Charles Weldon News

While 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' is generating Oscar buzz for its chronicle of several decades of African- American political life, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson masterfully documented a full century of the African-American experience in the 10 plays the make up the American Century Cycle. These works, nine of which have been staged on Broadway with stars including Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Charles Dutton, among many others, showed the suffering, joys, and triumphs of African-Americans through searing, poetic and personal stories of everyday people in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC and WQXR, the state-of-the-art venue of the nation's most listened-to news/talk and classical public radio stations, will make history this fall when it creates, for the first time, exclusive recordings of all 10 of August Wilson's American Century Cycle Plays.

'Cabaret Emigré' by Sophia Romma, originally scheduled for November 2 to 18, now opens tonight, November 7 and will add performances November 11, 13 and 14 to make up for lost shows due to Hurricane Sandy. This new play, directed by Charles Weldon, is being presented by Negro Ensemble Company at the Lion Theater, Theater Row.

'Cabaret Emigré' by Sophia Romma, originally scheduled for November 2 to 18, will now open November 7 and will add performances November 11, 13 and 14 to make up for lost shows due to Hurricane Sandy. This new play, directed by Charles Weldon, is being presented by Negro Ensemble Company at the Lion Theater, Theater Row.

The Negro Ensemble's "Cabaret Émigre," a stageplay by Sophia Romma, will make its debut on November 2 at 8 pm at the Lion Theater in NYC's theater district. A satirical story about emigrants who have traveled to the U.S. throughout the 1900s, the play spotlights a Russian Jew, African, Latino, German and various other emigres who made this difficult travel in pursuit of the American Dream. The show makes the audience question: Did they achieve this dream? Was it worth it? And, just in time for New Yorkers to decide which president will help them to achieve their goals in the upcoming years. The show runs through Sunday, November 18.

The Negro Ensemble's "Cabaret Émigre," a stageplay by Sophia Romma, will make its debut on November 2 at 8 pm at the Lion Theater in NYC's theater district. A satirical story about emigrants who have traveled to the U.S. throughout the 1900s, the play spotlights a Russian Jew, African, Latino, German and various other emigres who made this difficult travel in pursuit of the American Dream. The show makes the audience question: Did they achieve this dream? Was it worth it? And, just in time for New Yorkers to decide which president will help them to achieve their goals in the upcoming years. The show runs through Sunday, November 18.

The human, emigrant condition is examined in 'Cabaret Emigré,' a new play by Sophia Romma, directed by Charles Weldon, to be presented by the Negro Ensemble Company from November 2 to 18 at the Lion Theater, Theater Row. The play contains ten Lewis Carroll-style testimonials that are told as cabaret acts by a collection of émigrés who are primarily Russian Jews like Romma herself, as well as émigrés from Latin America and Africa. All of them have no other motive than to entertain each other and their resulting acts are outrageous and macabre, like a journey down the rabbit hole.

The Coalition of Theatres of Color will salute the historic Negro Ensemble Company's 45th anniversary and the acclaimed Audelco Awards for Excellence in Black Theatre's 40th anniversary with 'Award-Winning Journeys in Black Theatre', a special press event by award-winning actors Lillias White and Chuck Cooper on Monday, June 25 at 10:30 a.m. Harlem's Con. Charles Rangel's office is presenting a proclamation.

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM completes August Wilson's Century Cycle, ten plays that reflect the African-American experience in America by the decade throughout the 20th century. Yvette Freeman (NBC's ER) is a force of nature in the title role, and local actor Jason Bowen captivates as the hotheaded young trumpeter who personifies the Zeitgeist.

As part of its 30th Anniversary Season celebration, the Huntington Theatre Company brings August Wilson's MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM. Click below to view the production shots!

As part of its 30th Anniversary Season celebration, the Huntington Theatre Company brings the cast of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to Roxbury's Hibernian Hall to perform a reading of the play on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 7pm. The reading is free and open to the public, but an RSVP at huntingtontheatre.org/raineyreading is encouraged, as seating is limited. Liesl Tommy, director of the Huntington's acclaimed 2011 production of Ruined, helms the production. The ensemble features "ER" cast member Yvette Freeman as the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and local favorite Jason Bowen (Ruined, A Civil War Christmas at the Huntington) as Levee.

As part of its 30th Anniversary Season celebration, the Huntington Theatre Company brings the cast of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to Roxbury's Hibernian Hall to perform a reading of the play on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 7pm. The reading is free and open to the public, but an RSVP at huntingtontheatre.org/raineyreading is encouraged, as seating is limited. Liesl Tommy, director of the Huntington's acclaimed 2011 production of Ruined, helms the production. The ensemble features "ER" cast member Yvette Freeman as the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and local favorite Jason Bowen (Ruined, A Civil War Christmas at the Huntington) as Levee.

As part of its 30th Anniversary Season celebration, the Huntington Theatre Company brings the cast of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to Roxbury's Hibernian Hall to perform a reading of the play on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 7pm. The reading is free and open to the public, but an RSVP at huntingtontheatre.org/raineyreading is encouraged, as seating is limited. Liesl Tommy, director of the Huntington's acclaimed 2011 production of Ruined, helms the production. The ensemble features "ER" cast member Yvette Freeman as the legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and local favorite Jason Bowen (Ruined, A Civil War Christmas at the Huntington) as Levee.

THE PICTURE BOX by Cate Ryan that is being presented by The Negro Ensemble Company Off Broadway* at Theatre Row - Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street plays the final performances this weekend for the limited engagement.

The PICTURE BOX" by Cate Ryan will be presented by The Negro Ensemble Company Off Broadway* at Theatre Row - Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street.

"The PICTURE BOX" by Cate Ryan will be presented by The Negro Ensemble Company Off Broadway* at Theatre Row - Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street.