Anika Noni Rose News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Event Chairs Holly and Chris Hollenbeck are proud to announce Spooked at The Strand, A.C.T.'s Halloween costume party, on Monday, October 26, 6-11 p.m., at The Strand Theater (1127 Market Street, San Francisco). Proceeds from the evening, which feature special performances by A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) Program students, will support A.C.T.'s actor training and education and community programs. Individual tickets range in price from $50 to $500. Premiere $750 tickets are sold out! For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit act-sf.org/spooked or contact A.C.T. Director of Special Events Luz Perez at 415.439.2470 or lperez@act-sf.org.

A+E Networks announces new casting for its four-night, eight-hour scripted event miniseries 'Roots,' from A+E Studios, including Academy Award winner(R) Forest Whitaker (Lee Daniels' The Butler, South Paw) as 'Fiddler,' a slave who tries to mentor Kunta Kinte and risks his life to help him escape; Academy Award winner Anna Paquin (True Blood) as 'Nancy Holt,' the wife of a Confederate officer who has her own agenda when it comes to the handling of slaves; Golden Globe(R) Award winning and Emmy(R) Award nominated actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors) as 'Tom Lea,' an uneducated slave owner desperate to claw his way into the elite company of Southern gentility; Tony Award(R) winner Anika Noni Rose (Dream Girls, The Good Wife, The Princess and the Frog) as 'Kizzy,' the cherished, smart daughter of Kunta Kinte who maintains her family pride and warrior spirit; Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead, The Wire) as 'Mingo,' a stern no-nonsense slave who keeps the Lea plantation afloat; Erica Tazel (Justified) as 'Matilda,' a preacher's daughter and love interest to 'Chicken George'; and Derek Luke (Captain America: The First Avenger, Antwone Fisher) as 'Silla Ba Dibba,' the military trainer of Juffure, charged with transforming teen boys into powerful Mandinka Warriors.

Celebrating more than 50 world premiere plays by women at Women's Voices Theater Festival.

When the United States government takes action to close a pro-labor musical, a little-known actress lets her voice be heard.

Tony Award-winning playwright Lisa Kron will be a featured guest and participant at the launch party of the Women's Voices Theater Festival on September 8 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The invitation-only event kicks off the beginning of the Festival, an unprecedented collaboration among professional theater companies that includes the presentation of more than 50 world-premiere productions of work by female playwrights, taking place this September and October in the nation's capital region. The launch party features a creative conversation between Kron and National Public Radio's Special Correspondent Susan Stamberg focused on gender parity in the arts in the Museum's Performance Hall, followed by a celebratory party and toast to officially declare the start of the Festival.

American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (ADM21), for those who love the dance in Broadway musicals, will return to New York City's Joyce Theater (175 Eighth Avenue) after their sold out run last year, it was announced today by founder and producing artistic director Nikki Feirt Atkins.  Performances begin Tuesday, December 22nd and run through Sunday, January 3rd.  Tickets start at $10.

Women's Voices Theater Festival organizers today announced that First Lady of the United States of America Michelle Obama will serve as Honorary Chair of the Women's Voices Theater Festival, which unites more than 50 professional theater companies in the nation's capital region, September through October 2015. She joins a prestigious group of theater artists and advocates on the Honorary Committee supporting the Festival's mission to celebrate the work of women in theater. Additionally, eight ancillary events sponsored by The Washington Post have been announced during the Festival, to be hosted by the seven originating theaters-Arena Stage, Ford's Theatre, Round House Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company-along with Festival participant Theater J.

With the help of Tony Award winner Alan Cumming and students from the Master of Fine Arts Program, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) raised over $800,000 at its 2015 Season Gala, GET STRANDED!, which celebrated the soon-to-be-opened Strand Theater, A.C.T.'s brand-new performance venue and education center.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces a one night only performance of Broadway Showstoppers featuring award-winning performing artists Mandy Gonzalez, Cady Huffman, Telly Leung and Alton Fitzgerald White will take place on Monday, May 4, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. The TRUST Cabaret Series is presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and provides a unique and intimate opportunity for audiences to experience the finest cabaret acts in the entertainment industry. The evening will include these four talented Broadway stars singing songs on their repertoire from shows in which they have performed. Stephen DeAngelis is the creator, producer and host of Broadway Showstoppers, with musical direction and accompaniment by Eugene Gwozdz.

Tomorrow is a day for celebration, musical theatre fans, as Image Entertainment releases THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM COLLECTION. This collection includes some of the most glorious productions of the musical theatre icon's works. Ranging from original Broadway casts to starry-concerts, THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM COLLECTION includes DVDs of five of Sondheim's most influential shows, and a sixth disc of the master's 80th Birthday Concert.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are thrilled to welcome Tony and Olivier Award-winning star and recording artist Lea Salonga to Feinstein's at the Nikko for four performances only - tonight, April 2 (8 p.m.), Friday, April 3 (8 p.m.), Saturday, April 4 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, April 5 (7 p.m.)

Opening Act, an innovative nonprofit that provides free after-school theater programming to New York City's most under-served public high schools, today announced that Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun) will helm Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine for Opening Act's 9th Annual Benefit Play Reading at New World Stages on April 21st, 2015. Tickets are available to the public via www.telecharge.com - 1 800-447-7400.

Gather your Princess posse, pop a bottle of champagne and raise your glass to some nostalgic girl power with a side of romance.

Gather your Princess posse, pop a bottle of champagne and raise your glass to some nostalgic girl power with a side of romance.

Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose (A Raisin in the Sun) has signed on for the lead role in the CBS civil rights crime drama drama pilot FOR JUSTICE.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Gala Co-Chairs Prisca Geeslin and Ken Fulk have announced the 2015 season gala, COME GET STRANDED, on Saturday, April 25, 2015.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are thrilled to welcome Tony and Olivier Award-winning star and recording artist Lea Salonga to Feinstein's at the Nikko for four performances only - Thursday, April 2 (8 p.m.), Friday, April 3 (8 p.m.), Saturday, April 4 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, April 5 (7 p.m.)

Nylon Fusion Theatre Company announces their Short Play Festival "This Round's On Us" on February 20-21, featuring eleven new plays in two sets. Guest writers include Michael Puzzo and Don Nigro. Gotham's John Doman plays President McKinley in Nigro's new play Front Porch. Hosted by Lori Kee.

Jason Robert Brown's 2011 high-powered concert with Tony winner Anika Noni Rose, recorded at New York City's historic Abrons Art Center, is now available to stream or download for $5, the three-time Tony-winning composer announced today on his official website. Click here for the concert!

The concert is already sold-out, but BroadwayWorld has teamed with 54 Below to give fans a chance to see Alan live! Submit for the special contest by sending answers for the below questions by January 16, 2015. If you answer correctly, you could be selected to receive two complimentary tickets to the concert, as well as a meet and greet with the cast and a $25 food and drink coupon.