Fantasia Barrino News

Yesterday, the Producers Guild of America held their 33rd annual awards ceremony, honoring the most acclaimed film and television directors from 2021. The event took place at the Fairmount Century Plaza in Los Angeles, California.

Prospect Theater Company announced today the complete casting for their upcoming work-in-process concert presentation of The Oscar Micheaux Suite. The concert performances of The Oscar Micheaux Suite will take place on Saturday, March 26th at 2pm & 7pm, and Sunday, March 27th at 2pm at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street).

Today's top stories include casting for The Color Purple film adaptation! The movie will be led by Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks in the roles of Celie and Sofia. Plus, the long-awaited musical adaptation of the NBC TV show Smash is planning to have a workshop this summer, and the film adaptation of 13: The Musical is coming to Netflix this year!

Tony-nominee Colman Domingo and Grown-ish star Halle Bailey have joined the all-star cast of the upcoming musical film adaptation of The Color Purple.

During ABC's 'Soul of a Nation' special 'Screen Queens Rising,' when the casting was announced, anchor Linsey Davis surprised Brooks with a video from the moment Oprah Winfrey surprised her with the news. Winfrey had previously portrayed Sofia in the 1985 film, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Fantasia Barrino and ​​​​​​​Danielle Brooks have joined the upcoming film adaptation of The Color Purple musical as Celie and Sofia, respectively.

She receives the award “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship.”

Get the latest news on upcoming film adaptations, the schedule of movie musicals in development or production, and more with our always up-to-date musical film adaptation schedule!

Today we celebrate Black History Month by taking a closer look at After Midnight. Directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, it played for 273 performances at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. The revue is based on Cotton Club Parade, which ran in concert at Encores! in 2011 and 2012. The revue takes place 'after midnight' in New York's Harlem.

Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington and more send DEBBIE ALLEN kind words and virtual flowers in celebration of her new Netflix documentary, DANCE DREAMS: HOT CHOCOLATE NUTCRACKER.

Debbie Allen is shaking up the ballet world with her new show that puts a modern and inclusive spin on 'The Nutcracker.'

The upcoming Shonda Rhimes-produced documentary about Debbie Allen is set for release on Netflix November 27th. 

Newcomer Mariah Lyttle hasn't exactly pounded the New York City pavement quite yet, but it's not a reflection on her motivation or hard work. In fact, the young actress barely crossed the graduation stage before headlining a regional production of THE WIZ, which closed only moments before she booked the coveted role of Celie in the latest THE COLOR PURPLE national tour. While back at home for the holidays with her family, Ms. Lyttle sat down to share how the role has helped her find her voice, and how this classic story inspires hope and faith in audiences of all backgrounds and beliefs.

Broadway Actor and Streamy Award Winner Todrick Hall announced his new world tour 'Haus Party World Tour'. The tour will feature brand new sets and costumes and will feature the music from his three-part album 'Haus Party' as well as some of his most viral online creations live onstage. The 30+ city world tour will stop at The VETS in Providence on November 6. Tickets & VIP packages for the Haus Party World Tour go on sale beginning Friday, May 17th. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online at TheVetsRI.com.

Geva Theatre Center's 46th Season concludes with the world premiere of Revival: The Resurrection of Son House, written and directed by Keith Glover, with music by Son House, Billy Thompson and Keith Glover, musical direction by Billy Thompson and choreography by Norwood Pennewell, in the Elaine P. Wilson Stage from May 1 through June 2, 2019.

The White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPPAC) is proud to announce the cast for the Regional Premiere of THE BODYGUARD, playing April 26 - May 12, 2019. Based on the 1992 Oscar-nominated film that starred Whitney Houston, THE BODYGUARD is a breathtakingly romantic thriller. When former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker, each expects to be in charge; what they don't expect is to fall in love. THE BODYGUARD features a host of Whitney Houston's chart-topping greatest hits including: "I Have Nothing", 'One Moment in Time", "Run to You", "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and one of the best-selling songs of all time, "I Will Always Love You".

The Vintage Tour will make its way to Shea's Buffalo Theatre on Friday, March 22nd. Grammy, Stellar and Dove Award-winning gospel great Fred Hammond ("Blessed") is bringing back the Festival of Praise Tour for 2019 with an inspiring and all new line up for "The Vintage Tour".

THE GAME, a new musical with book and lyrics by Eric Kornfeld and music by John McDaniel, will be presented in a private industry presentation, Thursday, December 6 at 3:30pm and Friday, December 7, 2018 at 11am. Presentations will be held at Pearl Studios.

2x Grammy nominated producer/singer-songwriter Drew Scott has released his latest 'Places I've Ever Been' project. Volume 3 is the final installment to the self-produced series by the artist who has worked with the likes of Teyana Taylor, Zendaya, Bridget Kelly, Luke James, Fantasia Barrino, Nick Jonas and Jake Miller to name a few.

While its original production, as most Broadway shows go, offered the expected big sets, first-rate costumes, and impressive production values, the 2015 Tony Award-winning revival production of THE COLOR PUPLE---currently slaying audiences for a week-long stop at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through June 24---is decidedly more subdued and scaled-down by comparison, allowing the songs, the story, and the cast performances to shine on their own merits instead. The resulting show is a powerful, uplifting one, bathed in a loving, spiritual embrace that shines a light on the struggles, the insecurities, the passions, and the tenacity of African-American women living in the early decades of the 20th Century. I can say without hesitation that this revival production is an excellent way to experience this beautiful, touching, and ultimately triumphant musical.