Billie Holiday News

In time for Black History Month, BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming service for live theater in the US and countries across the globe, has pulled together a special playlist that honors African Americans on the stage. From Audra McDonald as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, to Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, and the galvanizing drama Pipeline, by award-winning playwright Dominique Morriseau, BroadwayHD presents this month hours of exciting theater celebrating the writing, performances, and music of some of the most talented individuals to ever appear on the stage.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present 2019 GRAMMY nominee Jazz Vocalist Nicole Zuraitis and the MusicTalks Jazz Quartet, who were in concert celebrating the world of the Blues on January 28.

Throughout February, Queens Library will celebrate Black History Month with more than 100 free events and programs at all 62 of its branches. Inspired by Maya Angelou's works, this year's theme, "Black Migrations: Traveling Shoes," seeks to pay homage to the African-American diaspora, highlighting the movement and cultural contributions of people of African descent around the world.

Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts presents vintage American jazz big band, The Glenn Crytzer Orchestra, on Friday, February 15, 2019 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range between $29 - $49 plus applicable fees and are available online, by phone or at the box office. For more information, visit PatchogueTheatre.org, call the Patchogue Theatre Box Office at 631-207-1313, or stop by 71 East Main Street, Patchogue, NY.

The Hammer Theatre Center continues to bring thrilling cultural performances, world-class theatre, and fun-filled family acts to downtown San Jose as it announces an impressive line-up of events for spring 2019.

Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents a special Valentine's Day event Lady Sings the Blues on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 5pm at the Brooklyn Music School Playhouse Theater, 126 Saint Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. For more information, visit https://bms.asapconnected.com/?org=4517#EventDetail=193484. 

Audelco Award nominee Hector Lincoln will mark his return to the New York stage in David Heron's Against His Will- The Staged Reading, which will have its Long Island Premier at The New Vibe Lounge in Rockville Center, Long Island on Sunday February 17 at 7pm.

Today, influencer and talent manager ChiChi Anyanwu of the NYC Black Theater Network, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (Kevin Young, Director, Schomburg Center) announced BLACK PLAYWRIGHTS: THEY SPEAK. WHO LISTENS? A Black Theater Winter Preview: Broadway and Off-Broadway Edition. The event is scheduled at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (515 Malcolm X Blvd) on Monday, January 28, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. Four-time Tony Award-winning producer Ron Simons of SimonSays Entertainment (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Porgy & Bess, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Jitney) will host the program whose purpose is to bring attention to the unprecedented number of plays by black playwrights being produced on Broadway and Off-Broadway this season.

Cheryl Albright, a renown singer and actress in the Rhode Island community, has been sharing her stunning gifts here for many years at community events, along with concert and stage performances.

The Castillo Theatre (Dan Friedman, artistic director; John Rankin, associate managing director) is proud to announce that it will produce a revival of the 1991 play by Fred Newman, Billie, Malcolm & Yusuf, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Yusuf Hawkins' murder in 1989.  Billie, Malcolm & Yusuf will be directed by award-winning director, Gabrielle Kurlander.  The production includes blues and rap music. The Castillo Theatre is located at 543 West 42nd Street in Manhattan. Performances are between February 15 and March 17, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Acclaimed multi-genre recording artist Damien Sneed released a new full-length recording titled 'Damien Sneed: We Shall Overcome' on LeChateau Earl Records on January 18th. The inspiring new project is currently available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and all other digital retail outlets everywhere. A celebration of R&B classics, civil rights anthems, beloved spirituals, jazz compositions and more, the album arrives on the heels of the 35th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was made a federal holiday in 1983.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with the following acts:

On Wednesday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m., Carnegie Hall presents a special event: The Stage of Legends: A Gala Evening at Carnegie Hall. This extraordinary evening includes an intimate musical interlude by two of Carnegie Hall's own legends mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and pianist Emanuel Ax. The evening's Gala Chair is Sana H. Sabbagh.

Actor Nixon Cesar has joined the cast of the world premiere production of Paul Calderon's play, Master of The Crossroads which will open at The Bridge Theater next month for a limited run.

The Philly POPS will offer free tickets for furloughed government employees during the federal government shutdown. Government employees may present their IDs at the Kimmel Center Box Office to receive one free, complimentary pair of tickets to JAZZED! running January 18, 19 and 20 (One pair per Government-issued employee ID).

As a performer, Robinson excels in her vocal talent and is sure to deliver a glorious homage to many of the great voices that are sadly no longer with us.

Corky Hale, legendary jazz harpist, pianist, vocalist, and social activist, will sign copies of her new book, "Corky Hale Uncorked," on Wed., Jan. 16 at 7 PM at Book Soup in West Hollywood.

Award winning actress Johnnie Mae, who played the role of housekeeper Louann Pratt in season one of the Martin Scorsese produced Boardwalk Empire on HBO, has joined the cast of the staged reading of Janice Liddell's drama The Talk, an installment in the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop monthly reading series in partnership with The Billie Holiday Theatre.

The Billie Holiday Theatre (BHT) today announced its global call for stories for the third annual presentation of its popular 50in50: Letters to Our Daughters in collaboration with founding partner Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop (FSWW). MacArthur "Genius" Dominique Morisseau returns as curator for the piece and her curatorial statement calls women from all walks of life to tell their stories. A diverse group of 50 stories will be selected to be read by a renowned collective of women actors in Brooklyn, New York followed by the West Coast premiere at the dynamic and newly-created WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, California. Readings will take place in March, 2019.

With the Young Vic's recent run of critical-success including The Convert currently running at Young Vic, The Inheritance at the Noel Coward Theatre and The Jungle now playing at St Ann's Warehouse in New York, Artistic Director of the Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah, today announces the full cast for Stephen Adly Guirgis' Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train, directed by Kate Hewitt in the Main House, and April de Angelis' Wild East, directed by recipient of Genesis Future Directors Award, Lekan Lawal, in The Clare.