Crowns 2002 - Articles Page 13

Opened: November 13, 2002
Closing: January 05, 2003

Crowns - 2002 - Off-Broadway History , Info & More

Second Stage Theatre
307 West 43rd Street (at 8th Avenue) New York, NY

A moving and celebratory musical play in which hats become a springboard for an exploration of Black history and identity as seen through the eyes of a young Black woman who has come down South to stay with her aunt after her brother is killed in Brooklyn. Hats are everywhere, in exquisite variety, and the characters use the hats to tell tales concerning everything from the etiquette of hats to their historical and contemporary social function. There is a hat for every occasion, from flirting to churchgoing to funerals to baptisms, and the tradition of hats is traced back to African rituals and slavery and forward to the New Testament and current fashion. Some rap but predominantly gospel music and dance underscore and support the narratives. The conclusion finds the standoffish young woman, whose cultural identity as a young Black Brooklyn woman has been so at odds with the more traditional and older Southern Blacks, embrace hats and their cultural significance as a part of her own fiercely independent identity.

Crowns - 2002 - Off-Broadway Cast

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Crowns - 2002 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 13

Second Stage Concludes Season With 'Some Americans'
by BWW News Desk - Jun 26, 2008


Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its current mainstage season with Richard Nelson's comedy, SOME AMERICANS ABROAD, directed by Gordon Edelstein.

Michael Greif to Direct 'Boys' Life' at Second Stage
by BWW News Desk - Jun 19, 2008


Second Stage Theatre has announced that Tony-nominated director MICHAEL GREIF, who recently staged the company's musical Next to Normal, will direct this fall's 20th Anniversary production of Howard Korder's comedy BOYS' LIFE.

Second Stage Concludes Season With 'Some Americans'
by BWW News Desk - Jun 3, 2008


Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its current mainstage season with Richard Nelson's comedy, SOME AMERICANS ABROAD, directed by Gordon Edelstein.

Village Theatre Announces Director Lineup For 08-09
by BWW News Desk - May 19, 2008


Village Theatre is pleased to announce its exciting director line-up for the 2008-2009 Mainstage Season. Andrea Dymond, Resident Director of Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago, will direct the new musical and season opener, Saint Heaven. Dymond comments, 'I'd originally directed an earlier version of Saint Heaven in a developmental workshop production, about five years ago, at the Stages Festival at Theatre Building Chicago. That's when I got to know Marty [Martin Casella, book writer] and Keith [Keith Gordon, lyricist and composer] who are every bit as gorgeous to work with as is their musical. I think Saint Heaven is unique in the fullness of its telling, the richness of its characters, and the variety of forms of deeply American music it uses to engage us in the story.' At Victory Gardens Theater, Dymond has staged a wealth of productions such as Gloria Bond Clunie's Shoes (Best Director nomination, Black Theatre Alliance) and Charles Smith's Free Man of Color (winner of the Jeff award for Best New Work). Steve Tomkins, Artistic Director for Village Theatre is set to direct the charming Disney classic Beauty and the Beast. Tomkins gave his directorial debut at Village Theatre with the 1988 production of Gypsy. This upcoming season marks his sixteenth season as Artistic Director for Village Theatre. David Ira Goldstein will direct Oscar Wilde's classic play The Importance of Being Earnest. 'I have been eager to direct Wilde's greatest comedy ever since I directed his earlier play A Woman of No Importance for the University of Washington School of Drama in 1994. If any play can invoke a spirit of pure pleasure for two hours, it is certainly Wilde's Earnest,' Goldstein comments. As artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company (ATC), Goldstein has received the 2003 Governor's Arts Award as Individual Artist for his contributions to the arts in Arizona. He has directed over 30 mainstage productions for ATC and has been a guest director across the country. Before living in Arizona, he was the associate Artistic Director of A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle. Steve Tomkins will also take on the original work Stunt Girl this season. His last three new musical projects, which include Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (2006-2007), Girl of My Dreams (2005-2006), and The Ark (2002-2003), quickly became huge hits amongst Village Theatre audiences. Lastly, Village Theatre is thrilled to announce Jerry Dixon as the director of the musical masterpiece, Show Boat. Dixon began his career as an actor with original Broadway cast performances in Once On This Island and Five Guys Named Moe, with other original roles in Bright Lights, Big City, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, new yorkers, and tick, tick…BOOM!. Dixon's directing credits vary and include tick, tick…BOOM! (Korea and Singapore), Crowns (Kalamazoo Civic), and concerts and special events for Tony winner LaChanze, recording artist Raúl Midón, Carnegie Hall, and the Belgium National Symphony. Dixon's directorial work was last seen at Village Theatre in 2007, when he was brought from New York to direct the Village Originals production of Barnstormer.

Casting and Dates Announced for GOOD BOYS AND TRUE at Second Stage Theatre
by BWW News Desk - Mar 11, 2008


Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's new play, GOOD BOYS AND TRUE, will begin preview performances on Wednesday, April 23 at Second Stage Theatre (307 West 43rd Street, just west of Eighth Avenue).

New Victory Theater Presents "Sleeping Beauty" Feb 4-27
by BWW News Desk - Jan 18, 2005


Awaken to a sinister and surreal fairytale world with the acclaimed Young Vic Theatre Company's reinterpretation of SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Crowns FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What productions of Crowns have there been?
Crowns has had 1 productions including Off-Broadway which opened in 2002.
What awards has Crowns been nominated for?
Crowns has been nominated for the Outstanding Choreographer award at The Lortels for Ronald K. Brown.

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