John Earl Jelks News

The Geffen Playhouse west coast premieres Dominique Morisseau’s PARADISE BLUE November 18, 2021 (already in previews). Set in the jazz-filled Paradise Club in Detroit (circa 1949), Stori Ayers directs the talented cast of Tyla Abercrumbie, Wendell B. Franklin, Alani iLongwe, John Earl Jelks and Shayna Small. Had the chance to throw out a few queries to the multi-tasking Alani.

Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its West Coast premiere of Paradise Blue, written by Tony Award-nominated Dominique Morisseau (Ain’t Too Proud, Skeleton Crew) and directed by Stori Ayers (Blood at the Root, The Last O.G.).

Season two of the Max Original romantic comedy anthology series focuses on Marcus Watkins (Emmy nominee and executive producer William Jackson Harper) as he comes out of a years-long relationship with the woman he thought was going to be his person.

On this day in 2014, the music and poetry of legendary rapper, Tupac Shakur, made its Broadway debut as Holler If Ya Hear Me celebrated its opening night at the Palace Theatre.

The timeline depicts a definitive history of the building, featuring a century's worth of history: from the earliest shows, musicals, and revues, through its history as a television and radio studio, brief spans as an adult film theater and later a children's theater, and finally as one of the most beloved houses on Broadway.

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of Tony-nominated actor, Anthony Chisholm.  

Playwright Lynn Nottage matters.  Winner of a MacArthur 'genius' grant, she's also been named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine in 2019.  She's the only woman to win two Pulitzer Prizes for drama (for RUINED in 2009 and SWEAT in 2017). Nottage calls FLOYD'S her 'side hustle' to SWEAT.  Commissioned by the Guthrie, it had its world premiere there this past weekend.

SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for its new dark comedy series ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, premiering on Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the 10-episode series is a story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream.

SHOWTIME has released the official poster and trailer for its new dark comedy series ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, premiering on Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ETPT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the 10-episode series is a story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream. 

On this day in 2014, the music and poetry of legendary rapper, Tupac Shakur, made its Broadway debut as Holler If Ya Hear Me celebrated its opening night at the Palace Theatre.

SHOWTIME has picked up ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, a one-hour series set to debut Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the nine-episode series is a darkly comedic story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream. In addition to Dunst, the series stars Théodore Pellerin (Genesis), Beth Ditto (Nocturnal Animals), Mel Rodriguez (The Last Man on Earth) and Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs). Created and executive produced by Robert Funke and Matt Lutsky and produced by Sony's TriStar Television, the series is also executive produced by Smokehouse Pictures' George Clooney (Catch-22) and Grant Heslov (Catch-22), along with Dunst, Charlie McDowell (The One I Love), who also directed the pilot and Esta Spalding (MASTERS OF SEX), who also serves as showrunner. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.

Playwright Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning SWEAT, her raw take on the intertwining issues affecting a close-knit group of Reading, Pennsylvania townsfolk, has just opened at the Mark Taper Forum. Portraying Cynthia, the inescapable lightning rod in SWEAT's volatile scenario, Nottage stalwart Portia brings a human face to a multiple of 'faceless' generalized preconceptions. Portia gave us her thoughts on working with Lynn Nottage, Phylicia Rashad and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Center Theatre Group's production of 'Sweat' by Lynn Nottage will opened at the Mark Taper Forum last night. Check out photos from the event below!

Center Theatre Group's production of "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage will open at the Mark Taper Forum on Wednesday, September 5 at 8 p.m. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play is currently in previews and continues through October 7, 2018.

Center Theatre Group presents "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage. The 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play will be presented at the Mark Taper Forum August 29 through October 7, 2018. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the opening of "Sweat" is set for September 5.

Rehearsals have begun for Center Theatre Group's production of "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage. The 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play will be presented at the Mark Taper Forum August 29 through October 7, 2018. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the opening of "Sweat" is set for September 5.

Center Theatre Group has announced the cast for "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage. The 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play will be presented at the Mark Taper Forum August 29 through October 7, 2018. Directed by Lisa Peterson, the opening of "Sweat" is set for September 5.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announces casting and creative teams for the summer season of new musicals and plays selected for development at the National Music Theater Conference and National Playwrights Conference.

After 10 days and 123 feature films, the 2018 Sundance Film Festival's Awards Ceremony took place last night, with host Jason Mantzoukas emceeing and jurors presenting 28 prizes for feature filmmaking in Park City, Utah.

As 2017 comes to a close, BroadwayWorld takes you back through this year's top curtain call moments. From the opening nights of every new show this year, to the anniversary performance of The Lion King which featured a performance by Elton John, check out photos of these curtain call moments to remember!