Merle Dandridge News

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, with original music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan Adams and his longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance, a book by Garry Marshall and the film's screenwriter J.F. Lawton, and direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, opened just last night, Thursday, August 16, 2018, at Broadway's Nederlander Theatre.

Actors' Equity Association has announced that Once on This Island will receive the eleventh annual Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity on Broadway Award for the 2017-2018 season. Presented by Equity's National Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, the Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity on Broadway Award honors shows that exemplify and promote the union's founding principles of diversity, inclusion, non-traditional casting and equal opportunity for all who work in the theatre.

VIDEO: OWN Releases the Highly Anticipated Season Three Trailer for Hit Megachurch Drama GREENLEAF

In season three of “Greenleaf,” all the turbulent forces that Grace's (Merle Dandridge) return to Memphis unleashed threaten to destroy not just the church her family built, but the family itself. Fallout from last season's shocking revelation of Bishop's (Keith David) infidelities with Lady Mae's (Lynn Whitfield) sister, as well as reverberations from his current dalliance with that insidious Jezebel, Rochelle Cross (LeToya Luckett) lead to all-out war in the Greenleaf home, setting the Bishop and Lady Mae on a collision course that, unless God or Grace intervenes, can only end one way: divorce. In the wake of the marital mayhem, Lady Mae rushes to reconnect with Maxine Patterson (Patti LaBelle), an old friend and now a world-famous Christian motivational speaker, in an attempt to reclaim her forsaken call to preach and thus do what no First Lady has done before — survive as the sole head pastor of a megachurch after a major rift between its founding couple. Grace, meanwhile, works undercover in the company of Rochelle, hoping to discover Rochelle's motives and true identity before the Bishop is swept away on a raging river of vanity and desire. Across town at Triumph, Jacob (Lamman Rucker) and Kerissa (Kim Hawthorne) try not to make the same mistakes Bishop and Lady Mae made as they work to build their own evangelical empire and manage parenting their teenage daughter Zora (Lovie Simone), but the roots of sin delve deep and old habits die hard. Sophia's (Desiree Ross) faith is tested when an unforeseen medical issue arises; Charity (Deborah Joy Winans) struggles to make peace with Kevin (Tye White) and find her place in the world; and Grace works to keep an abused woman from death row for the crime of defending her own life. Meanwhile, Darius (Rick Fox) finds himself in conflict due to being entangled in an increasingly strained relationship with Grace.

Earlier this week, the cast of the 2018 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival, Once On This Island celebrated the multi-award winning work of lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty!

Original company member Loren Lott will take over the role of Ti Moune while Hailey Kilgore recovers from a foot injury.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

As previously announced, the cast of the 2018 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival, Once On This Island, will appear at Feinstien's/54 Below to perform songs from lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty!

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: The New York Musical Festival kicks off today, and more!

The Tony-winning production of Once On This Island just welcomed Darlesia Cearcy, who replaces Lea Salonga as Erzulie, as well as Merle Dandridge, who returns to the production to play Papa Ge. Check out a first look at the duo in action below!

Broadway's Once On This Island announced today that a new block of tickets are now on sale for the Tony Award winning production through September 2, 2019 at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street).

SNAP! Productions and South High Magnet School have done it again. I don't know what it is about this collaboration, but they seem to have the magic touch.

Broadway Match Maker, a bone marrow donor database drive, was held on Wednesday, June 27th at The Actors Fund Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. Broadway's best came out in support, check out the photos below!

Next month, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Aladdin on Broadway made way for some star visitors this week as Lea Salonga, Merle Dandridge, and Alex Newell of Broadway's Once on This Island and television star Ty Burrell stopped in for a visit with the good people of Agrabah. Check out behind the scenes photos of the visit below!

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: Pass Over officially opens tonight, the cast of Bandstand reunited ahead of the show's film release, and more!

Season Three of OWN's Hit Megachurch Drama GREENLEAF Set For Two-Night Premiere This August

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that the third season of its hit megachurch drama “Greenleaf,” from global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), award-winning writer/producer Craig Wright (“Lost,” “Six Feet Under”) and executive producers Clement Virgo (“The Book of Negros”), Kriss Turner Towner (“The Romanoffs,” “The Soul Man”) and Oprah Winfrey will premiere on Tuesday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 29 at 10 p.m. each night. Last season, “Greenleaf” was Wednesday night's #1 original cable series for African-American women and averaging over 2 million total viewers in Live+3.

See the new anticipated show Once On This Island and take an exclusive backstage tour with 'Daniel' himself, Isaac Powell in New York City!

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: The Beast in the Jungle and Peace for Mary Frances both open off-Broadway today!