Langston Hughes News

It is entirely appropriate that the songs of Nina Simone were heard before, during intermissions and following the Ensemble production of Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun.' Simone, an activist and singer, was strongly influenced by Hansberry, who was the first female African-American playwright to have a play performed on Broadway.

Voices in the Dark Repertory Theatre Company presents its 27th season line up of 'The DREAM - REALIZED.'  In keeping with its mission, Voices has selected a trilogy of plays that exemplify and epitomizes both 'the dream deferred, and the dream realized.' Its mission: to present, produce and promote plays, films, art, dance, literary and musical interpretations that are artistic expressions of the "disenfranchised. In short, its mission is to promote understanding and goodwill between the sexes, races, and ethnicities through the Arts - the tie that binds.

Voices in the Dark Repertory Theatre Company is proud to present its 27th season line up of 'The DREAM - REALIZED.' In keeping with its mission, Voices has selected a trilogy of plays that exemplify and epitomizes both 'the dream deferred, and the dream realized.' Its mission: to present, produce and promote plays, films, art, dance, literary and musical interpretations that are artistic expressions of the 'disenfranchised. In short, its mission is to promote understanding and goodwill between the sexes, races, and ethnicities through the Arts - the tie that binds.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to Chicago March 6-10, commemorating the company's 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of its first performances at the Auditorium, its Chicago home. During these special engagements, Ailey gives Midwest premieres to Rennie Harris' Lazarus, the company's first ever two-act ballet; Wayne McGregor's Kairos; and Jessica Lang's EN. The company also performs the Timeless Ailey program, a curated selection of classic pieces by company founder and visionary Alvin Ailey.

Main Street Theater is partnering with Harris County Public Library (HCPL) to celebrate the contributions of historical African American actors to Shakespeare.

Acclaimed multi-genre recording artist Damien Sneed released a new full-length recording titled 'Damien Sneed: We Shall Overcome' on LeChateau Earl Records on January 18th. The inspiring new project is currently available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and all other digital retail outlets everywhere. A celebration of R&B classics, civil rights anthems, beloved spirituals, jazz compositions and more, the album arrives on the heels of the 35th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was made a federal holiday in 1983.

City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, announces the return of Grammy-nominated independent R&B artist Eric Roberson and more. The following shows go on sale to the public on Thursday, January 17 at noon. All tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.

'I, Too, Sing America' transfers to Brava Theater Center following an award nominated SRO Summer run at the Buriel Clay Theater. BATCO Presents 'I, Too, Sing America' running February 14th - 24th (Preview Feb 14th) for 8 performances only! The production honors the perspectives and experiences of American artists of color with poetry, song, music and movement, featuring original compositions by Othello Jefferson and others using a diverse cast of singers, actors, poets, and performers. 'I, Too, Sing America' is nominated by the Bay Area Dance Critics following the summer run for 'Izzie Awards' in the areas of Choreography and Music/Sound/Text.

David R. Jimenez, President of the Board of Directors of Hartford Stage, announces that OBIE Award-winning director Melia Bensussen has been named the next Artistic Director of the Tony Award-winning theatre. She will assume the role in June.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents the return of The Reverend Shawn Amos for A Night in Harlem on Friday, February 1 at 8:00pm. In celebration of African American History Month, blackbox curator, Amos, returns to the stage for an evening of songs and storytelling - presenting songs from his album, Harlem, for the first time in ten years. The American roots song cycle tells the story of 1920s black Americans' migration from the south to Harlem. Amos' album was inspired by the artists, songs and legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.

They pipe street noise onto the stage as the latest production of InSeries opera company begins.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced that Mickey Thomas, the lead singer of Starship (formerly Jefferson Starship), will star as Dennis in its sensational new production of Rock of Ages. Rock of Ages is the '80s rock ballad blast that features the music of Styx, Joan Jett, Twisted Sister, and more. With Mickey Thomas as lead vocalist, Starship produced hits including "We Built This City" (which appears in the production), "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," and "Sara."

City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph Street, announces the return of Cyrille Aimée, Willie Nile and more. The following shows go on sale to the public on Friday, January 4 at noon. All tickets will be available at citywinery.com/chicago.

Oakland University's School of Music, Theatre and Dance will present Street Scene, an American opera based on the 1929 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by Elmer Rice, on Jan. 8, 10, 12 and 13 in Varner Recital Hall on OU's campus. 

The Cabaret is celebrating its 10th Anniversary season with some of the most highly acclaimed acts in the nation. The line-up for Winter/Spring 2019 includes a Grammy Award winner, the voice of two beloved Disney princesses and four Tony Award winners.

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupes's Black Nativity A Must See Sarasota Holiday Tradition

Susan R. Williamson, Director of the Palm Beach Poetry Festival (PBPF), today announced the five winners of Fellowships and Scholarships to the 15th annual Festival, scheduled for January 21-26 at Old School Square in Delray Beach. The three Poetry Festival Fellowships cover full tuition and lodging for the recipients.

Taylor Mac's Holiday Sauce, the latest installment of the artist's award-winning A 24-Decade History of Popular Music project, will return to The Town Hall in New York City for another skewering of the sacred and the secular today, December 11th at 8pm. A follow-up to its debut at The Town Hall in December 2017, the show explores Christmas as calamity, upending our yuletide traditions and celebrating the holiday in all of its dysfunction with the families you choose to love.

Artistic Director Pat Taylor's JazzAntiqua Dance and Music Ensemble is a beautiful jazz/dance and soulful enterprise that is so exuberant and exhilarating to watch, that, and this is also because the four jazz musicians who play throughout are just beyond brilliant, you forget every one of your troubles and feel compelled to join in to rejoice the human spirit through music, dance, poetry and the spoken word.

There truly is no better place to experience the 'joyful noise' of the holiday* season than at Penumbra Theatre's annual production of BLACK NATIVITY. Despite it being a 30+ year #TCTheater holiday institution, this is only my second time seeing the show. If you've never seen it before, you need to add it to your holiday theater rotation to experience the pure joy radiating from the stage. And if you have seen it before, you know just how heart-warming and life-affirming it is. This 80-minute theater/ music/ dance/ poetry experience continues through December 23, so there's plenty of time to get to St. Paul.