Zonya Love News

The 2019 season continues with the Broadway At Music Circus premiere of The Wiz, a multiple Tony Award-winning Best Musical retelling of L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, running Tuesday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento.

This week, The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, at the corner of Elizabeth Street, NYC) launches its third annual Sheen Center Theater Festival. 

The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, at the corner of Elizabeth Street, NYC) has announced casting for the upcoming third annual Sheen Center Theater Festival taking place June 20 - 23.

Casting has been confirmed for the 69th Broadway At Music Circus season, which begins June 11 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion. The season includes four Broadway At Music Circus premieres, Shrek the Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, The Wiz, and In the Heights.

Inspired by the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, this uplifting new work chronicles the bold African American ensemble as they travel the world, captivating kings, queens and audiences with hymns and spiritual songs supported by their rich voices. Written and directed by Thompson with vocal arrangements and music direction by Dianne Adams McDowell, Jubilee runs now through June 2, 2019 in the Kreeger Theater.

There's a glorious sound coming from Arena Stage. From out of the mists of time, in monochromatic colors as if from a tintype, comes the sublime harmonizing of 13 voices, giving an idea of the transporting power of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Today's subject Zonya Love is currently living her theatre Life performing the role of Georgia Gordon in Arena Stage's production of Jubilee. The show runs through June 9th in Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater space. Zonya is making her Arena Stage debut with this production.

Jubilee is now on stage at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Inspired by the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, this uplifting new work chronicles the bold African American ensemble as they travel the world, captivating kings, queens and audiences with hymns and spiritual songs supported by their rich voices. Check out video from the production below!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for the world premiere of Tazewell Thompson's inspirational a cappella music infused play, Jubilee. Inspired by the world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, this uplifting new work chronicles the bold African American ensemble as they travel the world, captivating kings, queens and audiences with hymns and spiritual songs supported by their rich voices. Written and directed by Thompson with vocal arrangements and music direction by Dianne Adams McDowell, Jubilee runs April 26 - June 2, 2019 in the Kreeger Theater.

Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole/book by Colman Domingo & Patricia McGregor/music supervision:John McDaniel/directed by Patricia McGregor/Geffen/Gil Cates Theater/through March 17 A much anticipated musical in Los Angeles has been Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole, which has received previous tryouts back east. Penned by Colman Domingo and Patricia McGregor, who also directs the piece, the show is supposedly based on real facts from Cole's life and includes most of his standard hits arranged by John McDaniel. Currently onstage at the Gil CatesTheater of the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, Lights Out is spectacular entertainment, especially from Dule Hill as Cole and Daniel J. Watts as Sammy Davis Jr. but its book is in need of some major retooling. It is December 17, 1957 in the NBC Studio in Burbank where Cole's final  30 minute TV variety show is about to be presented live with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra and Randy Van Horn Singers. Fifteen minutes to air time, Cole is in a deep state of depression over this being the final show. Why? He has millions of fans. Southern states have refused to continue paying for advertising on the show. Cole is a Negro, pure asnd simple. In spite of his fame, it's Lights Out for him. Guest star Peggy Lee has not shown up and friend Sammy Davis Jr. comes in to replace her with his amazing style of frantic comed

Director Patricia McGregor returns to the Geffen Playhouse after her successful directorial stint of Dominique Morriseau's SKELETON CREW last year. This time, Patricia directs the west coast premiere of LIGHTS OUT: NAT 'KING' COLE (now, already in previews), co-written by herself and Coleman Domingo. Patricia took some time after a long day of rehearsals to chat with me over the phone.

Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its production of Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole

There are many plays that evoke feelings and entertain and do everything that an admirable piece of theater is meant to; I cannot say, though, that these plays are as poignant or as tragically beautiful as Emma and Max: the show I was fortunate to see on its closing night. I can't remember the last time I not only stepped out of a theater in awe of what was just seen, but then brought with me the thoughts and questions that were constantly forming like a never-ending chain; this was to the moment I walked through my front door. It is so hard to come up with the perfect form of praise for everything this show is, without also thinking of how the show affects me, compares to my life and makes me question every decision made in the last twenty-four hours.

Go behind the scenes of the production below as performers Jared Gertner and Sarah Litzsinger take over our Instagram account to show you what it takes to put on the show, twice!

Go behind the scenes of the production today as performers Jared Gertner and Sarah Litzsinger take over our Instagram account today to show you what it takes to put on the show, twice!

What do a sadistic dentist, a floral shop owner, a meek plant-lover, and a girl with low self-esteem all have in common? Find out when you see the Music Circus premiere of Little Shop of Horrors at Broadway at Music Circus! Based on the 1966 cult-classic film of the same name, the musical features a score by Alan Menken (of Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, and Little Mermaid fame) in the style of 1960s doo-wop, Motown and rock, and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman (Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast).

The final show in the critically acclaimed 2018 Broadway At Music Circus season is the series premiere of the hit musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors, which features a cast of Broadway veterans and is based on the campy 1960s cult horror film. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

The final show in the critically acclaimed 2018 Broadway At Music Circus season is the series premiere of the hit musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors, which features a cast of Broadway veterans and is based on the campy 1960s cult horror film. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

The final show in the critically acclaimed 2018 Broadway At Music Circus season is the series premiere of the hit musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors, which features a cast of Broadway veterans and is based on the campy 1960s cult horror film. The show's music, by master composer Alan Menken (Disney's Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, Aladdin), is in the style of 1960s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown, and includes several well-known tunes such as "Suddenly Seymour," "Somewhere That's Green" and the title song. The plot follows nerdy floral shop worker Seymour, who would do or give anything to gain the love of his co-worker Audrey. The depth of his desire is tested when a strange and menacing addition to his floral shop brings him sudden and unexpected popularity. Performances of Little Shop of Horrors are Tuesday, August 21 through Sunday, August 26 at the Wells Fargo Pavilion.

After auditioning performers in New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento, Broadway Sacramento has confirmed casting for the six shows in the 68th Broadway At Music Circus season. The casts include a number of Broadway veterans-some of whom are making their Broadway At Music Circus debuts-and audience favorites from previous Broadway At Music Circus productions.