Feb 13, 2023 | BroadwayWorld.com Fulton Theatre announces casting for their upcoming production of The Wiz. Leading the company is Jaden Dominique as Dorothy, Paris Bennett (American Idol Season 5) as Addaperle/Evillene, and Dequina Moore (original Broadway: Little Shop of Horrors, Chiffon; Legally Blonde, Pilar) as Aunt Em/Glinda. Nationally renowned actor and director E Faye Butler will direct the production alongside award-winning choreographer, Kenny Ingram (EmojiLand). The Wiz has been delighting audiences for almost 50 years with its story of courage and hope. Based on L. Frank Baum 's classic children's story The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, written by Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown , re-tells the story through the lens of African-American culture, jazz music, and the sounds and styles of the 1970s. Dorothy Gale, a young black girl from Kansas, dreams of adventure away from life on the farm. When a tornado hits her home, she is transported to the Land of Oz-a magical land where anything seems possible. Throughout her journey with her sweet pup Toto, she meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Lion. They decide to travel to the Emerald City to meet The Wiz and ask for his help. Along the way, they meet Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. Read full article.

Feb 1, 2023 | Broadway News Complete casting and the full creative team have been announced for the upcoming Broadway production of "New York, New York. Joining the previously announced Colton Ryan and Anna Uzele are Clyde Alves as Tommy Caggiano, John Clay III as Jesse Webb, Janet Dacal as Sofia Diaz, Tony honoree Ben Davis as Gordon Kendrick, Oliver Prose as Alex Mann, Angel Sigala as Mateo Diaz and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner as Madame Veltri. They are joined by ensemble members Wendi Bergamini, Allison Blackwell, Giovanni Bonaventura, Jim Borstelmann, Lauren Carr, Mike Cefalo, Bryan J. Cortés, Kristine Covillo, Gabriella Enriquez, Haley Fish, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Richard Gatta, Stephen Hanna, Naomi Kakuk, Akina Kitazawa, Ian Liberto, Kevin Ligon, Leo Moctezuma, Aaron Nicholas Patterson, Dayna Marie Quincy, Julian Ramos, Drew Redington, Benjamin Rivera, Vanessa Sears, Davis Wayne, Jeff Williams and Darius Wright. Casting is by Jim Carnahan and Jason Thinger. Previews are set to begin at the St. James Theatre on March 24, ahead of an official opening night on April 26. Tony Award winner Susan Stroman will direct and choreograph. Music and lyrics are by Tony winners John Kander and Fred Ebb. The musical features a book by Tony nominee David Thompson and Sharon Washington. Additional lyrics are by Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda. Also newly announced, “New York, New York” will feature scenic design by Tony winner Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Donna Zakowska, lighting design by Tony winner Ken Billington, sound design by Tony winner Kai Harada, projection design by Christopher Ash and Boritt, hair and wig design by Sabana Majeed, music supervision and arrangements by Sam Davis, orchestrations by Tony winner Daryl Waters and Sam Davis, vocal arrangements by David Loud and music direction by Alvin Hough, Jr. Production stage management will be by Johnny Milani. “New York, New York” is produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman and Tom Kirdahy, in association with MGM On Stage and Chartoff-Winkler.

When a lifelong dream begins at 8 years old, there is a lot to be done to carve out that path into the future — not to mention all that growing up to do. Christin Byrdsong saw his dream born when he saw The Lion King musical at age 8. And from that moment on, he knew something for sure: “I wanted to be a part of that someday.” The actor/singer was speaking by phone from Chicago where he is finishing up the run of The Lion King as the Simba understudy and swing. The show will make its way to Fort Worth’s Bass Hall to open on Wednesday and run through Jan. 29 as part of the Broadway at the Bass series presented by PNC. So dreams that began in Los Angeles and were nurtured in Mesquite have come true. “To be here and to be playing Simba when needed has really just blown my mind,” Byrdrsong said. “It’s all going really well, and I think we’ve sold out some shows already in Fort Worth.” February will mark Byrdsong’s one-year anniversary with the show which has already made its own history. The world’s No. 1 musical just celebrated 20 years on the road, and it is the third-longest-running show on Broadway. The Lion King also won the Tony for best musical in 1998. Outside those numbers, the show has had its magical effect on Byrdsong himself. “The show reminds me that everyone is connected, and we all play our role,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to each other that’s sometimes looked over.” Plus, Byrdsong said, he feels that excitement of people still returning to the theater after the pandemic shutdown. “ Lion King really invites you in, and, after the pandemic, it’s like a call back to theater. It’s this opportunity to sit down as a community and take in this wonderful story.” From a young boy dreaming big to being part of the Disney blockbuster musical practically reaffirms the show’s song “Circle of Life.” At 31, the actor is a veteran of the entertainment business. He began performing at the age of 3 with commercials in L.A. But it was when he got to Horn High School in Mesquite that he found theater. Byrdsong ended up in Mesquite when his mother remarried and the family relocated to Texas. It was a new chapter for him and his family, but at the same time, Texas was gonna be Texas. “Growing up in Texas was very difficult as a Black queer young man,” he recalled. “I was bullied [in Mesquite where] people were telling me my sexuality when I wasn’t even thinking about it.” Like many queer people, Byrdsong endured, and now he’s living the life he dreamed of as a boy. And that is more than a victory for any troubled youth, it’s a beacon for those with their own dreams. “My intention in what I’m doing with my life is to hopefully inspire young Black queer youth,” he said, adding that he wants them to know that “Loving yourself in spite of everything around you is an act of bravery.” Outside of theater, Byrdsong has been seen on television as part of the cast of HereTV’s drama Conframa about a gay Black couple who invite in a third. Then there is that scene with Eric Dane in HBO’s Euphoria. Look it up. For now, though, it’s all “hakuna matata” as Byrdsong continues down the path that started at 8 while also helping others find their own path. Recently, he was named a diversity-equity-inclusion ambassador for the show where he now works to make sure everyone involved has an opportunity to be heard. “Disney is a wonderful company to work for, and they take great care of us,” he said. “This is my legacy, too — to be an example of standing up and having perseverance. “Not everyone has that desire or foundation to speak up, so it’s the responsibility of those of us who are comfortable to do so.” – Dallas Voice

The Nashville Opera production runs this weekend at the Noah Liff Opera Center ". . . For Julius Ahn, the award-winning tenor who originally created the role of Guang, it’s that element of humanity that makes Stuck Elevator so relatable. “ Stuck Elevator is often billed as a Chinese or Asian story,” says Ahn, who most recently visited Nashville in 2012, performing in Nashville Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly . “But it’s not about any one group. It’s looking at what a lot of immigrants go through on a daily basis, so it’s actually a very American story in that way. And while the show can go to extremes creatively, it’s rooted in that truth and humanity. I think that’s what allows so many people to connect with it. And that’s really my goal. I want audiences to live through this situation with him. Don’t sit back. Don’t try to hold the story at arm’s length. Take it in, and allow yourself to be swept away by the story and the music.” Ahn says he’s delighted to be back in Music City, calling Hoomes “an amazing director.” “I love working with John,” Ahn says. “He’s so knowledgeable, but there’s also an incredible openness there. There are no walls with John. And as a person of color, I find that to be so wonderful. He’s always looking for ways to keep the conversation going.”" Read full article.

Producers: Sparks & Wiry Cries 50-minute song cycle Co-comissioned with: Philadelphia Chamber Music Society Music by: Shawn Okpebholo Text curator: Tsitsi Ella Jaji Featuring works by: Tsitsi Ella Jaji, Crystal Simone Smith, and Tyehimba Jess Original Production January 2023 - Metropolitan Museum of Art The premiere performance includes additional musical material by singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens Additional Production dates January 2023 - Kimmel Center in Philadelphia March 2024 - Wheaton College April 2024 - Duke Arts DESIGNERS Kimille Howard - Projection and Lighting Designer, Director Gabriel Vega Weissman - Associate Director ORIGINAL CAST Karen Slack - Soprano Reginald Mobley - Countertenor Will Liverman - Baritone Howard Watkins - Piano Director's Note Songs in Flight is a unique song cycle that borrows texts from the Freedom on the Move database, a collection of advertisements seeking fugitives from American Slavery, held at Cornell University. This database contains thousands of such notices containing specific details regarding these self-liberating individuals-- their personality, appearance, life story-- and can be re-contextualized as thousands of stories of resistance compiled into one resource. Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji wove these texts with other poetic elements by herself, Tyehimba Jess, and Crystal Simone Smith to respond to this primary source material, bringing them into the 21st century and blending them with current events. The heartbreaking and violent murders of Ahmaud Arbery in 2020 and Trayvon Martin in 2012, along with the imprint of too many others to name, are embedded within the fabric of Songs in Flight. Okpebholo's music ties the Western European tradition of art song to forms that are distinctly American, especially those of formerly enslaved African peoples. Reviews "The achievement of “Songs in Flight”… is that it takes these murky, dehumanizing documents and illuminates them, shifting their perspective to reveal the person hidden in plain sight." -New York Times "Resistance is the theme of Songs in Flight, but it isn’t so much focused on slavery itself as it is on the interior drive to be free...The music from the African diaspora performed in Songs in Flight thankfully failed to achieve a performance atmosphere common in classical music concert halls. The expected silence between songs was not quiet; it was not kept." -Donna Lee Davidson, ICIYL MEDIA

The musical West Side Story , a masterpiece by Leonard Bernstein, arrives in Sardinia for the first time. The debut , at the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari, is scheduled for Thursday 15 December at 20.30 (round A). This is the seventh and final appointment of the 2022 opera and ballet season and will be staged for ten performances , three of which are non-subscription. West Side Story, composed between 1953 and 1956 by the brilliant American artist, was performed for the first time on August 19, 1957 at the National Theater in Washington to enormous success with audiences and critics. The subject is an "updating" of the equally famous Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet : it tells the story of the rivalry between two gangs of young people in New York in the fifties of the last century and of the love between Tony and Maria, in an atmosphere of intolerance and of racial hatred which, between unbridled dances and with the complicity of a sophisticated soundtrack, leads to a final tragedy which establishes peace and friendship between the two gangs. The staging proposed in Cagliari comes from three major US musical institutions: the Lyric Opera of Chicago , the Houston Grand Opera and the Glimmerglass Festival. The direction and choreography , taken from the original 1957 production, are by Jerome Robbins , while the original production is by the Italian-American Francesca Zambello who returns to Cagliari after the great success, in 2017, of Marco Tutino's Ciociara. The singing company comes from the United States. Among the main performers: Andres Acosta (Tony), Teresa Castillo (Maria), Amanda Castro (Anita), Brett Thiele (Riff), Waldemar Quiñones-Villanueva (Bernardo). The Orchestra of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari is conducted by James Lowe. The opera, lasting approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including the intermission , is performed in the original language but performed with the aid of Italian surtitles. – L'unione Sarda

Crossover Records is excited to announce the release of our debut Broadway album with the incredible Kenneth Overton, A Bright Tomorrow . This project marks a return to Kenneth's musical theatre roots and features some of his favorites from the Black Broadway cannon. Featuring Tony Award Nominee, Phillip Boykin and star of Broadway’s Paradise Square, Aisha Jackson.

November 29, 2022 | Playbill by Jamibeth Margolis “ A Fiddler Afn Dakh. Meshugeh, neyn ?” “A fiddler on the roof: Crazy, no? ” These are the opening lines uttered by Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof In Yiddish now playing Off-Broadway, for the third time, at New York Stages. They also happened to be the first words I thought of when I was asked to cast the show. The adventure started late in 2017 when the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), where I have worked since 2012, announced that we would be embarking on our biggest musical yet: Fiddler On The Roof . In Yiddish . Oy vey! How were we going to pull off such an enormous undertaking? Despite my considerable experience as a casting director, the challenges of this one were daunting. Where would I find 29 Yiddish-speaking actors who sang and danced? I wondered what my dear late grandmother, who always wanted me to learn Yiddish, would have said if I told her I would be casting her favorite show (in Yiddish yet!). “ Kenstdu es gloyben? ” (Can you believe it?) We received over 2,000 submissions, though we ultimately auditioned far fewer than that. The entire team, including director Joel Grey, was at every audition, and Joel’s presence was deemed to be an honor for every actor. To prepare, the actors received a seven-part audition packet that consisted of: a written Yiddish pronunciation guide; an audio pronunciation guide prepared by Motl Didner, the associate artistic director of NYTF and now Yiddish coach and associate director of the Yiddish Fiddler ; excerpts from the script in transliterated Yiddish—and accompanied by the original English text written by book-writer Joseph Stein a recording of Motl reading the Yiddish, first slowly and then in real time, and a cut of a song. Read full article.

A Tale That's Stood the Test of Time: Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel From Grimm's fairy tale to the Opera, Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretelhit the Mahalia Jackson Theater stage as an age-old classic with a modern flair. After opening this 80th season with a dynamic performance of Rossini's The Barber of Seville, New Orleans Opera Association (NOOA) did it again with another amazingly entertaining performance. Performed in English, Hansel and Gretel was a delightful production for both adults and kids. From the beautiful voices of the fun loving siblings to the Witch who plotted against them, this operatic fairy tale was a wonderful family friendly experience. The Story Hansel and Gretel is an age-old fairy tale about a set of poor siblings who venture into the woods in search of food. Hansel (Emily Fons), the boy of the family, seems to be the younger of the two as he is more playful and a bit more irresponsible. While Gretel (Meechot Marrero), the sister, seems to be the leader of the two. Before leaving their home in search of food, they are angrily greeted by their mother, Gertrude (Deborah Nansteel) who is slapped with disappointment from her childrens' reckless behaviors. Faced with poverty and hunger, she sends them on their way for an adventure that will surely change their lives. As they search through the woods, they are spotted and hunted by the Witch, who their father, Peter (SeungHyeon Baek) hints at in the beginning of the performance. On their journey they are visited by the Sandman (Ashley Milanese), who gives them hopeful dreams, along with the Dew Fairy (Nicole Heinen), who wakes them. Once they stumble upon the witches home, they are distracted, yet pleasantly entertained, by the candy that it's built with. While eating the house, the Witch (Chauncey Packer) arrives, captures them with her spell, and feeds Hansel in preparation of a special feast where he is the main dish. While their destiny seems to be doomed, it is saved when Gretel releases the spell and the classic ending occurs, as they cook the Witch and release the other missing children. The Production Directed by E. Loren Meeker and Designed by Steven C. Kemp, this Opera production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel was an amazing representation of the classic fairy tale that we all know and love. The set was beautifully done, enhancing its comedic nature by mixing old items with new ones. Performed at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for Performing Arts, the audience witnessed dynamic vocals and family friendly comedic performances from the amazing cast members and performers. – Where Y'at?

Nov 14, 2022 | KDAF CW 33 The Dallas Opera has had a major role in shaping the national and international cultural reputation of Dallas. Opera officials celebrated their 65th anniversary with a production of Hansel and Gretel at the Winspear Opera House in early November. Mark Delavan, who played the father in this wonderful production joined Fun on the Run with Yolonda Williams to discuss this production. Watch interview.

Houston Press | October 24, 2022 Some people have been elevated to the position of local royalty, legends that locals brag about when they get a chance. Lauren Anderson is one of those legends, the first Black ballerina in Houston Ballet history and one of the few in the country. Anderson is the overcomer of odds and breaker of barriers, who trail-blazed a path to become an inspiration to anyone who attempts the improbable, the seemingly impossible, and specifically an inspiration for Black girls and women. Anderson’s story is now being told over at Stages in Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson , written by Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton . “So you want to know about me?” asks an unassuming DeQuina Moore as Anderson, who begins recounting her story, starting in the 1970s. Then, it was a five-year-old Anderson at her first ballet class – the lone Black student, clad in a black dress surrounded by pink lycra-ed classmates – already attempting to make her body “be the right kind of ballerina.” Though admittedly “bewitched” by ballet, it wasn’t until seeing the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s Firebird (the company’s iconic 1982 John Taras-choreographed take on Stravinsky, transplanted from Russia to a Caribbean jungle) that Anderson could see her future in the dance form. If you read the first paragraph, you know where this journey takes Anderson: All the way to principal at the Houston Ballet, the first Black woman to be promoted to principal at the company and one of the very first Black women to be promoted to principal at any major American company. But in between is life, Anderson’s life, and it’s not nearly as sweet as the Sugar Plum Fairy role she danced. In her own words, as relayed to Mouton , we learn about Anderson’s broken home and early exposure to alcohol (“the first fracture”). We hear of the “impossible expectations” her father instilled in her, and of the “second fracture,” the time when then-artistic director of the Houston Ballet, Ben Stevenson, suggested to Anderson’s parents that maybe she was better suited to musical theater. Ballet becomes a double-edged sword in Anderson’s world, successes seeming to open, or deepen, wounds. On playing her first lead role in a production of Alice in Wonderland , Anderson sees herself as “too giant a body to enter, too black a body to blend.” Even as successes continue to pile up, doubt never ceases; in fact, as she says, “all of it came to a head eight hours a day in front of a mirror.” Anderson found respite in alcohol and drugs, and it’s this battle – between being “numb and perfect” or “broken and flawed” – that’s at the center of Plumshuga ’s story. Plumshuga is not a one-woman show. It would be a disservice to every other great performer who steps on stage to even imply that it is. But Moore carries this production. It’s her command, her ability to expertly execute the poetic musicality of Mouton’s well-crafted words – while also infusing them with vulnerability, humor, doubt, cheekiness – that make Moore the perfect beacon for the “ Plumshuga lighthouse.” Supporting Moore as Anderson are Kalen Wright, as Young Lauren, and Kellen Hornbuckle, as Dancer Lauren. Wright is wide-eyed exuberance, a perfect match for Moore’s own energy. Hornbuckle, a demi soloist at Houston Ballet, is subdued by comparison, a ballerina trying to maintain perfection within an increasingly broken music box. We only see glimpses of the spirit Moore brings to the role – like during the push and pull with Eric Best’s Carlos, and their eventual tangy, tango-like pas de deux – but man, can she dance. From the distressed Sleeping Beauty pas de deux, which morphs into something else entirely, to a picture of control and beautiful lines dancing Cleopatra , Hornbuckle holds her own when she’s on her toes. Ensemble member Rafael Tillery played the role of Love, transforming into its many forms effortlessly. One of the most powerful moments in the whole production sees Moore cowering on a chaise lounge, clutching a bouquet of flowers and pillow to her chest. Tillery, as one iteration of Love (an abusive Love) rips those flowers from her hand. It’s a simple, non-explicit reference to the abuse she describes that is incredibly effective. . . Read full article.

Music by: Héctor Armienta Libretto by: Héctor Armienta Based on the Book by: Rudolfo Anaya Duration: 1 hour Commissioned by: Opera Southwest Premiere: Opera Southwest, December, 2025 Set in New Mexico during WWII, Farolitos of Christmas is a bilingual family opera about Luz, a young girl who keeps her family’s Christmas traditions alive. With music rooted in culture and community, it’s a celebration of love, light, and resilience. The opera is based on Rudolfo Anaya's book of the same title.  FORCES Singers: Luz   (Leading)  Young teenager - lyric soprano Reina ( Leading) Young teenager - Mezzo soprano B elinda (Supporting) ; Luz’s mother - Soprano Dolorres   (Supporting) ; Reina's mother - Mezzo Papa (Supporting) - Tenor Abuelo (Supporting) - Baritone Juan   (Solo bit) Boy 1 - Tenor Samuel   (Solo bit) Boy 2 - Baritone  Grocer (Solo bit) could be played by Abuelo (In one scene) - Baritone Chorus - SATB Orchestra: Flute 1 ​Oboe 1 Clarinet in Bb -1 Clarinet in Bb - 2 ( doubles on bass clarinet) Bassoon 1 Trumpet in C Horn in F1 Horn in F2 Harp Percussion ( xylophone, triangle, glockenspiel, chimes, cymbals, toms, bass drum) Strings ( 6,6,6,4,2)