Michael R. Jackson, Capathia Jenkins and Anthony Wayne Join THEATER: ALL THE MOVING PARTS

Prize winning playwright Michael R. Jackson and actors Capathia Jenkins and Anthony Wayne discuss the role of the Black artist in this time of racial awakening, on this episode of "THEATER: All the Moving Parts", premiering Friday, October 16 at 9:30PM on CUNY TV and streaming at THEATER: All the Moving Parts starting October 19th.

This passionate conversation looks at how these artists funnel their creativity and energy into theater projects and in developing organizations which advance the Black theater community. Michael R. Jackson talks about how his awareness of the many facets of the Black experience led him to write the musical "A Strange Loop" which includes the prodigious use of humor. The musical, which won the 2020 Pulitzer, creates an array of characters, including what Jackson calls "his inner white woman." Capathia Jenkins speaks about her role as a founding member of "Black Theater United", which addresses systemic racism and encourages the writing of more plays to reflect the Black experience. Anthony Wayne, who co-founded the empowerment organization, "Black Broadway Men", says, "I was really surprised by how many men were hurting like me." Capathia adds, "We have to have a landscape in theater that is inclusive, that tells all of our stories."

Michael R. Jackson concludes, "Theater is a unique gathering place for everyone to come together and to be energized by these debates, conversations, sadness, joy, tragedy, comedy, and to take that energy out into the streets to make the change that you want to see in the world."

Patrick Pacheco says, "I was impressed with how eager Michael, Capathia and Anthony were to open up 'kitchen table' conversations to include room for varying points of view and perspectives within the black community. They clearly made the point that theirs was not a monolithic movement and that differing voices should be made to feel welcome."

"THEATER: All the Moving Parts" is a CUNY-TV show, featuring in-depth interviews with top theater artists, including playwright Theresa Rebeck, musical director Casey Nicholaw, intimacy director Claire Warden and choreographer Sergio Trujillo. Of Pacheco, Rebeck said, "I felt like I was being interviewed by someone who knows me better than I know myself." Go to THEATER: All the Moving Parts to see these and other episodes.

Patrick Pacheco is an Emmy-winning commentator and journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, THE WALL Street Journal, Esquire.com, and many other periodicals. He wrote the 2009 Disney documentary "Waking Sleeping Beauty," and is the co-writer, with Maria Cassi, of the play, "My Life with Men...and other animals." He is the writer and editor of the Amazon best seller "American Theatre Wing, An Oral History: 100 Years, 100 Voices, 100 Million Miracles."

Michael Jackson'S 2020 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle winning A Strange Loop (which had its 2019 world premiere at Playwrights Horizons in association with Page 73 Productions) was called "a full-on laparoscopy of the heart, soul, and loins" and a "gutsy, jubilantly anguished musical with infectious melodies" by Ben Brantley for The New York Times. As a songwriter, he has seen his work performed everywhere from Joe's Pub to NAMT. In addition to A Strange Loop, he also wrote book, music and lyrics for the upcomingWhite Girl in Danger, and lyrics and book for the musical adaptation of the 2007 horror film Teeth with composer and co-bookwriter Anna K. Jacobs. He has commissions from Grove Entertainment & Barbara Whitman Productions and LCT3, and is a newly-elected member of the Dramatists Guild Council.

Capathia Jenkins, the Brooklyn-born and raised singer/actor, most recently released the critically acclaimed CD, Phenomenal Woman: the Maya Angelou Songs, with her collaborator Louis Rosen. They sold out the world-famous Birdland Theatre in NYC for 3 nights. She starred as 'Medda' in the hit Disney production of Newsies on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in The Civil War, where she created the role of Harriet Jackson. She then starred in the Off-Broadway 2000 revival of Godspell, where she wowed audiences with her stirring rendition of 'Turn Back, O Man', which can still be heard on the original cast recording. She returned to Broadway in The Look of Love and was critically acclaimed for her performances of the Bacharach/David hits. Ms. Jenkins then created the roles of 'The Washing Machine' in Caroline, Or Change and 'Frieda May' in Martin Short's Fame Becomes Me, where she sang 'Stop the Show' and brought the house down every night.

Anthony Wayne, actor, producer and creator, has been blessed to do what he's been born to do. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Mr. Wayne has been seen on Broadway in "ANYTHING GOES", "ONCE ON THIS ISLAND", "PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT","PIPPIN" and recently completed the Broadway run of "TOOTSIE - The Musical". His touring credits include "A CHORUS LINE" as Richie, "THE COLOR PURPLE" and "FAME-THE MUSICAL" as Tyrone Jackson. Currently, he is working on bringing his show "MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL" to Broadway. He is the Founder of a non-profit organization called "Black Broadway Men", which galvanizes black men of the Broadway and theatre community to create unity within each other, find strength for each other, and embrace the legacy from each other.