Kenneth Lee News

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Arena Stage has announced that its smash-hit production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies will extend its run at the historic Lincoln Theatre with six additional performances through June 6, 2010. The production, choreographed by and starring the legendary Maurice Hines and directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, has broken several long-standing sales records, and is on track to become the highest grossing show in Arena's history, replacing the 2002 production of South Pacific directed by Molly Smith.

Arena Stage today announced that its smash-hit production of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies will extend its run at the historic Lincoln Theatre with six additional performances through June 6, 2010.

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Big band sound transforms the Lincoln Theatre into a Duke Ellington jazz club as Arena Stage presents Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, choreographed by and starring Maurice Hines (Broadway's Sophisticated Ladies and Uptown... It's Hot!) with direction by Charles Randolph-Wright (Arena's Guys and Dolls and Blue).

Jazz and swing will thrive on U Street as Duke Ellington's music comes home to the Lincoln Theatre in Arena Stage's upcoming musical Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies.

There are times when I really love being a correspondent for Broadwayworld.com. Certainly, stepping into the historic Lincoln Theatre on U. Street in Washington, DC and watching this feel good award-winning musical entitled Crowns is right at the top of the list.

Crowns is back in town, and with direction and choreography by Kenneth Lee Roberson (Broadway's Avenue Q, Arena's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill) and musical direction by Grammy nominee e'Marcus Harper, this soulful musical will be bigger than ever in the Lincoln Theatre. Arena favorites Marva Hicks (The Women of Brewster Place) and E. Faye Butler (Dinah Was, Ain't Misbehavin') are joined by NaTasha Yvette Williams (Broadway's The Color Purple), Mary Millben, Kara Tameika Watkins, Phillip Boykin and Zurin Villanueva. Howard University student Villanueva was discovered in Arena's January 'Finding Yolanda' one-day casting search, and this production marks her debut professional performance.

Crowns is back in town, and with direction and choreography by Kenneth Lee Roberson (Broadway's Avenue Q, Arena's Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill) and musical direction by Grammy nominee e'Marcus Harper, this soulful musical will be bigger than ever in the Lincoln Theatre. Arena favorites Marva Hicks (The Women of Brewster Place) and E. Faye Butler (Dinah Was, Ain't Misbehavin') are joined by NaTasha Yvette Williams (Broadway's The Color Purple), Mary Millben, Kara Tameika Watkins, Phillip Boykin and Zurin Villanueva. Howard University student Villanueva was discovered in Arena's January 'Finding Yolanda' one-day casting search, and this production marks her debut professional performance.

During an all-day open casting event at the Lincoln Theatre on Saturday, January 3, 2009, 60 young, ambitious actresses auditioned for the role of Yolanda, the teenage character central to Regina Taylor's musical Crowns. Winner of four Helen Hayes Awards, including Best Resident Musical, Crowns runs March 27-April 26, 2009 at Arena Stage at the Lincoln Theatre.

Arena Stage will allow an audience to watch the first round of auditions to fill a role in the spring revival of 'Crowns'. The show will run March 27-April 26 at the Lincoln Theater. Arena is searching for an African American woman between the ages of 16-24 who can act, sing, and dance. No previous professional experience is required.

Arena Stage will allow an audience to watch the first round of auditions to fill a role in the spring revival of 'Crowns'. The show will run March 27-April 26 at the Lincoln Theater. Arena is searching for an African American woman between the ages of 16-24 who can act, sing, and dance. No previous professional experience is required.

In Regina Taylor's musical Crowns, Yolanda is a young woman who faces a change in her life and through it finds her true promise and identity. Arena Stage has decided to change the life of one lucky, local talent by opening auditions to the D.C. area for the role of Yolanda in the theater's upcoming production of Crowns. The Finding Yolanda Casting Search will be an all-day event on Saturday, January 3, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009).

Sheldon Epps' Blues in the Night began its exclusive San Francisco engagement at Post Street Theatre (450 Post Street) on August 7; ready for its Opening Night on August 15.

Sheldon Epps' Blues in the Night will return for an all-star San Francisco production.

The winners of Chicago's Jefferson Awards were announced in a ceremony at the DePaul Merle Reskin Theatre (60 Balbo Drive) in Chicago on November 6th

Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage, which has been increasingly busy with musicals in recent years, has announced casting for its upcoming production of the Bock and Harnick classic She Loves Me, which will begin performances on November 17th on the Fichlander Stage, with opening night set for November 28th