John Ridley News

The New Group has announced the company’s 2022-23 Season, to include the following productions: Evanston Salt Costs Climbing, by Will Arbery, directed by Danya Taymor; The Seagull/Woodstock, NY, by Thomas Bradshaw, adapted from Chekhov, directed by Scott Elliott; and Bernarda’s Daughters, by Diane Exavier, directed by Dominique Rider.  T

Apple TV+ today announced the premiere dates for “Five Days at Memorial,” a new limited series from Academy Award winner John Ridley and Emmy Award winner Carlton Cuse; and, “Bad Sisters,” the witty and emotional darkly comedic murder mystery from Emmy Award-nominee and BAFTA Award-winning star and creator Sharon Horgan.

A Spring Celebration “Dionysia,” benefiting The New Group, is set to take place Monday, June 6 from 6:00-9:30pm at Guastavino's (409 East 59th Street).  This event will honor playwright Donja R. Love and New Group Board Members Jana Shea and Anita Waxman with the Mimi and Michael Mendelson Award for Outstanding Commitment to Theater. 

The 37th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway was presented on Sunday, May 1, 2022 and we have the full list of winners and nominees!

Nominations for the 37th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were announced today by theatre veterans Lilli Cooper and Lea DeLaria, stars of Broadway’s POTUS. With COVID safety in mind, rather than having one host and multiple presenters, this year the Awards will be handed out by a few Host/Presenter pairs on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at NYU Skirball beginning at 7:00pm EST. The Lucille Lortel Awards are produced by the Off-Broadway League and Lucille Lortel Theatre, with additional support provided by TDF.

Macbeth begins performances tonight, March 29, 2022, at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street) and opens on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Learn more about the cast bringing this show back to the stage!

The World Premiere of i need space, a new digital series written, directed and created by Donja R. Love (Sugar In Our Wounds, one in two) and presented by The New Group Off Stage in association with John Ridley’s NŌ Studios and Frank Marshall will begin streaming March 8, 2022, exclusively on the new streaming platform, Broadstream. 

Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute today announced that six rising MCs have been selected to participate in a free master class led by legendary hip-hop artist Black Thought from April 4-7, 2022 as part of the Hall’s ongoing series of workshops and master classes for young professional musicians.

The New Group's just celebrated opening night of Black No More, featuring Leanne Antonio, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Elijah A. Carter, Jennifer Damiano, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ryan Fitzgerald, Gaelen Gilliland, Polanco Jones Jr., Zachary Daniel Jones, Tamika Lawrence, Sarah Meahl, Howard McGillin, Mary Page Nance, Oneika Phillips, Nicholas Ranauro, Malaiyka Reid, Mars Rucker, Angela M. Sauers, Tracy Shayne, Theo Stockman, Ephraim Sykes, Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter, Akron Watson, Nyla Watson, Edward Watts and Lillias White.

The New Group's Black No More is set to officially open on Tuesday, February 15. The complete cast features Leanne Antonio, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Elijah A. Carter, Jennifer Damiano, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ryan Fitzgerald, and more.

Tariq TrotterTariq Trotter returned to the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night to discuss the new Off-Broadway adaption of Black No More, which he stars in and wrote the music and lyrics for with the Roots. The cast also features Brandon Victor Dixon, Jennifer Damiano, Tamika Lawrence, Ephraim Sykes, Lillias White, and more.

The New Group has announced that the new musical Black No More will begin previews January 18, in advance of an Official Opening Night now set for Tuesday, February 15, a schedule update due to Covid-19.  Previews were previously slated to begin January 11.

The New Group has announced complete casting for the world premiere production of Black No More.  This new musical features Book by John Ridley, Music and Lyrics by Tariq Trotter, Music Supervision, Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Daryl Waters, Choreography by Bill T. Jones and Direction by Scott Elliott. 

The New Group has announced that Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud, Tony Award nominee; Hamilton) will join the cast of the world premiere production of Black No More.

The New Group has announced two new appointments to its staff. Emily Bookwalter has been named as its Director of External Affairs starting October 25, 2021. Shariffa Ali has also been named as its Director of Artistic Projects starting November 2, 2021.

The New Group has announced that Tony Award winner Lillias White will join the cast of the world premiere production of Black No More. A strictly limited engagement will play January 11 – February 27, 2022 at The Pershing Square Signature Center with Opening Night on Tuesday, February 8. Tickets are now on sale to the public. 

Lionsgate has released the final trailer for Needle in a Timestack, a new film starring Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo, and Orlando Bloom. Watch the new trailer ahead of the film's release this Friday!

The New Group has announced the world premiere of Black No More, a new musical inspired by George S. Schuyler’s 1931 novel of the same name, featuring Book by John Ridley, Music and Lyrics by Tariq Trotter, Choreography by Bill T. Jones, Music Supervision, Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Daryl Waters and Direction by Scott Elliott. 

If love is in the form of a circle, what lines would you cross to be with your soulmate? In this gripping, near-future love story directed by Oscar winner John Ridley, Nick and Janine (Odom, Jr. and Erivo) live in marital bliss, until Janine’s ex-husband (Orlando Bloom) warps time to try to tear them apart.

Delta Atlanta Symphony Hall LIVE and Zero Mile Presents announce the return of multi-talented star Leslie Odom, Jr. to Atlanta Symphony Hall on December 15, 2021 for “The Christmas Tour”. Tickets for his live holiday performance will go on sale at ticketmaster.com on July 23 at noon.