Ken Wydro News

Mama, I Want to Sing! 40th Anniversary Revival Receives Seven Audelco Award Nominations. Harlem's Audelco Awards to honor the acclaimed revival at their 51st Annual Awards.

The 40th Anniversary production of Mama, I Want To Sing! will play El Museo's El Teatro for a special Black History Month limited engagement, it was announced by Vy Higginsen, founder and executive director and producer of The Mama Foundation for the Arts.

The Mama Foundation for the Arts announces open auditions for all roles in the upcoming performances of Mama, I Want to Sing, the classic gospel musical created by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro.  Auditions will take place on Saturday, September 28th (for those who sign up between 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm) at The Mama Foundation for the Arts, located at 149 West 126th Street (between 7th and Lenox Avenue). All roles are open; the leads are African American women in their ages 18 - 60; African American men ages 20s a?" 60; and ensemble soloists and chorus members of all ages and ethnicities.

Mama, I Want to Sing, the classic gospel musical created by Vy Higginsen and Ken Wydro, will celebrate a special 35th anniversary season this fall. Having been performed locally in Harlem, New York; as well as nationally and internationally for over three decades, Mama, I Want to Sing proudly returns to the theatre where it began, The Heckscher Theatre, now known as El Teatro of El Museo del Barrio, located at 1230 5th Avenue (at 104th Street).

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the return productions of two acclaimed musicals: ALIVE! 55+ and Kickin' and Let the Music Play... Gospel! From the creators of Mama, I Want to Sing - the worldwide musical sensation - the two hit shows, back by popular demand, will run for six weeks only; performances begin on October 13, 2018 at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem.

Monica Meaux Hope, the songwriter, vocalist, and playwright daughter of legendary jazz pianists Bertha Hope and the late Elmo Hope, will be performing a special presentation today, September 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm. Meaux wrote the book, lyrics and music for her play, Healing Fractures: A One Woman Show With Music, which won Best Singer in the New York Theater Festival 2017 Winterfest Competition.

Monica Meaux Hope, the songwriter, vocalist, and playwright daughter of legendary jazz pianists Bertha Hope and the late Elmo Hope, will be performing a special presentation today, September 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm. Meaux wrote the book, lyrics and music for her play, Healing Fractures: A One Woman Show With Music, which won Best Singer in the New York Theater Festival 2017 Winterfest Competition.

Monica Meaux Hope, the songwriter, vocalist, and playwright daughter of legendary jazz pianists Bertha Hope and the late Elmo Hope, will be performing a special presentation on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm. Meaux wrote the book, lyrics and music for her play, Healing Fractures: A One Woman Show With Music, which won Best Singer in the New York Theater Festival 2017 Winterfest Competition.

Monica Meaux Hope, the songwriter, vocalist, and playwright daughter of legendary jazz pianists Bertha Hope and the late Elmo Hope, will be performing a special presentation on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm. Meaux wrote the book, lyrics and music for her play, Healing Fractures: A One Woman Show With Music, which won Best Singer in the New York Theater Festival 2017 Winterfest Competition.

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the return productions of two acclaimed musicals: ALIVE! 55+ and Kickin' and Let the Music Play... Gospel! From the creators of Mama, I Want to Sing - the worldwide musical sensation - the two hit shows, back by popular demand, will run for six weeks only; performances begin on October 13, 2018 at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem.

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the brand new production of their acclaimed musical, Let the Music Play... Gospel! From the creators of Mama, I Want To Sing! - the worldwide musical sensation - Let the Music Play... Gospel! is a musical celebration of a generation, featuring an intergenerational company of performers comprised of both younger and older adults; at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 West 127th Street, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues). After a long running hit engagement in 1988, the joyous concert musical returns 30 years later, for an energized remounting; performances begin on April 7, 2018.

Back by popular demand for six more weeks, Vy Higginsen's smash hit, ALIVE! 55+ and Kickin' returns for its 5th year to The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 W. 127th Street) For a six-week engagement on Saturdays, today, October 14th, through November 18th at 1pm.

Back by popular demand for six more weeks, Vy Higginsen's smash hit, ALIVE! 55+ and Kickin' returns for its 5th year to The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 W. 127th Street) For a six-week engagement on Saturdays, October 14th through November 18th at 1pm.

WE ARE!, an original musical by the creators and producers of Mama, I Want To Sing, will have an industry workshop performance on Saturday, June 4 at 4:30PM at the Dempsey Theater, 127 West 127th Street (between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd and Malcolm X Blvd in Harlem). www.WeAreTheMusical.com.

WE ARE!, an original musical by the creators and producers of Mama, I Want To Sing, will give two industry workshop performances, on Saturday, April 30, and Saturday, June 4 at 4:30PM at the Dempsey Theater, 127 West 127 Street (between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd and Malcolm X Blvd in Harlem).

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU), in association with The Actors Temple, present the Writer-Producer Speed Date, The Art of the Pitch, on Sunday, July 26, 2015 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm at a **NEW LOCATION: The Actors Temple, 339 W. 47th Street, NYC** If accepted into the program, the cost is $65 for TRU members and $75 for non-members (and yes, you can always join as a member to qualify for the discount - we'd like that).

The Mama Foundation for the Arts will extend the summer engagement of their acclaimed musical production, ALIVE! The show, originally scheduled to close on July 25, will now extend through August 8 at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 West 127th  Street, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues). ALIVE! - from the creators of the worldwide musical sensation Mama, I Want To Sing! - is a musical celebration of a generation, featuring a full company of performers who are age 55 and over. The show was seen in a hit engagement last fall and an in-depth feature on CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" (available here).

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the return of their acclaimed musical production, ALIVE! From the creators of Mama, I Want To Sing! -- the worldwide musical sensation -- ALIVE! is a musical celebration of a generation, featuring a full company of performers who are age 55 and over; at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 West 127th Street, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues). After a hit engagement last fall and an in-depth feature on CBS-TV's '60 Minutes' (available here), ALIVE! will take the stage once again from today, April 11 to July 25.

The Mama Foundation for the Arts proudly announces the return of their acclaimed musical production, ALIVE! From the creators of Mama, I Want To Sing! -- the worldwide musical sensation -- ALIVE! is a musical celebration of a generation, featuring a full company of performers who are age 55 and over; at The Dempsey Theater in Harlem (127 West 127th Street, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues).

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Vy Higginsen, Executive Director, The Mama Foundation for the Arts and Co-Creator, ALIVE! 55+ AND KICKIN' about her career and the show.