappan Wilder, who has held the post since 1995.
Tappan Wilder announced McCarter’s appointment to Deadline today. McCarter will serve as a...
- 1/8/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Perhaps no single theatrical image sums up Broadway’s 2023 more effectively than Jessica Chastain’s Nora leaving her dreary, unfulfilled doll house life to exit directly into the unlimited possibilities of an honest-to-god New York City street.
Unless maybe it’s that huge tree that sprouts up smack dab in the middle of an abandoned Southern plantation home after the Appropriate cast has left the stage, a gut-punch reminder that the sins of a nation’s past don’t just wither away because we don’t want to see them.
Or maybe it was Leslie Odom Jr. delivering that eulogy-coda in Purlie Victorious, blessing his “Africanic brothers” — and the audience — with the words “Now may the Constitution of the United States go with you; the Declaration of Independence stand by you; the Bill of Rights protect you; and the State Commission Against Discrimination keep the eyes of the law upon you,...
Unless maybe it’s that huge tree that sprouts up smack dab in the middle of an abandoned Southern plantation home after the Appropriate cast has left the stage, a gut-punch reminder that the sins of a nation’s past don’t just wither away because we don’t want to see them.
Or maybe it was Leslie Odom Jr. delivering that eulogy-coda in Purlie Victorious, blessing his “Africanic brothers” — and the audience — with the words “Now may the Constitution of the United States go with you; the Declaration of Independence stand by you; the Bill of Rights protect you; and the State Commission Against Discrimination keep the eyes of the law upon you,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
A new production of Samm-Art Williams’ 1979 play Home, to be directed by Kenny Leon, will begin performances May 17, 2014, at the Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre / Todd Haimes Theatre, with an opening night set for June 5.
The limited engagement – casting yet to be announced – runs through July 28.
Tony-nominated for its original 1980 Broadway run starring Charles Brown and directed by Douglas Turner Ward, Home was initially staged the year prior by the Negro Ensemble Company and was featured in 2021 as part of the initial year of Roundabout’s Refocus Project.
As described by Roundabout, Home “is a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that gives voice to the unbreakable spirit of all Americans who have been searching for a place to belong.” The main character, Chephus Miles, “has the whole world in his callused hands – until his sweetheart Pattie Mae goes off to college and marries another man.”
The creative team...
The limited engagement – casting yet to be announced – runs through July 28.
Tony-nominated for its original 1980 Broadway run starring Charles Brown and directed by Douglas Turner Ward, Home was initially staged the year prior by the Negro Ensemble Company and was featured in 2021 as part of the initial year of Roundabout’s Refocus Project.
As described by Roundabout, Home “is a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that gives voice to the unbreakable spirit of all Americans who have been searching for a place to belong.” The main character, Chephus Miles, “has the whole world in his callused hands – until his sweetheart Pattie Mae goes off to college and marries another man.”
The creative team...
- 12/6/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly and Oscar nominee David Strathairn are in final negotiations to join Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) and Boyd Holbrook (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) in Last Meals.
Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy) and Joshua Boone (A Jazzman’s Blues) are also joining the drama which begins filming in Atlanta on November 28 with a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.
Tony-winner Kenny Leon (Fences) is newly aboard to direct.
Jackson will play Walter, a disgraced former White House chef who finds himself 30 years later cooking last meals for death row inmates, forming an unlikely bond with Reed, a prisoner on a hunger strike whose innocence Walter begins to believe in. With the help of Hannah (Reilly), the trio take on a politically motivated prison head (Strathairn), while bringing dignity and hope to their fellow inmates (Rossi among others). Boone will play young Walter.
Theo Rossi (Sons of Anarchy) and Joshua Boone (A Jazzman’s Blues) are also joining the drama which begins filming in Atlanta on November 28 with a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.
Tony-winner Kenny Leon (Fences) is newly aboard to direct.
Jackson will play Walter, a disgraced former White House chef who finds himself 30 years later cooking last meals for death row inmates, forming an unlikely bond with Reed, a prisoner on a hunger strike whose innocence Walter begins to believe in. With the help of Hannah (Reilly), the trio take on a politically motivated prison head (Strathairn), while bringing dignity and hope to their fellow inmates (Rossi among others). Boone will play young Walter.
- 11/2/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Tony winner Kenny Leon will direct a new Broadway production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the fall of 2024, the first revival of the classic play since the 2002 production that starred Paul Newman as the stage manager.
The production dates, cast, and venue will be announced at a later date.
Leon’s many Broadway directing credits include Ohio State Murders, Topdog/Underdog, A Soldier’s Play, American Son and the current Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch starring Leslie Odom Jr. at The Music Box Theatre. He won the 2014 Tony for Best Direction for A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo, Latanya Richardson Jackson and Anika Noni Rose.
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” said Leon in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust...
The production dates, cast, and venue will be announced at a later date.
Leon’s many Broadway directing credits include Ohio State Murders, Topdog/Underdog, A Soldier’s Play, American Son and the current Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch starring Leslie Odom Jr. at The Music Box Theatre. He won the 2014 Tony for Best Direction for A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington, Sophie Okonedo, Latanya Richardson Jackson and Anika Noni Rose.
“Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in my mind stands at the top of the Mount Rushmore of great American Theatre,” said Leon in a statement. “I feel blessed and fortunate to have gained the trust...
- 10/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced the full lineup for their 2023 festival, which will run in person from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29. The festival will feature the world premiere of Rob Reiner’s “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” and the world premiere of Matthew Brown’s “Freud’s Last Session,” starring Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode.
Other titles include Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers,” Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders,” Mahalia Belo’s “The End We Start From,” Christos Nikou’s “Fingernails,” Michel Franco’s “Memory,” Jessica Yu’s “Quiz Lady” and J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow.”
AFI previously announced that Sam Esmail’s “Leave the World Behind,” starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke, will open the festival on Oct. 25. The Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, will close the festival. “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” is the Centerpiece film.
Other titles include Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers,” Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders,” Mahalia Belo’s “The End We Start From,” Christos Nikou’s “Fingernails,” Michel Franco’s “Memory,” Jessica Yu’s “Quiz Lady” and J.A. Bayona’s “Society of the Snow.”
AFI previously announced that Sam Esmail’s “Leave the World Behind,” starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke, will open the festival on Oct. 25. The Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, will close the festival. “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” is the Centerpiece film.
- 9/29/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay, McKinley Franklin, Jaden Thompson and Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Some Like It Hot, the Tony-winning musical based on the 1959 MGM and United Artists film of the same name, is closing on Broadway in December.
Producers announced the show’s plan to close in 13 weeks on Friday. The musical, which made history for nonbinary star J. Harrison Ghee’s best lead actor in a musical Tony win, will play through Dec. 30 at the Shubert Theatre.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to bring one of the greatest comedy films of all time to the stage with a completely fresh approach,” said producers Robert Wankel and Neil Meron. “We want to thank the creative team, cast and company of Some Like It Hot who have created an entertaining and moving show that has delighted audiences for the past year, bringing joyous laughter to the Shubert Theatre. We are thrilled to see this production’s journey continue beyond Broadway with the national...
Producers announced the show’s plan to close in 13 weeks on Friday. The musical, which made history for nonbinary star J. Harrison Ghee’s best lead actor in a musical Tony win, will play through Dec. 30 at the Shubert Theatre.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to bring one of the greatest comedy films of all time to the stage with a completely fresh approach,” said producers Robert Wankel and Neil Meron. “We want to thank the creative team, cast and company of Some Like It Hot who have created an entertaining and moving show that has delighted audiences for the past year, bringing joyous laughter to the Shubert Theatre. We are thrilled to see this production’s journey continue beyond Broadway with the national...
- 9/29/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Some Like It Hot, the well-reviewed musical stage adaptation of the classic 1959 film comedy and winner of four 2023 Tony Awards, will play its final performance at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre on Saturday, December 30, producers have announced.
One of the more highly lauded productions of the 2022-23 season, the musical never quite caught on with audiences, at least not enough to place the show in the fully-fledged hit category. Box office figures for the week ending Sept. 24 indicate that only 61% of seats were filled at the Shubert, with a gross that week of $681,485. The figures suggest a fairly steady decline in audience interest from the show’s most recent high point of $1,143,488, which came in June following the musical’s decent showing at the Tony Awards, where J. Harrison Ghee took the coveted trophy for best lead actor in a musical.
The show also won Tonys for orchestrations, choreography and costume design.
One of the more highly lauded productions of the 2022-23 season, the musical never quite caught on with audiences, at least not enough to place the show in the fully-fledged hit category. Box office figures for the week ending Sept. 24 indicate that only 61% of seats were filled at the Shubert, with a gross that week of $681,485. The figures suggest a fairly steady decline in audience interest from the show’s most recent high point of $1,143,488, which came in June following the musical’s decent showing at the Tony Awards, where J. Harrison Ghee took the coveted trophy for best lead actor in a musical.
The show also won Tonys for orchestrations, choreography and costume design.
- 9/29/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Long before Slave Play, decades before Ain’t No Mo, there was Purlie Victorious, the Ossie Davis comedy masterwork that, like those descendant plays, fused broad comedy, satirical minstrelsy, racial satire and still-relevant social commentary to create a play that is so encompassing in its views of history and legacy, so generous in its humanity and pinpoint sharp in its take on debts long owed and now demanded that Kenny Leon’s revival, opening tonight on Broadway, feels as current and bracing as a folding chair.
More about that folding chair later.
Starring a magnificent Leslie Odom, Jr., in the title role, and featuring equally fine performances by an enchanting Kara Young, Billy Eugene Jones, Vanessa Bell Calloway and more, Purlie Victorious – full title (and one of the few signifiers of its 1961-era creation): Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch – has been given an urgent – and,...
More about that folding chair later.
Starring a magnificent Leslie Odom, Jr., in the title role, and featuring equally fine performances by an enchanting Kara Young, Billy Eugene Jones, Vanessa Bell Calloway and more, Purlie Victorious – full title (and one of the few signifiers of its 1961-era creation): Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch – has been given an urgent – and,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“Segregation is a ridiculous institution and it makes decent people do ridiculous things,” playwright, actor-director, and activist Ossie Davis told the New York Times on September 24, 1961, four days before his play Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch opened on Broadway, co-starring himself and his wife, Ruby Dee. “Maybe if they can be made to laugh at it they can see how absurd it is.”
Especially on a Great White Way where actors played predominantly to white audiences that had seen few comedies by Black playwrights, let alone satires on segregation, Purlie Victorious must have been a jolting event. Though the play, which ran for nearly eight months on Broadway, begat a film adaptation in 1963 (Gone Are the Days!) and the successful musical Purlie in 1970, Davis’s comedy about an aggrieved “self-made minister” righteously “disembezzling” a racist plantation owner has largely faded from popular memory.
Opening one day...
Especially on a Great White Way where actors played predominantly to white audiences that had seen few comedies by Black playwrights, let alone satires on segregation, Purlie Victorious must have been a jolting event. Though the play, which ran for nearly eight months on Broadway, begat a film adaptation in 1963 (Gone Are the Days!) and the successful musical Purlie in 1970, Davis’s comedy about an aggrieved “self-made minister” righteously “disembezzling” a racist plantation owner has largely faded from popular memory.
Opening one day...
- 9/28/2023
- by Dan Rubins
- Slant Magazine
Emmy and Tony Award nominee Corey Hawkins has signed with CAA for representation.
Hawkins is best known for his recent performances in “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” “In the Heights,” “Topdog/Underdog” on Broadway, as well as his breakout role, portraying Dr. Dre in F. Gary Gray’s “Straight Outta Compton.”
He will next star as Harpo in “The Color Purple,” Warner Bros.’ upcoming musical adaptation of the famed Alice Walker novel. Directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey, the film is slated for theatrical release on Dec. 25.
Hawkins also stars in Netflix’s upcoming feature adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” a revival of the award-winning Broadway play. The film’s all-star cast boasts Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Potts.
This summer, Hawkins took on the lead role in “Last Voyage of the Demeter,...
Hawkins is best known for his recent performances in “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” “In the Heights,” “Topdog/Underdog” on Broadway, as well as his breakout role, portraying Dr. Dre in F. Gary Gray’s “Straight Outta Compton.”
He will next star as Harpo in “The Color Purple,” Warner Bros.’ upcoming musical adaptation of the famed Alice Walker novel. Directed by Blitz Bazawule and produced by Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey, the film is slated for theatrical release on Dec. 25.
Hawkins also stars in Netflix’s upcoming feature adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” a revival of the award-winning Broadway play. The film’s all-star cast boasts Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher, Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Potts.
This summer, Hawkins took on the lead role in “Last Voyage of the Demeter,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
A trio of new shows joined Broadway last week to mostly decent box office figures as the fall season begins to take shape.
Most impressive was Gutenberg! The Musical! starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells under the direction of Alex Timbers. For the first three previews of its run, the musical filled 96% of seats at the James Earl Jones Theatre. The performances grossed $376,300, with an average ticket price at a solid $122.65. Opening night is Oct. 12.
The subscription-based Manhattan Theatre Club unveiled its production of Jocelyn Bioh’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, directed by Whitney White. The play took in $165,345 for six previews, with the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre at 97% of capacity. Average ticket was $44.51. Opening night is Oct. 3.
Melissa Etheridge began her autobiographical songs-and-stories show Melissa Etheridge: My Window with four previews at Circle in the Square, with attendance at 80% of capacity and a gross of $184,162. Average ticket was $79.38. Opening night is Sept.
Most impressive was Gutenberg! The Musical! starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells under the direction of Alex Timbers. For the first three previews of its run, the musical filled 96% of seats at the James Earl Jones Theatre. The performances grossed $376,300, with an average ticket price at a solid $122.65. Opening night is Oct. 12.
The subscription-based Manhattan Theatre Club unveiled its production of Jocelyn Bioh’s Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, directed by Whitney White. The play took in $165,345 for six previews, with the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre at 97% of capacity. Average ticket was $44.51. Opening night is Oct. 3.
Melissa Etheridge began her autobiographical songs-and-stories show Melissa Etheridge: My Window with four previews at Circle in the Square, with attendance at 80% of capacity and a gross of $184,162. Average ticket was $79.38. Opening night is Sept.
- 9/19/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The cast of Hamlet posed for a group picture on their opening night for one of New York’s most beloved traditions, Free Shakespeare In the Park, at the Delacorte Theatre.
Kenny Leon’s production of Hamlet gives a modern take on the classic Shakespeare play of family and betrayal and stars Ato Blankson-Wood, as the titular character.
When he was asked about the “contemporary post-2020 Hamlet,” Blankson-Wood told TimeOut that part of what’s incorporated in the play is the “racial reckoning that happened during the pandemic.”
“Something else we’re wrestling with is the ways we are implicated in systems and the ways we’re lending energy to things that are destructive,” he continued. “The pandemic allowed us the time to really look in the mirror and not hide from ourselves. So I think there’s something really bare and naked about our production.”
This isn’t the...
Kenny Leon’s production of Hamlet gives a modern take on the classic Shakespeare play of family and betrayal and stars Ato Blankson-Wood, as the titular character.
When he was asked about the “contemporary post-2020 Hamlet,” Blankson-Wood told TimeOut that part of what’s incorporated in the play is the “racial reckoning that happened during the pandemic.”
“Something else we’re wrestling with is the ways we are implicated in systems and the ways we’re lending energy to things that are destructive,” he continued. “The pandemic allowed us the time to really look in the mirror and not hide from ourselves. So I think there’s something really bare and naked about our production.”
This isn’t the...
- 7/20/2023
- by Rose Anne Cox-Peralta
- Uinterview
Broadway Revival Of ‘Purlie Victorious’ Starring Leslie Odom, Jr. Sets Preview Date, Additional Cast
The previously announced Broadway revival of the Ossie Davis comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch starring Leslie Odom, Jr. will begin previews on Thursday, September 7, at The Music Box Theatre, with an opening date to be announced.
The preview date was announced today, along with complete casting details. In addition to Odom, the revival will star Vanessa Bell Calloway, Billy Eugene Jones, Noah Pyzik, Noah Robbins, Jay O. Sanders, Heather Alicia Simms, Bill Timoney, and Kara Young. Kenny Leon directs.
The play marks Odom’s return to Broadway after winning the Tony for his performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.mThe creative team will feature scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Adam Honoré and sound design by Peter Fitzgerald.
Purlie Victorious tells the story of a Black preacher’s machinations to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church.
The preview date was announced today, along with complete casting details. In addition to Odom, the revival will star Vanessa Bell Calloway, Billy Eugene Jones, Noah Pyzik, Noah Robbins, Jay O. Sanders, Heather Alicia Simms, Bill Timoney, and Kara Young. Kenny Leon directs.
The play marks Odom’s return to Broadway after winning the Tony for his performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.mThe creative team will feature scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Adam Honoré and sound design by Peter Fitzgerald.
Purlie Victorious tells the story of a Black preacher’s machinations to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church.
- 6/15/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
New location? No script? No rehearsal? No sweat.
Welcome to the 2023 Tony Awards, a show with an extra jolt of electricity this time due to the Hollywood writers’ strike.
Unpredictability has been inserted into what is usually an upbeat, safe and chummy night. The strike has left Broadway’s biggest night without a script, in a new venue far from the theatre district.
A 1 1/2-hour pre-show on Pluto TV from 6:30-8 p.m. Eastern, hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin, will then throw to the three-hour main event led by Ariana DeBose on CBS and Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
A total of 26 Tony Awards will be handed out Sunday for a season that had 40 new productions — 15 musicals, 24 plays and one special engagement during the first post-pandemic full season.
Read More: Striking Hollywood Writers Vow Not To Picket Tony Awards, Opening The Door To Some Kind Of...
Welcome to the 2023 Tony Awards, a show with an extra jolt of electricity this time due to the Hollywood writers’ strike.
Unpredictability has been inserted into what is usually an upbeat, safe and chummy night. The strike has left Broadway’s biggest night without a script, in a new venue far from the theatre district.
A 1 1/2-hour pre-show on Pluto TV from 6:30-8 p.m. Eastern, hosted by Julianne Hough and Skylar Astin, will then throw to the three-hour main event led by Ariana DeBose on CBS and Paramount+ starting at 8 p.m. Eastern.
A total of 26 Tony Awards will be handed out Sunday for a season that had 40 new productions — 15 musicals, 24 plays and one special engagement during the first post-pandemic full season.
Read More: Striking Hollywood Writers Vow Not To Picket Tony Awards, Opening The Door To Some Kind Of...
- 6/11/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page.
In “A Soldier’s Play,” Captain Richard Davenport isn’t meant to sing. But when you cast legendary baritone Norm Lewis in the role, you take advantage of his talents. Lewis can be seen in the national touring production, currently playing at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre — and it’s thanks to director Kenny Leon that audiences get to hear Davenport sing at certain points it the show.
Written by Charles Fuller, “A Soldier’s Play” is set on an Army base in 1944, when the military is still segregated. Captain Davenport, a rare Black officer, is sent to investigate the shooting of Sergeant Vernon Waters. Though Black himself, Waters despises and persecutes Black men who he feels perpetuate old-fashioned stereotypes.
In “A Soldier’s Play,” Captain Richard Davenport isn’t meant to sing. But when you cast legendary baritone Norm Lewis in the role, you take advantage of his talents. Lewis can be seen in the national touring production, currently playing at L.A.’s Ahmanson Theatre — and it’s thanks to director Kenny Leon that audiences get to hear Davenport sing at certain points it the show.
Written by Charles Fuller, “A Soldier’s Play” is set on an Army base in 1944, when the military is still segregated. Captain Davenport, a rare Black officer, is sent to investigate the shooting of Sergeant Vernon Waters. Though Black himself, Waters despises and persecutes Black men who he feels perpetuate old-fashioned stereotypes.
- 6/9/2023
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Suzan-Lori Parks’ acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog debuted Off Broadway in 2001, so it’s a safe bet that a significant portion of the audience at last fall’s limited engagement Broadway revival knew how things would end for the brothers Booth and Lincoln. Those character names alone leave little room for uncertainty.
And yet the gunshot that brings the dark comedy to a close drew gasps. The power to surprise after all these years was made clear, night after night, by the two-man cast of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins under the direction of Kenny Leon. The actors are Tony-nominated, as is the revival itself.
Abdul-Mateen II, the actor who won a 2020 Emmy Award for his performance as Cal Abar/Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen, first played Booth 16 years ago in an acting class. In the years since, he became a major star of TV and film,...
And yet the gunshot that brings the dark comedy to a close drew gasps. The power to surprise after all these years was made clear, night after night, by the two-man cast of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Corey Hawkins under the direction of Kenny Leon. The actors are Tony-nominated, as is the revival itself.
Abdul-Mateen II, the actor who won a 2020 Emmy Award for his performance as Cal Abar/Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen, first played Booth 16 years ago in an acting class. In the years since, he became a major star of TV and film,...
- 6/6/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
“It grabbed my heart and just shook it,” reveals Audra McDonald of Adrienne Kennedy’s searing play “Ohio State Murders.” The six-time Tony Award winner initially participated in a reading of the script over Zoom, one of many plays producer Jeffrey Richards organized during the pandemic to keep folks engaged while theater was shuttered. “When we finished, I couldn’t breathe. I was so stunned, and my soul was so shaken by what I had just read that I couldn’t let it go,” admits McDonald. The actress immediately agreed to star in the searing drama, eventually earning her 10th career Tony nomination. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Even though it just recently debuted on Broadway, “Ohio State Murders” was first performed over 30 years ago. Its central figure, Suzanne, never leaves the stage and endures a horrific, unceasing wave of racism, misogyny, and violence. “I know that if I...
Even though it just recently debuted on Broadway, “Ohio State Murders” was first performed over 30 years ago. Its central figure, Suzanne, never leaves the stage and endures a horrific, unceasing wave of racism, misogyny, and violence. “I know that if I...
- 6/5/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The 104-year-old theater formerly known as the Selwyn – and soon to be formerly known as the American Airlines – will be renamed to honor the late Todd Haimes, the artistic director and guiding force behind the Roundabout Theatre Company who died in April.
The naming of the Todd Haimes Theatre was announced last night as members of the Broadway community honored Haimes by dimming the marquees of all 41 Broadway theaters. The new name is designed to recognize Haimes’ “extraordinary dedication to the institution he called home, and his enormous contributions to Roundabout and the entire theatre community.”
“Last year, when the thought of naming the theater after Todd arose, our instinct was to honor a visionary producer who had led Roundabout from a basement under a supermarket in Chelsea to an indelible force in the American theatre,” said Roundabout Vice Chair Lawrence Kaplen in a statement. “I am proud to be...
The naming of the Todd Haimes Theatre was announced last night as members of the Broadway community honored Haimes by dimming the marquees of all 41 Broadway theaters. The new name is designed to recognize Haimes’ “extraordinary dedication to the institution he called home, and his enormous contributions to Roundabout and the entire theatre community.”
“Last year, when the thought of naming the theater after Todd arose, our instinct was to honor a visionary producer who had led Roundabout from a basement under a supermarket in Chelsea to an indelible force in the American theatre,” said Roundabout Vice Chair Lawrence Kaplen in a statement. “I am proud to be...
- 6/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber will return to Broadway this winter in a revival of John Patrick Stanley’s play Doubt: A Parable.
The play, directed by Scott Ellis, is scheduled to begin performances in February 2024 at the American Airlines Theatre. Exact dates and additional castmembers will be announced at a later date.
This is the first Broadway revival of Stanley’s 2004 play, which was adapted into the 2008 film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The story follows Sister Aloysius (Daly), a principal of an all-boys Catholic school in the Bronx, who suspects a relationship between Father Flynn (Schreiber) and a student. Aloysius must then figure out how to verify whether something has occurred, whether to confront either party about it and how she can reconcile that with her religious beliefs.
Daly, a multiple Emmy Award winner for her role in the television show Cagney & Lacey, won a...
The play, directed by Scott Ellis, is scheduled to begin performances in February 2024 at the American Airlines Theatre. Exact dates and additional castmembers will be announced at a later date.
This is the first Broadway revival of Stanley’s 2004 play, which was adapted into the 2008 film starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The story follows Sister Aloysius (Daly), a principal of an all-boys Catholic school in the Bronx, who suspects a relationship between Father Flynn (Schreiber) and a student. Aloysius must then figure out how to verify whether something has occurred, whether to confront either party about it and how she can reconcile that with her religious beliefs.
Daly, a multiple Emmy Award winner for her role in the television show Cagney & Lacey, won a...
- 6/1/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber will star in a new Broadway production next February of John Patrick Shanley’s Tony Award & Pulitzer Prize-winning play Doubt: A Parable, with direction by Scott Ellis.
The Roundabout Theatre Company production will begin performances in February 2024 at the American Airlines Theatre. Exact dates, remaining cast members, and design team will be announced at a later date.
Doubt: A Parable returns to Broadway for the first time in nearly two decades. Daly will play Sister Aloysius, in the words of the synopsis the “prickly principal of an all-boys Catholic school in a working- class part of the Bronx” who “is feared by students and colleagues alike.”
“But when she suspects nefarious relations between the charismatic priest Father Flynn (Schreiber) and a student, she’s forced to wrestle with what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how much she’ll risk to expose the difference—all...
The Roundabout Theatre Company production will begin performances in February 2024 at the American Airlines Theatre. Exact dates, remaining cast members, and design team will be announced at a later date.
Doubt: A Parable returns to Broadway for the first time in nearly two decades. Daly will play Sister Aloysius, in the words of the synopsis the “prickly principal of an all-boys Catholic school in a working- class part of the Bronx” who “is feared by students and colleagues alike.”
“But when she suspects nefarious relations between the charismatic priest Father Flynn (Schreiber) and a student, she’s forced to wrestle with what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how much she’ll risk to expose the difference—all...
- 6/1/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
2023 Drama League Awards winners: Annaleigh Ashford (‘Sweeney Todd’) takes Distinguished Performance
Winners of the 2023 Drama League Awards were announced on Friday, May 19, 2023, at an in-person ceremony, hosted by Emmy-winning reporter Frank Dilella at The Ziegfeld Ballroom. The Drama League Awards honor both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions from the 2022-2023 theater season.
“Leopoldstadt” asserted itself as the dominant play of the season, picking up the Best Play prize. Tom Stoppard’s drama has been perched atop Gold Derby’s Tony Awards odds since we launched the prediction center. With Tony favorite “Kimberly Akimbo” out of the running for Best Musical (the Drama League already considered that tuner for its Off-Broadway run), “Some Like it Hot” cruised to a win in that category. It prevailed over four of its fellow Tony nominees: “& Juliet,” “New York, New York,” and “Shucked.”
The Drama League bolstered the Tony prospects of “A Doll’s House” by bestowing it with the Best Revival of a Play prize. But the...
“Leopoldstadt” asserted itself as the dominant play of the season, picking up the Best Play prize. Tom Stoppard’s drama has been perched atop Gold Derby’s Tony Awards odds since we launched the prediction center. With Tony favorite “Kimberly Akimbo” out of the running for Best Musical (the Drama League already considered that tuner for its Off-Broadway run), “Some Like it Hot” cruised to a win in that category. It prevailed over four of its fellow Tony nominees: “& Juliet,” “New York, New York,” and “Shucked.”
The Drama League bolstered the Tony prospects of “A Doll’s House” by bestowing it with the Best Revival of a Play prize. But the...
- 5/20/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
The 2023 Tony Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, May 2. Out of all the nominees spread across the 26 categories, a number of them stand out as particularly noteworthy. Read my 31 fascinating facts, stats and trivia for this year’s contenders below.
See 2023 Tony Awards nominations: Full List
1. The following shows only received one Tony nomination: “Almost Famous,” “Ohio State Murders,” and “Summer, 1976.”
2. The following Broadway productions from this past season were completely snubbed: “1776,” “Bad Cinderella,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Bob Fosse’s Dancin’,” “The Collaboration,” “The Kite Runner,” “Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool,” “Peter Pan Goes Wrong,” “Pictures From Home,” “The Thanksgiving Play,” and “Walking with Ghosts.”
3. Two of this year’s nominees for Best Revival of a Musical (“Into the Woods” and “Parade”) are transfers from successful runs at New York City Center.
4. Some noteworthy names who happen to be nominated for producing at least one Broadway...
See 2023 Tony Awards nominations: Full List
1. The following shows only received one Tony nomination: “Almost Famous,” “Ohio State Murders,” and “Summer, 1976.”
2. The following Broadway productions from this past season were completely snubbed: “1776,” “Bad Cinderella,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Bob Fosse’s Dancin’,” “The Collaboration,” “The Kite Runner,” “Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool,” “Peter Pan Goes Wrong,” “Pictures From Home,” “The Thanksgiving Play,” and “Walking with Ghosts.”
3. Two of this year’s nominees for Best Revival of a Musical (“Into the Woods” and “Parade”) are transfers from successful runs at New York City Center.
4. Some noteworthy names who happen to be nominated for producing at least one Broadway...
- 5/2/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Refresh for updates: Tony Award nominees were celebrating today, with the stars, producers and creative teams of Parade, Kimberly Akimbo, Shucked and The Piano Lesson among those reacting to their nominations.
Audra McDonald, who scored her 10th Tony nomination for performance in Ohio State Murders (Leading Actress/Play), said, “I am honored to have been nominated for Ohio State Murders. Having the opportunity to work with Kenny Leon, and to be a part of Adrienne Kennedy’s long-overdue Broadway debut of her extraordinary, relevant, and powerful work, was one of the most important artistic experiences of my life.”
“I am beyond excited to be nominated this year, and I’m deeply honored to be recognized for this role especially,” said Ben Platt, nominated in the Best Leading Actor/Musical category for his performance in Parade. “As a lifelong lover of musical theatre, this show has always had a special place in my heart.
Audra McDonald, who scored her 10th Tony nomination for performance in Ohio State Murders (Leading Actress/Play), said, “I am honored to have been nominated for Ohio State Murders. Having the opportunity to work with Kenny Leon, and to be a part of Adrienne Kennedy’s long-overdue Broadway debut of her extraordinary, relevant, and powerful work, was one of the most important artistic experiences of my life.”
“I am beyond excited to be nominated this year, and I’m deeply honored to be recognized for this role especially,” said Ben Platt, nominated in the Best Leading Actor/Musical category for his performance in Parade. “As a lifelong lover of musical theatre, this show has always had a special place in my heart.
- 5/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Some of the biggest names of Broadway (and Hollywood) won’t be receiving those phone calls of congratulations today as this morning’s Tony Awards nominations included more than a few surprising — or, in some cases, not surprising — omissions.
Aaron Sorkin, whose rewritten book for the classic musical Camelot was not beloved by critics, didn’t get any Tony approval today. His revisions were extensive enough to make him eligible in the Best Book of a Musical category, but he is not among the nominees.
As for lead actors and actresses, Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan, the bold-name stars of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, were overlooked, as was The Piano Lesson‘s John David Washington and Pictures From Home‘s Nathan Lane. Marcel Spears, the star of the acclaimed Fat Ham, was not nominated, nor was Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi). Jefferson Mays, so...
Aaron Sorkin, whose rewritten book for the classic musical Camelot was not beloved by critics, didn’t get any Tony approval today. His revisions were extensive enough to make him eligible in the Best Book of a Musical category, but he is not among the nominees.
As for lead actors and actresses, Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan, the bold-name stars of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, were overlooked, as was The Piano Lesson‘s John David Washington and Pictures From Home‘s Nathan Lane. Marcel Spears, the star of the acclaimed Fat Ham, was not nominated, nor was Olivier Award winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi). Jefferson Mays, so...
- 5/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Refresh For Udpates: The nominations for the 76th Annual Tony Awards will be announced on CBS Mornings today by Funny Girl star Lea Michele and Mj‘s Tony Award winner Myles Frost. The complete list of nominations will be posted here at 9:10 a.m. Et./6 a.m. Pt.
The nominations announced so far:
Best Musical
& Juliet
Producers: Max Martin & Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd, Eva Price, Lukasz Gottwald, 42nd.club, Independent Presenters Network, Jack Lane, Library Company, Shellback, Shivhans Pictures, Sing Out, Louise!, Kim Szarzynski, Taylor/Riegler, Tenenbaum/Keyes, Barry Weiss, John Gore Organization
Kimberly Akimbo
Producers: David Stone, Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, Lachanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Glick
New York, New York
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Crossroads Live, Playing Field, Stephanie P. McClelland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Colin Callender, Gilbert and DeeDee Garcia/Sue Vaccaro,...
The nominations announced so far:
Best Musical
& Juliet
Producers: Max Martin & Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd, Eva Price, Lukasz Gottwald, 42nd.club, Independent Presenters Network, Jack Lane, Library Company, Shellback, Shivhans Pictures, Sing Out, Louise!, Kim Szarzynski, Taylor/Riegler, Tenenbaum/Keyes, Barry Weiss, John Gore Organization
Kimberly Akimbo
Producers: David Stone, Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, Lachanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Glick
New York, New York
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Crossroads Live, Playing Field, Stephanie P. McClelland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Colin Callender, Gilbert and DeeDee Garcia/Sue Vaccaro,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Drama League today announced the nominations for the 2023 Drama League Awards. Honoring achievements on and Off-Broadway, the nominations were announced this morning by Roger Bart (“Back to the Future: The Musical”) and Justin Guarini (“Once Upon A One More Time”) at the New York Library for the Performing Arts. Winners will be revealed at the 89th Annual Drama League Awards ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom on Friday, May 19, 2023.
“I don’t think I’ve experienced a theater season in New York ever like this one,” noted Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks. “There’s been a range, a breadth, an expansion of possibility that has been truly astonishing to witness. Theater makers have inspired not only with their creativity, but also with their drive and determination to serve audiences with vision and talent. These nominees reflect the promise and greatness inherent in the work of theater folk, and I can’t help but be deeply proud.
“I don’t think I’ve experienced a theater season in New York ever like this one,” noted Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks. “There’s been a range, a breadth, an expansion of possibility that has been truly astonishing to witness. Theater makers have inspired not only with their creativity, but also with their drive and determination to serve audiences with vision and talent. These nominees reflect the promise and greatness inherent in the work of theater folk, and I can’t help but be deeply proud.
- 4/25/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Danny DeVito will return to the Broadway stage this October in a new play by Theresa Rebeck called I Need That.
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor will star alongside his daughter Lucy DeVito and Ray Anthony Thomas in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of what the company describes as “a deeply human new comedy.”
Preview and opening night dates for I Need That at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theatre will be announced later.
The synopsis: Sam (DeVito) doesn’t get out much. Actually, he doesn’t get out at all, opting instead for the safety of his house in the company of his things – his many, many things. But when a notice from the government arrives alerting Sam that he must clean up his property or face eviction, he’s forced to reckon with what’s trash, what’s treasure, and whether we can ever know the difference between the two.
The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor will star alongside his daughter Lucy DeVito and Ray Anthony Thomas in the Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of what the company describes as “a deeply human new comedy.”
Preview and opening night dates for I Need That at Roundabout’s American Airlines Theatre will be announced later.
The synopsis: Sam (DeVito) doesn’t get out much. Actually, he doesn’t get out at all, opting instead for the safety of his house in the company of his things – his many, many things. But when a notice from the government arrives alerting Sam that he must clean up his property or face eviction, he’s forced to reckon with what’s trash, what’s treasure, and whether we can ever know the difference between the two.
- 3/21/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Blair Underwood (American Crime Story), Victoria Pedretti (You), Isha Blaaker (The Flight Attendant) and Finn Wittrock (Ratched) are among the final major additions to Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay’s latest film Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, based on the bestseller of the same name by Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson.
Others rounding out the ensemble led by Oscar nom Aunjanue Ellis are Leonardo Nam (Westworld), Donna Mills (Nope) and Emily Yancy (Sharp Objects).
While the plot of Caste hasn’t yet been divulged, the work of nonfiction hailed by The New York Times as “an instant American classic” is said to examine the little-known system of hierarchy that has shaped America.
Caste will also star Vera Farmiga, Niecy Nash, Nick Offerman, Jon Bernthal, Audra McDonald and Connie Nielsen, as previously announced. DuVernay is directing from her own script, also producing alongside veteran collaborator Paul Garnes of Array Filmworks.
Others rounding out the ensemble led by Oscar nom Aunjanue Ellis are Leonardo Nam (Westworld), Donna Mills (Nope) and Emily Yancy (Sharp Objects).
While the plot of Caste hasn’t yet been divulged, the work of nonfiction hailed by The New York Times as “an instant American classic” is said to examine the little-known system of hierarchy that has shaped America.
Caste will also star Vera Farmiga, Niecy Nash, Nick Offerman, Jon Bernthal, Audra McDonald and Connie Nielsen, as previously announced. DuVernay is directing from her own script, also producing alongside veteran collaborator Paul Garnes of Array Filmworks.
- 2/21/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Leslie Odom Jr. is returning to Broadway this summer in a revival of Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch.
Kenny Leon, who directed Topdog/Underdog and Ohio State Murders this season, will helm the revival of the play by Ossie Davis. The play is scheduled to begin in late summer 2023, which will place it in the 2023-2024 season, but exact dates and the theater have not yet been announced.
This is the first time Odom has appeared on Broadway since winning a Tony Award for his role in the original cast of Hamilton. Since then, he has appeared in several films, including Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Harriet and One Night in Miami.
The play, which is a satirical look at life in the South, originally premiered on Broadway in 1961, with the playwright starring as Purlie Victorious Judson (the role Odom will play in the new production) and his wife,...
Kenny Leon, who directed Topdog/Underdog and Ohio State Murders this season, will helm the revival of the play by Ossie Davis. The play is scheduled to begin in late summer 2023, which will place it in the 2023-2024 season, but exact dates and the theater have not yet been announced.
This is the first time Odom has appeared on Broadway since winning a Tony Award for his role in the original cast of Hamilton. Since then, he has appeared in several films, including Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Harriet and One Night in Miami.
The play, which is a satirical look at life in the South, originally premiered on Broadway in 1961, with the playwright starring as Purlie Victorious Judson (the role Odom will play in the new production) and his wife,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tony & Grammy winner Leslie Odom, Jr. will star in a new Broadway production of the classic American comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by Ossie Davis. Purlie Victorious will be staged by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, with the production scheduled to begin in late summer 2023 for the 2023-2024 Broadway season.
The play will mark Odom’s return to Broadway after winning the Tony for his celebrated performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.
The creative team will feature scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Emilio Sosa and lighting design by Adam Honoré.
The producing team is led by Jeffrey Richards, Hunter Arnold, Irene Gandy, Jacob Soroken Porter, Kayla Greenspan and Leslie Odom, Jr., making his Broadway producing debut.
Theatre, dates, additional casting and creative team members will be announced at a later date.
The play will mark Odom’s return to Broadway after winning the Tony for his celebrated performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.
The creative team will feature scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Emilio Sosa and lighting design by Adam Honoré.
The producing team is led by Jeffrey Richards, Hunter Arnold, Irene Gandy, Jacob Soroken Porter, Kayla Greenspan and Leslie Odom, Jr., making his Broadway producing debut.
Theatre, dates, additional casting and creative team members will be announced at a later date.
- 2/1/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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