Ken Hanson News

The Museum of Broadway's has announced three new Black History Month events, including a panel on the history of minstrelsy with Ben West, offering insights into Broadway's past and its impact on American musical development.

Quick Silver Theater Company (QSTC) presented a staged reading of Pearl Cleage's latest play Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous, featuring Crystal Fox (A Fall from Grace, 'Big Little Lies,' Burden opposite Forrest Whittaker, 'The Haves and Have Nots') as Anna Campbell, Tony nominee and QSTC company member Pascale Armand (Eclipsed) as Precious Pete Watson, Tony nominee Brenda Braxton (Smokey Joe's Café) as Kate Hughes and Two-time Audelco Award winner Marjorie L. Johnson (Coleman Domingo's-Dot) as Betty Samson at the National Black Theatre, 2031 125th Street & National Black Theatre Way (5th Avenue) 10035 on February 20.

Project1VOICE One Play One Day 2018 is set with national staged readings of Pearl Cleage's Flyin' West on Sunday, June 17, and Monday, June 18. Theater companies, museums, colleges and universities around the country unite for this eighth annual theater celebration that revives and re-introduces forgotten classic plays in the American theater. Check your local listings for exact dates and times in your area.

It was a starry week at 54 BELOW with performances from Faith Prince and Jason Graae, Maurice Hines and Tonya Pinkins. Among the celebrities who came out for their opening night performances were Elaine Stritch, S. Epatha Merkerson, La Chanze, Liiliane Montevecchi, Donna McKechnie, Ron Raines, Nona Hendryx, Andre de Shields, Adriane Lenox, Jeanine Tesori, Phillip Boykin, Jeff Calhoun, Mary Rodgers, George C. Wolfe, George Faison, Billy Porter, Brenda Braxton, Adrian Bailey, Mark Nadler, Stanley Wayne Mathis, Charles Randolph-Wright and Julie Budd. Check out photos from the events below!

On Monday, April 25, Jim Caruso and the Broadway at Birdland concert series were thrilled to present the 30 Year Reunion Celebration of the Broadway Opening of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies, with the Duke Ellington Big Band and original cast members. Onstage for the historic performance were Adrian Bailay, P.J. Benjamin, Mercedes Ellington, Ken Hanson, Bruce Heath, Terri Klausner, Frank Owens, Valarie Pettiford and Ty Stephens.