Russell Simmons News

Greenway Arts Alliance (Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz, Co-Founders and Co-Artistic Directors), in association with Da Poetry Lounge, presents the 2ND ANNUAL LA GET DOWN FESTIVAL, celebrating hip-hop and spoken word. The festival takes place from April 7 - 28, 2018. Events will be held at the Greenway Court Theatre (544 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles) and Melrose Trading Post (7850 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles). Da Poetry Lounge Co-Founder Shihan Van Clief serves as Festival Artistic Director.

The New Black Fest and The Lark, two theater organizations dedicated to celebrating and advocating for stories that explore the intersection of art and social justice, are proud to announce the fifth annual The New Black Fest at The Lark. This week-long event is aimed at showcasing diverse and provocative work in a festival of Black theater artists from throughout the Diaspora, and will feature talkbacks, a panel event, and staged readings of four plays-in-progress. The festival will take place April 9-13, 2018, and will include works by 2017 Djerassi Writer in Residence France-Luce Benson (Deux Femmes On the Edge De La Revolution), 2018 Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award recipient Donja R. Love (soft), 2015 Princess Grace Award-Winner Jonathan Payne (Brother Rabbit), and artist, activist, and The New Black Fest alum Liza Jessie Peterson (Sistergurls and the Squirrel) who has performed excerpts of her one-person play The Peculiar Patriot in over 35 penitentiaries across the country.

New York based creator of comedy, music, and film Lauren Maul (NY Times, Amazon Reviews: The Musical!) is announcing the release of her album Apologies from Men. The album will be available for purchase on March 9th, 2018, and she will be debuting the songs live at a concert at The People's Improv Theater on that same date at 9:30pm - tickets are available here for $10.

Carnegie Hall today announced that Rhiannon Giddens, Toshi Reagon, Young Paris, and Ro James will join Broadway's Carrie Compere (The Color Purple) as guest artists for A Time Like This: Music for Change, a special concert on Sunday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage hosted by Def Jam Poetry veteran Lemon Andersen and featuring a nineteen-piece band led by Kenny Seymour (Amazing Grace, Memphis). The performance also features singers Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Emily Eagen, and Emeline Michel.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director), recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony Award, has announced today the cast and creative team of the world premiere production of the new musical The Sting, based on the 1973 film, and with book by Bob Martin, music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann & Greg Kotis with Harry Connick, Jr.

Award-winning songwriter and sought-after film and television producer, Tammy Hyler, has announced the formation of Smashville Entertainment. Hyler opens the doors to her Nashville-based music management and publishing company (located in The Gulch) as official with the ambition to lend assistance and directive to young songwriter and artist hopefuls to nurture, grow and develop long-lasting, sustainable careers. 

The North/South Chamber Orchestra celebrates winter on Sunday afternoon February 25 performing a free-admission concert featuring four listener-friendly works by American composers.

Comedian, actor, director and producer Martin Lawrence will return to the stage as the host of 2018's hottest comedy event: the "LIT AF Tour" at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m. Coming off the 20th anniversary of Def Comedy Jam, where he is known as the legendary host, Lawrence has made a triumphant return to the stand-up stage wowing audiences with his signature style of hilarious stories, social commentary and more. The "LIT AF Tour" stars Lawrence as the high-powered host who will present a lineup of comedians including Deon Cole, Rickey Smiley, Bruce Bruce and Benji Brown.

Drag Sensation Lady Bunny, Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, and poet Caridad de la Luz / La Bruja will make special guest appearances in RIOT, the award-winning Irish theatrical extravaganza having its American premiere at NYU Skirball, February 15 - 17 at 7:30 pm. Each guest will bring their own "piece de resistance"  to RIOT'S mix of high art and trash culture, and will be introduced by Panti Bliss, Ireland's most famous Drag Queen and international gay rights activist.

Carnegie Hall today announced that Rhiannon Giddens, Toshi Reagon, and Young Paris will join Broadway's Carrie Compere (The Color Purple) as guest artists for A Time Like This: Music for Change, a special concert on Sunday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage hosted by Def Jam Poetry veteran Lemon Andersen and featuring a nineteen-piece band led by Kenny Seymour (Amazing Grace, Memphis). The performance also features singers Sarah Elizabeth Charles, Emily Eagen, and Emeline Michel.

Tomorrow!!! Wednesday on January 31, 2018 LOZADA LOWDOWN LIVE! is back by popular Demand at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. 

On Wednesday on January 31, 2018 LOZADA LOWDOWN LIVE! is back by popular Demand at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. LOZADA LOWDOWN LIVE! is a talk show/ stand up comedy show starring Angelo Lozada and Tammi Cubilette with music provided by world-renowned DJ, G-Bo the Pro. This show will feature comedians Mike Britt (BET's Comic View, VH1's Best Week Ever & The Bad Boys of Comedy), Ruperto Vanderpool (BET's Comic View, Showtime at the Apollo, The Cookout) & Ronny Chieng (Comedy Central- The Daily Show)

On Sunday, March 11 at 3:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall will showcase original music inspired by the 1960s and rooted in the issues and challenges of today as part of A Time Like This: Music for Change, a special concert that marks the culmination of a citywide creative learning project that has engaged people across New York City. Hosted by Def Jam Poetry veteran Lemon Andersen, the concert will feature Broadway's Carrie Compere (The Color Purple), jazz vocalist Sarah Elizabeth Charles, singer/songwriter Emily Eagen, Haitian songstress Emeline Michel, and a nineteen-piece band led by Kenny Seymour, a composer and music director for film and theater (Amazing Grace, Memphis). Youth and adults will also take the stage to share their own music, including the Wadleigh High School Choir, directed by Kim Walton, and the Future Music Project Ensemble, a collective of young musicians from across New York City. Additional special guests will be announced.

Former lead singer of The Platters Sonny Turner and award-winning comedienne Sommore will perform at Suncoast Showroom in January. Guests can also enjoy free dance parties and live entertainment throughout the month.

The surviving 1968 sanitation workers some of them are still on the job were presented with the prestigious NAACP Vanguard Award in conjunction with the 49th NAACP Image Awards at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, now the site of the National Civil Rights Museum.

Platinum-recording jazz artist Najee, Queen of Comedy Sommore and celebrated local bands will bring their acclaimed performances to Access Showroom at Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa this January.

The Kitchen presents the world premiere of Jim Findlay's Electric Lucifer, an experimental rock opera based on the 1970s concept albums of the late Canadian electronic music pioneer Bruce Haack.

Queen of Comedy Sommore will bring her highly-acclaimed stand-up routine to Access Showroom at Aliante Casino + Hotel + Spa on Saturday, Jan. 27 and Suncoast Showroom at Suncoast Hotel and Casino on Sunday, Jan. 28.

Realize Productions the studio behind Foreclosure Dogs, and Beyond The Bombs, a division of Realize Studios, has inked a domestic distribution deal with Gravitas Ventures to bring their new thriller Days of Power to over 100 VOD/Digital platforms in the US