S. Epatha Merkerson News

Today, November 16 at 4:30 PM, a Sidewalk Signing and Honors Ceremony will be held onstage at Theater 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Marks Place.

On Wednesday, November 16 at 4:30 PM, a Sidewalk Signing and Honors Ceremony will be held onstage at Theater 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Marks Place. 

Trish Santini, Peter Flynn and Frank Butler announced today the formation of their new company Mainspring Arts Cooperative (MAC), a not-for-profit organization that will produce and present productions that can tour regional theaters nationwide.

To launch its 50th anniversary season, The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will revisit its very first production, 'Day of Absence' (1966) by Douglas Turner Ward, with an eight-performance run December 4-11 at Theatre 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Mark's Place. The season will include three more productions at Theatre 80 St. Marks and one at La MaMa.

To launch its 50th anniversary season, The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will revisit its very first production, 'Day of Absence' (1966) by Douglas Turner Ward, with an eight-performance run December 4-11 at Theatre 80 St. Marks, 80 St. Mark's Place.  The season will include three more productions at Theatre 80 St. Marks and one at La MaMa.

The NBCUniversal SHORT FILM FESTIVAL has named eight original short films as finalists for its 11th annual festival that celebrates diverse stories while finding the next generation of storytellers.

The Detroit Repertory Theatre has announced award-winning actress, and native Detroiter, S. Epatha Merkerson will be Keynote Speaker for the Annual Black Tie Awards Night and Homecoming Celebration. 

Theatre and Dance at Wayne continues its 2016 - 17 season with the adventurous Alice in Wonderland at the Bonstelle Theatre running October 7 - 16 . Based on Lewis Carroll's classic children's book , this energetic production follows a young girl named Alice , as she falls down a rabbit hole and embarks on a bizarre and extraordinary journey to discover her true identity.

At every performance of Nassim Soleimanpour's play, a different actor is handed the script for the first time as they step onto the stage.

Broadway stars and a host of musical presentations are on tap for the upcoming 2016-17 primetime television season. Included in THE LINEUP will be new series starring HAMILTON's Christopher Jackson, FROZEN's Kristen Bell and BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY star Stephen Pasquale.

Tony Award winner Billy Porter will return to the Huntington to direct next seasons Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks. Mr. Porter directed the Huntington's 2015 production of George C. Wolfe's The Colored Museum and is currently performing on Broadway in Wolfe's production of Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. Topdog/Underdog will perform March 10 - April 9, 2017 at the BU Theatre/Avenue of the Arts.

The Riant Theatre (Van Dirk Fisher, Artistic Director), a nonprofit theatre supporting playwrights and theatremakers of diverse cultural backgrounds, is holding the Launch Party for its annual Strawberry One-Act and Theatre Festival on Saturday, June 25, 2016, 3pm at the Poet's Den Theatre (309 East 108th Street, NYC). The evening will include the presentation of 2016 Pioneer of the Arts Award For Outstanding Achievement In Television and Theatre to the Emmy-winning stage, film and TV actor Joe Morton, Tony Nominee and eight time AUDELCO Award winner, Andre De Shields, the acclaimed Broadway and television actress Barbara Montgomery, and multiple Grammy Award winner, Broadway musical director and arranger Chapman Roberts. A reception with food, drinks and dancing will follow. Tickets ($50 before June 15th; $60 after that date) are available through The Riant Theatre's website (www.therianttheatre.com) and by calling the box office at 646-623-3488. They can also be purchased (cash only) at the door.

Beginning in June 2016, The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. (NEC) will deepen its commitment to discovery, development and presentation of superior theatre with four consecutive weekends of exciting and innovative productions showcasing up-and-coming Black playwrights. The Emerging Playwrights Competition is NEC's 2016 Pilot Project, marking NEC's return to the solid and impressive development and training format that established the company as an American theatre icon for over three decades. Performances will take place June 9th through July 3rd at LaMaMa ETC in The Downstairs theatre, 66 East 4th St., New York, NY 10003. To purchase tickets visit The Negro Ensemble Company website at www.necinc.org or by phone by calling OvationTix at 866-811-4111 Monday thru Friday 9-9 & Saturday and Sunday 10-8. For further information and group rates call the NEC office at 212-582-5860.

For over a quarter century, PBS has inspired viewers with the annual broadcast of the multi award-winning NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT (#MemDayPBS), dedicated to our men and women in uniform, their families at home and all those who have given their lives for our country.

OKLAHOMA! is the Broadway hit that ushered in the golden age of musical theatre.

OKLAHOMA! is the Broadway hit that ushered in the golden age of musical theatre.

Oklahoma! is the Broadway hit that ushered in the golden age of musical theatre. The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance is excited to present this dance extravaganza as celebrated choreographer Meg Paul works alongside director Blair Anderson to blend elegant dance into this classic musical.

Two of television's hottest series are joining the diverse lineup of events at this year's PaleyFest LA, the William S. Paley Television Festival celebrating TV's most acclaimed series.

Additional series have been added to the slate for PaleyFest LA 2016, the William S. Paley Television Festival, celebrating television's most acclaimed series. CBS's The Big Bang Theory will take place on Wednesday, March 16 at 7:30 pm PT

On the next episode of NBC's CHICAGO MED titled "iNO", as Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) treats a bleeding teenage girl, he discovers she's just given birth, sparking a frantic search for her abandoned baby.