Martin Luther King, Jr. News

Celebrating the unique ability of music and the arts to address challenging social and moral issues, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) presents LIFT EVERY VOICE, a three-week, city-wide series of free and ticketed concerts, conversations and community engagement curated by LACO Music Director Jeffrey Kahane from January 14 to 29, 2017, at venues across the Southland. 

Four members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform during services in several East Side churches in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and to raise awareness of the BPO's new Diversity Council.

The International Center of Photography (ICP), the world's leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture, today announced the 2017 honorees of its annual Infinity Awards, widely considered the leading honor for excellence in the field. The 33rd annual ICP Infinity Awards will be held in New York City on the evening of Monday, April 24.

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), in association with hip-hop icon Russell Simmons and Rabbi Marc Schneier, presents a cross-cultural exploration of African-American and Yiddish music at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, on Sunday January 15 at 2pm. Conceived and directed by NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek, the popular concert commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2017.

Katori Hall's Olivier Award-winning play, The Mountaintop, kicks off 2017 at Trinity Repertory Company and continues the 53rd season, Ghosts of the Past, Dreams of the Future.

Opening on Inauguration Day and closing on President's Day, TADA!'s winter original musical is starting a very important conversation with family audiences. Originally written in 1995, The History Mystery book was rewritten after the 2016 election. The History Mystery touches on women's rights, civil rights, and freedoms this country was founded on.

???????A Special Tribute and Performance to Celebrate Ridgefield's 21st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Ridgefield January 16th, 2017 at 3pm.

Celebrating the unique ability of music and the arts to address challenging social and moral issues, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) presents LIFT EVERY VOICE, a three-week, city-wide series of free and ticketed concerts, conversations and community engagement curated by LACO Music Director Jeffrey Kahane from January 14 to 29, 2017, at venues across the Southland. 

The Ensemble Theatre celebrates gospel music icon Mahalia Jackson in the musical Mahalia, by Tom Stolz and directed by Shirley Marks Whitmore, with musical direction by Melanie Bivens; Opening Night and Media reception, Thursday, January 26, 2017, 6:30 p.m.

Blue Man Group will celebrate the New Year and beat the winter blues this season with the announcement of additional performances on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day at Chicago's Briar Street Theatre (3133 N. Halsted).

The Ensemble Theatre makes a joyful noise with the third show of its 40th anniversary season celebration with the musical Mahalia, by Tom Stolz and directed by Shirley Marks Whitmore, with musical direction by Melanie Bivens.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has announced its lineup for March events. See the full schedule below!

This past week the Area 3 Rotary Clubs (Ridgefield, Ridgefield Sunrise, Danbury, and Newtown) presented the Ridgefield Playhouse, a non-profit performing arts center, with a Rotary District Grant check for $15,000 to go towards upgrading the lighting in the theater.

Going to the theater is the best study break in the city. For a few short hours, the stress dissipates and you get lost in stories that actors pour out in front of you. Spontaneous excursions to the theatre have become the occasional treat that I greatly enjoy. After seeing seven shows this semester, a few have stuck out in particular.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, led by Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, presents the US premiere of Kurt Weill's Song-Suite for Violin and Orchestra, arranged by Paul Bateman, and the West Coast Premiere of Bruce Adolphe's Violin Concerto 'I Will Not Remain Silent,' which is dedicated to Rabbi Joachim Prinz and his friendship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Saturday, January 21, 8 pm, at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, and Sunday, January 22, 2017, 7 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall.

The Cleveland Orchestra's 37th annual concert in celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. takes place at Severance Hall on Sunday, January 15, at 7:00 p.m., under the direction of Thomas Wilkins.

David Oyelowo, currently starring in the titular role in Othello Off-Broadway, is used to making waves: According to the actor, 'The films [he does] very quickly get politicized and called 'black movies,' and the minute that happens to them they feel niche.' With movies like Queen of Katwe and the upcoming A United Kingdom, Oyelowo is on course to continue creating work that keeps important social and political issues front-and-center.

Now in its eighth season, the Obie Award winning The Fire This Time Festival will run January 16-February 5, 2017 at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

FOR THE LOVE OF MAHALIA tells the story of white writer Julie Ann Mathews who traveled in 1965 from Alabama to Illinois to get a rare interview with gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. This gospel spirited musical is filled with some of Mahalia Jackson's greatest hits like 'How I Got Over', 'Precious Lord Take My Hand', 'Didn't It Rain' and many more! FOR THE LOVE OF MAHALIA received a Broadway World nomination last season for best writing of an original work in its workshop production.

Fellowship for Performing Arts presents its second show of the 2016-17 New York season, MARTIN LUTHER ON TRIAL, at The Pearl Theatre (555 West 42nd Street). The show opened just last night and the company gathered at the New York Beer Company to celebrate!