Butterfly McQueen

Review: THE DICHOTOMY OF HATTIE MCDANIEL at VINCENT VICTORIA PRESENTS

The film first existed as a play, and Vincent Victoria wisely kept his lead actress from that production, Wykesha King, playing Hattie McDaniel. Wykesha creates a three-dimensional character who can act and sing; we believe she is a glamorous actress in the golden age of Hollywood. And we feel the struggle of her playing parts that make her downplay her own beauty and grace.

BWW Interview: Arnetia Walker on THE WIZ, DREAMGIRLS, & YES, VIRGINIA

From November 18th-21st, Judson Theatre Company will be presenting a new holiday comedy by Stan Zimmerman & Christian McLaughlin titled YES, VIRGINIA at Owens Auditorium inside the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center. Actress Arnetia Walker stars in the production opposite Mindy Sterling. She has appeared on Broadway in THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN'S WINDOW, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, RAISIN, THE WIZ, and DREAMGIRLS. Her TV credits include: QUANTUM LEAP, NURSES, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, MAD ABOUT YOU, NYPD BLUE, MALCOLM & EDDIE, JUST SHOOT ME!, THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW, TOUCHED BY AN ANGLE, CITY OF ANGELS, JUDGING AMY, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, and DYNASTY. Her film credits include: THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS, LOVE CRIMES, FOR LOVE OF THE GAME, and COLLEGE ROAD TRIP. I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about all of this and more.

BWW Interview: Donelle Dadigan Re-Opening Her Hollywood Museum TO THE FUTURE

Hollywood Museum founder Donelle Dadigan headed a re-opening ceremony of her Hollywood Museum August 4, 2021; commemorating the donated additional props from Bill and Patrick Shea to the Back to the Future Part I, II, III exhibit. On behalf of the Museum and the Shea father and son, Donelle presented a $5,000 check to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which Michael accepted via video.

TFANA, RSC, and Young Vic Present Concert Version Of SWINGIN' THE DREAM

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has today announced details of Swingin' the Dream, a concert of a new work-in-progress from the Royal Shakespeare Company, with the Young Vic and Theatre for a New Audience, including original music and songs from the 1939 production by Gilbert Seldes and Erik Charell.

RSC Reveals 'Tales For Winter' Line-Up, Including SWINGIN' THE DREAM

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has today announced further details of its Tales for Winter 2020/21 programme which includes Swingin' the Dream; a concert of a work in progress from the Royal Shakespeare Company, with the Young Vic and Theatre for a New Audience including original music and songs from the 1939 production by Gilbert Seldes and Erik Charell.

Banks Brothers Productions to Present THEY DON'T WANT TO HEAR HATTI SING!

Banks Brothers Productions will be presenting the satirical musical 'They Don't Want to Hear Hattie Sing!' a timely production using Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Academy Award, as the main character. Set dually in 1939 and 2009, the musical will explore old and new stereotypes of Blacks in the media by focusing on some of the most polarizing African American Actors in history such as Sleep N Eat, Steppin' Fetchit, Butterfly McQueen and Buckwheat Thomas.

365 WOMEN A YEAR: A PLAYWRITING PROJECT Set for Tonight

365 WOMEN A YEAR: A PLAYWRITING PROJECT involves over 400 women who signed on to write one or more one-acts about extraordinary women in both past and present history. The project's goal is to write women back into the social consciousness as well as empower and promote female playwrights around the globe.

365 WOMEN A YEAR: A PLAYWRITING PROJECT Set for 4/11

365 WOMEN A YEAR: A PLAYWRITING PROJECT involves over 400 women who signed on to write one or more one-acts about extraordinary women in both past and present history. The project's goal is to write women back into the social consciousness as well as empower and promote female playwrights around the globe.

BWW Interviews: Cabaret Comedy Legend Steve Hayes Plays Summer Rep in Connecticut

If you're wondering where the Tired Old Queen At The Movies and MAC Award winner has been lurking, look no further than Connecticut Repertory Theatre, though he'll be bringing laughs back to the city shortly.

BWW Review: Varla Jean Merman Is MILDRED FIERCE

Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans take on Joan Crawford (and Bette Davis) in the noir musical MILDRED FIERCE. Add this one to a long string of hilarious productions recognized by their clever irreverence, dazzling costumes, done-on-a-dime sets, and multi-talented ensembles. Varla Jean Merman is the icing on the cake.

BWW Reviews: Playhouse on Park's MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS Wilts Under the Spotlight

Trying to be a farce and a message play, MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS is neither fish nor fowl and only partially funny.

Cynthia Nixon Joins Gordon Getty's THE WHITE ELECTION, 4/19

Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon will join soprano Lisa Delan and pianist Kristin Pankonin in an evening that features Gordon Getty's The White Election, a song cycle based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Ms. Nixon will read selections from Emily Dickinson's letters. The event will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at The Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (Samuel B. & David Rose Building, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, 165 West 65th Street, Manhattan).

Cynthia Nixon Joins Gordon Getty's THE WHITE ELECTION, 4/19

Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon will join soprano Lisa Delan and pianist Kristin Pankonin in an evening that features Gordon Getty's The White Election, a song cycle based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Ms. Nixon will read selections from Emily Dickinson's letters. The event will take place on Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at The Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse (Samuel B. & David Rose Building, 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, 165 West 65th Street, Manhattan).

Jane Stuart To Perform at Shanghai Jazz 9/1

Jane Stuart will be performing at Shanghai Jazz on Thursday, September 1st from 7:30 - 9:30pm for 2 sets.

Cynthia Nixon Returns to Broadway in WIT at MTC, Jan. 2012; THE COLUMNIST Delayed

Manhattan Theatre Club has just announced that Tony and Emmy Award winner Cynthia Nixon will return to MTC to star in the Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play WIT by Margaret Edson, directed by MTC's award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Meadow. The limited engagement of WIT will begin previews Thursday, January 5, 2012 and open Thursday, January 26, 2012 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Review - By The Way, Meet Vera Stark

While older plays can often be interpreted to suit modern tastes and standards, films serve as permanent records of the public attitudes of their times; particularly when considering the ways ethnic minorities were portrayed.  Many a fine film from long ago can contain moments that strike the modern eye as racist, even in cases where the intention was to be racially sensitive.  In the case of black actors from early Hollywood, we can admire the talent of the likes of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, Butterfly McQueen and Stepin Fetchit and say they opened door for others, but many have argued that their success came from demeaning their race as a whole by taking the types of roles that were within the white viewers' comfort zones.

Review Roundup: BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK

Lynn Nottage's world premiere comedy, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, already extended one week through May 29 at Second Stage Theatre, opens tonight, May 9. Directed by Jo Bonney, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK is Ms. Nottage's first play to be produced in New York since she won the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined in 2009. For ticket information, please call the Second Stage Box Office at 212-246-4422 or visit the company's website, www.2ST.com. BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK features Stephanie J. Block, Tony Award-nominee Daniel Breaker, Tony Award-nominee David Garrison, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Kevin Isola, Tony Award nominee Sanaa Lathan, and Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo. Let's see what the critics had to say!

STAGE TUBE: Meet the Company Inside the Rehearsal Room of THREE MEN ON A HORSE

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre, the critically-acclaimed company 'dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit,' presents Three Men on a Horse, by John Cecil Holm & George Abbott as the final production of the company's 2010/11 season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Scott Alan Evans, performances began at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre March 14th, 2011. The show will open on March 24th. Click below to meet the company and go inside the rehearsal room...and stay tuned for more!

Jeffrey C. Hawkins, Ron McClary Lead TACT's THREE MEN ON A HORSE, Opens 3/14

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, Co-Artistic Directors), the critically-acclaimed company "dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit," announces complete casting for Three Men on a Horse, by John Cecil Holm & George Abbott, the final production of the company's 2010/11 season.

TACT to Present THREE MEN ON A HORSE et al. 2010-2011

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, Co-Artistic Directors) has announced its 2010/2011 Season. The critically-acclaimed company dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit will offer Mainstage productions of The Memorandum by Vaclav Havel, and Three Men on a Horse by George Abbott and John Cecil Holm at The Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street) on Theatre Row.