Martin Luther King, Jr. News

Kentucky Performing Arts ArtsReach, in collaboration with River City Drum Corp and the Office of Mayor Greg Fischer present Keepers of the Dream, a Community Arts Celebration of Dr. King's Vision.

The Auditorium Theatre's signature production Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah celebrates 15 years in Chicago, and is one of the first performances to kick off the Year of Chicago Music, on January 18 and 19, 2020, in addition to a special Student Matinee performance on January 17. The jazz-gospel twist on George Frideric Handel's classic Messiah oratorio premiered at the Auditorium in 2006, and has been inspiring and uplifting audiences ever since.

Every Voice Choirs presents Peace Seekers VIII: LOVE, an intergenerational celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and all who have dedicated their lives to the quest for justice and peace. Singers from The Every Voice Children's Choirs are joined by The Teachers College Community Choir in a diverse array of repertoire including 'What the World Needs Now is Love,' 'I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,' and 'Prayer of the Children.' Saturday, 1/25 at 7 pm at Merkin Concert Hall at The Kaufman Music Center.

Soul to Soul, the electrifying and emotionally captivating theatrical concert that explores the parallels of African American and Jewish history takes the stage this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend. Presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), Soul to Soul will include for the first time the participation of Oscar- and Grammy-nominated IMPACT Repertory Theatre. The annual concert will play on Sunday, January 19, 2pm, Off Broadway at the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, Edmond J. Safra Plaza, 36 Battery Place, NYC.

The Fire This Time Festival, the destination for early career and emerging playwrights from the African diaspora, announces its 2020 dates. The 14-day festival, presented in collaboration with FRIGID New York, which annually honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will take place from January 20 to February 2, 2020. This year, seven commissioned dramatists will be presented in repertoire as part of the annual celebration held at the Kraine Theater in the East Village.

Broadway's Deon'te Goodman (currently performing in Hamilton) will be flying from NYC to LA just for this special performance of FREEDOM RIDERS: In Concert on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He will be playing civil rights activist John Lewis. The concert, presented by MostlyNEWmusicals will be at Feinstein's at Vitello's in Studio City, California on January 20th.

Best-selling author, acclaimed international speaker and business mentor Dr. Venus Opal Reese will kick-off her latest tour, The Raw Truth Book+ Tour, during three days of events in Santa Monica, California over the weekend preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Highways Performances Space & Gallery will host the events on Friday, January 17th through Sunday, January 19, 2020, which consists of book signings + personal growth and wealth workshops + her unique live, solo performance, bringing Dr. Venus' story and new book to life. The Raw Truth: A Pimp Daughter's Diary, is an honest and intimate account of her spiritual healing through turning her trauma and pain into peace, purpose, passion and profits. It is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. Tickets to the Santa Monica events cost between $47 and $197. Highways Performances Space & Gallery is located at the 18th Street Arts Center (1651 18th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404). For more information on Dr. Venus' next Southern California appearance and tickets, please call the Highways box office at 310-453-1755 or visit https://highwaysperformance.org/event/dr-venus-opal-reese-the-raw-truth-a-pimp-daughters-diary.

Born and raised in NJ, choreographer Kyle Marshall has become one of the rising stars of modern dance. After getting rave reviews for their BAM Next Wave appearance, he and his gifted, young company, Kyle Marshall Choreography bring three works to Live Arts at the Morris Museum.

Brian Cox has won the 2020 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama for 'Succession.' The 77th Annual GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS are airing live on NBC, hosted by Ricky Gervais.

For Martin Luther King Jr Day, the Oxford Film Festival and Southern Foodways Alliance will host a free screening from 2-4 pm at the Powerhouse.

Carolines on Broadway, New York City's premier comedy venue, presents its talented line-up for the month of January, highlighted by headliners Sinbad, from his stand-up special 'Make Me Wanna Holla,' January 2 - 4; Tony Woods, from Comedy Central's This Week at the Comedy Cellar, with his special guest James Altucher, January 10 and 11; Donnell Rawlings, 'Ashy Larry' from Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show, Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend, January 16 - 19; Hari Kondabolu, from his Netflix special, 'Warn Your Relatives,' January 23 - 25; and Amanda Seales, author and host and author of 'Small Doses,' January 30 - February 5.

Arts Garage is presenting the national touring company of an inspiring new musicala?"the perfect launch for Black History Month in February.

Velocity is excited to invite audiences to What happens if we take our time?, a weeklong residency program that activates four core black artistsa?"Gabrielle Civil, Randy Ford, Neve Mazique-Bianco, and Fox Whitneya?"to work/ play together in a ritual/ black movement intensive for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and beyond. Performing under the moniker Wild Beauty, the ensemble of four artists will begin working intensively together on January 12 and will close on January 20 with an MLK Day celebration at Velocity to break bread, share new performance gestures, and receive any community offerings. Wild Beauty arrives to hold space for black power, heritage, creativity, and communion.

Director Ava DuVernay's Selma tells the story of the events leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King's landmark 1965 march for voting rights a?" an event that forever changed history. In honor of Dr. King's birthday and Black History Month, The Soraya will screen Selma on the large screen a?" with its score performed live by its composer, acclaimed jazz pianist Jason Moran a?" artistic director of Jazz at the Kennedy Center a?" with the New West Symphony conducted by Cheche Alara on Saturday, February 1 at 8:00pm at The Soraya.

'If you ask me if a traditional Swan Lake at the Mariinsky can have a black girl in the corps de ballet, I can tell you honestly that I don't have the answer. But I feel like telling you no.' JC Maillot

The Center for the Arts at George Mason University welcomes the return of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company with a thrilling world premiere co-commissioned by the Center, entitled What Problem? Saturday, February 1 at 8 p.m.

Gettysburg College's Majestic Theater will host the Gettysburg community's 40th anniversary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Saturday, January 25 at 7:30 p.m. with a free concert, a?oeWe Shall Overcome.a?? Produced and music directed by Damien Sneed, the concert is inspired by the words and actions of Dr. King, and showcases repertoire from across African American music traditions that electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders.

NextStop Theatre has announced the creation of the 'Front Row to History' Initiative, which will provide free, front-row tickets for local high school students to see THE MOUNTAINTOP, a play about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jacob's Pillow announces public events held January through May in its Winter/Spring season, featuring co-presentations with local cultural partners; Pillow Parties; workshops and classes; Pillow Pop-Ups; and more. Events take place January through May on the Pillow's 220-acre campus in Becket, MA and across Berkshire County. As the Pillow continues to advance its five year strategic plan, Vision '22, the organization increasingly activates its local and national presence by expanding programming and extending resources beyond its acclaimed summer dance festival.