Loretta Devine News

Opening Act, an innovative nonprofit providing free after-school theater programming to New York City's most under-served public high schools, announced today the cast of its 12th Annual Benefit Play Reading, HEAR ME HERE, directed by Tony Award-Winner Kenny Leon (A Raisin in the Sun), on Tuesday March 13 at New World Stages in New York. Written by Christopher Oscar Peña (Insecure) and Dominique Fishback (The Deuce), HEAR ME HERE will star Anthony Ramos (Hamilton; She's Gotta Have It), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), Dominique Fishback (The Deuce), Willow McCarthy (Matilda), Priscilla Lopez (A Chorus Line, In the Heights), Natalie Paul (The Deuce) and more.

A star-studded host committee, Academy Awards nominees and presenters, along with some of the most powerful industry influencers came together on March 3 rd, 2018 for the 16 th annual 'Night Before' party to benefit MPTF. Funds raised during the legendary evening will be used to support MPTF in providing social services and financial assistance to the entertainment community, as well as it's renowned retirement community and innovative programs for seniors and those who care for them. The organization impacts thousands of people each year who have committed their lives to a career in entertainment. The annual event raised $5 million last night, totaling just over $80 million in the event's history.

Kicking off Women's History Month; ESSENCE turned the spotlight on four remarkable women, during Oscar week, with its popular “BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD AWARDS,” held Thursday, March 1, 2018 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. Returning to its traditional daytime luncheon, the ESSENCE “BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD AWARDS” was hosted by actress Yvonne Orji.  This year's program honored actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish; actress Danai Gurira; Emmy-Award winning writer and director Lena Waithe and actress and activist Tessa Thompson.  For the fourth consecutive year, the ESSENCE“BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD AWARDS” will air as a primetime special on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network on March 3, 2018 at 10 pm ET/PT.

The Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA) in association with award-winning actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and her non-profit organization, the DIVA Foundation, are happy to announce that award-winning actor Rockmond Dunbar will receive the Ally Award at the Fourth Annual Truth Awards. The Truth Awards will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex, located at 1201 Vine Street in Los Angeles. Festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. with red carpet arrivals and a VIP reception.

Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat 62 years ago was only the beginning. Premiering on TV One on Sunday, February 11 at 7/6C, “Behind The Movement” offers a closer look at how the history-making Montgomery Bus Boycott was planned in just three days and ultimately led to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 2017-18 Kumble Theater season with Daniel Beaty's solo theatrical tour-de-force, Emergency, on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 8pm and Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 3pm.  Originally titled Emergence-SEE when it made its New York premiere at the Public Theater in 2006 under the direction of Kenny Leon, the show has since toured nationally and internationally, earning Beaty a 2007 Obie Award for Writing & Performing and a 2007 AUDELCO Award for Solo Performance.

The winners of the 49th NAACP Image Awards were announced tonight during the live broadcast from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium which aired on TV One (see complete winners list below).

TV One Releases 'Behind the Movement' Clip for MLK Day

. Performances by Common and Andra Day. Additional talent scheduled to appear include Halle Berry, Mandy Moore, Octavia Spencer, Chris Sullivan, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ava DuVernay, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and more.

Daniel Beaty, the award-winning actor and poet, is returning to the Geffen Playhouse with his critically acclaimed solo show, Emergency, for two encore performances today, January 11 and Friday, January 12 in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend.

Daniel Beaty, the award-winning actor and poet, is returning to the Geffen Playhouse with his critically acclaimed solo show, Emergency, for two encore performances on Thursday, January 11 and Friday, January 12 in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend.

Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat 62 years ago was only the beginning. Premiering on TV One in February, BEHIND THE MOVEMENT offers a closer look at how the history-making Montgomery Bus Boycott was planned in just three days and ultimately led to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s

Actors Marisa Ramirez (Blue Bloods) and Brian White (Ray Donovan, Chicago Fire) will return this year to co-host the 58th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration, the largest multicultural holiday celebration in the county.

According to Entertainment Weekly, stage and screen star Tituss Burgess' new musical- a stage adaptation of The Preacher's Wife- will get a reading next month in New York City, starring Loretta Devine and Ledisi.

Center Theatre Group's extended run of 'Spamilton' at the Kirk Douglas Theatre plays now through January 7, 2018. Created, directed and written by Gerard Alessandrini, the West Coast premiere of 'Spamilton' began previews on November 5, 2017, and opened last night, November 12. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening festivities below!

BLACK-ISH star and Emmy-nominated actor Anthony Anderson will once again host the awards ceremony. The actor hosted the 47th and 48th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS and won the trophy for his role on the ABC comedy numerous times.

Presented by Center Theatre Group, 'Bright Star' opened at the Ahmanson Theatre on Friday, October 20. Go inside opening night below!

TV One today announced that production is underway in Atlanta, Georgia for the new film, BEHIND THE MOVEMENT, starring Meta Golding ('The Hunger Games'), Isaiah Washington ('The 100'), Loretta Devine ('Waiting to Exhale'), and Roger Guenveur Smith ('American Gangster'). The film is slated to premiere in time for Black History Month 2018.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 2017-18 Kumble Theater season with Daniel Beaty's solo theatrical tour-de-force, Emergency, on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 8pm and Sunday, February 18, 2018 at 3pm.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and TV One, a television network dedicated to the best of black culture and entertainment, today announced that the 49th NAACP Image Awards will be nationally telecast live on TV One on Monday, January 15, 2018, the federal holiday marking the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  The two-hour special will also include a live pre-show from the star-studded red carpet.