Suzan-Lori Parks News

Today we are talking to a charismatic leading man who has made quite a mark on Broadway over the last few seasons, having participated in the original Broadways casts of Kander & Ebb's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS (for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Actor), Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT (as Favorite Son) and, most recently, the rapturously-received revival of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS (as Jake), which won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Revival - the multi-talented Joshua Henry. Discussing the creation, casting, rehearsal and reception of each of the aforementioned musicals, as well as working with his collaborators on said projects - John Kander, Susan Stroman, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tom Kitt, Michael Mayer, Audra McDonald, Norm Lewis, Diane Paulus and more included - Henry illustrates the process of bringing the three wildly different entities to the stage and how he shaped his disparate characters within them. Additionally, Henry also discusses his role in the original production of Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS and that Tony-winning Best Musical's inception and legacy. Plus, Henry expounds on his new self-composed family-friendly musical, AMIGO DUENDE, directed by Luis Salgado, which begins performances October 5 at El Musio Del Barrio and also shares the inspiration behind it. All of that, first news on his starring role in COTTON CLUB PARADE at City Center (co-starring GLEE's Amber Riley), sharing the screen with Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson and the Fab Four in SEX & THE CITY: THE MOVIE, his role in the recent MOTOWN workshop (as Marvin Gaye), future plans and much, much more!

The Public Theater's $40 million revitalization of its downtown home at Astor Place will be unveiled October 4 and celebrated through a series of events designed to engage the entire New York community and marking a rededication to its founding principles. The Public Forum - the Company's celebrated new series of lectures, debates, and discussions will mark the rededication with a special series of "Duet" programs, pairing an artist who has been important to the life of The Public and a leading voice from outside the world of theater.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 2012/13 Season with Suzan-Lori Parks's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog, which runs from tonight, September 27 to October 21.

The Public Theater's $40 million revitalization of its downtown home at Astor Place will be unveiled October 4 and celebrated through a series of events designed to engage the entire New York community and marking a rededication to its founding principles. The Public Forum - the Company's celebrated new series of lectures, debates, and discussions will mark the rededication with a special series of "Duet" programs, pairing an artist who has been important to the life of The Public and a leading voice from outside the world of theater.

The 2012 Tony Award Winner for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS will conclude its limited engagement at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street) today, September 23, 2012. The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS began previews on Saturday, December 17, 2012, and officially opened on January 12, 2012. Upon closing, it will have played 322 performances. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you on a multimedia journey through the life of the longest-running production of Porgy and Bess to ever play on Broadway.

THE NEW BLACK FEST, a festival of theater, music and discussion from the African Diaspora will launch its 3rd season in October at various locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. With support from TimeWarner and a partnership with 651 ARTS, the Festival will take place October 8 - 13 at various locations, including the National Black Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Center, the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center. All of the events are Free and open to the public.

ZACH Theatre, known as the city's "leading professional theatre" (New York Times) and "liveliest and most polished professional theatre" (Austin American-Statesman) opens its new state-of-the-art Topfer Theatre this month, joining the realm of the nation's most widely recognized regional theatres.

Two River Theater Company launches its 2012-2013 Season with Topdog/Underdog, written and directed by Suzan-Lori Parks. Performances continue in Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue through Sunday, September 30. Get a first look at the cast onstage in the photos below!

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced today that FUN HOME, a new musical with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron, will open the 2012-2013 season of the Public Lab, a program designed to connect audiences and artists in the process of creating new theater. Directed by Sam Gold, FUN HOME is based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel and will run Wednesday, October 17 through Sunday, November 4 in The Public's Shiva Theater. Member tickets are $12 and are on sale now. Single tickets, priced at $15, go on sale Tuesday, September 18.

Sugar Valley Theatricals, Bryan Webster, artistic director, in association with Isaac H. Suggs, Jr., presents a special staged reading performance of MUNCHED by Kim Porter, directed by Petronia Paley, as a benefit for Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH).

Cutting Ball Theater opens its 14th season with Strindberg Cycle: The Chamber Plays in Rep, a festival of August Strindberg's five Chamber Plays in new translations by Paul Walsh.

Two River Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, launches its 2012-2013 Season with Topdog/Underdog, written and directed by Suzan-Lori Parks. Performances will begin in Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, tonight, September 8 and continue through Sunday, September 30.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 2012/13 Season with Suzan-Lori Parks's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog, which runs from September 27 to October 21.

Producers of the 2012 Tony Award Winner for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS welcome Tony Award winner Audra McDonald's return to an eight-performance schedule beginning tonight, August 28th. She had previously been on a schedule of seven performances per week, not performing the Wednesday evening shows.

Two River Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, launches its 2012-2013 Season with Topdog/Underdog, written and directed by Suzan-Lori Parks. Performances will begin in Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, on Saturday, September 8 and continue through Sunday, September 30.

Producers of the 2012 Tony Award Winner for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' PORGY AND BESS announced today that five-time Tony Award winner AUDRA McDONALD will return to an eight-performance schedule beginning Tuesday, August 28th. She had previously been on a schedule of seven performances per week, not performing the Wednesday evening shows.

Sugar Valley Theatricals, Bryan Webster, artistic director, in association with Isaac H. Suggs, Jr., presents a special staged reading performance of MUNCHED by Kim Porter, directed by Petronia Paley, as a benefit for Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH).

THE OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE (OPC), one of the most prestigious and acclaimed new play development programs in the United States, will celebrate its 15th Anniversary Season with a stellar program of playwrights, new play workshops, special performance events and guest artists during its Summer New Works Festival from tonight, August 8-August 12, 2012 in Ojai.