Michael Brown News

COCA (Center of Creative Arts) announced today Outside In: Paint for Peace, an unprecedented collaborative community exhibition featuring a selection of the original murals painted on the boarded-up storefronts by amateur and professional artists in the days and weeks following the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo.

MCC Theater - which this fall celebrates its 30th Anniversary Season as one of New York's leading Off-Broadway theater companies - has announced the 2016 PlayLabs reading series, which will feature new works in development by playwrights Jocelyn Bioh, MCC Youth Company alum Xavier Galva, Ted Malawer, and Eric Micha Holmes.

COCA (Center of Creative Arts) announced today Outside In: Paint for Peace, an unprecedented collaborative community exhibition featuring a selection of the original murals painted on the boarded-up storefronts by amateur and professional artists in the days and weeks following the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo.

On a beautiful summer evening, under a half moon sky, and with a gentle breeze wafting through the air, nothing could compare to seeing the final show of the season at The MUNY. They close with yet another stellar selection that's filled with flair and grace. This was especially important and evident when a 25 minute interruption of the proceedings occurred during a Black Lives Matter protest, and a remembrance of the Ferguson shooting of Michael Brown. A huge thank you should be awarded to actor Ken Page, along with Michelle Williams as they came out to address the protests which took place as the second act was set to begin. Page's eloquent and thoughtful speech allowed the action to continue on stage without further incident. All that aside, this is an absolutely vibrant production of AIDA, which sparkles like it never has before. An excellent cast, led by Michelle Williams, formerly of Destiny's Child, and an orchestra that can more than deftly handle the shifts in style the score presents. bring considerable energy and enthusiasm to Elton John's music and Tim Rice's lyrics. And, while the book and music may drift away from versions you've seen before this playful, and sometimes anachronistic, approach to this tale of tragic, star-crossed lovers, is decidedly engaging and entertaining. You'll be enthralled by its majesty!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Boston, St. Louis, Sacramento and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include CABARET in Boston, AIDA at The Muny, and NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT in Sacramento, just to name a few.

Goodman Theatre announces the lineup of its 13th annual New Stages festival-a celebration and discovery of new work by some of the finest established and emerging playwrights.

On the two-year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, the performance of AIDA at the Muny in St. Louis was briefly halted at the top of the second act as protesters representing the Black Lives Matter movement held up signs and chanted.

HERE has announced its 2016-2017 producing season, featuring three HERE Resident Artist world premieres, two international presentations from HERE's renowned Dream Music Puppetry Program, the fifth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now festival, and HERE's yearly CULTUREMART festival, where HERE serves up a first look at new work in process from artists in the HERE Artist Residency Program (HARP).

COCA (Center of Creative Arts) announced today Outside In: Paint for Peace, an unprecedented collaborative community exhibition featuring a selection of the original murals painted on the boarded-up storefronts by amateur and professional artists in the days and weeks following the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo.

Today, the National Civil Rights Museum announced recipients of The Freedom Award, the museum's signature event that honors outstanding individuals for their significant contributions to civil and human rights. This year's honorees are Benjamin Crump, civil rights attorney; Tawakkol Karman, Yemeni human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; The Honorable Damon Jerome Keith, longest serving judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Court; Soledad O'Brien, journalist and executive producer; and Bryan Stevenson, attorney and social justice activist.

'Racism can destroy America', says H. J. Harris author of America the Racist?, a must read for white and black Americans as current events unfold from police shootings of black men, the racist massacre of 9 black Americans in a Bible study class is Charleston, South Carolina, to the killing of 5 police officers in Dallas, Texas. America the Racist?, a 172 page book sets forth a concise, easy to read, historical, spiritual, and psychological treatment of Racism in America - its causes, evolution and possibilities for the future.

'There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of. There is no job we haven't done, there is no tax they haven't levied against us and we've paid all of them. But freedom is somehow always conditional here. 'You're free!' they keeping telling us. 'But she would be alive if she hadn't acted so...free.' Now, freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now.' Jesse Williams. BET Awards 2016.

The award-winning series MetroFocus premieres new episodes in the New York and tri-state region weeknights at 5 p.m. on WLIW21, 5:30 p.m. on NJTV and 6 p.m. on THIRTEEN. All episodes are available at metrofocus.org following the broadcast.

The 5th Avenue Theatre presents an exciting new 'revisal' of the sweeping saga Lerner & Loewe's PAINT YOUR WAGON. Featuring an all-new book by Pulitzer Prize nominee John Marans, this show has taken an incredible journey over the last five years from developmental workshops to The 5th Avenue stage this season. And BroadwayWorld is happy to report that the company has just announced the full cast and creative team.

Directed and produced by Laurens Grant (Black Panthers - Vanguard of the Revolution) and executive produced by actor/activist Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy) the BET original documentary STAY WOKE: THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT,' has its broadcast premiere today, Thursday, May 26 at 9 PM ET/PT.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced the nominees for the 14th annual 5th Avenue Awards Honoring High School Musical Theater.

Directed and produced by Laurens Grant (Black Panthers - Vanguard of the Revolution) and executive produced by actor/activist Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy) the BET original documentary STAY WOKE: THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT,' will have its broadcast premiere on Thursday, May 26 at 9 PM ET/PT.

The Theory of Relativity, the new musical by the Drama Desk Award-nominated creators of Broadway's The Story of My Life, Neil Bartram and Brian Hill, will be released on disc by PS Classics on June 3. The album, recorded March 31 and April 1 at Avatar Studios in New York City, is produced by PS Classics staff engineer Bart Migal, who has produced over a dozen recordings for the label, including, most recently, Tony Yazbeck's debut solo album.

The University of Washington School of Drama continues their 75th Anniversary Season with playwright and novelist Kia Corthron's explosive socio-political drama, Force Continuum. Second-year MFA directing candidate Malika Oyetimein will helm the project, which she chose for very personal reasons.