Kamilah Forbes News

On Thursday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m., the Apollo Theater in partnership with Spectrum News NY1, WLBS, and New York Amsterdam News will present Apollo Uptown Hall: Harlem's Culture - Past. Present. Future. The panel will gather thought leaders from some of Harlem's most influential arts organizations to celebrate milestone anniversaries in the Harlem arts community and discuss the roles these cultural organizations will play in either preserving traditions or advancing change. The event is free with RSVP.

The Apollo Theater announced today that critically acclaimed writer, artist and thinker Ta-Nehisi Coates will begin the national book tour for his latest work, The Water Dancer, at the world-famous Apollo stage. The program will take place on Monday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. with a special guest to be announced.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today the Nominating Committee for the 2019-2020 Broadway season. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.

The 85th Annual Drama League Awards were handed out last night, May 17, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square (1535 Broadway).

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

The legendary Apollo Theater – the soul of American culture and a globally recognized national treasure – will honor the legendary and iconic Temptations with their induction into the Apollo's Walk of Fame. Otis Williams, founding and only surviving, original member of the Motown super-group, will accept the honor.

The Apollo Theater will bring the New York premiere of TWISTED MELODIES, an intimate one-man production inspired by the life, artistry, and struggles of 1970s soul singer and composer Donny Hathaway, to its iconic stage, 45 years after Hathaway himself last performed on it.

The Apollo Theater Salon Series in partnership with Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) will present WiLDFLOWER, the staged concert reading of the full-length musical with book, music and lyrics by Jason Michael Webb and Lelund Durond Thompson. The performance, directed by Logan Vaughn and starring Broadway stars Tshidi Manye (The Lion King) and Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on this Island), will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, on the Apollo Theater Soundstage.

A one-week extension has been announced today for the Signature Theatre (Paige Evans, Artistic Director; Harold Wolpert, Executive Director; James Houghton, Founder) production of Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepard and directed by Tony Award nominee Terry Kinney. The production will now run April 23 to June 2, 2019 with a Monday, May 13 opening night in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

The 2019-2020 Signature Theatre Season will feature six works by five resident playwrights, including two productions by Signature's new Residency 1 playwright Anna Deavere Smith, world premiere plays from Residency 5 playwrights Katori Halland Dominique Morisseau, a New York premiere from new Residency 5 playwright Lauren Yee, and a new production of a Pulitzer Prize-winning play from Legacy playwright Horton Foote, the company announced today.

Former Scandal co-stars Tony Goldwyn and Joe Morton reunited at New World Stages in New York City last night for a special performance of IN THEIR OWN WORDS, Opening Act's 13th Annual Play Reading event.

Opening Act, an innovative nonprofit providing free after-school theater programming to New York City's most under-served public high schools, is thrilled to announce today that Tony Goldwyn, Kyra Sedgwick and Joe Morton will headline its 13th Annual Benefit Play Reading, IN THEIR OWN WORDS on Tuesday April 2 at New World Stages in New York.

Just last night, the Signature Theatre held its Annual Gala at The Pershing Square Signature Center. The event honored Citi CEO Michael Corbat and celebrated the millionth subsidized ticket offered under the groundbreaking Signature Ticket Initiative.

The Apollo Theater in partnership with World Music Institute presents the 7th annual AFRICA NOW!, hosted by Young Prince with sounds by DJ mOma. This year's lineup features African Dancehall & Afrobeat stars:

Two time Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage, best known for Ruined and Tony-winning play Sweat, and actor Jessica Frances Dukes, who stars in Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, joined AM to DM by BuzzFeed News this morning. The duo discussed their new play "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark," how things have and haven't changed for black actors since the early days of Hollywood, their inspiration for the story and character and more.

The Signature Theatre production of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and Residency 1 playwright Lynn Nottage and directed by Obie Award-winner Kamilah Forbes, recently celebrated opening night on The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center. Check out photos from the evening below!

The Apollo Theater, in partnership with World Music Institute, presents African dancehall artists Patoranking (Nigeria), Seyi Shay (Nigeria), Buffalo Souljah (Zimbabwe), and Afrobeat sensation Kaleta & Super Yamba Band (Benin/Nigeria) as part of AFRICA NOW! hosted by Young Prince and music by DJ mOma. The 7th annual collaboration returns to the legendary Apollo stage on Saturday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. This year's concert, a highlight of the Apollo's season, celebrates not only the best of today's African contemporary music but spotlights how the music of the diaspora has impacted the continent.

It was only eight years ago when two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage's terrific show-biz social satire, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark was first seen Off-Broadway, but director Kamilah Forbes' crackling good new mounting for Signature Theatre is a welcome return.

By The Way, Meet Vera Stark began performance on January 29 and opens on Tuesday, February 19 on the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The production is a limited engagement through March 10, 2019. Get a first look at the production below!