Kenny Leon News

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Lyric's 'Carousel' and the 'Sound Of Music' movie keep R&H front and center, plus 'Show Boat' from San Francisco and 'The Wiz,' 'Rocky Horror' and 'Grease' coming on television. COT has Ricky Ian Gordon, the Royal George has Louis Prima, more 'First Date' and 'Ordinary Days,' 'On Your Feet' and Broadway In Chicago's summer concert get set, and more!

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces the Pittsburgh premiere of Raisin' Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey, starring Jasmine Guy and The Avery Sharpe Trio, which will be performed tonight, April 16, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., at the Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh's Cultural District. This event is part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The creative concept for this production was inspired by the classic 1923 Jean Toomer novel 'Cane' and works by the musicians, composers, poets and actors of the Harlem Renaissance. The Arizona Daily Star said, 'Cane is a sweet salute to Harlem's glory days' and the Dayton Daily News wrote the performance was 'Lively, informative, motivating and entertaining...'

According to the Associated Press, Tavis Smiley is teaming with Kenny Leon to adapt his memoir MY JOURNEY WITH MAYA into a stage play.

Opening Act, an innovative nonprofit that provides free after-school theater programming to New York City's most under-served public high schools, today announced that Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun) will helm Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine for Opening Act's 9th Annual Benefit Play Reading at New World Stages on April 21st, 2015. Tickets are available to the public via www.telecharge.com - 1 800-447-7400.

This week it was announced that NBC would be following up its successful broadcasts of THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! and PETER PAN LIVE! with an all-star new production of popular 1970s R&B musical THE WIZ and today we celebrate some of the most tantalizing aspects of the entertainment event. Given the fact that THE WIZ is based on one of the most cherished and timeless stories ever written, L. Frank Baum's THE WIZARD OF OZ, the potential for this new live presentation of THE WIZ to become a widely-viewed take on one of the most well-known tales of all time, poised to introduce a classic to a whole new generation, is doubly stacked.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: SKYLIGHT opens on Broadway, Patti LuPone returns to 54 Below, 'RIGHT NOW' opens off-Broadway, and the Lucille Lortel nominations will be unveiled today!

On Saturday, April 18th, TDF will host a special reception and performance of The Heidi Chronicles to celebrate the show's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein, and to raise funds for the arts education program she co-founded, TDF's Open Doors. Open Doors, now in its 17th year, is the first arts education program to be awarded a special Tony Honor for 'Excellence in the Theatre.'

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announces the Pittsburgh premiere of Raisin' Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey, starring Jasmine Guy and The Avery Sharpe Trio, which will be performed on Thursday, April 16, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., at the Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh's Cultural District. This event is part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The creative concept for this production was inspired by the classic 1923 Jean Toomer novel 'Cane' and works by the musicians, composers, poets and actors of the Harlem Renaissance. The Arizona Daily Star said, 'Cane is a sweet salute to Harlem's glory days' and the Dayton Daily News wrote the performance was 'Lively, informative, motivating and entertaining...'

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company have announced the 7th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition will take place on Monday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Porland and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.

Today we are celebrating this week's hot news of Audra McDonald's big Broadway return next season!

The Alliance Theatre has announced its upcoming production of Blues for an Alabama Sky, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the production's world premiere at the Alliance in 1995. Written by beloved Atlanta author and playwright, Pearl Cleage (What I Learned in Paris, The Nacirema Society…) and directed by Alliance Theatre Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, Blues for an Alabama Sky is a timeless look at hopeful dreams in the hopeless days of the waning Harlem Renaissance. Opening night is Wednesday, April 22, 2015.

Pittsburgh Public Theater's 40th anniversary Season of Legends continues with the Pittsburgh premiere of How I Learned What I Learned, the final play by August Wilson. How I Learned was co-conceived and will be directed by Todd Kreidler, a Duquesne University graduate, former Pittsburgh Public Theater staff member, and author of the recent Broadway musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me. How I Learned What I Learned runs March 5 - April 5, 2015 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org.

Yesterday, February 25, author and six-time Tony Award-winning producer Stewart Lane (La Cage aux Folles, A Gentleman's Guide…, War Horse), was joined by Tony Award winning actress Leslie Uggams (Hallelujah Baby!, On Golden Pond, Thoroughly Modern Millie, King Hedly II), and acclaimed director Sheldon Epps (Baby It's You!, Blues in the Night), for a conversation with Tom Santopietro (The Godfather Effect…, Considering Doris Day, Sinatra in Hollywood) at Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86th Street, to discuss the inspiring account of the tumultuous path that black actors have traveled to reach recognition on the Great White Way. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Today, February 25 at 7PM, Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86th Street hosts author and six-time Tony Award-winning producer Stewart Lane (La Cage aux Folles, A Gentleman's Guide..., War Horse), Tony Award winning actress Leslie Uggams (Hallelujah Baby!, On Golden Pond, Thoroughly Modern Millie, King Hedly II), acclaimed Broadway director Sheldon Epps (Baby It's You!, Play On!, Blues in the Night), and author Tom Santopietro (The Godfather Effect..., Considering Doris Day, Sinatra in Hollywood) in a discussion about the inspiring account of the tumultuous path that black actors have traveled to reach recognition on the Great White Way.

On Wednesday, February 25 at 7PM, Barnes & Noble, 150 East 86th Street hosts author and six-time Tony Award-winning producer Stewart Lane (La Cage aux Folles, A Gentleman's Guide…, War Horse), Tony Award winning actress Leslie Uggams (Hallelujah Baby!, On Golden Pond, Thoroughly Modern Millie, King Hedly II), acclaimed Broadway director Sheldon Epps (Baby It's You!, Play On!, Blues in the Night), and author Tom Santopietro (The Godfather Effect…, Considering Doris Day, Sinatra in Hollywood) in a discussion about the inspiring account of the tumultuous path that black actors have traveled to reach recognition on the Great White Way. This special Black History Month event celebrates the release of Lane's new book Black Broadway: African Americans on The Great White Way.

Pittsburgh Public Theater's 40th anniversary Season of Legends continues with the Pittsburgh premiere of How I Learned What I Learned, the final play by August Wilson. How I Learned was co-conceived and will be directed by Todd Kreidler, a Duquesne University graduate, former Pittsburgh Public Theater staff member, and author of the recent Broadway musical, Holler If Ya Hear Me. How I Learned What I Learned runs March 5 - April 5, 2015 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org.

TheaterWorks the award winning theater in downtown Hartford, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero, announced today that DANCING LESSONS by Mark St. Germain will extend its run through Friday, March 6, 2015 due to popular demand.

Just last night, the Drama League's 31st Annual Musical Celebration of Broadway honored legendary Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony® Award (EGOT) winner James Earl Jones at The Pierre Hotel. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage from the starry red carpet!

Lamb's presents Tom Key in his acclaimed one-man show C.S. Lewis On Stage in Coronado from January 9th - January 18th. Tom has performed the show across North America including residencies at Harvard and Yale Universities as well as Oxford University.

On February 2, 2015, Square One Publishers releases Black Broadway: African Americans on The Great White Way by six-time Tony Award winning producer and author Stewart F. Lane (La Cage aux Folles, A Gentleman's Guide..., War Horse).