Sidney Poitier News

Brooklyn Academy of Music today announced details of its 35th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which brings together artists, activists, civic leaders, and the public for a communal commemoration and reflection on the life and legacy of Dr. King, on Monday, January 18, 2021.

New Federal Theatre will hold a 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration as a virtual event January 17, 2021 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The Gala will be accessible from the theater's website, and will honor Cliff Frazier, Ron Himes, S. Epatha Merkerson, Ed Pitt, Phylicia Rashad, Oz Scott, Beth Turner, Glynn Turman and Douglas Turner Ward.  

Millions know the name Harvey Korman from the television show, The Carol Burnett Show, and many movies, including Blazing Saddles and High Anxiety. However, Harvey’s greatest role was as a father to his children and a tireless advocate for his son Christopher. Now grown up and thriving, Christopher Korman has released his memoir (written with Ron Brawer) about his dad, OMG! It’s Harvey Korman’s Son! available on Amazon.

SDCF has announced two host venues for its Lloyd Richards New Futures Residency program: Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles; and Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon. The company’s respective artistic directors, Michael John Garcés and Nataki Garrett, will each mentor a visionary mid-career Black director or choreographer.

Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioda have been named the 2020 recipients of the Paul Robeson Award by the Actors’ Equity Association and Actors’ Equity Foundation. These two individuals exemplify the principles to which Robeson dedicated his life. 

The League of Professional Theatre Women will present an Oral History Project event with the award-winning composer, lyricist, playwright, and actress Micki Grant on Monday, November 16 at 6pm on Zoom. Admission to the event is FREE. The interview with Ms. Grant has been prerecorded, and will be followed by a live Q&A.

BAM today announced plans for virtual programs including theater, kids and family, literary, and film events. The fresh slate of offerings include the world premiere of V's (formerly Eve Ensler) That Kindness: Nurses in their Own Words; a talk with co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter and the Black Lives Matter Global Network Alicia Garza; and more!

Event chair and host Barbara Davis and co-chair Dana Davis announced today that Sir Michael Caine, David Copperfield, John Elway, Kenny G, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie, Maria Shriver, Sam Smith, Sir Rod Stewart, Pia Toscano, and Usher join the virtual 2020 Carousel of Hope Ball on Saturday, October 10 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

This week's Theater Stories features The Belasco Theater! Learn about the legendary theater-maker David Belasco, the history of the theater's Broadway plays, the apartment built above the theater and more!

Event chair and host Barbara Davis and co-chair Dana Davis announced today that the 2020 Carousel of Hope Ball will go virtual on Saturday, October 10, 2020.

On the 57th anniversary of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, “20/20” will present “The March,” a film narrated by actor Denzel Washington that tells the story about how this crucial moment in the civil rights movement began.

A powerful new video is now available for the creative reimagining of Stevie Wonder's 'Black Man,' remixed by Brennan Williams (aka Will Coloan), producer and founder of Coloan Records.

SDCF has announced the Lloyd Richards New Futures Residency, to partner a visionary mid-career BIPOC director or choreographer with an Artistic Director who is contemplating significant changes for their theatre as they face a new reality.

Though the reach of Gershwin's classic tunes has proved vast, no other song from his canon has quite matched the monumental success of Porgy and Bess' opening aria, 'Summertime.'

Roundabout Theatre Company just announced that the current theatrical season will resume in Spring 2021, and has added the Broadway debut of Alice Childress's Trouble in Mind, directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, to its roster of upcoming shows. Childress was a Founding Member of the American Negro Theatre and the first African-American woman to be produced professionally in New York (Gold Through The Trees in 1952); Randolph-Wright is a celebrated director and writer whose play Blue had an acclaimed run at Roundabout in 2001. Trouble in Mind will premiere on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre in Winter 2021/22.

We've rounded up 10 MORE books about Black theatre to read and educate yourself while in quarantine. 

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today the commemoration of the Juneteenth holiday with slate of special encore airings of programming

Beginning this Saturday, June 13, the L.A. Theatre Works audio theater recording of John Ball's In the Heat of the Night, adapted for the stage by Matt Pelfrey, will air on radio stations across the country and be available to stream free on the L.A. Theatre Works website.

Theater has always been an outlet for creative minds to discuss the issues that plague our society, whether it's racism, income inequality, or the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. Learn our picks for musicals and plays that deal with important social topics.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!