Photos: Brenda Russell Interviewed For UNSCRIPTED LIVE At City Winery NYC

Tony Award-winning composer Brenda Russell ("The Color Purple") joined award-winning filmmaker and photographer Sekou Luke (Notes from Harlem) and noted music journalist Christian John Wikane (PopMatters) in The Loft at City Winery (NYC) on Monday, October 16 for the third edition of "Unscripted Live," the live branch of "Unscripted: Conversations with Christian John Wikane," an interview series that spotlights the stories of legendary artists, their resilience, and their creative regeneration.

See photos below!

Christian conducted a one-on-one interview with Brenda, whose songwriting work with Allee Willis and Stephen Bray on the score to "The Color Purple" Broadway production will be heard in director Blitz Bazawule's forthcoming film adaptation of the musical, which won "Best Revival" at the 2016 Tony Awards. Brenda discussed her career as a prolific, GRAMMY-nominated songwriter, sharing stories behind writing heralded classics like "Get Here" (Oleta Adams), "If Only For One Night" (Luther Vandross), "Dinner With Gershwin" (Donna Summer), and her own Top 40 hits "Piano in the Dark" and "So Good, So Right." Acclaimed vocalist Janice Pendarvis, who appeared in the Oscar-winning film "20 Feet from Stardom," made a special guest appearance at the top of the evening. She introduced Sekou and Christian, who also premiered "In the Writer's Room," a film that spotlights ten lessons from songwriters who've been featured in Unscripted. The film was shot at ARRI Studio (Long Island City) and on location throughout New York City, with interview footage filmed at Ashford & Simpson's Sugar Bar, Harlem Stage, Rift Studios, The Green Room 42, Laurie Beechman Theater, among other venues.

"Unscripted: Conversations with Christian John Wikane" is a video series featuring exclusive interviews filmed and produced by director Sekou Luke and music journalist Christian John Wikane. Launched in April 2020, Season 1 of "Unscripted" featured eight interviews with GRAMMY, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning legends, as well as chart-topping singers and songwriters: André De Shields, Nona Hendryx, Melba Moore, Ruth Pointer, Valerie Simpson (Ashford & Simpson), Kathy Sledge (Sister Sledge), Bruce Sudano (Brooklyn Dreams), and vocal legend Fonzi Thornton. Season 2 continued with icons and innovators, including original Ikette Joshie Jo Armstead, Cory Daye (Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band), GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer, cabaret artist/dancer Christian Holder (The Joffrey Ballet), GRAMMY-winning musician Van Hunt, groundbreaking singer-songwriter Rahsaan Patterson, Janice Pendarvis, and Ray Shell (Starlight Express). All interviews were published in tandem with PopMatters, an online magazine of cultural criticism. Season 3, which kicked off with Ray Parker, Jr. and Brenda Russell, is currently in production.

Photos courtesy of Marvin Abreu, Mark Claudio, Berka Ngong, Christopher Zapata.

 

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!