Kenny Leon News

Earlier today at a press conference held in BET's New York studios, it was announced that actor Samuel L. Jackson, declared the highest grossing movie actor of all time according to the Guinness Book of World Records, will be this year's BET AWARDS 12 host. In addition, the members of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly were announced to be the prestigious recipients of the 'Cadillac Lifetime Achievement Award;' and Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj were revealed as the first confirmed performers. (more...)

Berkeley’s acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company has announced a call for submissions for its eighth season of the Global Age Project (GAP) festival of new works. The company will choose four new plays to be presented as staged readings with professional directors and actors during the GAP festival in February of 2013; the festival will coincide with the company’s fully-staged World Premiere of Anthony Clarvoe’s OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN, directed by Allen McKelvey, the third Aurora main stage production to develop from the GAP. Each of the four finalists will receive a $1,000 award and their work will be considered for further development and production during Aurora Theatre Company’s regular season; out of town artists will receive travel and accommodation expenses. The submission period opens May 22; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2012. Finalists will be announced in early December 2012. (more...)

Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) held the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition this past Monday, May 7, at at the August Wilson Theatre, where high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performed monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. See a photo of the judges and competitors below, including Guy Davis, David Gallo, Kenny Leon, Jasmine Guy, James A. Williams, Lynn Nottage, third place finalist Tyler Edwards, second place finalist Christian Helem, Hilda Willis, first place finalist Saidah Wade, and Crystal Dickinson! (more...)

Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. (more...)

Marcus Gardley is a poet-playwright whose most recent play every tongue confess premiered at Arena Stage starring Phylicia Rashad and directed by Kenny Leon. It was nominated for the Steinberg New Play Award and the Charles MacArthur Award for outstanding new play. His musical, ON THE LEVEE premiered last summer at Lincoln Center and was nominated for 11 Audelco Awards including outstanding playwright. Last Spring, his play AND JESUS MOONWALKS THE MISSISSIPPI was produced at the Cutting Ball Theater and received the SF Bay Area Theater Critics circle Award nomination for outstanding new play. He has had six plays produced including: DANCE OF THE HOLY GHOST at Yale Repertory Theatre (now under a Broadway option,) (L)IMITATIONS OF LIFE, at the Empty Space and LIKE SUN FALLIN' IN THE MOUTH at the National Black Theatre Festival. He is the recipient of the Hellen Merrill Award, a Kellsering Honoree, the Gerbode Emerging Playwright Award, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre Award, the Eugene O'Neill Memorial Scholarship, and the ASCAP Cole Porter Prize. He holds an MFA in Playwriting from the Yale Drama School and is a member of New Dramatists, The Dramatists Guild and the Lark Play Development Center. (more...)

Jujamcyn Theaters (Jordan Roth, President) and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced the judges and guest performers for the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. (more...)

On Monday, April 23, 2012, Theatre Communications Group (TCG) will elebrate its 50th c anniversary at a gala honoring Kenny Leon, Judith O. Rubin, and The Shubert Foundation, at Espace (635 West 42nd Street between 11th and 12th avenues). (more...)

On Monday, April 23, 2012, Theatre Communications Group (TCG) will celebrate its 50th anniversary at a gala honoring Kenny Leon, Judith O. Rubin, and The Shubert Foundation, at Espace (635 West 42nd Street between 11th and 12th avenues). (more...)

Center Theatre Group, host of the August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) in Southern California, has announced that 15 finalists have been selected to compete in the AWMC regional finals to be held at the CTG/Mark Taper Forum on March 26, 2012. (more...)

Signature Theatre will present the world premiere of Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo. (more...)

Following its acclaimed, sold-out run earlier this season as part of Theater for the New City’s Dream Up Festival, playwright Brandt Johnson’s JUST SEX will return to Theater for the New City (155 First Avenue) for a limited Off-Broadway engagement. Preview performances of JUST SEX begin March 22 prior to an official press opening of March 27. Alex Kilgore (founding Artistic Director of stageFARM – OLIVER PARKER!, THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE, VENGEANCE) directs. (more...)

Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah has signed on to star in and executive produce the Lifetime Original Movie Event, Steel Magnolias, a television adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film of the same name, reuniting her with her producing duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, from the Oscar and Golden Globe winning Chicago and Hairspray. (Zadan and Meron also produce Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva and Smash.) She will take on the role of ‘M’Lynn’ and star alongside an all-star cast that includes Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad as ‘Clairee,’ Golden Globe and multiple Emmy winner Alfre Woodard as ‘Ouiser,’ Grammy winner Jill Scott as ‘Truvy,’ Adepero Oduye as ‘Annelle,’ and Condola Rashad as ‘Shelby.’ The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks. (more...)

As BroadwayWorld reported last week, a new musical inspired by the work of Tupac Shakur, titled HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, is aiming to open on Broadway in the near future. Kenny Leon will direct a developmental lab, which is set to take place April 23 - May 11, 2012 in New York City. (more...)

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company have announced the 4th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition will take place on Monday, May 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. (more...)

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, March 4, 2012 - Sunday, March 4, 2012. (more...)

According to TMZ, Afeni Shakur, mother of rapper Tupac Shakur, approves of the Broadway bound musical inspired by her son. She was given a preview of HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, directed by Kenny Leon and based on the music of Tupac. The preview received positive feedback from Afeni Shakur. (more...)

According to an audition listing, a new musical inspired by the work of Tupac Shakur, titled HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, is aiming to open on Broadway in the near future. Kenny Leon will direct a developmental lab, which is set to take place April 23 – May 11, 2012 in New York City. (more...)

In celebration of the life and work of Woodie King Jr., founder and Artistic Director of The New Federal Theatre, four emerging theatre companies have organized a special conversation with Mr. King to recognize his legacy and impact on the black theatre community. (more...)

In celebration of the life and work of Woodie King Jr., founder and Artistic Director of The New Federal Theatre, four emerging theatre companies have organized a special conversation with Mr. King to recognize his legacy and impact on the black theatre community. (more...)

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 26, 2012 - Sunday, February 26, 2012. (more...)