André De Shields (King Louie) and Akash Chopra (Mowgli) in Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman’s new musical adaption of The Jungle Book. Photo by Liz Larsen

It’s been quite a jazzy year for Two-time Tony Award nominee and Broadway legend André De Shields, who completed his run as King Louie and Akela in the world premiere of Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK, a co-production of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and Boston’s Huntington Theatre on October 20, 2013.

For his critically-acclaimed role as King Louie, André has been nominated for a Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievement in the category of Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical, and recently garnered a 2013 BTAA for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Musical or Revue) at The 19th Annual Black Theater Alliance Awards, which honor excellence in African American theater and dance productions in the Chicago area.

André De Shields, Lia Chang, Ronnie Malley and Neel Murgai backstage at the McCarter’s production of The White Snake in Princeton, NJ on November 1, 2013. Photo by Tessa Brinckman

On Monday, November 4, 2013, I’m off to Chicago with André, The Jungle Book‘s musicians Ronnie Malley and Neel Murgai to attend the 45th Annual Jeff Equity Awards ceremony, held at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, Il, where they’ll kick off the evening’s festivities with ”I Wanna to Be Like You” from The Jungle Book. The Jungle Book also received 3 other nominations including Outstanding Achievement in the category of Production-Musical-Large, Musical Direction (Doug Peck, also nominated for James Joyce’s ”The Dead” ), and costumes (Mara Blumenfeld, also nominated for Sunday in the Park with George).

Larry Yando (Shere Khan), Mary Zimmerman (Director/Playwright), André De Shields (Akela/King Louie) and Anjali Bhimani (Mother Wolf). Photo by Lia Chang

Congrats also to The Jungle Book‘s director Mary Zimmerman, who has been nominated for her direction of Metamorphoses, and Larry Yando, who played Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, has been nominated for Outstanding Achievement in the category of Actor in a Principal role – Play for A Christmas Carol.

The Jeff Awards honor excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area. During the 2012-13 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 143 Equity productions offered by 51 producing organizations. From these openings, 109 productions were “Jeff Recommended” and eligible for award nominations, resulting in 166 nominations in 36 categories.

The award evening is black tie optional and the public is invited to attend. Pre-show appetizers and cash bar will be offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the Awards Ceremony, directed by Michael Weber and produced by Equity Chair Merril Prager, and capped by a buffet reception immediately following. Musical numbers featuring cast members from other nominated musicals and video segments from nominated plays highlight the Jeff Awards ceremony.

BELOW IS THE FULL LIST OF 2013 EQUITY JEFF AWARD NOMINEES
Production – Play – Large
Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Jitney – Court Theatre
Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company
The Liar – Writers’ Theatre
The School for Lies – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Production Play – Midsize
33 Variations – TimeLine Theatre Company
Blood and Gifts – TimeLine Theatre Company
Collected Stories – American Blues Theater
columbinus – American Theater Company
Simpatico – A Red Orchid Theatre

Production-Musical-Large
James Joyce’s ”The Dead” – Court Theatre
Oliver – Drury Lane Productions
South Pacific – Marriott Theatre
Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company

Production-Musical-Midsize
A Class Act – Porchlight Music Theatre
Barnum – Mercury Theater Chicago
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill – Porchlight Music Theatre
Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre

Production – Revue
A Clown Car Named Desire – The Second City e.t.c.
A Grand Night for Singing – Mercury Theater Chicago
The Second City Guide to the Opera – The Second City in association with Lyric Opera of Chicago
Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie – Northlight Theatre

Director – Play
K. Todd Freeman – Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Mary Zimmerman – Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company
Nick Bowling – Blood and Gifts – TimeLine Theatre Company
PJ Paparelli – columbinus – American Theater Company
Ron OJ Parson – Jitney – Court Theatre
William Brown – The Liar – Writers’ Theatre

Director – Musical
Charles Newell – James Joyce’s ”The Dead” – Court Theatre
David H. Bell – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre
Gary Griffin – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Michael Halberstam – Sweet Charity – Writers’ Theatre
Michael Weber – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre
Rachel Rockwell – Oliver – Drury Lane Productions

Director – Revue
Billy Bungeroth – The Second City Guide to the Opera – The Second City in association with Lyric Opera of Chicago
Kevin Bellie – A Grand Night for Singing – Mercury Theater Chicago
Ryan Bernier – A Clown Car Named Desire – The Second City e.t.c.

Ensemble
columbinus – American Theater Company
Jitney – Court Theatre
Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company
Othello: The Remix – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Wrens – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble

Actor in a Principal Role – Play
Brad Armacost – Faith Healer – The Den Theatre
Dale Calandra – The Whale – Victory Gardens Theater
Guy Van Swearingen – Simpatico – A Red Orchid Theatre
Kamal Angelo Bolden – The Opponent – A Red Orchid Theatre
Kevin Theis – Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me – Oak Park Festival Theatre
Larry Yando – A Christmas Carol – Goodman Theatre
Michael Shannon – Simpatico – A Red Orchid Theatre
Rom Barkhordar – In a Garden – A Red Orchid Theatre

Actor in a Principal Role – Musical
Andrew Lupp – My One and Only – Marriott Theatre
Bill Larkin – A Class Act – Porchlight Music Theatre
Jason Danieley – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Richard Strimer – What a Glorious Feeling – Theatre at the Center
Stephen R. Buntrock – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre

Actress in a Principal Role – Play
Carmen Roman – Collected Stories – American Blues Theater
Chaon Cross – Proof – Court Theatre
Cheryl Lynn Bruce – Head of Passes – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Janet Ulrich Brooks – 33 Variations – TimeLine Theatre Company
Mariann Mayberry – Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Actress in a Principal Role – Musical
Carmen Cusack – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Christine Sherrill – Sunset Boulevard – Drury Lane Productions
Elizabeth Lanza – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre
Heidi Kettenring – Oliver – Drury Lane Productions
Raena White – Dreamgirls – Marriott Theatre
Susie McMonagle – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre

Actor in a Supporting Role – Play
Erik Hellman – Proof – Court Theatre
Gary Perez – The Motherf**ker with the Hat – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Jack Hickey – Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me – Oak Park Festival Theatre
JJ Phillips – Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo – Lookingglass Theatre Company
Raymond Fox – Blood and Gifts – TimeLine Theatre Company

Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical
Andre De Shields – The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company
Matthew Crowle – Singin’ in the Rain – Drury Lane Productions
Rob Lindley – James Joyce’s ”The Dead” – Court Theatre
Stef Tovar – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre
Ted Louis Levy – My One and Only – Marriott Theatre

Actress in a Supporting Role – Play
Ann Whitney – Freshly Fallen Snow – Chicago Dramatists
Elizabeth Ledo – Tartuffe – Court Theatre
Lusia Strus – Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Moira Harris – The Birthday Party – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Ora Jones – Henry VIII – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Actress in a Supporting Role – Musical
Bethany Thomas – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre
Dana Tretta – A Class Act – Porchlight Music Theatre
Danielle Plisz – We Three Lizas – About Face Theatre
Melissa van der Schyff – Singin’ in the Rain – Drury Lane Productions
Susie McMonagle – James Joyce’s ”The Dead” – Court Theatre

Actor or Actress in a Revue
Alex Goodrich – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Marriott Theatre
David M. Lutken – Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie – Northlight Theatre
Katie Rich – Let Them Eat Chaos – The Second City
Mike Kosinski – A Clown Car Named Desire – The Second City e.t.c.
Ross Bryant – Let Them Eat Chaos – The Second City

Actress in a Cameo Role – Musical
Callie Johnson – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre

Solo Performance
Alexis J. Rogers – Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill – Porchlight Music Theatre
Dael Orlandersmith – Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men – Goodman Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theater
Juan Francisco Villa – Empanada for a Dream – 16th Street Theater and Teatro Vista
Kathleen Thatcher – Underneath the Lintel – First Folio Theatre

New Work
Andrew Hinderaker – Dirty – The Gift Theatre
Lisa Dillman – American Wee-Pie – Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Luis Alfaro – Mojada – Victory Gardens Theater
Philip Dawkins – Failure: A Love Story – Victory Gardens Theater
Rajiv Joseph – The Lake Effect – Silk Road Rising

New Adaptation
Christine Mary Dunford – Still Alice – Lookingglass Theatre Company
David Rice – Cymbeline – First Folio Theatre
Neil LeBute – In the Company of Men – Profiles Theatre

Choreography
Amber Mak and Matthew Crowle – Singin’ in the Rain – Drury Lane Productions
Brenda Didier – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre
Linda Fortunato – 42nd Street – Theatre at the Center
Marc Robin, Harrison McEldowney, Matt Raftery – Now & Forever: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber – Marriott Theatre
Tammy Mader – My One and Only – Marriott Theatre

Fight / Movement Direction
John Tovar – The Opponent – A Red Orchid Theatre

Music Direction
Brad Haak – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Doug Peck – James Joyce’s ”The Dead” – Court Theatre
Doug Peck – The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company
Eugene Dizon – A Grand Night for Singing – Mercury Theater Chicago
Jaret Landon – Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill – Porchlight Music Theatre

Original Music in a Play
Alaric Jans, Michael Mahler, Gary Fry, Victoria Blade & Timothy Gregory – Spoon River Anthology – Provision Theater Company
Lindsay Jones – Henry VIII – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Michael Keefe and David Rice – Cymbeline – First Folio Theatre
Willie Schwarz – Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Scenic Design – Large
David Gallo – Head of Passes – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Jack Magaw – The Whipping Man – Northlight Theatre
Todd Rosenthal – The Motherf**ker with the Hat – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Walt Spangler – Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Walt Spangler – Measure for Measure – Goodman Theatre

Scenic Design – Midsize
Andrei Onegin – Bulrusher – Congo Square Theatre Company
Angela Weber Miller – Edward Albee’s Seascape – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Joe Schermoly – Completeness – Theater Wit
Kevin Depinet – Wasteland – TimeLine Theatre Company
Sarah E. Ross – Collected Stories – American Blues Theater

Lighting Design – Large
Anne Militello – Henry VIII – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Christine A. Binder – The Whipping Man – Northlight Theatre
Philip S. Rosenberg – Julius Caesar – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Philip S. Rosenberg – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Robert Christen – A Christmas Carol – Goodman Theatre
T.J. Gerckens – Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company

Lighting Design – Midsize
Brian Sidney Bembridge – Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West – TimeLine Theatre Company
Jesse Klug – columbinus – American Theater Company
Jesse Klug – Wasteland – TimeLine Theatre Company
Mac Vaughey – Empanada for a Dream – 16th Street Theater and Teatro Vista
Mac Vaughey – Empanada for a Dream – 16th Street Theater and Teatro Vista
Sarah Hughey and William C. Kirkham – The Iron Stag King: Part One – The House Theatre of Chicago

Costume Design – Large
Jacqueline Firkins – The Misanthrope – Court Theatre
Mara Blumenfeld – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Mara Blumenfeld – The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company
Mariann S. Verheyen – Henry VIII – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Nancy Missimi – Dreamgirls – Marriott Theatre
Susan E. Mickey – The School for Lies – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Costume Design – Midsize
Bill Morey – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre
Carol J. Blanchard – Barnum – Mercury Theater Chicago
Debbie Baer – The Nutcracker – The House Theatre of Chicago
Emily Waecker – You Never Can Tell – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company
Rachel Laritz – Edward Albee’s Seascape – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company

Sound Design – Large
Andrew Hansen – The Liar – Writers’ Theatre
James Savage – Othello: The Remix – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Lindsay Jones – Julius Caesar – Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Mikhail Fiskel – Mojada – Victory Gardens Theater
Richard Woodbury – Slowgirl – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Sound Design – Midsize
Harrison Adams – The Iron Stag King: Part One – The House Theatre of Chicago
Jeff Kelley – The Magnificents – The House Theatre of Chicago
Jeffrey Levin – In the Company of Men – Profiles Theatre
Martin Desjardins, Andre Pluess, Christian Gero – columbinus – American Theater Company
Nick Keenan – Everything is Illuminated – Next Theatre Company

Projections/Video Design
Michael Stanfill – Completeness – Theater Wit
Mike Tutaj – 33 Variations – TimeLine Theatre Company
Mike Tutaj – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Wig and Make-up Design
Melissa Veal – The School for Lies – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Advance tickets are no longer available, but can be purchased at the door. Regular tickets are $75. $55 tickets are available for members of Actors’ Equity Association, United Scenic Artists, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, Stage Managers’ Association, The Dramatists Guild of America, and American Federation of Musicians). Groups of 10 or more also can purchase tickets at $55. Members of nominated ensembles may purchase tickets at a discounted rate of $45 (guests at regular prices). Note: $2.50 per ticket is added to credit card purchases. Tickets may be purchased at the door for an additional $10 fee per ticket.

For more information, contact Jeff Equity Chair Merril Prager at equitywing@jeffawards.org.

What the critics are saying about André De Shields as King Louie in The Jungle Book.
Entertainment Weekly: The Jungle Book Reviewed by Thom Geier (Jul 12, 2013)
“The Act 1 finale, the raucously swinging show-stopper ”I Wanna Be Like You.” In that spirited number, the commanding Andre De Shields leads a chorus of mischievous apes and squeezes every drop of juice out of the delightfully jazzy tune by Disney tunesmiths Richard and Robert Sherman (the brothers who wrote most of the original movie’s songs).”

Variety: Theater Review: ‘The Jungle Book’ by Steven Oxman (Jul. 1, 2013)
“All of this comes together to put the audience on true highs, particularly at the end of Act I with the number “I Wanna Be Like You.” Andre De Shields plays the monkey King Louie with incomparable showmanship; Gattelli’s choreography is rich and buoyant; and Peck’s arrangements bring layers of additional interest and verve.”

Chicagomag.com: Jungle Book Review BY CATEY SULLIVAN (JUL. 2, 2013)
“Here, the fiercely elegant Andre De Shields absolutely owns the role of the King of the Swingers, stopping the show cold with his roof-raising, infectiously celebratory rendition of a song expressing Louie’s desire to obtain the secrets of fire. The ultra-high energy number left me with two uncontrollably tapping feet and a grin… De Shields sings, swings and scats with a regal, red-hot cool that leaves no doubt: With all due respect to the Shere Khan and Bagheera, Louie is the coolest cat in the jungle.”

Chicago Sun-Times.com: Goodman Theatre’s ‘Jungle Book’ a wonderful new musical By Hedy Weiss (July 1, 2013)
“Along the way there is the raucous royalty of the monkey kingdom, with Andre De Shields as King Louie, driving the joint to jumping and beyond in “I Wanna Be Like You,” the song that suggests the difference between man and beast is man’s ability to create fire.”

Theatermania.com: The Jungle Book Review By Sandy MacDonald (Oct 7, 2013)
“A spirited cast — notably André De Shields as a Louis Armstrong-inspired orangutan King Louie…”

BWW REVIEW: ‘THE JUNGLE BOOK’ SWINGS IN BOSTON by Jan Nargi (Oct. 13, 2013)
“King Louie (André De Shields), the flamboyant orangutan who leads his swingin’ troop of mischievous monkeys in a roof-raising “I Wanna Be Like You”… The intended show stealer is André De Shields as King Louie, the character created by Disney in 1967 for jazz great Louis Prima. De Shields belts, riffs and scats with the best of them….De Shields builds the number joyously and exults in swingin’ and swayin’ like a Zoot-suited Cab Calloway.”

The Boston Globe: ‘Jungle Book’ is lush yet temperate By Don Aucoin (SEPTEMBER 19, 2013)
“When longtime Broadway veteran Andre De Shields seizes the stage, though, the temperature of “The Jungle Book’’ measurably rises. He plays King Louie, an orangutan and leader of a band of monkeys who kidnap young Mowgli (enthusiastically portrayed by Akash Chopra), intent on eliciting from him the secret of fire. Toward that end, De Shields performs “I Wanna Be Like You,’’ while the monkeys shake and twirl and hurl things about, the action rising to a state of pandemonium until De Shields finally faces the audience, points a finger at them, and sings: “I want to be like you.’’

Andre De Shields Photo by Lia Chang

In a career spanning more than forty years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, director, choreographer and educator. He is best known for his show stopping performances in the original Broadway productions of four legendary musicals: THE FULL MONTY, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk and Astaire Award nominations, in addition to both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards; PLAY ON! (Tony nomination), AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Emmy Award) and THE WIZ (title role). De Shields is the recipient of the 2012 Fox Foundation Fellowship/Distinguished Achievement, 2009 National Black Theatre Festival Living Legend Award, and the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance.

As an educator, Mr. De Shields has served as Visiting Artist/Lecturer, SUNY-Buffalo State College; Harold ClurmanVisiting Professor, CUNY-Hunter College; Adjunct Professor, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, NYU; Adjunct Professor, School of Education, Health, Nursing and Arts Professions (SEHNAP), NYU; Distinguished Visiting Professor, Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, TX; Algur H. Meadows Distinguished Visiting Professor (SMU); DR. Martin Luther King Jr.-Rosa Parks-Cesar Chavez Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Distinguished Visiting Professor, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, among others. He has taught a wide variety of courses ranging from Shakespeare to Masterpieces of Western Literature to Musical Theatre and an interdisciplinary arts workshop in Extreme Performance: From Ancient Africa to Postmodern America.
www.andredeshields.com

Lia Chang. Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Opening night photo coverage of The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre Company
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
broadwayworld.com: Photo Flash: Andre De Shields and More Celebrate Huntington’s JUNGLE BOOK Opening
theatermania.com: The Jungle Book Enjoys Its Second Opening Night at Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company
broadway.com: The Story Begins! Disney’s The Jungle Book Enjoys a Wild Opening Night in Boston
playbill.com: PHOTO CALL: The Jungle Book Musical Celebrates Opening Night in Boston
Click here for more articles on André De Shields.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Labyrinth’s American Premiere of Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby, starring Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore, Begins Preview Performances at Bank Street Theater on November 6, 2013
Photos: Opening Night of Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man with John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Nikki M. James, K. Todd Freeman, Ray Fisher
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Center Stage Photo Preview: Denise Burse and Michael Genet in Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts, Opens October 16, 2013
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
André De Shields Delivers Keynote at International Conference of Fine Arts Deans in New Orleans
Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Photos: Charles Smith’s Knock Me A Kiss Starring André De Shields Featured in Encore Performances at The National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, July 30-August 1, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful
Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season Features New Works by Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Video: Power Play’s Lorey Hayes and Lia Chang on The Carmen Mathis Show
The Chronicle Features Lorey Hayes’ Power Play
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Jeff Award winners Michael Shannon and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

I had a glorious time at the 45th Annual Jeff Equity Awards ceremony, held at Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, Il on November 4, 2013, with Two time Tony nominee and Emmy winner André De Shields, who garnered his 3rd Jeff Award, (Outstanding Achievement in the category of Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical) for his critically-acclaimed role as King Louie in the world premiere of Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, a co-production of The Goodman Theatre and The Huntington Theatre Company.

Anjali Bhimani, André De Shields, NIkka Graff Lanzarone, Monique Haley, Geoff Packard, Akash Chopra, Ed Kross and Govind Kumar in The Jungle Book at The Huntington Theatre in Boston on September 5, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

De Shields and The Jungle Book Orchestra kicked off the evening’s festivities with ”I Wanna to Be Like You”, under the direction of Jeff Award winner Doug Peck, musical director for The Jungle Book, which was met with a standing ovation and thunderous applause.

André De Shields performs “I Wanna Be Like You” with The Jungle Book Orchestra, led by musical director Doug Peck, at the 45th Annual Equity Jeff Awards at Drury Lane Oakbrook on November 4, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

The Jungle Book: Sara Ranganathan, Doug Peck, Anu Sridhar,
André De Shields, Monique Haley, Neel Murgai, Shivalik Ghoshal, Ronnie Malley. Photo by Lia Chang

André De Shields gives his acceptance speech for his Jeff Award at the Drury Lane Oakbrook, Oakbrook Terrace, Il, on November 4, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

De Shields, resplendent in an Ana Kuzmanic designed three piece gold suit (from The Goodman Theatre’s production of Camino Real), delivered a valentine to the Chicago theatrical community. “Thank you very much. Thank you, Jeff Awards. Thank you Chicago,” said De Shields. “As many of you know, I am a recovering artist. And whenever I need good rehabilitation, I come to work in Chicago, because this is the font of healing in the theater. When I was in New York, and my friends said, “Andre, what are you going to do?” I said, “I’m going to Chicago, I’m going to do The Jungle Book with Queen Mary.” And they said, “Chicago?” And I said, “Yes. First of all, that’s where my career started in 1969, so I’m a Chicago talent, as New York likes to say. But also, when it comes to taking a risk, when it comes to mastering the craft, when it comes to honing the skills that are at the heart of theater, there’s no place like Chicago. Thank you, Doug Peck.”

The Jungle Book’s Jeff Award winners Doug Peck (musical direction) and André De Shields at the Drury Lane Oakbrook, Oakbrook Terrace, Il, on November 4, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

The Jeff Awards honor excellence in professional theatre produced within the immediate Chicago area. During the 2012-13 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 143 Equity productions offered by 51 producing organizations. From these openings, 109 productions were “Jeff Recommended” and eligible for award nominations, resulting in 166 nominations in 36 categories. Top honors went to Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare, TimeLine and Porchlight theatres. Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Good People by David Lindsey-Abaire, received the award for Production-Play in a large tier theatre and for Principal Actress Mariann Mayberry. William Brown received Best Director of a play for Writers Theatre’s production of the French farce, The Liar, adapted by David Ives. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Sunday in the Park with George won top awards with three statues: Production-Musical in the large theatre category, Director – Musical Gary Griffin and Projections Designer Mike Tutaj.

George Dante M. Pineda and Jeff Award winner Bill Larkin (Actor in a Principal Role-Musical for A Class Act, Porchlight Music Theatre). Photo by Lia Chang

In the midsize theatre tier, TimeLine Theatre Company won the award for Production-Play with 33 Variations, a play by Moises Kaufman inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven’s eponymous work. The midsize Production-Musical award went to Porchlight Music Theatre’s A Class Act, a musical retrospective of composer-lyricist Edward Kleban, best know as lyricist for A Chorus Line. Principal Actor in a musical was awarded to Bill Larkin for his moving portrayal of Kleban. The Lyric Opera of Chicago ventured onto the comedy scene with The Second City in The Second City Guide to the Opera, which earned awards in the Production-Revue category and for Director Bill Bungeroth. David M. Lutken received the Actor in a Revue statue for Northlight Theatre’s Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie.

Q Brothers’ Othello: The Remix, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Richard Jordan Productions Ltd. wins the Ensemble Award. Photo by Lia Chang

Playwright Rajiv Joseph accepts his Jeff Award for New Work – Play for The Lake Effect, produced by Silk Road Rising. Photo by Lia Chang

The prestigious Ensemble Award went to the Q Brothers’ hip-hop Othello: The Remix from Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Richard Jordan Productions, Ltd. Top awards for New Work – Play went to both Luis Alfaro’s Mojada, a re-imagination of Euripides Medea in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, produced by Victory Gardens Theater; and to Rajiv Joseph’s The Lake Effect, a drama of an Indian American family in crisis, produced by Silk Road Rising. David Rice won New Adaptation – Play honors for his musical version of Cymbeline in Civil War Appalachia, produced by First Folio Theatre. Rice’s collaboration with composer Michael Keefe also received the statue for Original Music in a Play.

Jeff Award winners Christine Sherrill (Actress in a Principal Role-Musical, Sunset Boulevard, Drury Lane Productions) and Doug Peck (Music Direction, The Jungle Book, Goodman Theatre in association with Huntington Theatre Company) Photo by Lia Chang

Television and screen actor Michael Shannon returned to his theatrical home to win Actor in a Principal Role – Play award in Simpatico at A Red Orchid Theater. Christine Sherrill received Actress in a Principal Role – Musical as faded silent screen star Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard at Drury Lane Oakbrook; Alexis J. Rogers took the top honor for Solo Performance as jazz legend Billie Holiday in Porchlight Music Theatre’s Lady Day at the Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Honors for supporting roles in a play were awarded to Raymond Fox in TimeLine Theatre Company’s Blood and Gifts and Elizabeth Ledo in Tartuffe at Court Theatre. Awards for supporting roles in a musical went to Andre De Shields in The Jungle Book produced by Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company, and Bethany Thomas in South Pacific at Marriott Theatre. Newecomer Callie Johnson received an award for Cameo Performance in Porchlight Music Theatre’s Pal Joey.

Jeff Award winner Alexis J. Rogers (Solo Performance, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Porchlight Musical Theatre) with her director Rob Lindley. Photo by Lia Chang

André De Shields and Merril Prager, Equity Wing Chair of the Jeff Committee. Photo by Lia Chang

A Special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Actor Dale Benson, in recognition of his career spanning over half a century of continuous work in Chicagoland theatre. The award presentation by Jeff Awards Chair Diane Hires, included a musical montage featuring Make ‘Em Laugh performed by a chorale of actors for Dale, their beloved colleague.

A production number from James Joyce’s “The Dead”, Court Theatre. Photo by Lia Chang

The Equity Awards ceremony was directed by Michael Weber, with music direction by Linda Madonia and stage management by Colleen Tovar. Merril Prager, Equity Wing Chair of the Jeff Committee, served as producer for the evening. Music Director Roberta Duchak and Artistic Director BJ Jones emceed the event.

The Jungle Book- Ronnie Malley, Usman Ally, Shivalik Ghoshal, Neel Murgai, Monique Haley, Jeff Award winners Doug Peck and André De Shields, Alka Nayyar, Ed Kross and Mara Blumenfeld. Photo by Lia Chang

The Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre. Save the date for the next Non-Equity awards ceremony to be held on Monday, June 2, 2014, at Park West. BELOW IS THE FULL LIST OF 2013 EQUITY JEFF AWARD RECIPIENTS Production – Play – Large Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company

K. Todd Freeman, director of Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of Good People accepted the Jeff Award for Production-Play-Large. Photo by Lia Chang

Production Play – Midsize 33 Variations – TimeLine Theatre Company

Jason Danieley and Karen Ziemba, who is currently starring in the Drury Lane Theatre Production of Hello Dolly through January 5, 2014. Photo by Lia Chang

The Jungle Book’s Alka Nayyar, Jeff Award winner André De Shields, and Monique Haley. Photo by Lia Chang

Production-Musical-Large Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Production-Musical-Midsize A Class Act – Porchlight Music Theatre Production – Revue The Second City Guide to the Opera – The Second City in association with Lyric Opera of Chicago Director – Play William Brown – The Liar – Writer’s Theatre

Steve Scott, resident director, Goodman Theatre and Jeff Award winner André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

Director – Musical Gary Griffin – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Director – Revue Billy Bungeroth – The Second City Guide to the Opera – The Second City in association with Lyric Opera of Chicago Kevin Bellie – A Grand Night for Singing – Mercury Theater Chicago Ensemble Othello: The Remix – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Actor in a Principal Role – Play Michael Shannon – Simpatico – A Red Orchid Theatre Actor in a Principal Role – Musical Bill Larkin – A Class Act – Porchlight Music Theatre Actress in a Principal Role – Play Mariann Mayberry – Good People – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Actress in a Principal Role – Musical Christine Sherrill – Sunset Boulevard – Drury Lane Productions Actor in a Supporting Role – Play Raymond Fox – Blood and Gifts – TimeLine Theatre Company Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical Andre De Shields – The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre CompanyClick to view slideshow.

Actress in a Supporting Role – Play Elizabeth Ledo – Tartuffe – Court Theatre Actress in a Supporting Role – Musical Bethany Thomas – South Pacific – Marriott Theatre Actor or Actress in a Revue David M. Lutken – Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie – Northlight Theatre Actress in a Cameo Role – Musical Callie Johnson – Pal Joey – Porchlight Music Theatre Solo Performance Alexis J. Rogers – Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill – Porchlight Music Theatre

Chris Manelli, managing director, Victory Gardens, Brian Bosque, Philip Dawkins and Chay Yew, artistic director, Victory Gardens. Photo by Lia Chang

New Work Luis Alfaro – Mojada – Victory Gardens Theater Rajiv Joseph – The Lake Effect – Silk Road RisingClick to view slideshow.

New Adaptation David Rice – Cymbeline – First Folio Theatre Choreography Linda Fortunato – 42nd Street – Theatre at the Center

Chuck Smith, resident director, Goodman Theatre and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

Fight / Movement Direction John Tovar – The Opponent – A Red Orchid Theatre Music Direction Doug Peck – The Jungle Book – Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre Company Original Music in a Play Michael Keefe and David Rice – Cymbeline – First Folio Theatre Scenic Design – Large David Gallo – Head of Passes – Steppenwolf Theatre Company Scenic Design – Midsize Angela Weber Miller – Edward Albee’s Seascape – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Lighting Design – Large T.J. Gerckens – Metamorphoses – Lookingglass Theatre Company Lighting Design – Midsize Brian Sidney Bembridge – Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West – TimeLine Theatre Company Costume Design – Large Susan E. Mickey – The School for Lies – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Costume Design – Midsize Emily Waecker – You Never Can Tell – Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Sound Design – Large James Savage – Othello: The Remix – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Sound Design – Midsize Martin Desjardins, Andre Pluess, Christian Gero – columbinus – American Theater Company Projections/Video Design Mike Tutaj – Sunday in the Park with George – Chicago Shakespeare Theater Wig and Make-up Design Melissa Veal – The School for Lies – Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Jeff Award winner André De Shields and the cast of Drury Lane Productions’ Oliver! Photo by Lia Chang

Lia Chang and André De Shields.

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar. Opening night photo coverage of The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre Company
broadwayworld.com: GOOD PEOPLE, ‘SUNDAY IN THE PARK’, Michael Shannon, Andre De Shields and More Top 2013 Jeff Awards; Winners Announced!
The Jungle Book’s André De Shields Nominated for Jeff Award; will perform “I Wanna to Be Like You” at Ceremony
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
broadwayworld.com: Photo Flash: Andre De Shields and More Celebrate Huntington’s JUNGLE BOOK Opening
theatermania.com: The Jungle Book Enjoys Its Second Opening Night at Boston’s Huntington Theatre Company
broadway.com: The Story Begins! Disney’s The Jungle Book Enjoys a Wild Opening Night in Boston
playbill.com: PHOTO CALL: The Jungle Book Musical Celebrates Opening Night in Boston
Click here for more articles on André De Shields.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Nov. 25: David Byrne and the Cast of Public Theater’s HERE LIES LOVE including Jose Llana, Ruthie Ann Miles, Conrad Ricamora, Melody Butiu and More to Host Benefit Concert for the Philippines at Terminal 5
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Nov. 16: Brooklyn Raga Massive presents Neel Murgai Ensemble and House of Waters at Jack Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: Opening Night of Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man with John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Nikki M. James, K. Todd Freeman, Ray Fisher
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful
Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season Features New Works by Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party Video: Power Play’s Lorey Hayes and Lia Chang on The Carmen Mathis Show
The Chronicle Features Lorey Hayes’ Power Play Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Sunset Baby castmember John Earl Jelks, Lia Chang and André De Shields after the first preview of Sunset Baby at Bank Street Theater in New York on November 6, 2013. Photo by DeWanda Wise

Two time Tony Award nominee and Emmy winner André De Shields and I caught the first preview of Labyrinth’s American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau, starring Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf), Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at Bank Street Theater, 155 Bank Street in New York. Performances continue through December 8, with opening night set for Friday, November 22, 2013. Kamilah Forbes directs.

Harvey Gardner Moore and DeWanda Wise. Photo by Monique Carboni.

John Earl Jelks. Photo by Monique Carboni.

East New York, Brooklyn. Nina’s estranged father, a former black revolutionary, reappears to obtain a piece of her deceased Mother’s legacy. A powerful and honest story of one woman’s journey from a brutal existence to her own liberation, Sunset Baby is an energetic, daring look at the point where the personal and political collide.

The Sunset Baby creative team includes Amatus (Composer and Sound Designer), ESOSA (Costume Design), Jen Schriever (Lighting Design), and Lee Savage (Scenic Design).

Tickets for Sunset Baby are $35. In an effort to make great theater accessible to all New Yorkers, Labyrinth offers the Labpass, which gives audiences access to all of Labyrinth’s programming in their 2013/14 Season starting at just $99. To purchase a Labpass, and to find more information on the Season, please visit www.labtheater.org. A conversation with the cast of Sunset Baby.

Sunset Baby castmember John Earl Jelks and playwright Dominique Morisseau. Photo by Lia Chang

John Earl Jelks (Kenyatta) was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Jelks made his Broadway debut opposite Phylicia Rashad in August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean as Citizen, directed by Kenny Leon (after runs at the Goodman, Huntington and Mark Taper, where he won a NAACP Theatre Award and an L.A. Ovation Award). In 2008, Jelks garnered an AUDELCO Award for his role as Harper Edwards in the Off-Broadway revival of Leslie Lee’s The First Breeze of Summer, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Jelks also appeared Off-Broadway in MCC’s production of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon with David Duchovny, Amanda Peet and Tracee Chimo, directed by Jo Bonney. Regional theatre credits include Regina Taylor’s Magnolia with Annette O’Toole at the Goodman Theatre, the world stage premiere of The Shawshank Redemption at the Gaiety Theatre in Ireland; Two Trains Running at Two River Theater Company; August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Penumbra Theatre Company and Missouri Repertory Theatre. Film and TV credits include Snap; The Miraculous, The Miracle at St. Anna, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and “Blue Bloods”. Jelks recently appeared Off-Broadway in Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man, with Nikki M. James, Richard Masur, K. Todd Freeman and Ray Fisher, directed by Des McAnuff at New York Theatre Workshop. NYTW Production Photos of Fetch Clay, Make Man: Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K. Todd Freeman

Sunset Baby castmembers Harvey Gardner Moore, DeWanda Wise and John Earl Jelks after the first preview of Sunset Baby at Bank Street Theater in New York on November 6, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Harvey Gardner Moore (Damon) Film: A Day in the Life of Ageless Shaman: Love Documented (Starring/Writer/Director/Editor/Producer) Chronicles HGM making a film/learning filmmaking in 13 days. Slow Collaboration (Starring/Co-writer) with Darius Clark Monroe (Director) HBO Film Festival Winner. Theatre: Broken Healer (Starring/Writer/Director/Producer) Hip Hop Suicide Prevention Piece Chronicling HGM overcoming Suicide Ideation due to the stroke of his father. HIP HOP Albums: “Ageless Jackson: The Album/Short Film”, at Lincoln Center drummer Ali Jackson (Drums). “Induction”, “Dark side of the Light”, “Love Documented” inspired by the feature film. Upcoming films: Year of Our Lord Collaboration (starring) with Darius Clark Monroe (director) playing a transgender woman in this film about the Second Coming of Christ. Moments of Humanity: The play/film fusion Collaboration (Starring/Writer/Director/Producer) John Eisner of The Lark Theater. Dark Side of the Light, Harlem Love Story. Yale Drama School.

DeWanda Wise and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

DeWanda Wise (Nina) NY Theater: Sundown Name and Night-Gone Things (Negro Ensemble Company, NY) As it Is In Heaven (3 Graces) Electra (Tisch) Regional: Flight (City Theatre, Pittsburgh) In the Continuum (Playmakers, Chapel Hill) Film: Spinning into Butter, Queen of Media, African Booty Scratcher, & Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire. TV: “MOW Firelight,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Criminal Intent, SVU,” “The Good Wife,” “The Unusuals,” and “Gamekillers” for MTV. Upcoming projects include indie film Knucklehead with Gbenga Akinnagbe and Alfre Woodard; and My Manz with Jamie Hector. BFA NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. www.DeWandaWise.com

Dominique Morisseau and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

Dominique Morisseau (Playwright). Writer and actress, Dominique is an alum of the Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, the Women’s Project Playwrights Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop. Among her playwriting credits are: Detroit ’67 (Public Theater; Classical Theatre of Harlem/National Black Theatre), Sunset Baby (Labyrinth Theater Co – NYC; Gate Theater- London), Follow Me To Nellie’s (O’Neill; Premiere Stages). Her produced one-acts include: Third Grade (Fire This Time Festival); Black at Michigan (Cherry Lane Studio/DUTF); Socks, Roses Are Played Out and Love and Nappiness (Center Stage, ATH); love.lies.liberation (The New Group), Bumrush (Hip Hop Theater Festival), and The Masterpiece (Harlem9/HSA). Dominique is currently developing a 3-play cycle on her hometown of Detroit, entitled The Detroit Projects. Detroit ’67 is the first of the series. The second play in the series, Paradise Blue, was developed and/or read with Voice and Vision, the Hansberry Project at ACT, New York Theatre Workshop, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Public Theater. Dominique’s work has also been published in NY Times bestseller Chicken Soup for the African American Soul, and in the Harlem-based literary journal “Signifyin’ Harlem” She is a Jane Chambers Playwriting Award honoree, a two-time NAACP Image Award recipient, a runner-up for the Princess Grace Award, a recipient of the Elizabeth George commission from South Coast Rep, a commendation honoree for the Primus Prize by the American Theatre Critics Association, winner of the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwriting Award and the Weissberger Award for Playwriting, the U of M – Detroit Center Emerging Leader Award, and a PoNY (Playwrights of New York) Fellow. She is an artist that believes wholeheartedly in the power and strength of community.

John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, playwright Dominique Morisseau, Harvey Gardner Moore and director Kamilah Forbes after the first preview of Sunset Baby at Bank Street Theater in New York on November 6, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Kamilah Forbes (Director). Most recent credits include: Broadway: The Mountaintop and Stickfly (Associate Director). Welcome to Nellie’s by Dominique Morrisseau (Classical Theater of Harlem, Reading), Nannyland by Radha Blank (Public Theater, Reading), Saturday Night/Sunday Morning by Katori Hall (Lincoln Center Theater Lab Reading series), The Mountaintop by Katori Hall (Lark Theater, barebones production), Journey to the door of no return by Psalmayene 24 (Arena Stage, workshop), Children of Children Keep Coming (Columbia University), Beauty, the Beast (Dance Mission, San Francisco), And Her Hair Went With Her by Zina Camblin (c). Most recently she directed National Poetry Slam Champion Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s multi-disciplinary dance theater piece SCOURGE. Scourge toured to Rotterdam, Brussels, Boston, DC, 651 arts (NYC), and was premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the arts in San Francisco. Other credits include: assistant director for Tony Award winning Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Masquerade by solo spoken word artist Roger Bonair–Agard, Rhyme Deferred which she conceived and co-wrote presented at The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, PS122, New York Theater Workshop, and Undermain Theater. Other directing credits include: No Man’s Land (ODC Theater, San Francisco), Nightmares of JuJubee (The Lincoln Theater DC, PS122, NYC). She recently received the 2011 JOSEPHINE ABADY award from the League of Professional Women in theater for excellence in the theater and is a member of the Leadership Board with the Women’s Project.

Lia Chang. Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other articles on John Earl Jelks:
Nov. 6 – Dec. 8: Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore Star in Labyrinth’s American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau at Bank Street Theater
Photos: Opening Night of Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man with John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Nikki M. James, K. Todd Freeman, Ray Fisher
NYTW Production Photos of Fetch Clay, Make Man: Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K. Todd Freeman
Fetch Clay, Make Man Starring Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K.Todd Freeman and Richard Masur Opens September 12, 2013
John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, K.Todd Freeman and More Set for Fetch Clay, Make Man at NYTW, August 23 – October 13, 2013
Photos: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, John Earl Jelks, Leslie Uggams, Anthony Chisholm, S. Epatha Merkerson, Taraji P. Henson, Jesse L. Martin, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Kenny Leon and More Set for August Wilson American Century Cycle Recording Series at The Greene Space in NY, Aug. 26-Sept. 28, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Jelks, Blanks, Chisholm, Cooper, Odera, Ruff and Williams Set for Two Trains Running, Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson at Two River Theater Company, February 2 – March 3, 2013
Geffen Playhouse Production Photos of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon starring Kevin Anderson, Tracee Chimo, Catherine Dent and John Earl Jelks Kevin Anderson, Catherine Dent, Tracee Chimo, John Earl Jelks in Neil La Bute’s The Break of Noon at the Geffen
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet,Tracee Chimo opening night of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon John Earl Jelks is featured in MCC Theater’s world premiere of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon at the Lucille Lortel
Denise Burse, Rocky Carroll, Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams in Radio Golf by August Wilson at The Pearlstone Theater in Baltimore

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Nov. 25: David Byrne and the Cast of Public Theater’s HERE LIES LOVE including Jose Llana, Ruthie Ann Miles, Conrad Ricamora, Melody Butiu and More to Host Benefit Concert for the Philippines at Terminal 5
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Center Stage Photo Preview: Denise Burse and Michael Genet in Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts, Opens October 16, 2013
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
André De Shields Delivers Keynote at International Conference of Fine Arts Deans in New Orleans Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Spend an Evening with Tony Winner Nikki M. James at Joe’s Pub on October 21, 2013
Oct. 5-Nov. 17: LTC3/Lincoln Center Theater’s World Premiere of JC Lee’s LUCE Features Olivia Oguma, Marin Hinkle, Neal Huff, Okieriete Onaodowan and Sharon Washington
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful Portraits of New York Chinatown after 9/11
Photos: Denise Burse, Lizan Mitchell, Novella Nelson, Arthur French at Regina Taylor’s stop. reset with LaTanya Richardson Jackson at Signature
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Video: Power Play’s Lorey Hayes and Lia Chang on The Carmen Mathis Show Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Christine Toy Johnson. Photo by Lia Chang

Broadway actress, writer and filmmaker Christine Toy Johnson lit up the intimate room at Stage 72 (formerly the Triad), as the final artist in Motown The Musical director Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series on Monday, November 11, 2013. Dodie Pettit and Nita Whitaker also performed in the series.

Christine Toy Johnson, Charles Randolph_Wright and Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang

Christine’s concert, helmed by Bruce Alan Johnson, featured musical director David Dabbon on piano and Jeff Roberts on drums, with guest appearances by Baayork Lee (A Chorus Line) and Jose Llana (Here Lies Love).

Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada and Christine Toy Johnson. Photo by Lia Chang

Jose Llana. Photo by Lia Chang

Christine kicked off the evening with a few of her favorite Broadway standards- “Cockeyed Optimist,” “Wonderful Guy,” “How are Things in Glocca Morra?,” “My Favorite Things,” “Not a Day Goes By”. She was joined by her pal Jose Llana who sang “Being Alive,” and had great fun with their duet, “You’re Just in Love.”

Christine also introduced a few of her original compositions – “Hawaii is the Place for You and Me” (Johnson & Shenton), “Underneath the Same Moonlit Sky” (Johnson & Shenton), and “Fill Our World with Hope” (Johnson & Katona).

Other songs in her set included “Something Wonderful,” “Little by Little,” by Dodie Pettit, “Before the Parade Passes By,” and “This Can’t Be Love.”

A highlight of Christine’s evening featured Baayork Lee joining Christine onstage to perform “Turkey Lurkey Time,” from Promises, Promises, with Lee performing for the first time in 37 years.

Baayork Lee and Christine Toy Johnson. Photo by Lia Chang

For more information, please visit www.christinetoyjohnson.com

Tom and Mary Toy with their daughter Christine Toy Johnson. Photo by Lia Chang

Jaygee Macapugay and Ali Ewoldt with Baayork Lee, Christine Toy Johnson, Diane Phelan and Lia Chang.

Charles Randolph-Wright and Dodie Pettit. Photo by Lia Chang

Other articles about Christine Toy Johnson:
playbill.com: Jose Llana and Baayork Lee Join Christine Toy Johnson for Stage 72 Concert
Nov. 11: Christine Toy Johnson Performs in Final Installment of Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” Concert Series at Stage 72; Baayork Lee and Jose Llana to Guest Star
“Sesame Street” Star Alan Muraoka Helms Lyric’s The King and I Starring Mel Sagrado Maghuyop, Heather Geery, Christine Toy Johnson and Ron Domingo, July 9-13, 2013
Christine Toy Johnson, Thom Sesma, Ali Ewoldt, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Telly Leung and More Set for The Asian American Composers and Lyricists Project at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
Christine Toy Johnson and Raul Aranas Lead the Cast of the National Asian Artists Project’s (NAAP) Benefit Presentation of Hello Dolly!, at The Pershing Square Signature Center on April 29 and May 6
Playing Lady Thiang in the Harbor Lights’ Production of The King and I is a dream come true for Christine Toy Johnson
Mel Sagrado Maghuyop, Tamara Jenkins, Christine Toy Johnson and Ron Domingo Lead the Cast of Harbor Lights Theater Company’s Production of The King and I, directed by Alan Muraoka, November 2-18, 2012
Broadway Stars Pay Tribute to Alan Muraoka at National Asian American Theatre Co. Gala on September 10, 2012
Christine Toy Johnson to Receive 2012 Wai Look Award for Outstanding Service at Asian American Arts Alliance Gala on October 9, 2012 
Christine Toy Johnson to play Bloody Mary in Ogunquit Playhouse’s Production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, June 20 – July 14, 2012
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Angela Lin, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Jake Manabat, David Shih in Jen Silverman’s Crane Story at The Cherry Lane
Christine Toy Johnson Leads the Cast of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre’s Shanghai Lil’s, 11/11-11/27/11
Lia Chang Picks: THE NEW DEAL and other plays from The Christine Toy Johnson Portfolio and TRANSCENDING: THE WAT MISAKA STORY
Photos:Leviathan Lab’s reading of Christine Toy Johnson’s Adventures of a Faux Designer Handbag
Christine Toy Johnson, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Etsu Mineta Masaoka, Roxanna Saberi to be honored by JACL
Christine Toy Johnson Plays Christmas Eve in AVENUE Q at Weston Playhouse Theatre in Vermont
Dr. Leroy Chiao and Wat Misaka to Receive 2010 OCA Pioneer Awards in Houston
Screening of “Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story”, Kicks Off OCA National Convention and 6th Annual Houston APA Film Festival on June 17; Wat Misaka and Dr. Leroy Chiao to Receive 2010 OCA Pioneer Awards
Harada, Leung, Llana, Johnson, Takara Et Al. Sing Once On This Island on May 16 at Theatre at Saint Peter’s Church
A Helluva Town DVD Release Celebration and Fundraising Concert for Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story
New York Knicks to Honor Wat Misaka at Madison Square Garden
Offical List of Films for the 2009 San Diego Film Festival
Making Work Now: The Asian American Artistic Community
Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story Screens at Rhode Island International Film Festival on 8/8 Wat Misaka: First Person of Color Drafted in NBA
Christine Toy Johnson’s Paper Son at Queens Theatre in the Park Studio Theatre

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Nov. 25: David Byrne and the Cast of Public Theater’s HERE LIES LOVE including Jose Llana, Ruthie Ann Miles, Conrad Ricamora, Melody Butiu and More to Host Benefit Concert for the Philippines at Terminal 5
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season Features New Works by Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Here Lies Love, Starring Jose Llana and Ruthie Ann Miles, Extends at The Public through July 28, 2013
Performing Arts Images from the Asian American Pacific Islander Collection on Display at the Library of Congress to Celebrate APA Heritage Month
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Chay Yew, Branden Jacobs_Jenkins and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

Last week, I traveled to Chicago to photograph and videotape TCG Fox Fellow André De Shields’ Master Class at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater. André and I attended the opening night performance of the Co-World Premiere of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Gary Griffin, at Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre on November 15, 2013. Check out the photos below from the opening night party.

Playwrights Thomas Bradshaw and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, artist Kerry James Marshall, his wife Cheryl Lynn Bruce and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

It was a wonderful opportunity to check out what my colleague Chay Yew, Artistic Director of Victory Gardens has been up to, meet actresses Cheryl Lynn Bruce and Sandra Marquez; playwrights La Saracho, and the NEW BLACK – Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Ike Holter, Thomas Bradshaw; and Dennis Zacek and his wife Marcelle McVay.

Chay Yew, Cheryl Lynn Bruce André De Shields and Sandra Marquez. Photo by Lia Chang

Appropriate is presented in association with Actors Theatre of Louisville and was developed, in part, by IGNITION 2012. Appropriate runs through December 8.

The cast includes: Jennifer Baker, Kirsten Fitzgerald, Cheryl Graeff, Leah Karpel, Keith Kupferer, Theo Moss, Mark Page, Alex Stage and Stef Tovar.

André De Shields is flanked by Appropriate castmembers Leah Carpel, Kristen Fitzgerald and Jennifer Baker. Photo by Lia Chang

The creative team for Appropriate includes: Yu Shibagaki (scenic), Janice Pytel (costumes), Jesse Klug (lighting), Chris LaPorte (sound),Jesse Gaffney (props) and Ryan Bourque (fight choreography).

Appropriate director Gary Griffin and Chay Yew, Artistic Director, Victory Gardens. Photo by Lia Chang

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Photo by Lia Chang

When the Lafayettes descend upon a crumbling Arkansan plantation to liquidate their dead patriarch’s estate, his three adult children collide over clutter, debt, and a contentious family history. But after a disturbing discovery surfaces among their father’s possessions, the reunion takes a turn for the explosive, unleashing a series of crackling surprises and confrontations. Acclaimed director Gary Griffin (Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Sunday In The Park With George and Follies) directs a potent and exciting play about the trouble with inheritance and the art of repression. Appropriate was developed and workshopped through Victory Gardens’ IGNITION New Play Festival in 2012.

What the critics are saying:

“★★★★★” Exceptionally brillliant!” – Kris Vire, Time Out Chicago

“A very tasty and viable Broadway show… you just can’t get enough?” – Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

Bright, smart, and entertaining… Two and a half hours of amusing hysterics” – Chicago Reader

Daniel R. Reinglass and Chris Mannelli. Photo by Lia Chang

Appropriate was developed, in part, at Vineyard Arts Project, Ashley Melone, Founder and Artistic Director; the 2012 Sundance Institute Theatre LAB at the Sundance Resort; and Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago, Illinois, Chay Yew, Artistic Director, Jan Kallish, Executive Director, as part of IGNITION 2012.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and Eric Ting. Photo by Lia Chang

IGNITION Festival of New Plays, Victory Gardens’ innovative and hugely successful new play development program, was conceived to support the theater’s mission of new plays and diversity. In the spring of 2010, 120 writers of color from around the United States submitted new scripts for the first phase of IGNITION.

André De Shields, Marcelle McVay and her husband Dennis Zacek. Photo by Lia Chang

Performances run through December 8, 2013: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 4 pm; Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets are $20-$50.
Click to view slideshow.
Performances are at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, in the heart of Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens Box Office, 773.871.3000 (TTY: 773.871.0682), email tickets@victorygardens.org, or visit www.victorygardens.org. Ask the Box Office about student tickets ($15), senior, Access, 20 for $20, and rush discounts. For group discounts, call 773.634.9874.

Chay Yew and Lia Chang. Photo by Lia Chang

Chay Yew. Photo by Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. This summer she starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Penwah, July 30-August 1, 2013.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Nov. 16: Conversations with the Divine with Owais Ahmed, Baize Buzan, Kathryn Cesarz, Kamal Hans, Brian Grey, Donica Lynn, Patrese McClain and Miranda Zola at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season Features New Works by Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Photos: All-Access Pass to Disney’s Aladdin at The Muny with Thom Sesma, Francis Jue, Robin De Jesus, John Tartaglia, Jason Graae, Curtis Holbrook, Eddie Korbich, Samantha Massell and Ken Page
C.J. Wilson navigates armor and swordplay in Signature Theatre Company’s World Premiere of Kenneth Lonergan’s Medieval Play
Up Close and Personal with Darren Pettie, Star of The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore
Photos and Video: Disney’s The Lion King Las Vegas- In the Makeup Chair with Thom Sesma
Performing Arts Images from the Asian American Pacific Islander Collection on Display at the Library of Congress to Celebrate APA Heritage Month
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Playwright Rajiv Joseph received the 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award at the 2013 Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards Ceremony, held at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. NewHouse Theater in New York on November 18, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Playwright Rajiv Joseph, a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Bengal Tiger in The Baghdad Zoo, and Tarell Alvin McCraney, both Steinberg Playwright Award honorees, are the focus of a new film from acclaimed director Robert Levi, Playwright: From Page to Stage , which premieres on Independent Lens, hosted by Stanley Tucci, on Monday, December 16, 2013, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

Robin Williams as The Tiger in Bengal Tiger. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

A rare and intimate glimpse into the dynamic process of creating and launching new plays, Playwright: From Page to Stage follows two outstanding young playwrights through the writing, development, staging, rehearsal, and public performance of their plays. Over the course of three years, the dramatic parallel journeys of Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney unfold, from the time their work receives development funding until the riveting climax, when one of the productions makes it to Broadway with Robin Williams in a leading role.

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother Size. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Bengal Tiger director Moises Kaufman and writer Rajiv Joseph. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Robin Williams with Bengal Tiger writer Rajiv Joseph. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

When the film begins, McCraney and Joseph are fresh talents bursting onto the scene, both having written probing new plays depicting society in turmoil. Young, black, gay, and from Miami’s inner city, McCraney has an unusual background for mainstream American theater. His Brother/Sister Plays, a sprawling coming-of-age trilogy set in a fictional black Louisiana community, reflect not only his own life experiences, but also the social and cultural realities of America’s underclass. Joseph is a quiet but charismatic young Indian-American from Cleveland who traveled to Africa for a three-year stint in the Peace Corps after graduating from college. His Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is a phantasmagorical exploration of war-torn Iraq, seen through multiple sets of dual perspectives — Americans and Iraqis, soldiers and civilians, animals and humans, men and women, the comic and the tragic, the living and the dead.

With extraordinary access at every step, Playwright: From Page to Stage brings to life the intense collaborations and emotionally charged process that takes place when teams of writers, directors, actors, and producers pool their talents. Intercutting between the two plays, the film goes backstage to reveal the drama and conflict leading up to their opening nights. Will these productions succeed and move to larger venues? Or will these promising productions close, leaving unrealized dreams behind?

From bare-boned rehearsal halls to regional theaters to Broadway, Playwright: From Page to Stage captures the arduous challenges — and ultimate triumph — of these controversial new works and the playwrights who created them. Those featured in the film include David Dower, Director of Artistic Programs at Emerson College’s ArtsEmerson performance department; Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of New York City’s Public Theater; Robyn Goodman, producer of the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q and In the Heights, among others; playwright Katori Hall (The Mountaintop); Moises Kaufman, award-winning director and playwright whose most recent play, 33 Variations, was nominated for five Tony Awards; Steppenwolf Theatre Company member and Broadway director Tina Landau; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage (Ruined); award-winning theater director and playwright Robert O’Hara; and actor and comedian Robin Williams.

Visit the Playwright: From Page to Stage companion website v

Rajiv Joseph, 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award Honoree. Photo by Lia Chang

Rajiv Joseph just received a 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award and a 2013 Equity Jeff Award for his new play, The Lake Effect, produced by Silk Road Rising in Chicago. His Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist. Other plays include The Monster at the Door (2011), The North Pool (2011), Gruesome Playground Injuries (2009), Animals Out of Paper (2008), and Huck and Holden (2005). He wrote the book and was co-lyricist for the Broadway-bound musical, Fly, adapted from J.M. Barrie’s novel, Peter Pan . He was named a 2010 Rockefeller Fellow by United States Artists, and received the Lucille Lortel Award, the Whiting Award, and the Glickman Award. He was a writer on the Showtime series “Nurse Jackie,” and co-wrote Draft Day, a 2014 feature dramedy about pro football, directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner.

Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney (photo credit: Greg Funnell)

Tarell Alvin McCraney was recently named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, recognized as a playwright “exploring the rich diversity of the African American experience in works that imbue the lives of ordinary people with epic significance.” In addition to The Brother/Sister Plays (2009), his work includes Head of Passes (2013), Choir Boy (2012), American Trade (2011), and Wig Out! (2008). He is a member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, has been an International Playwright in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and is currently directing Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, which will premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stages in November 2013, before coming to Miami’s GableStage, followed by a run at New York’s Public Theater in January 2014. He also received a Steinberg Playwright Award and New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award.

About the Filmmakers
Robert Levi (Producer/Director) is an independent writer, director, producer, and cinematographer. In 2008, his film, Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, which premiered on Independent Lens, became the first show in broadcast history to receive the Emmy for Best Documentary, a Peabody Award, and the Writers Guild Award for Best Documentary Screenplay. His film, Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo, premiered on the PBS series American Experience, received an Emmy, and later played on A&E’s Biography. In addition, Levi has received three Best Script nominations from the Writers Guild for other work. He wrote, produced, and directed Mott Street, a 35mm dramatic film short for PolyGram, and his work has screened at festivals worldwide, including Berlin, London, Melbourne, Munich, and the AFI Film Festival. As a director of photography, Levi has worked with directors Norman Jewison, Sydney Pollack, and Nick Broomfield, and was a Producer on the Academy Award-winning documentary Scared Straight.

Joshua Blum (Producer) is Founder and Executive Producer of Washington Square Films, Inc. His current feature film projects include Executive Producer on All Is Lost, a new film starring Robert Redford, and written and directed by J.C. Chandor; and Producer on Listen Up Philip, starring Elizabeth Moss and Jason Schwartzman, and directed by Alex Ross Perry, slated for a 2014 release. Past film and television projects he has produced include Margin Call, a drama starring Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Simon Baker, and Jeremy Irons, written and directed by J.C. Chandor (nominated for Best Original Screenplay Academy Award in 2011); Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, directed by Robert Levi; And Everything Is Going Fine, a film featuring the life of Spalding Gray, directed by Steven Soderbergh; No Joking, a half-hour special for The Sundance Channel, celebrating the posthumous pardon of Lenny Bruce, directed by Bob Balaban; and Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy, both directed by Kelly Reichert.

CREDITS Producer /Director: Robert Levi Producers: Joshua Blum & Rebecca Halbower Executive Producer for ITVS: Sally Jo Fifer Executive Producers for WETA: Dalton Delan & David S. Thompson.

Playwright: From Page to Stage is a co-production of Robert Levi Films, Inc., Washington Square Films, Inc., and the Independent Television Service (ITVS), produced in association with WETA and PBS, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

About Independent Lens
Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by Independent Television Service (ITVS), the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding from PBS and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The senior series producer is Lois Vossen. More information at www.pbs.org/independentlens. Join Independent Lens on Facebook at www.facebook.com/independentlens.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 & 2 at the Public Theater
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister Plays has World Premiere at McCarter Theatre
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Harvey Gardner Moore, DeWanda Wise and John Earl Jelks. Photo by Lia Chang

LAByrinth’s American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau, helmed by Kamilah Forbes and starring Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore, opened on Friday, November 22, 2013 at Bank Street Theater, 155 Bank Street in New York. Previews began on November 6 and continue through December 8. Check out the opening night party photos at Bakehouse, where the cast, creative team, crew, and LAByrinth members danced the night away.

Tommy Costanzo and his wife Daphne Rubin-Vega. Photo by Lia Chang

Freedome Bradley and Patricia McGregor. Photo by Lia Chang

Count Stovall and John Earl Jelks. Photo by Lia Chang

East New York, Brooklyn. Nina’s estranged father, a former black revolutionary, reappears to obtain a piece of her deceased Mother’s legacy. A powerful and honest story of one woman’s journey from a brutal existence to her own liberation, Sunset Baby is an energetic, daring look at the point where the personal and political collide.

What the critics are saying:
SUNSET BABY is a “smart and bracing new play…infuses old-fashioned generic staples with hot new blood…compellingly acted three-character work, directed with a sure and steady hand by Kamilah Forbes…” -Ben Brantley, The New York Times

Theatermania.com: Sunset Baby
Broadwayworld.com: Photo Flash: Inside Opening Night of Labyrinth Theater Company’s SUNSET BABY
The Sunset Baby creative team includes Amatus (Composer and Sound Designer), ESOSA (Costume Design), Jen Schriever (Lighting Design), and Lee Savage (Scenic Design).
‘Sunset Baby’ – A Brutal, Thought-Provoking Reunion Between Father and Daughter By Andy Propst (Nov 25, 2013)
Saturday, November 30 @ 2 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, December 1 @ 7 pm
Tuesday, December 3 @ 8 pm
Wednesday, December 4 @ 8 pm
Thursday, December 5 @ 8 pm
Friday, December 6 @ 8 pm
Saturday, December 7 @ 2 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, December 8 @ 2 pm & 8 pm

Tickets for Sunset Baby are $35. In an effort to make great theater accessible to all New Yorkers, Labyrinth offers the Labpass, which gives audiences access to all of Labyrinth’s programming in their 2013/14 Season starting at just $99. To purchase a Labpass, and to find more information on the Season, please visit www.labtheater.org.

A conversation with the cast of Sunset Baby.

Daphne Rubin-Vega and John Earl Jelks. Photo by Lia Chang

John Earl Jelks (Kenyatta) was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance as Sterling Johnson in August Wilson’s Radio Golf. Jelks made his Broadway debut opposite Phylicia Rashad in August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean as Citizen, directed by Kenny Leon (after runs at the Goodman, Huntington and Mark Taper, where he won a NAACP Theatre Award and an L.A. Ovation Award). In 2008, Jelks garnered an AUDELCO Award for his role as Harper Edwards in the Off-Broadway revival of Leslie Lee’s The First Breeze of Summer, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Jelks also appeared Off-Broadway in MCC’s production of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon with David Duchovny, Amanda Peet and Tracee Chimo, directed by Jo Bonney. Regional theatre credits include Regina Taylor’s Magnolia with Annette O’Toole at the Goodman Theatre, the world stage premiere of The Shawshank Redemption at the Gaiety Theatre in Ireland; Two Trains Running at Two River Theater Company; August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Penumbra Theatre Company and Missouri Repertory Theatre. Film and TV credits include Snap; The Miraculous, The Miracle at St. Anna, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” and “Blue Bloods”. Jelks recently appeared Off-Broadway in Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man, with Nikki M. James, Richard Masur, K. Todd Freeman and Ray Fisher, directed by Des McAnuff at New York Theatre Workshop. NYTW Production Photos of Fetch Clay, Make Man: Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K. Todd Freeman

Harvey Gardner Moore, Opal Alladin, Patricia McGregor and Freedome Bradley. Photo by Lia Chang

Harvey Gardner Moore (Damon) Film: A Day in the Life of Ageless Shaman: Love Documented (Starring/Writer/Director/Editor/Producer) Chronicles HGM making a film/learning filmmaking in 13 days. Slow Collaboration (Starring/Co-writer) with Darius Clark Monroe (Director) HBO Film Festival Winner. Theatre: Broken Healer (Starring/Writer/Director/Producer) Hip Hop Suicide Prevention Piece Chronicling HGM overcoming Suicide Ideation due to the stroke of his father. HIP HOP Albums: “Ageless Jackson: The Album/Short Film”, at Lincoln Center drummer Ali Jackson (Drums). “Induction”, “Dark side of the Light”, “Love Documented” inspired by the feature film. Upcoming films: Year of Our Lord Collaboration (starring) with Darius Clark Monroe (director) playing a transgender woman in this film about the Second Coming of Christ. Moments of Humanity: The play/film fusion Collaboration (Starring/Writer/Director/Producer) John Eisner of The Lark Theater. Dark Side of the Light, Harlem Love Story. Yale Drama School.

Alano Miller, Tracie Thoms, DeWanda Wise, John Earl Jelks and Count Stovall. Photo by Lia Chang

DeWanda Wise (Nina) NY Theater: Sundown Name and Night-Gone Things (Negro Ensemble Company, NY) As it Is In Heaven (3 Graces) Electra (Tisch) Regional: Flight (City Theatre, Pittsburgh) In the Continuum (Playmakers, Chapel Hill) Film: Spinning into Butter, Queen of Media, African Booty Scratcher, & Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire. TV: “MOW Firelight,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Criminal Intent, SVU,” “The Good Wife,” “The Unusuals,” and “Gamekillers” for MTV. Upcoming projects include indie film Knucklehead with Gbenga Akinnagbe and Alfre Woodard; and My Manz with Jamie Hector. BFA NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. www.DeWandaWise.com

John Earl Jelks and Dominique Morisseau. Photo by Lia Chang

Dominique Morisseau (Playwright). Writer and actress, Dominique is an alum of the Public Theater Emerging Writer’s Group, the Women’s Project Playwrights Lab, and Lark Playwrights Workshop. Among her playwriting credits are: Detroit ’67 (Public Theater; Classical Theatre of Harlem/National Black Theatre), Sunset Baby (Labyrinth Theater Co – NYC; Gate Theater- London), Follow Me To Nellie’s (O’Neill; Premiere Stages). Her produced one-acts include: Third Grade (Fire This Time Festival); Black at Michigan (Cherry Lane Studio/DUTF); Socks, Roses Are Played Out and Love and Nappiness (Center Stage, ATH); love.lies.liberation (The New Group), Bumrush (Hip Hop Theater Festival), and The Masterpiece (Harlem9/HSA). Dominique is currently developing a 3-play cycle on her hometown of Detroit, entitled The Detroit Projects. Detroit ’67 is the first of the series. The second play in the series, Paradise Blue, was developed and/or read with Voice and Vision, the Hansberry Project at ACT, New York Theatre Workshop, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Public Theater. Dominique’s work has also been published in NY Times bestseller Chicken Soup for the African American Soul, and in the Harlem-based literary journal “Signifyin’ Harlem” She is a Jane Chambers Playwriting Award honoree, a two-time NAACP Image Award recipient, a runner-up for the Princess Grace Award, a recipient of the Elizabeth George commission from South Coast Rep, a commendation honoree for the Primus Prize by the American Theatre Critics Association, winner of the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwriting Award and the Weissberger Award for Playwriting, the U of M – Detroit Center Emerging Leader Award, and a PoNY (Playwrights of New York) Fellow. She is an artist that believes wholeheartedly in the power and strength of community.

Dominique Morisseau and Kamilah Forbes. Photo by Kari Otero

Kamilah Forbes (Director). Most recent credits include: Broadway: The Mountaintop and Stickfly (Associate Director). Welcome to Nellie’s by Dominique Morrisseau (Classical Theater of Harlem, Reading), Nannyland by Radha Blank (Public Theater, Reading), Saturday Night/Sunday Morning by Katori Hall (Lincoln Center Theater Lab Reading series), The Mountaintop by Katori Hall (Lark Theater, barebones production), Journey to the door of no return by Psalmayene 24 (Arena Stage, workshop), Children of Children Keep Coming (Columbia University), Beauty, the Beast (Dance Mission, San Francisco), And Her Hair Went With Her by Zina Camblin (c). Most recently she directed National Poetry Slam Champion Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s multi-disciplinary dance theater piece SCOURGE. Scourge toured to Rotterdam, Brussels, Boston, DC, 651 arts (NYC), and was premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the arts in San Francisco. Other credits include: assistant director for Tony Award winning Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, Masquerade by solo spoken word artist Roger Bonair–Agard, Rhyme Deferred which she conceived and co-wrote presented at The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, PS122, New York Theater Workshop, and Undermain Theater. Other directing credits include: No Man’s Land (ODC Theater, San Francisco), Nightmares of JuJubee (The Lincoln Theater DC, PS122, NYC). She recently received the 2011 JOSEPHINE ABADY award from the League of Professional Women in theater for excellence in the theater and is a member of the Leadership Board with the Women’s Project.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful Portraits of New York Chinatown after 9/11
Photos: Denise Burse, Lizan Mitchell, Novella Nelson, Arthur French at Regina Taylor’s stop. reset with LaTanya Richardson Jackson at Signature
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Video: Power Play’s Lorey Hayes and Lia Chang on The Carmen Mathis Show Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Other articles on John Earl Jelks:
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Nov. 6 – Dec. 8: Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore Star in Labyrinth’s American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau at Bank Street Theater
Photos: Opening Night of Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man with John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Nikki M. James, K. Todd Freeman, Ray Fisher
NYTW Production Photos of Fetch Clay, Make Man: Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K. Todd Freeman
Photos: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, John Earl Jelks, Leslie Uggams, Anthony Chisholm, S. Epatha Merkerson, Taraji P. Henson, Jesse L. Martin, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Kenny Leon and More Set for August Wilson American Century Cycle Recording Series at The Greene Space in NY, Aug. 26-Sept. 28, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Geffen Playhouse Production Photos of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon starring Kevin Anderson, Tracee Chimo, Catherine Dent and John Earl Jelks Kevin Anderson, Catherine Dent, Tracee Chimo, John Earl Jelks in Neil La Bute’s The Break of Noon at the Geffen
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo opening night of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon
John Earl Jelks is featured in MCC Theater’s world premiere of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon at the Lucille Lortel
Denise Burse, Rocky Carroll, Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams in Radio Golf by August Wilson at The Pearlstone Theater in Baltimore
Click here for more articles on John Earl Jelks.

Rome Neal. Photo by Lia Chang

Rome Neal will lead the cast as Lee Ransom in the World Premiere of acclaimed writer Ishmael Reed’s The Final Version, at the Nuyorican Poets Café, 236 East 3rd Street (between Avenues B and C), in New York, from December 12 – January 19, 2014, during its 40th anniversary season.

The play follows Lee Ransom, a writer who struggles with tensions between Communist ideology and commercial success from the 1930s through the 1960s. Ishmael Reed’s poetry, prose and plays have been honored with fellowships from the MacArthur and Guggenheim Foundations and the National Endowment for the Arts; his work has also been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Awards. Rome, an Obie and multiple Audelco award winner for his theatrical work, also directs the production.

The cast also includes Lynae De Priest, Melissa Harlow, Dawn Murphy, Molly Elizabeth Parker,  Stephen Powell, Connie Stewart, Temesgen Tocruray and Robert Turner.

Ishmael Reed. Photo by Lia Chang

The play is set in 1939 and 1965. Lee Ransom is an African-American writer who has been sponsored by the American Communist Party. When the Party founders in the late 1930s, Ransom compromises his ideological stance by cutting radical Communist characters from the manuscript of his novel, a move that wins him a publishing contract and material success. In 1965, a publisher asks to release the original novel. Ransom fights with his conscience and with the two excised characters about whether to accept the new publishing deal. The Final Version explores the complex intersections between racial identity and liberal ideology, and examines how New York City’s leftist culture has changed since the 1930s.

The Final Version opens Thursday, December 12 and runs most Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons through January 19 (23 total performances) at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street, between Avenues B and C in Manhattan). Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances start at 7PM; Sunday performances start at 3pm. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $18 for students and seniors at the door. Tickets and directions are available at www.nuyorican.org or by calling 212-780-9386.

ROME NEAL (Actor/Director/Producer/Jazz Vocalist) is the Artistic Theatre Director of the Nuyorican Poets Café theatre program. Rome received an Obie Grant with Café founder Miguel Algarin for excellence in theatre. He is the recipient of five Audelco Awards – two for directing – Pepe Carril’s SHANGO de IMA and Samuel Harp’s DON”T EXPLAIN; two for acting – Lead Actor in Gabrielle N. Lane’s SIGNS, and one for Solo Performance in his critically acclaimed MONK, by Laurence Holder. He also received the National Black Theatre Festival’s coveted Lloyd Richards Director’s Award.

His fifth Audelco Award was a technical award for his lighting design of SHANGO de IMA. Mr. Neal received a Triumph Award for his acting in Alex Mc Donald’s PRISM and a Monarch Merit Award for his outstanding contributions in New York Theatre. His directorial credits includes his adaptation of William Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA, Sekou Sundiata’s THE CIRCLE UNBROKEN IS A HARD BOP Amiri Baraka’s MEETING LILLIE, SHANGO de IMA, PRISM, Ishmael Reed’s THE C ABOVE C ABOVE HIGH C and Amiri Baraka’s PRIMITIVE WORLD: AN ANTI- NUCLEAR JAZZ MUSICAL, all performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Rome directed Wesley Brown’s LIFE DURING WARTIME at the Cafe and The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia. His production of Alex McDonald’s PRISM was performed at the Ex-Ponto Festival in Slovenia, Eastern Europe.

His acting credits include Dan Owen’s FOREVER MY DARLIN’, directed by Daune Jones at the Richard Allen Center, and later by John Amos, and Judi Ann Mason’s A STAR AIN’T NOTHIN BUT A HOLE IN HEAVEN directed by Mikel Pickney.

Rome’s film acting credits include Michael Almereyda’s HAMLET, Spike Lee’s SUMMER OF SAM and Leon Ichaso’s PINERO.

As a Jazz Vocalist,  Rome has performed at Town Hall on Broadway, The Metropolitan Room, The Museum of the City of New York, Lenox Lounge, Joe’s Pub, Saint Nick’s Pub,  Minton’s Playhouse,  Showman’s,  966Jazz,  Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in Detroit,  The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, The Jazz Spot, and has performed around town as the lead vocalist for the Bill Lee Mo’ Better Quintet (Spike’s father). Mr. Neal has a CD entitled: “A Brighter Crooner”, and now his live concert “All in The Puddin’” recently released on DVD along with his “Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz Jam… A Night To Remember”.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Roscoe Orman, Phynjuar, Horace Vincent Rogers and More Set for Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz: “A Jazzy Thespians Night” at Nuyorican Poets Café
Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz presents Motown… Ain’t Nothin’ But A Party 2 at Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Rome Neal in Laurence Holder’s MONK at the NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ in New York
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

LAByrinth’s critically acclaimed American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau, helmed by Kamilah Forbes and starring Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore, has been extended at Bank Street Theater, 155 Bank Street in New York. Sunset Baby, a New York Times Critic’s Pick, originally scheduled to run through December 8, 2013, will now play its final performance on Sunday, December 15, 2013. The Sunset Baby creative team includes Amatus (Composer and Sound Designer), ESOSA (Costume Design), Jen Schriever (Lighting Design), and Lee Savage (Scenic Design).

Harvey Gardner Moore and DeWanda Wise. Photo by Monique Carboni.

John Earl Jelks. Photo by Monique Carboni.

East New York, Brooklyn. Nina’s estranged father, a former black revolutionary, reappears to obtain a piece of her deceased Mother’s legacy. A powerful and honest story of one woman’s journey from a brutal existence to her own liberation, Sunset Baby is an energetic, daring look at the point where the personal and political collide.

What the critics are saying:
SUNSET BABY is a “smart and bracing new play…infuses old-fashioned generic staples with hot new blood…compellingly acted three-character work, directed with a sure and steady hand by Kamilah Forbes…” -Ben Brantley, The New York Times

Thursday, December 5 @ 8 pm
Friday, December 6 @ 8 pm
Saturday, December 7 @ 2 pm & 8 pm
Sunday, December 8 @ 2 pm & 8 pm
Tuesday, December 10 @ 8 pm
Wednesday, December 11 @ 8 pm
Thursday, December 12 @ 8 pm
Friday, December 13 @ 8 pm
Saturday, December 14 @ 8 pm
Sunday, December 15 @ 7 pm

Harvey Gardner Moore, DeWanda Wise and John Earl Jelks. Photo by Lia Chang

Tickets for Sunset Baby are $35. In an effort to make great theater accessible to all New Yorkers, Labyrinth offers the Labpass, which gives audiences access to all of Labyrinth’s programming in their 2013/14 Season starting at just $99. To purchase a Labpass, and to find more information on the Season, please visit www.labtheater.org.

LAByrinth Theater Company (Mimi O’Donnell, Artistic Director; Danny Feldman, Managing Director) is a diverse, award-winning ensemble of artists who have changed the face of American theater through groundbreaking productions of provocative new plays. Founded in 1992 by a group of actors who wanted to push their artistic limits and tell new, more inclusive stories that expanded the boundaries of mainstream theater, Labyrinth has grown into a nationally renowned company of actors, directors, playwrights and designers from a wide array of cultural perspectives. Over the past 20 years, Labyrinth has developed hundreds of original works and premiered over 60 new American plays here in New York including Guinea Pig Solo, Jack Goes Boating, Jesus Hopped The A Train, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Our Lady of 121st Street, Sailor’s Song, Sistah Supreme, and the Company’s multi-Tony nominated Broadway debut, The Motherf**ker With The Hat.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Theatermania.com: Sunset Baby
‘Sunset Baby’ – A Brutal, Thought-Provoking Reunion Between Father and Daughter By Andy Propst (Nov 25, 2013)
Broadwayworld.com: Photo Flash: Inside Opening Night of Labyrinth Theater Company’s SUNSET BABY

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photo Call: Derek Walcott’s Marie Laveau
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu Stars SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE’s Cole Horibe as Bruce Lee
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Photos: Backstage Q & A with Thom Sesma and the cast of Signature’s Miss Saigon
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful
Portraits of New York Chinatown after 9/11
Photos: Denise Burse, Lizan Mitchell, Novella Nelson, Arthur French at Regina Taylor’s stop. reset with LaTanya Richardson Jackson at Signature
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Video: Power Play’s Lorey Hayes and Lia Chang on The Carmen Mathis Show Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Other articles on John Earl Jelks:
Photos: LAByrinth’s Opening Night of Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby with John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tracie Thoms, Alano Miller and More
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Nov. 6 – Dec. 8: Tony Nominee John Earl Jelks, Dewanda Wise and Harvey Gardner Moore Star in Labyrinth’s American Premiere of Sunset Baby by Dominique Morisseau at Bank Street Theater
Photos: Opening Night of Will Power’s Fetch Clay, Make Man with John Earl Jelks, Richard Masur, Nikki M. James, K. Todd Freeman, Ray Fisher
NYTW Production Photos of Fetch Clay, Make Man: Ray Fisher, Nikki M. James, John Earl Jelks, K. Todd Freeman
Photos: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, John Earl Jelks, Leslie Uggams, Anthony Chisholm, S. Epatha Merkerson, Taraji P. Henson, Jesse L. Martin, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Kenny Leon and More Set for August Wilson American Century Cycle Recording Series at The Greene Space in NY, Aug. 26-Sept. 28, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Geffen Playhouse Production Photos of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon starring Kevin Anderson, Tracee Chimo, Catherine Dent and John Earl Jelks Kevin Anderson, Catherine Dent, Tracee Chimo, John Earl Jelks in Neil La Bute’s The Break of Noon at the Geffen
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo opening night of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon
John Earl Jelks is featured in MCC Theater’s world premiere of Neil LaBute’s The Break of Noon at the Lucille Lortel
Denise Burse, Rocky Carroll, Anthony Chisholm, John Earl Jelks and James A. Williams in Radio Golf by August Wilson at The Pearlstone Theater in Baltimore
Click here for more articles on John Earl Jelks.

Michael Carnahan, Chuck Cooper, Brandon J. Dirden and Roslyn Ruff with the eight AUDELCO Awards for Signature Theatre Company’s revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, at the 41st Annual Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO “VIV” Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre, held in the Peter Jay Stark Theatre at Symphony Space in New York, on Monday, November 25, 2013. Photo courtesy of Chuck Cooper

Signature Theatre Company’s Revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson was the big winner at Dance! Dance! Dance!, the 41st Annual Vivian Robinson/AUDELCO “VIV” Recognition Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre, held in the Peter Jay Stark Theatre at Symphony Space in New York, on Monday, November 25, 2013.

Eric Lenox Abrams, Roslyn Ruff, Alexis Holt and James A. Williams in Signature’s revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo by Joan Marcus

This year’s co-chairs included Aduke Aremu, Carmen de Lavallade, and two of my Power Play leading men, Jerome Preston Bates and Roscoe Orman. Melba Moore, George Faison and Kevin Phillips shared co-hosting duties during the ceremony.

Chuck Cooper, Jason Dirden, Brandon Dirden and Roslyn Ruff in Signature’s revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Photo by Joan Marcus

The Piano Lesson’s impressive haul included winning eight of the ten categories it was nominated for: Best Revival, Best Lead Actress for Roslyn Ruff, Best Lead Actor for Brandon J. Dirden, Best Supporting Actor for Chuck Cooper, Best Lighting Design for Rui Rita, Best Set Design for Michael Carnahan, Best Costume Design for Karen Perry and Best Director/Dramatic Production for Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who has been receiving rave reviews for his solo turn in Signature Theatre’s production of August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, which has been extended through December 22, 2013.
Signature’s Off-Broadway Revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, helmed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Sharon Washington and Colman Domingo in a scene from “Wild With Happy,” at The Pubilc, which Domingo also wrote. Photo by Joan Marcus

The Public Theater’s production of Colman Domingo’s Wild with Happy garnered three AUDELCOs, including Dramatic Production of the Year, Best Playwright for Colman Domingo and Best Supporting Actress for Sharon Washington. Harlem Repertory Theatre’s production of Dreamgirls won in the category of Musical Production of the Year, Best Director/Musical Production for Keith Lee Grant and Outstanding Performance in a Musical/Female for Dion Millington.

Natalia Peguero, Dion Millington and Isis Kenney in Harlem Rep’s production of Dreamgirls, directed by Keith Lee Grant. Photo by Edward Corcino

York Theatre Company’s production of Storyville won two AUDELCOs -Best Choreographer for Mercedes Ellington and Outstanding Performance in a Musical/ Male for Michael Leonard James.

Clifton Samuels, Debra Walton, Michael Leonard James, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Karen Burthwright, Zakiya Young in York Theatre Company’s production of Storyville. Photo by Carol Rosegg

The AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Dance Company of the Year was shared by Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and Forces of Nature.

Nicholas L. Ashe, Kyle Beltran, Grantham Coleman, Chuck Cooper, Austin Pendleton, Jeremy Pope, Wallace Smith were honored for their Outstanding Ensemble Performance in Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who is one the playwrights featured in the PBS film, Playwright: From Page to Stage, set to air on December 16, 2013
Chuck Cooper, Austin Pendleton, Nicholas L. Ashe, Kyle Beltran, Grantham Coleman, Jeremy Pope, and Wallace Smith Set for MTC’s World Premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Choir Boy, June 18- July 21, 2013
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage

A Special Pioneer Award was presented to Lorna Littleway; Special Achievement Awards were presented to Bishop Nathaniel Townsley and Lenora Fulani, and The Rising Star Award was presented to Andre “Chez” Lewis.

Congrats also to David D. Wright – Best Sound Design for Take Wing and Soar/New Heritage’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest; Ryan Touhey – Outstanding Musical Director for Gallery Players production of Dreamgirls; Jeannette Bayardelle-Solo Performance for Shida; and Karamu House – 2013 Repertory Company of the Year Award.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Knock Me a Kiss Sweeps Audelcos with 9 Wins Including Best Dramatic Play, André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Charles Smith and Chuck Smith
Photos: André De Shields, Erin Cherry, Gillian Glasco, Marie Thomas, Sean Phillips, Morocco Omari, Charles Smith and Chuck Smith Among 13 Audelco Nods for Knock Me a Kiss
Costume Designer Karen Perry Receives Audelco Nod for The Public’s Brother/Sister Trilogy by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe, MTC’s Ruined, De Shields and Nottage Among 2009 Audelco Winners
AUDELCO 2009 “The VIV” Nominees for the 2008-2009 Theatre Season
Photos: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, John Earl Jelks, Leslie Uggams, Anthony Chisholm, S. Epatha Merkerson, Taraji P. Henson, Jesse L. Martin, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Kenny Leon and More Set for August Wilson American Century Cycle Recording Series at The Greene Space in NY, Aug. 26-Sept. 28, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards

National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins Set for Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang. Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Dance Drama: Nativity Birth of a King. Photo by Barry Mason

Don’t miss the final performance of NATIVITY: BIRTH OF A KING, produced by Dance Ministry Institute (DMI), at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 524 West 59th Street (between 10th & 11th Avenues) in New York, on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 4pm. Tickets are $40 Balcony, $55 Orchestra, and can be purchased online. Tickets are $45 Balcony and $60 Orchestra, if purchased at the door. Group sales – 10% discount for a group of 10 or more; Balcony- Regular price $40; discount $36; Orchestra – Regular price $55; discount $49.50. Call 845-508-6502.

Peter Jay Fernandez, Caleb Evans, Isaac Evans, Joshua Evans, Selena Evans and Robert Evans at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater @ John Jay College in New York on December 14, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Last night, Peter Jay Fernandez gifted me with an evening at Nativity: Birth of a King, a glorious holiday dance drama adapted from the “Good Book”, that features an original script and musical arrangements by DMI founding director Robert Evans, who also directs, provides sets and choreographs along with a team. Evans’ choreographic team includes his son, Joshua Evans, Jason Herbert, Angelique Hudson-Bivens, Keren Keck, Dana Rainey, Britney Sandifer, Veronica Stephen and Kelley Thompson. The production team also features spectacular costumes by his wife, Selena Evans, lighting design by Antoine Thrower, and Terri Williams as technical director and stage Manager.

Dance Drama: Nativity Birth of a King. Photo by Barry Mason

Nativity: Birth of a King unveils the events surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ through the artistic expressions of dance and song. The evening of pageantry features 20 dance scenes, pre-recorded and live music, soloists Terri Small and c. Anthony Bryant, and a gospel choir that convey the cultural conditions surrounding the birth of Christ. Damon L. Mack lead the choir which featured LaVerne Barnes, Jessica Brenes-McClory, Sequoya Brown-Stevens, Charlene Clark, Charles Clayton, Steling Cummings, Shanique Dickens, Annette Doughlas, Kacie N. Earle, Caren Gallman, Kathyrn Goldbeck, Esther Grant, Jillian Grant, Ondrea Griffin, Heather Howell, Margaret Lewis, Tanya Mack, Margret Meggett, Jorim Motley, Christina Prioleau, Sharango Rush and Montrose Spencer Bushrod.

The stars of Nativity: Birth of a King.

The cast stars Angelique Hudson-Bivens as Mary, Manuel Lane as Joseph and features Jason Herbert as Zacharias, Joshua Evans as the Holy Spirit, Kelley Thompson as Elizabeth, Carla Powell as the Traveler, James Murray as Gabriel and Robert Evans as The Inn Keeper. Isaac F. Alexander, Nick Arnell, Roderick Bowman, Bianca Bryson, Vanessa Coke, Caleb Evans, Selena Evans, Damek Fountain, Robert J. Heyward, Danielle Jones, Duane Matthews, Michelle Mathis, Amelia Manuel, Brianya McKenzie, Patricia McKenzie, Leano Monsanto, Orville Morgan, Trinity O’Neal Johnson, Dana Rainey, Karita Reid, Alicia Rivera, Ayden Rivera, Denivia Rivera, Anthony Robinson, “MinRae”Ross, Britney Sandifer, Cheramie Simmon, Michael Simpkins, Veronica Stephen, Michelle Thompson, Nyasia Turner, Shannyn M. Tyndall and David Wiggins round out the cast.

Dance Drama: Nativity Birth of a King. Photo by Barry Mason

And a special nod to the adorable sheep played by Genesis Bowman, Gerod Bowman, Jadon Cleare, Tamia “Mimi” Collier, Caleb Evans, Isaac Evans, Chichi Ezekwenna, Oluchi Ezekwenna, Damek Fountain, Kiara Fountain, Tamia Flowers, Jordan Houston, Journee Houston, Nina Marie Lassiter, Trinity O’Neal Johnson, Megan Talavera, NeliAnn Rodriguez, Ayden Rivera, Denivia Rivera, Noortje Scott, Joshua Simpkins, Dheaven Stewart and Jayson Tinsley.

The band features musical director Randy Jenkins on Keyboard, Andrew Swift on Guitar, Jay White on Bass and Darious Woodley, Jr. on Drums.

Dance Drama: Nativity Birth of a King. Photo by Barry Mason

This seventh annual production of NATIVITY produced by New Rochelle-based Dance Ministry Institute (DMI), gives reason for faith audiences to rejoice by serving as a dazzling tribute to the miracle of the incarnation, the universal power of faith, and the explosive talent of an inspired local dance ministry curated from Abyssinian Baptist Church, Agape Christian Ministry, Allen Memorial Church of God in Christ, Bethel Gospel Assembly Inc., Calvary Christian Fellowship, Inc., Christ Family Community Church, Christian Cultural Center, Community Baptist Church, Emmanuel Pentecostal Faith Temple, Family Christian Center, Greater Centennial AME Zion Church, Greater Temple of Praise, Harlem Tabernacle Church, Harvest Fields Community Church, Harvest International Church, Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, New Life Outreach International, New York Covenant Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Source of Love Records, Inc., Strait Gate-The Church at Westchester, Tabernacle of Prayer, The Bible Church of Christ, Victory Renewal Christian Fellowship World Outreach and World Changers Church.

Dance Drama: Nativity Birth of a King. Photo by Barry Mason

“Since 2001 the primary mission of DMI has been to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and assist in reclaiming the arts back to the Kingdom of God,” says DMI founding director Robert Evans. “Bringing our Christmas show to the heart of the Theater District is a blessing and the culmination of a dream.”

Evans’ choreographic works have ministered to people throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean over the last two decades, including the Bahamas Faith Ministries (Nassau, Bahamas); Christian Cultural Center (Brooklyn, New York); World Changers Church International (College Park, GA); and The Potter’s House (Dallas, Texas). A native of St. Louis, his dance ministry roots began with the Harlem Tabernacle Dance Ministry (Harlem, NY) where he served as the assistant director from 1991-2001. Says his wife Selena, who also serves as costume designer and dancer in NATIVITY, “Robert is a true leader who considers himself privileged to serve the body of Christ with all that the Lord has given him.”

Lia Chang, Peter Jay Fernandez, Caleb Evans, Isaac Evans, Joshua Evans, Selena Evans, Robert Evans, Kiki Shepard, LaDonna and Kennedy Barnes at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater @ John Jay College in New York on December 14, 2013.

NATIVITY is sponsored in part by the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College.

Selena Evans and Lia Chang.

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.
All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com
Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Dec. 15: Justin Guarini, Garth Kravits, Geoff and Chelsea Packard, Lonny Price, Jay Russell, Riley Bultemeier, Janine DiVita and Fred White to perform in Musical Farewell Revue for Jed Bernstein at Bucks County Playhouse
Q & A with Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play’s Garth Kravits
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Coleman Domingo and Sharon Washington; and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington 
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater 
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu 
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage 
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards 
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72 
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party 
Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins Set for Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season 
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Playwright Rajiv Joseph received the 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award at the 2013 Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards Ceremony, held at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. NewHouse Theater in New York on November 18, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Playwright Rajiv Joseph, a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Bengal Tiger in The Baghdad Zoo, and Tarell Alvin McCraney, both Steinberg Playwright Award honorees, are the focus of a new film from acclaimed director Robert Levi, Playwright: From Page to Stage , which premiered on Independent Lens, hosted by Stanley Tucci, on Monday, December 16, 2013 on PBS. Click here to watch online through January 15, 2014.

Robin Williams as The Tiger in Bengal Tiger. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

A rare and intimate glimpse into the dynamic process of creating and launching new plays, Playwright: From Page to Stage follows two outstanding young playwrights through the writing, development, staging, rehearsal, and public performance of their plays. Over the course of three years, the dramatic parallel journeys of Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney unfold, from the time their work receives development funding until the riveting climax, when one of the productions makes it to Broadway with Robin Williams in a leading role.

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother Size. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Bengal Tiger director Moises Kaufman and writer Rajiv Joseph. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Robin Williams with Bengal Tiger writer Rajiv Joseph. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

When the film begins, McCraney and Joseph are fresh talents bursting onto the scene, both having written probing new plays depicting society in turmoil. Young, black, gay, and from Miami’s inner city, McCraney has an unusual background for mainstream American theater. His Brother/Sister Plays, a sprawling coming-of-age trilogy set in a fictional black Louisiana community, reflect not only his own life experiences, but also the social and cultural realities of America’s underclass. Joseph is a quiet but charismatic young Indian-American from Cleveland who traveled to Africa for a three-year stint in the Peace Corps after graduating from college. His Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is a phantasmagorical exploration of war-torn Iraq, seen through multiple sets of dual perspectives — Americans and Iraqis, soldiers and civilians, animals and humans, men and women, the comic and the tragic, the living and the dead.

With extraordinary access at every step, Playwright: From Page to Stage brings to life the intense collaborations and emotionally charged process that takes place when teams of writers, directors, actors, and producers pool their talents. Intercutting between the two plays, the film goes backstage to reveal the drama and conflict leading up to their opening nights. Will these productions succeed and move to larger venues? Or will these promising productions close, leaving unrealized dreams behind?

From bare-boned rehearsal halls to regional theaters to Broadway, Playwright: From Page to Stage captures the arduous challenges — and ultimate triumph — of these controversial new works and the playwrights who created them. Those featured in the film include David Dower, Director of Artistic Programs at Emerson College’s ArtsEmerson performance department; Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of New York City’s Public Theater; Robyn Goodman, producer of the Tony Award-winning Avenue Q and In the Heights, among others; playwright Katori Hall (The Mountaintop); Moises Kaufman, award-winning director and playwright whose most recent play, 33 Variations, was nominated for five Tony Awards; Steppenwolf Theatre Company member and Broadway director Tina Landau; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage (Ruined); award-winning theater director and playwright Robert O’Hara; and actor and comedian Robin Williams.

Visit the Playwright: From Page to Stage companion website v

Rajiv Joseph, 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award Honoree. Photo by Lia Chang

Rajiv Joseph just received a 2013 Steinberg Playwright Award and a 2013 Equity Jeff Award for his new play, The Lake Effect, produced by Silk Road Rising in Chicago. His Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo was a 2010 Pulitzer Prize finalist. Other plays include The Monster at the Door (2011), The North Pool (2011), Gruesome Playground Injuries (2009), Animals Out of Paper (2008), and Huck and Holden (2005). He wrote the book and was co-lyricist for the Broadway-bound musical, Fly, adapted from J.M. Barrie’s novel, Peter Pan . He was named a 2010 Rockefeller Fellow by United States Artists, and received the Lucille Lortel Award, the Whiting Award, and the Glickman Award. He was a writer on the Showtime series “Nurse Jackie,” and co-wrote Draft Day, a 2014 feature dramedy about pro football, directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner.

Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney (photo credit: Greg Funnell)

Tarell Alvin McCraney was recently named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow, recognized as a playwright “exploring the rich diversity of the African American experience in works that imbue the lives of ordinary people with epic significance.” In addition to The Brother/Sister Plays (2009), his work includes Head of Passes (2013), Choir Boy (2012), American Trade (2011), and Wig Out! (2008). He is a member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company, has been an International Playwright in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and is currently directing Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, which will premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stages in November 2013, before coming to Miami’s GableStage, followed by a run at New York’s Public Theater in January 2014. He also received a Steinberg Playwright Award and New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award.

About the Filmmakers
Robert Levi (Producer/Director) is an independent writer, director, producer, and cinematographer. In 2008, his film, Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, which premiered on Independent Lens, became the first show in broadcast history to receive the Emmy for Best Documentary, a Peabody Award, and the Writers Guild Award for Best Documentary Screenplay. His film, Duke Ellington: Reminiscing in Tempo, premiered on the PBS series American Experience, received an Emmy, and later played on A&E’s Biography. In addition, Levi has received three Best Script nominations from the Writers Guild for other work. He wrote, produced, and directed Mott Street, a 35mm dramatic film short for PolyGram, and his work has screened at festivals worldwide, including Berlin, London, Melbourne, Munich, and the AFI Film Festival. As a director of photography, Levi has worked with directors Norman Jewison, Sydney Pollack, and Nick Broomfield, and was a Producer on the Academy Award-winning documentary Scared Straight.

Joshua Blum (Producer) is Founder and Executive Producer of Washington Square Films, Inc. His current feature film projects include Executive Producer on All Is Lost, a new film starring Robert Redford, and written and directed by J.C. Chandor; and Producer on Listen Up Philip, starring Elizabeth Moss and Jason Schwartzman, and directed by Alex Ross Perry, slated for a 2014 release. Past film and television projects he has produced include Margin Call, a drama starring Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, Simon Baker, and Jeremy Irons, written and directed by J.C. Chandor (nominated for Best Original Screenplay Academy Award in 2011); Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, directed by Robert Levi; And Everything Is Going Fine, a film featuring the life of Spalding Gray, directed by Steven Soderbergh; No Joking, a half-hour special for The Sundance Channel, celebrating the posthumous pardon of Lenny Bruce, directed by Bob Balaban; and Old Joy and Wendy and Lucy, both directed by Kelly Reichert.

CREDITS Producer /Director: Robert Levi Producers: Joshua Blum & Rebecca Halbower Executive Producer for ITVS: Sally Jo Fifer Executive Producers for WETA: Dalton Delan & David S. Thompson.

Playwright: From Page to Stage is a co-production of Robert Levi Films, Inc., Washington Square Films, Inc., and the Independent Television Service (ITVS), produced in association with WETA and PBS, with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

About Independent Lens
Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning weekly series airing on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by Independent Television Service (ITVS), the series is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding from PBS and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The senior series producer is Lois Vossen. More information at www.pbs.org/independentlens. Join Independent Lens on Facebook at www.facebook.com/independentlens.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Nov. 18: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph to be honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 & 2 at the Public Theater
Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister Plays has World Premiere at McCarter Theatre
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

New Heritage Theatre Group, celebrating its 50th anniversary, and City College Center for the Arts joined forces with Debra Ann Byrd, Take Wing & Soar Productions, and founder of the Harlem Shakespeare Festival to present the Festival’s closing performance of Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice, with an all female cast. 17 classically trained multi-ethnic actresses graced the performance space in a concert staged reading at The City College of New York before a standing- room-only audience on Sunday, December 15, 2013. The play was directed by Lisa Wolpe, who also played Iago, and co-starred Debra Ann Byrd as Othello. The cast also includes Sonya Hamlin, Brooke Parks, Kathryn Meisle, Mary Hodges, Nafeesa Monroe, Amanda Barron, Asta Hansen, Gael Schaefer, Sofia Jean Gomez, Lynne Taylor, Monica Keaton, Kim Wong, Sheilagh Weymouth, Aixa Kendrick and Liz Morgan.  The production featured fight choreography by Dan Burke.

Lisa Wolpe, Mary Hodges and Debra Ann Byrd in a concert staged reading of The Tragedy of OTHELLO: The Moor of Venice directed by Lisa Wolpe at Aaron Davis Hall in New York on December 15, 2013. ©IMAGEZS OF US 2013

After the performance the audience participated in a talk back with the director, producers, and cast members. The talk-back was followed by a grand reception and special presentation by the Honorable Teresa Freeman, New York State Committee Member, 70th Assembly District, Manhattan, of a Key to Harlem to Othello’s director Lisa Wolpe.

The Harlem Shakespeare Festival was designed to provide opportunities for women, youth, and especially classically trained actors of color. Next year, the Festival will join with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth.

The production of Othello was supported by The West Harlem Development Corporation, The Tides Foundation, The City of New York Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Council Member Inez E. Dickens, The New York City Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations, Jimmy Van Bramer, Chair, The New York State Council on the Arts, and the Arlen Charitable Trust.

New Heritage Theatre Group and Take Wing & Soar are members of the Harlem Arts Alliance, the Alliance of Residence Theaters, New York, the Shakespeare Theatre Association, the League of Professional Theatre Women, the Broadway League, and the Coalition of Theatres of Color.

For additional information regarding the Festival visit online at www.harlemshakespearefest.org.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Photos: Debra Ann Byrd and Christopher Sutton Lead the Cast of Harlem Shakespeare Festival’s Production of Antony & Cleopatra, August 29 – September 1, 2013
Video: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Nov. 14 – Dec. 29: Paolo Montalban and Eileen Ward Lead Cast of Olney Theatre Center’s Production of The King and I
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Playwright Camille Darby © Lia Chang

For the first time in The Fire This Time Festival history, Season Five will feature a fully realized production of a full-length play, Lords Resistance, by Season Two playwright Camille Darby, directed by Christopher Burris. The production will play six performances at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery) January 22-31, 2014, Wednesday through Friday at 7:30pm. Tickets ($15) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

Life is good for the Whitakers until their adopted son–a former child soldier–arrives from Uganda to his new home in the suburbs of Chicago. As the two worlds collide, he is yet again a victim and perpetrator of a war just as damaging as the one he escaped.

Camille Darby (Playwright) was born in Jamaica, West Indies, but migrated to New York City with her family at 6 years old. Her constant attempts at adjusting to American culture—she soon discovered—were best manifested through her writing. It was her first play Mother, May I? written as a high school student during the Theatre Development Fund’s Residency Arts Program that drew the attention of acclaimed playwright, Wendy Wasserstein. With Wasserstein as her mentor, the budding playwright continued to study theatre, literature and film at Sarah Lawrence College where she received her B.A. in 2005. As the Horse Trade Theatre Group’s Fire This Time Festival celebrates it’s fifth season providing a platform for playwrights of African-American and African descent to present new work, Darby is thrilled to be a part of the festival for the third consecutive season. Her play, Exodus was produced in the sold-out 2011 Festival showcase. Darby is the recipient of the Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO, 2008) playwriting prize from the Bronx Council on the Arts for her full-length play Lords Resistance. The play was part of the 2012 Fire This Time Festival reading series, and was presented at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Darby is a 2011 finalist for the Van Lier Fellowship program at The Lark Play Development Center, and a 2012 Women’s Project Lab finalist. She holds an M.F.A (2007) in Dramatic Writing from New York University’s, Tisch School of the Arts.

Christopher Burris (Director) New York directing credits include Kevin R. Free’s A Raisin In The Salad: Black Plays For White People, which was a FringeNYC 2010 hit. He also directed Dennis A. Allen III’s The Mud Is Thicker In Mississippi, a winner in the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. He has directed several short plays for Sticky at the Bowery Poetry Club, including Falling Out With Gregarian Tunks, A Shadow With No Form, Lifeis Terms, …In Which Bishop Eddie Long Loses His Battle With The Demons, and Gaga Of the Dead. In addition to a series of staged readings for Freedom TRain Productions, (including Derek McPhatter’s Bring the Beat Back) he has directed numerous projects for Phare Play, Unconscious Collective, and The Fire This Time Festival (Exodus; By the Banks of the Nile). He holds a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MFA from UC San Diego.

http://youtu.be/dWb173uwK4g

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

broadwayworld.com: Fire This Time Festival to Present Camille Darby’s Lord’s Resistance

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Camille Darby’s The White Peacock in The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s inaugural Future Classics Festival at The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Center on June 27, 2012
Photos: Tonya Pinkins, Billy Eugene Jones, Matthew Murumba and Toccarra Cash in Reading of Camille Darby’s Lords Resistance
Reading of Camille Darby’s Lords Resistance Stars Tonya Pinkins, Billy Eugene Jones, Tocarra Cash and Matthew Murumba at The Red Room on January 18
Camille Darby’s Lord’s Resistance
Feb. 11 – Mar. 23, 2014: Anthony Chisholm, Dariush Kashani, Tony Plana, Armando Riesco, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Annapurna Sriram Set for The Happiest Song Plays Last at Second Stage Theatre
Dec. 31: Chita Rivera Ushers in 2014 at 54 Below, Profiled on CBS Sunday Morning
Video: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Anthony Chisholm

Second Stage Theatre (2ST) is presenting the Off-Broadway production of Quiara Alegria Hudes’ The Happiest Song Plays Last, helmed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, at the Tony Kiser Theatre, 305 W 43rd St in New York. Preview performances begin on February 11, 2014 and continue through March 23, 2014. Opening night is set for March 3, 2014. Click here for tickets and more information.

The Happiest Song Plays Last is the third in Quiara Alegria Hudes’ Elliot trilogy of plays that began with Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue, a play about a young Marine coming to terms with his time in Iraq and his father’s and grandfather’s service in Vietnam and Korea. The second play in the trilogy, the 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Water by the Spoonful, received its New York premiere at Second Stage Theatre in 2013, and continues the story of Elliot, who returns home to Philadelphia from Iraq haunted by demons from the past.

The cast for The Happiest Song Plays Last features Tony Award-nominee Anthony Chisholm (Radio Golf), Dariush Kashani who last appeared Off-Broadway in Homebody/Kabul, Tony Plana, who starred as “Ignacio Suarez” in the TV sitcom “Ugly Betty,” Armando Riesco who earlier this year starred in 2ST’s Off-Broadway production of Water by the Spoonful, Tony Award-nominee Elizabeth Rodriguez (Motherf*cker with the Hat) and Annapurna Sriram (Shar).

In The Happiest Song Plays Last, cousins Elliot (Armando Riesco) and Yaz (Elizabeth Rodriguez), having long searched for their place in the community, discover the joy in coming home again and the comfort of family, both by blood and by love. While Elliot gets a lucky break in the film business, Yaz takes on the role of familial and neighborhood matriarch, nourishing those that pass through her door.

Armando Riesco once again returns to the role of ‘Elliot,’ which he first performed in Second Stage’s production of Water by the Spoonful, the second play in Hudes’ trilogy, a role which he also performed in the world premiere of The Happiest Song Plays Last which played at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre from April 13 – May 12, 2013.

The creative team for The Happiest Song Plays Last includes set design by Mike Carnahan, costumes by Karen Perry, lighting by Rui Rita and sound design by Leon Rothenberg.

Other articles by Lia Chang:
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Colman Domingo and Sharon Washington, and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington
Knock Me a Kiss Sweeps Audelcos with 9 Wins Including Best Dramatic Play, André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Charles Smith and Chuck Smith
Costume Designer Karen Perry Receives Audelco Nod for The Public’s Brother/Sister Trilogy by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Photos: Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Phylicia Rashad, John Earl Jelks, Leslie Uggams, Anthony Chisholm, S. Epatha Merkerson, Taraji P. Henson, Jesse L. Martin, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Kenny Leon and More Set for August Wilson American Century Cycle Recording Series at The Greene Space in NY, Aug. 26-Sept. 28, 2013
Photos: All-Access Pass to August Wilson’s Two Trains Running with John Earl Jelks, Harvy Blanks, Chuck Cooper, Anthony Chisholm, Owiso Odera, Roslyn Ruff and James A. Williams
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
National Black Theatre Festival Photos: Backstage with André De Shields, Marie Thomas, Erin Cherry, Sean Phillips and Morocco Omari in Knock Me A Kiss
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Albee, Hwang, Enos, Taylor, Wilson, Clarke and Jacobs-Jenkins Set for Signature Theatre’s 2013-14 Season
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang. Photo by Brianne Michelle Photography

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia recently starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

For the first time in The Fire This Time Festival history, Season Five will feature a fully realized production of a full-length play, Lords Resistance, by Season Two playwright Camille Darby, directed by Christopher Burris.

Matthew Murumba, Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson and Carmen LoBue. Photo by Lia Chang

The cast features Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson, Matthew Murumba, and Carmen LoBue. The production will play six performances at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery) at 7:30 pm on January 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th and 31st. Tickets ($15) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

The cast and creative team of Camille Darby’s Lords Resistance at The Kraine Theater in New York on January 4, 2014. Photo by Lia Chang

Life is good for the Whitakers until their adopted son–a former child soldier–arrives from Uganda to his new home in the suburbs of Chicago. As the two worlds collide, he is yet again a victim and perpetrator of a war just as damaging as the one he escaped.

Camille Darby. Photo by Lia Chang

Camille Darby (Playwright) was born in Jamaica, West Indies, but migrated to New York City with her family at 6 years old. Her constant attempts at adjusting to American culture—she soon discovered—were best manifested through her writing. It was her first play Mother, May I? written as a high school student during the Theatre Development Fund’s Residency Arts Program that drew the attention of acclaimed playwright, Wendy Wasserstein. With Wasserstein as her mentor, the budding playwright continued to study theatre, literature and film at Sarah Lawrence College where she received her B.A. in 2005. As the Horse Trade Theatre Group’s Fire This Time Festival celebrates it’s fifth season providing a platform for playwrights of African-American and African descent to present new work, Darby is thrilled to be a part of the festival for the third consecutive season. Her play, Exodus was produced in the sold-out 2011 Festival showcase. Darby is the recipient of the Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO, 2008) playwriting prize from the Bronx Council on the Arts for her full-length play Lords Resistance. The play was part of the 2012 Fire This Time Festival reading series, and was presented at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Darby is a 2011 finalist for the Van Lier Fellowship program at The Lark Play Development Center, and a 2012 Women’s Project Lab finalist. She holds an M.F.A (2007) in Dramatic Writing from New York University’s, Tisch School of the Arts.

Lords Resistance’s director Christopher Burris and playwright Camille Darby. Photo by Lia Chang

Christopher Burris (Director) New York directing credits include Kevin R. Free’s A Raisin In The Salad: Black Plays For White People, which was a FringeNYC 2010 hit. He also directed Dennis A. Allen III’s The Mud Is Thicker In Mississippi, a winner in the 2010 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival. He has directed several short plays for Sticky at the Bowery Poetry Club, including Falling Out With Gregarian Tunks, A Shadow With No Form, Lifeis Terms, …In Which Bishop Eddie Long Loses His Battle With The Demons, and Gaga Of the Dead. In addition to a series of staged readings for Freedom TRain Productions, (including Derek McPhatter’s Bring the Beat Back) he has directed numerous projects for Phare Play, Unconscious Collective, and The Fire This Time Festival (Exodus; By the Banks of the Nile). He holds a BA from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MFA from UC San Diego.

Matthew Murumba, Carmen LoBue, Lelund Durond Thompson and Tracey Conyer Lee. Photo by Lia Chang

Christopher Burris, Matthew Murumba, Camille Darby, Carmen LoBue, Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson and Barbara Matovu. Photo by Lia Chang

Matthew Murumba, Tracey Conyer Lee, Christopher Burris, Camille Darby, Barbara Matovu, Carmen LoBue and Lelund Durond Thompson. Photo by Lia Chang

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

broadwayworld.com: Fire This Time Festival to Present Camille Darby’s Lord’s Resistance

Other articles on Camille Darby:
Jan. 22- 31, 2014: Camile Darby’s Lords Resistance Featured in The Fire This Time Festival at The Kraine Theater
Camille Darby’s The White Peacock in The Classical Theatre of Harlem’s inaugural Future Classics Festival at The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Center on June 27, 2012
Photos: Tonya Pinkins, Billy Eugene Jones, Matthew Murumba and Toccarra Cash in Reading of Camille Darby’s Lords Resistance
Reading of Camille Darby’s Lords Resistance Stars Tonya Pinkins, Billy Eugene Jones, Tocarra Cash and Matthew Murumba at The Red Room on January 18
Camille Darby’s Lord’s Resistance

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Feb. 11 – Mar. 23, 2014: Anthony Chisholm, Dariush Kashani, Tony Plana, Armando Riesco, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Annapurna Sriram Set for The Happiest Song Plays Last at Second Stage Theatre
Video: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2014 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

The cast of Bronx Bombers. © James Leynse

Bronx Bombers, a new American play by Eric Simonson, kicks off preview performances tonight, Friday, January 10 at 8:00PM. The show is produced on Broadway by Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo, and directed by Eric Simonson. Bronx Bombers officially opens February 6, 2014 at Circle in the Square Theatre.

A limited number of student rush tickets will be available when the Circle in the Square Theatre box office opens (10AM Tuesday – Saturday, 12PM Sunday) for that day’s performance only. Tickets are $32 and only available in-person at the Circle in the Square Theatre box office. 1 ticket per valid student ID, seating locations are at the discretion of the box office.

Joining Kirmser and Ponturo as special producing partners are the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball marking these organizations’ first foray on Broadway.

Peter Scolari. Photo by Lia Chang

Starring Peter Scolari as Yogi Berra, the cast also features Francois Battiste (Reggie Jackson), Chris Henry Coffey (Joe DiMaggio), Bill Dawes (Mickey Mantle), Christopher Jackson (Derek Jeter), Keith Nobbs (Billy Martin), Tracy Shayne (Carmen Berra), John Wernke (Lou Gehrig) and C.J. Wilson (Babe Ruth).

The design team includes Beowulf Borritt (Sets), David C. Woolard (Costumes), Jason Lyons (Lights) and Lindsay Jones (Original Music & Sound).

Ruth. Berra. Mantle. DiMaggio. Gehrig. Jeter. The New York Yankees have never had a shortage of star players… or controversy. Bronx Bombers is a new American play from the team behind Broadway’s Lombardi that follows beloved icon Yogi Berra and his wife Carmen through a century of the team’s trials and triumphs, bringing generations of Yankee greats together on one stage. As it celebrates and explores the timeless legacy of baseball’s most iconic team, Bronx Bombers takes a fascinating look at how and why the Yankees have remained so undeniably great… and so powerfully inspirational.

Tickets are available at Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

The box office at the Circle in the Square Theatre (West 50th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue) hours are 10AM – 6PM Monday, 10AM – 8PM Tuesday – Saturday, and 12PM – 6PM Sunday (box office is closed Sundays until January 12). For group sales of 10 or more, please contact: Groups@BronxBombers.com. Premium tickets are available at Telecharge.com, by calling 212-239-6200, and at the Circle in the Square Theatre. Regular tickets range in price from $67.00-$137.00; Premium tickets range in price from $199.00 – $227.00

For more information, visit www.BronxBombersPlay.com.

Last Fall, Primary Stages presented the world premiere of Eric Simonson’s Bronx Bombers Featuring C.J. Wilson, Francois Battiste, Chris Henry Coffey, Richard Topol and more at The Duke on 42nd Street, before the Broadway transfer was announced.

Keith Nobbs, C.J. Wilson and Chris Henry Coffey. Photo by Lia Chang

Other articles on C.J. Wilson:
Production Photos: Primary Stages Presents World Premiere of Eric Simonson’s Bronx Bombers Featuring C.J. Wilson, Francois Battiste, Chris Henry Coffey, Richard Topol and More at The Duke on 42nd Street, Opens October 8, 2013
C.J. Wilson navigates armor and swordplay in Signature Theatre Company’s World Premiere of Kenneth Lonergan’s Medieval Play
Photos: Laila Robins, Sean Dugan, C.J. Wilson, Peter Francis James, Bill Irwin and Tricia Paoluccio at Signature Theatre Company’s revival of Edward Albee’s The Lady From Dubuque

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Jan. 22-31: Photos: Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson, Matthew Murumba, and Carmen LoBue set for Camile Darby’s Lords Resistance Featured in The Fire This Time Festival at The Kraine Theater
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Colman Domingo and Sharon Washington, and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Photos: Backstage with Michi Barall and the cast of Regina Taylor’s stop.reset. at Signature Theatre
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful
Photos: The 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards and After Party
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Rome Neal. Photo by Lia Chang

Rome Neal is currently starring as Lee Ransom in the World Premiere of acclaimed writer Ishmael Reed’s The Final Version, at the Nuyorican Poets Café, 236 East 3rd Street (between Avenues B and C), in New York, which began preview performances on December 12, 2013 and will continue through Sunday, January 19, 2014, during its 40th anniversary season. The cast also features Lynae De Priest, Melissa Harlow, Dawn Murphy, Molly Elizabeth Parker, Stephen Powell, Connie Stewart, Temesgen Tocruray and Robert Turner.

The play follows Lee Ransom, a writer who struggles with tensions between Communist ideology and commercial success from the 1930s through the 1960s. Ishmael Reed’s poetry, prose and plays have been honored with fellowships from the MacArthur and Guggenheim Foundations and the National Endowment for the Arts; his work has also been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Awards. Rome, an Obie and multiple Audelco award winner for his theatrical work, also directs the production.

Ishmael Reed. Photo by Lia Chang

The play is set in 1939 and 1965. Lee Ransom is an African-American writer who has been sponsored by the American Communist Party. When the Party founders in the late 1930s, Ransom compromises his ideological stance by cutting radical Communist characters from the manuscript of his novel, a move that wins him a publishing contract and material success. In 1965, a publisher asks to release the original novel. Ransom fights with his conscience and with the two excised characters about whether to accept the new publishing deal. The Final Version explores the complex intersections between racial identity and liberal ideology, and examines how New York City’s leftist culture has changed since the 1930s.

The Final Version opened Thursday, December 12 and runs most Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons through January 19 (23 total performances) at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 East 3rd Street, between Avenues B and C in Manhattan). Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances start at 7PM; Sunday performances start at 3pm. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $18 for students and seniors at the door. Tickets and directions are available at www.nuyorican.org or by calling 212-780-9386.

ROME NEAL (Actor/Director/Producer/Jazz Vocalist) is the Artistic Theatre Director of the Nuyorican Poets Café theatre program. Rome received an Obie Grant with Café founder Miguel Algarin for excellence in theatre. He is the recipient of five Audelco Awards – two for directing – Pepe Carril’s SHANGO de IMA and Samuel Harp’s DON”T EXPLAIN; two for acting – Lead Actor in Gabrielle N. Lane’s SIGNS, and one for Solo Performance in his critically acclaimed MONK, by Laurence Holder. He also received the National Black Theatre Festival’s coveted Lloyd Richards Director’s Award.

His fifth Audelco Award was a technical award for his lighting design of SHANGO de IMA. Mr. Neal received a Triumph Award for his acting in Alex Mc Donald’s PRISM and a Monarch Merit Award for his outstanding contributions in New York Theatre. His directorial credits includes his adaptation of William Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA, Sekou Sundiata’s THE CIRCLE UNBROKEN IS A HARD BOP Amiri Baraka’s MEETING LILLIE, SHANGO de IMA, PRISM, Ishmael Reed’s THE C ABOVE C ABOVE HIGH C and Amiri Baraka’s PRIMITIVE WORLD: AN ANTI- NUCLEAR JAZZ MUSICAL, all performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Rome directed Wesley Brown’s LIFE DURING WARTIME at the Cafe and The National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia. His production of Alex McDonald’s PRISM was performed at the Ex-Ponto Festival in Slovenia, Eastern Europe.

His acting credits include Dan Owen’s FOREVER MY DARLIN’, directed by Daune Jones at the Richard Allen Center, and later by John Amos, and Judi Ann Mason’s A STAR AIN’T NOTHIN BUT A HOLE IN HEAVEN directed by Mikel Pickney.

Rome’s film acting credits include Michael Almereyda’s HAMLET, Spike Lee’s SUMMER OF SAM and Leon Ichaso’s PINERO.

As a Jazz Vocalist,  Rome has performed at Town Hall on Broadway, The Metropolitan Room, The Museum of the City of New York, Lenox Lounge, Joe’s Pub, Saint Nick’s Pub,  Minton’s Playhouse,  Showman’s,  966Jazz,  Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in Detroit,  The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, The Jazz Spot, and has performed around town as the lead vocalist for the Bill Lee Mo’ Better Quintet (Spike’s father). Mr. Neal has a CD entitled: “A Brighter Crooner”, and now his live concert “All in The Puddin’” recently released on DVD along with his “Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz Jam… A Night To Remember”.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently starred in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Rome Neal Leads the Cast of the World Premiere of Ishmael Reed’s THE FINAL VERSION at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 12/12/13-1/19/14
Peter Scolari, C.J. Wilson, Francois Battiste, Chris Henry Coffey and More Begin Previews in Eric Simonson’s The Bronx Bombers at Circle in the Square Theatre on January 10, 2014
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Jarlath Conroy, Rebecca Brooksher, Eric Martin Brown, Ryan Garbayo, Rocco Sisto, Nick Westrate Set for Red Bull’s Off-Broadway Revival of Loot
Jan. 22-31: Photos: Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson, Matthew Murumba, and Carmen LoBue set for Camile Darby’s Lords Resistance Featured in The Fire This Time Festival at The Kraine Theater
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Dec. 16: Award Winning Playwrights Rajiv Joseph and Tarell Alvin McCraney, the focus of PBS Film, Playwright: From Page to Stage
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Roscoe Orman, Phynjuar, Horace Vincent Rogers and More Set for Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz: “A Jazzy Thespians Night” at Nuyorican Poets Café
Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz presents Motown… Ain’t Nothin’ But A Party 2 at Nuyorican Poets Cafe
Rome Neal in Laurence Holder’s MONK at the NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ in New York
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Coleman Domingo and Sharon Washington; and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington
Photos: LAByrinth’s Opening Night of Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby with John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tracie Thoms, Alano Miller and More
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Photos: Cheryl Lynn Bruce, André De Shields, Sandra Marquez, Dennis Zacek and More Celebrate Opening Night of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins at Victory Gardens
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Photos: John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, André De Shields at Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby
Photos: Denise Burse, Michael Genet, Doug Eskew, Tracie Thoms, Sakina Ansari-Wilson and More Celebrate Marcus Gardley’s dance of the holy ghosts Opening Night at Center Stage
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2013 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

Pauletta Pearson Washington

Looking forward to seeing Pauletta Pearson Washington when she takes centerstage, in Simply Pauletta, at Joe’s Pub in New York on Friday, January 31, 2014 at 7:30pm, in a new show that uses spoken word and music to explore her experiences with the many facets of love. Helmed by Thomas W. Jones, and under the musical direction of Diane Louie. Tickets are $25. For more information, click here.

Wife, mother of four, philanthropist, actress and singer are the major roles in Pauletta Pearson Washington’s huge life.

As a performer, Pauletta Pearson Washington has been blessed to work with exceptional songwriters such as Jule Styne, Jerry Herman and Andrew Lloyd Weber, to name a few. As an actor, Pauletta has worked on and off Broadway-stages with some of the industry’s top award-winning producers and directors including Jonathan Demme. She has performed and received highly acclaimed notices for her work including Love, Loss, and What I Wore; a limited presentation of Micki Grant’s Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope with Chapman Roberts. Pauletta just completed a run of Two Trains Running in Atlanta and prior to that, Regina Taylor’s Crowns at the Goodman Theatre and Lorey Hayes’ Power Play. Her musical talents were highlighted on the soundtracks of the films Philadelphia and Antwone Fisher. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, and the Alice Tully Theater at the Lincoln Center.

Pauletta Washington as Wanda in the 10th anniversary production of Regina Taylor’s Crowns at Goodman Theatre. Photo by Liz Larsen

Pauletta’s studies include Juilliard, The North Carolina School of the Arts, and North Texas University. As a native of North Carolina, she was the first African-American contestant in the 1970 Miss North Carolina Beauty Pageant, a preliminary pageant to the Miss American Pageant. In 1977 Pauletta met her husband, actor Denzel Washington, while filming Wilma, a made-for-television movie. Their 30-year marriage is a Hollywood story in itself. The most important aspect of her life is family, Denzel, John David, Katia and twins Olivia and Malcolm.

Among her many awards, she has been recognized for her outstanding volunteerism and philanthropy. She is an active member of her church and involved in her community. Since 1998, Pauletta has been an Executive member of the Brain Trust, a support group that raises awareness and funds for brain care and innovative research being conducted under the direction of Dr. Keith Black, Director of Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai. In 2004 The Pauletta and Denzel Family Gifted Scholars Program in Neuroscience was established, an outstanding, national educational program for students pursuing a career in neuroscience. Pauletta and her husband were first major contributors to The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and The Gathering Place – a Center for Women and Children with AIDS/HIV in South Central Los Angeles. Pauletta and her family have shown compassion for soldiers and their families by supporting special homes built for the service people and their families.

Pauletta has been honored by “Women in Film”, the California Governor’s Conference for Women, Crystal Stairs’ 20th Anniversary Celebration, and “Mother of the Year” honoree for Cedars-Sinai’s Helping Hand support group. She and Denzel graced the cover of the August 2013 issue of Ebony magazine. She currently serves on the Parents’ Council at both the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and the University of Pennsylvania.

July 30, 2013, Backstage at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC, with the cast of Lorey Hayes’ Power Play- Lia Chang, Marcus Naylor, Phynjuar, Lorey Hayes, Roscoe Orman, Pauletta Pearson Washington and director Andre Robinson.

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. She recently appeared in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival opposite Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Phynjuar.

Other articles on Power Play:
Lorey Hayes’ Power Play castmembers Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Phynjuar, Lia Chang, playwright Lorey Hayes, and director Andre Robinson Featured on Aduke Aremu’s The Princess Chronicles Show on WXRP Radio
The Chronicle Features Lorey Hayes’ Power Play
Febone1960.net Review: Power Play Powerful & Suspenseful
Lorey Hayes’ Power Play Featured in News and Record
Celebrity Actress, Pauletta Pearson Washington returns home to North Carolina starring at 2013 National Black Theatre festival with Roscoe Orman (“Sesame Street,” Willie Dynamite) and all star cast in Lorey Hayes’ award-winning “Power Play”, a play about Politics, Passion and The Power of God

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Photos: Christine Toy Johnson, Baayork Lee, Jose Llana, Ann Harada, Dodie Pettit and More at Charles Randolph-Wright’s “Three Voices” concert series at Stage 72
Sounds of Harlem Music Revue presents The Jazz Masters in Harlem III with The Phil Young Experience, Upstairs at the Dino on October 23, 2013
Spend an Evening with Tony Winner Nikki M. James at Joe’s Pub on October 21, 2013
Peter Scolari, C.J. Wilson, Francois Battiste, Chris Henry Coffey and More Begin Previews in Eric Simonson’s The Bronx Bombers at Circle in the Square Theatre on January 10, 2014
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Jarlath Conroy, Rebecca Brooksher, Eric Martin Brown, Ryan Garbayo, Rocco Sisto, Nick Westrate Set for Red Bull’s Off-Broadway Revival of Loot
Jan. 22-31: Photos: Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson, Matthew Murumba, and Carmen LoBue set for Camile Darby’s Lords Resistance Featured in The Fire This Time Festival at The Kraine Theater
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Cole Horibe, Francis Jue, Peter Kim and More Set for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Signature’s Revival of The Piano Lesson Sweeps AUDELCO’s with 8 Wins including Best Revival, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Roslyn Ruff, Chuck Cooper and Brandon J. Dirden; Also Among 2013 “VIV” Winners – Wild with Happy’s Coleman Domingo and Sharon Washington; and Storyville’s Mercedes Ellington
Photos: LAByrinth’s Opening Night of Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby with John Earl Jelks, DeWanda Wise, Harvey Gardner Moore, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tracie Thoms, Alano Miller and More
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2014 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

André De Shields in Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory © Lia Chang

Two-time Tony nominated and Emmy award winning actor, director, choreographer and educator André De Shields will be at Florida Atlantic University on Friday, January 24, 2014, at 7 p.m. with his solo performance Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory. The event will take place in the University Theatre on FAU’s Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road, and is free and open to the public.

André De Shields as The Slave in Frederick Douglass: Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory. © Lia Chang

De Shield’s solo performance explores the life and achievements of the great emancipator Frederick Douglass. “Though Douglass began his life as a slave, through heroic effort, he became one of America’s most important and historically influential icons,” said De Shields.

De Shields will be at FAU as the Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in Performing Arts during the week of January 20, 2014. He will work with faculty and students in FAU’s School of the Arts over three days, culminating with his public performance. Additionally, he will be presented with the 2014 FAU Dorothy F. Schmidt College Arts and Letters Making Waves Award at a reception on Wednesday, January 22, 2014.

Andre De Shields Photo by Lia Chang

In a career spanning more than forty years, André De Shields has distinguished himself as an unparalleled actor, director, choreographer and educator. He is best known for his show stopping performances in the original Broadway productions of four legendary musicals: THE FULL MONTY, for which he received Tony, Drama Desk and Astaire Award nominations, in addition to both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards; PLAY ON! (Tony nomination), AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Emmy Award) and THE WIZ (title role). Additional Broadway credits include PRYMATE and IMPRESSIONISM.  His film and television credits include Extreme Measures, “Sex And The City,” “Cosby,” and more.  De Shields is the recipient of the 2012 Fox Foundation Fellowship/Distinguished Achievement, 2009 National Black Theatre Festival Living Legend Award, the 2009 AUDELCO Award for Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical (Male) and the 2007 Village Voice OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance.

Anjali Bhimani, André De Shields, NIkka Graff Lanzarone, Monique Haley, Geoff Packard, Akash Chopra, Ed Kross and Govind Kumar in The Jungle Book at The Huntington Theatre in Boston on September 5, 2013. Photo by Lia Chang

Last October, De Shields completed his run as King Louie and Akela in the world premiere of Mary Zimmerman’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK, a co-production of Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and Boston’s Huntington Theatre. For his critically-acclaimed role as King Louie, he garnered a Jeff Award for Outstanding Achievement in the category of Actor in a Supporting Role – Musical, a 2013 BTAA for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Musical or Revue) at The 19th Annual Black Theater Alliance Awards, which honor excellence in African American theater and dance productions in the Chicago area, and a 2013 Broadwayworld Chicago Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Revue.

Jeff Award winners Michael Shannon and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang

As an educator, Mr. De Shields has served as Visiting Artist/Lecturer, SUNY-Buffalo State College; Harold Clurman Visiting Professor, CUNY-Hunter College; Adjunct Professor, Gallatin School of Individualized Study, NYU; Adjunct Professor, School of Education, Health, Nursing and Arts Professions (SEHNAP), NYU; Distinguished Visiting Professor, Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, TX; Algur H. Meadows Distinguished Visiting Professor (SMU); DR. Martin Luther King Jr.-Rosa Parks-Cesar Chavez Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Distinguished Visiting Professor, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA, among others. He has taught a wide variety of courses ranging from Shakespeare to Masterpieces of Western Literature to Musical Theatre and an interdisciplinary arts workshop in Extreme Performance: From Ancient Africa to Postmodern America.

In observance of Black Heritage Month 2009, De Shields created his very first solo performance titled Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: From Douglass To Deliverance. His performance at FAU will kick off FAU’s 2014 Black History Month events.

For more information about the De Shields event, call 561-297-2595.
www.andredeshields.com

The FAU Dorothy F. Schmidt College Arts and Letters Making Waves Award was launched in 2012 to recognize artists who have made significant contributions to the arts and education. The inaugural award was presented to Broadway legend and musical theatre composer Charles Strouse.

Lia Chang. Photo by Charles Richard Barboza

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. This summer she starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, Lorey Hayes, Marcus Naylor and Penwah, July 30-August 1, 2013.

Other articles on André De Shields.
Nov. 16: Conversations with the Divine with Owais Ahmed, Baize Buzan, Kathryn Cesarz, Kamal Hans, Brian Grey, Donica Lynn, Patrese McClain and Miranda Zola at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater
Photos: André De Shields, Michael Shannon, Rajiv Joseph, Christine Sherrill, Doug Peck, Alexis J. Rogers, Karen Ziemba and More Celebrate 2013 Jeff Equity Awards
André De Shields Delivers Keynote at the International Conference of Fine Arts Deans in New Orleans
Photos: André De Shields, Mary Zimmerman, Akash Chopra, Richard M. Sherman, Kevin Carolan, Larry Yando, Nehal Joshi and More Celebrate The Jungle Book Opening Night at Huntington Theatre in Boston
Click here for more articles on André De Shields.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Asian CineVision Auction Items Feature Producer Janet Yang, Kung Fu Playwright David Henry Hwang or a 4 Hour Photography Session with Lia Chang
Jan. 31: Spend an Evening with Pauletta Pearson Washington at Joe’s Pub
2014 is the Year of the Horse, Dragons and Lions in The Chinese New Year Parade
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Jarlath Conroy, Rebecca Brooksher, Eric Martin Brown, Ryan Garbayo, Rocco Sisto, Nick Westrate Set for Red Bull’s Off-Broadway Revival of Loot
Jan. 22-31: Photos: Tracey Conyer Lee, Lelund Durond Thompson, Matthew Murumba, and Carmen LoBue set for Camile Darby’s Lords Resistance Featured in The Fire This Time Festival at The Kraine Theater
Jan. 9 – Feb. 9: Thom Sesma and Michele Ragusa to Star in Greg Edwards and CRAVING FOR TRAVEL at Peter J. Sharp Theater
Feb. 4 – Mar. 16: Phoebe Strole, Jon Rua, Join Cole Horibe and More for Signature’s World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu
Q & A with Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play’s Garth Kravits
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Annie Baker and Rajiv Joseph honored at Sixth Annual Steinberg Playwright “Mimi” Awards
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2014 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com