Russell Simmons News

FronteraFest, Austin's longest-running and most beloved performance festival will return in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A unique collaboration between Hyde Park Theatre and ScriptWorks, FronteraFest is celebrating its 28th year, attracting actors, artists, poets, dancers, and performers of all types throughout Texas and beyond. 

Poetry Unplugged returns to the main stage of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAAC), 980 Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, on Friday, January 20, 2023, 8:00 pm, with Shock Value!, a night featuring a daring and diverse group of critically-acclaimed spoken word artists including Danny Simmons, Jr. with bassist and Pittsburgh native Dwayne Dolphin, Malcolm Jamal Warner, poets Tira Yasmine and Taalam Acey and poet/DJ Rich Medina.

 TheaterWorksUSA in association with The Apollo, will present an invite only staged reading of Jason Reynolds’ New York Times best-selling young adult novel Long Way Down in a compelling new musical by Dahlak Brathwaite and Khiyon Hursey, directed and choreographed by Ken-Matt Martin on November 21 at Pearl Studios.   

Internationally renowned comedian and Wynn Las Vegas resident performer, Chris Tucker, will return to the stage for a two-night engagement of Chris Tucker Live at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023.

Greenway Arts Alliance has announced its 25th Anniversary Season at Greenway Court Theatre along with the appointment of Mohammed Ali Ojarigi as Producing Director at Greenway Court Theatre.

ALI, a new musical celebrating the life and legacy of the heavyweight boxing champion and humanitarian Muhammad Ali is being developed for Broadway. 

Carolines on Broadway, New York City's premier comedy nightclub, is celebrating Fathers Day in hilarious fashion with the Father and Sons Comedy Tour, a family-friendly live stand-up show starring the Kelly family, father Gerald and his sons Hunter, Isiah and Joshua, on Sunday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m., 1626 Broadway (at 49th Street).

Comedian Lavell Crawford is quickly climbing the comedic ranks and becoming one of the hottest stars in the biz today.  Lavell filmed a one-hour special Can A Brother Get Some Love?. He has appeared in Comedy Central's Workaholics and he is a recurring character on the AMC's Emmy Award-winning Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. He was also seen regularly on E! Entertainment's Chelsea Lately and Lopez Tonight.

Internationally renowned comedian Chris Tucker will return to Las Vegas for a two-night engagement at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, July 8, 2022 and Saturday, July 9, 2022. A fan favorite, Tucker has previously performed to eight sold-out audiences at Encore Theater. Tickets for both performances will go on sale to the public on Friday, April 15, 2022 at 10 a.m. PDT.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center has announced a free musical celebration in honor of International Jazz Day 4/30 featuring performances by 100+ young New Jersey musicians with special guest Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. 

From March 24 through 26, 2022, Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), CalArts' center for contemporary arts in downtown Los Angeles, presents multifaceted hip hop artist Dahlak Brathwaite with his latest work, Try/Step/Trip.

Paul Tazewell sits down to speak with host Lisa Hopkins on STOPTIME: Live in the Moment. In this rare and intimate conversation, the award winning designer digs deep into what it means to be Paul Tazewell, his journey as an artist, embracing all parts of who you are, and the importance of fearing less and 'trusting more in the energy of living'.

A Costume Featurette from Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” featuring 2022 Critics Choice Nominee and Tony Award® and Emmy Award® winning costume designer, Paul Tazewell, has been released.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie have announced the appointment of Shonali Burke as Chief Marketing Officer.

Monster Energy Outbreak Tour has announced the 10-city, 33-date Young, Black, and Funny Comedy Jam tour in partnership with 28-year-old Montreal Just For Laughs Festival 'New Face' Leonard Ouzts, who also headlines the dates. The tour starts on Sunday, July 9, in Cleveland, OH, and ends on Saturday, September 11, and Jacksonville, FL.

Soho Rep. today announced details of its 2021 Spring Gala. The event, hosted by Soho Rep. Board Member Amber Tamblyn on zoom Monday, May 24, at 7 pm, recognizes the resilience and accomplishments of Soho Rep.’s artistic community through an unprecedentedly challenging year and the vital work of the Vilcek Foundation.

Mike Bonner will take part in a new comedy show in Detroit, My Funny Valentine. This is a socially distanced Comedy Show featuring Pierre and friends in Downtown Detroit. February 12, 13 & 14 at Berts Warehouse Theater.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation has announced the recipient and three finalists for the annual Zelda Fichandler Award. The Fichandler Award recognizes directors and choreographers who have demonstrated great accomplishment to-date with singular creativity and deep investment in a particular community or region.

Mocha Media Inc. has launched its Publishing Division with the announcement of the upcoming book 'Eat to Live: A Post Pandemic Lifestyle' by four Time New York Times Best Selling Author, Russell Simmons, on sale December 22, 2020.

TV One's original auto-biographical series UNCENSORED resumes for its third season with premiere episodes debuting on Sunday, September 6 at 10 P.M. ET/9C.