Podcast appearances and mentions of Kenny Leon

In this episode, we break down the Broadway revival of Shakespeare's OTHELLO at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. We tackle the impact of casting Hollywood stars in classic roles, the curious omission of Shakespeare's name from the playbill, and the puzzling decision to set the story in 2028. We share our honest reactions to Kenny Leon's direction, the production design, and how strict audience policies affected the overall experience. Plus, we debate the show's Tony Awards chances and what this production means for the future of Shakespeare on Broadway. Follow and connect with all things @HalfHourPodcast on Instagram, and YouTube. Share your thoughts with us on OTHELLO on our podcast cover post on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kenny Leon's production of "Othello" is now on Broadway, starring Denzel Washington as Othello and Jake Gyllenhaal as the scheming Iago. Opposite these two men is Molly Osborne, who plays Othello's wife Desdemona, the focus of Iago's plot. She discusses the role and the production, which is running through June 8.

Consent is Sexy! Intimacy director Claire Warden on her extensive experience in TV, film, and theater, highlighting her groundbreaking work on Broadway and various TV productions. Claire explains the role of an intimacy director, the importance of actor consent, and how her methods elevate performances by ensuring actors feel safe and empowered. Sarah and Claire also delve into the collaborative nature of her work and its profound impact on storytelling. Claire (she/her) is an intimacy coordinator/intimacy director with over twenty years experience in TV, film and theatre across America and the UK. Claire works as an intimacy coordinator on numerous television productions under various studios including HBO, Hulu, Amazon, Showtime and Apple TV as well major motion picture studios such as Sony and 20th Century Fox. She was the intimacy coordinator for Mrs Fletcher, And Just Like That (S2), Gossip Girl(2021), Dickinson, Billions, Harlan Cobens's Shelter, Your Honor, Looking for Alaska, Hunters and the feature films West Side Story (dir. Steven Spielberg) and A Journal for Jordan (dir. Denzel Washington). She worked as intimacy coordinator and part of the creative team on the TV series of Three Women and has recently finished working as intimacy coordinator on the upcoming TV series Dying For Sex. Claire is the Director of Advanced Training at Intimacy Director and Coordinators, which is a global leader in training and certifying intimacy coordinators for film and intimacy directors for theatre. She is also part of the collaboration team advising SAG-AFTRA on their effort to standardize, codify and implement guidelines for on-set intimacy coordinators. Claire also works in theatre and made history as the first intimacy director on Broadway with Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. She also worked as intimacy director on the Broadway productions of Slave Play, Romeo and Juliet (directed by Sam Gold), The Inheritance, Jagged Little Pill, The Notebook, Company, Death of a Salesman, Waitress and West Side Story. In Jan 2025 she will begin work as the intimacy director for Othello, starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gylennhaal and directed by Kenny Leon. She recently opened the West End production of Slave Play, serving once again as intimacy and fight director. She has also worked on the National Tours of Les Miserables, Company and Waitress. She was awarded Variety Magazine's 2019 '10 Broadway Players to Watch'. Claire was also recently awarded a special Drama Desk Award for “pioneering work as an intimacy choreographer… and her leadership in the rapidly emerging movement of intimacy direction”. Claire is a Drama Desk award winner for ‘Outstanding Fight Choreography' for Slave Play at NYTW and was also nominated in the same category for the play Daddy. Claire trains faculty & students in acting training institutions across the country, including Yale, Brown/Trinity, Brandeis, Tufts, JMU, SITI,University of Hawaii, Stella Adler, the O'Neill Theatre Center and numerous others. She has presented workshops, conferences and training across the globe. www.IDCprofessionals.com www.clairewarden.com Connect with GOOD SHOW! Instagram: @goodshowpodcast  Tik Tok: @goodshowpodcast   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A true multi-hyphenate, Blair Underwood is enjoying success in film, television and theatre, as an actor, director and producer. Underwood returned to Broadway starring opposite David Alan Grier in the Pulitzer Prize winning drama "A Solider's Play" for director Kenny Leon and the Roundabout Theatre Company. He also co-stars in Justin Simien's "Bad Hair" which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Underwood also starred opposite Octavia Spencer & Tiffany Haddish in Netflix's limited series "Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam CJ Walker" . Underwood appeared in the Netflix Emmy-Award winning limited series "When They See Us." He also had a recurring role on the Netflix comedy series, "Dear White People" and can be seen in Clark Johnson's "Juanita," opposite Alfre Woodard, also for Netflix. He spent two years as a series regular on the ABC drama series "Quantico," while also recurring on another hit ABC drama "MARVEL AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. " He also had a co-starring role in "The After Party," from writer/director Ian Edelman, which Netflix released late in 2018. Past television credits include series regular roles on "Dirty Sexy Money," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "In Treatment," "The Event" and "L.A. Law". Film credits include "Deep Impact," "Set It Off," "Rules of Engagement," "Just Cause," "Madea's Family Reunion" and Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal." Underwood co-starred opposite Cicely Tyson in the Lifetime telefilm & theatre production of "A Trip to Bountiful," based on the Tony Award-winning play. In 2012 he made his acclaimed Broadway debut in the iconic role of Stanley in Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire," for which he earned a 2012 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award nomination. He also starred in "Paradise Blue" at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and "Othello" at the Old Globe Theatre. In 2010 he made his feature film directing debut with "The Bridge to Nowhere," which starred Ving Rhames, Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips and Alex Breckenridge. Underwood is an Emmy Award-winner (as producer of the philanthropy-centered NBC Saturday morning series "Give"), a two-time Golden Globe Award nominee, and has been nominated for 17 NAACP Image Awards (seven wins). He won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word as co-narrator of Al Gore's audiobook, An Inconvenient Truth. A newly minted member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he is also active in several philanthropic endeavors.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

In today's episode, we will be finishing up our exploration of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing by watching and discussing three productions.  First, we will discuss Kenneth Branagh's 1993 film version, starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. Then we will take a look at the 2019 Public Theatre's Shakespeare in Park production directed by Kenny Ortega and starring Danielle Brooks and Grantham Coleman. Last but not least, we will round out our viewings with the 2011 Wyndham's Theatre production starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.  Want more Much Ado About Nothing adaptations? Over on our Patreon, we also have a discussion of the 2023 film Anyone But You starring Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone, sending us a virtual tip via our tipjar, or by shopping our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/shakespeareanyonepod. Works referenced: "Much Ado About Nothing." Great Performancess, directed by Kenny Leon, performances by Danielle Brooks and Grantham Coleman, et.al, season 47, episode 9,   Thirteen / WNET, 2019. PBS, https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shakespeare-in-the-park-much-ado-about-nothing-about/9822/.  Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, performances by Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, et.al.  The Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1993. Prime Video. Much Ado About Nothing. Directed by Josie Rourke and Robert Delamere, performances by Catherine Tate and David Tennant, et.al. Wyndham's Theatre. 2011. Digital Theatre.    

The latest Broadway revival of the Thornton Wilder classic "Our Town" is both familiar and modern, under the direction of Kenny Leon. Leon joins us to discuss alongside actor Zoey Deutch, who stars as Emily. "Our Town" is running now at the Barrymore Theatre through January 19.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the 2024 Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder's timeless classic, "Our Town," currently playing at the Barrymore Theatre. This production, directed by Kenny Leon and starring Jim Parsons, brings a new look into the beloved American play. We explore how this revival speaks to our current times, dissect the central themes of love, marriage, and death, and debate the effectiveness of the production's design choices. Does Jim Parsons' star power elevate the crucial role of the Stage Manager, or does it overshadow the ensemble nature of the piece? Tune in for our candid thoughts on this emotional journey through small-town America and what it reveals about the human experience in 2024. Follow and connect with all things @HalfHourPodcast on Instagram, and YouTube. Share your thoughts with us on OUR TOWN on our podcast cover post on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh off his Tony nomination for Mother Play, Jim Parsons is back on Broadway in Our Town. So, does he not like taking a break? "Until [Big Bang Theory] wrapped in 2019, I did not really know what it was to take a break that was not only extended, but also uncertain." The reason for back-to-back shows—besides theater being "more alive for me now as it...ever has been"—is that "within days of agreeing to one, another came," and, "I felt very strongly that I wanted to do both." Parsons plays the stage manager in Our Town, guiding the audience through "one of the better-known plays in the entire canon of theater, and with a cast of 28." "I said it to Kenny [Leon], the director, in rehearsal the other day, 'This is the first time in a long time that I've worked on something and I thought I could see not really getting tired of [it].'" Parsons knows many will always see Big Bang Theory's Sheldon in his performances, and he's fine with that, because the sitcom "undoubtedly offered me more opportunities as an actor and as a human than without it, there's just no doubt about it."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new Broadway revival of the 1979 play "Home" stars Tory Kittles a Cephus Miles, a rural farmer who, after being released from prison for draft-dodging, moves up north to the big city. Kittles and director Kenny Leon join us to discuss the show, which is running at the Todd Haimes Theatre through July 21.

[REBROADCAST FROM OCT. 27, 2023] Ossie Davis's daring farce, "Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch," has been revived on Broadway for the very first time. Tony-winning actor Leslie Odom, Jr. plays Purlie Victorious Judson, a Black man determined to win back the money for his community church from Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee. Tony nominee Kara Young stars as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, a woman who gets caught up in Purlie's scheme. The production is directed by Tony-winner Kenny Leon, who joins us alongside Young and Odom Jr.

Kenny Leon & Tory Kittles Discuss Broadway's 'Home,' & Their Roles As Director & Actor + MoreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony award winning Broadway, film and television director Kenny Leon is back to discuss his latest production, the revival of Samm-Art Williams' 1979 play “Home” and shares his keys to success in telling our stories on stage and film.

   Listen to the Show Right Click to Save Guests Trouble Puppet & The VORTEX Undark: a radioactive puppet playCommunication by Captivation Glengary GlenrossWhat We Talked AboutWater For Elephants Off B'way – IASTE La LLamada – Repritorio Espanol Peter Pan – Larisa Fasthorse Earlier Start Times Streaming Rights Kenny Leon Picture of Dorian Gray Devil Wears Prada Jelly's Last Jam - Encores Sutton Foster Bye Bye Birdie Thank you toDean Johanesen, lead singer of "The Human Condition" who gave us permission to use "Step Right Up" as our theme song, so please visit their website.. they're good! (that's an order)  

In this episode, we pull back the curtain and bring center stage two stars from the Broadway play PURLIE VICTORIOUS, Vanessa Bell Calloway, and Heather Alicia Simms. Brace yourselves for an engaging discussion that promises to be as captivating as the performance itself. Full disclosure: there will be spoilers about the show, so if you haven't seen it yet and you want to first, pause this podcast, grab a ticket, and come back when you're ready for the inside scoop! Join us, Jeff and Richie, as we explore the intricate processes and untold stories behind PURLIE VICTORIOUS. Vanessa and Heather share their unique experiences working under the direction of the renowned Kenny Leon, revealing the dedication, grit, and camaraderie that fuels their performances night after night. Expect insights into their creative journey, the lessons they've learned, and an unexpected, behind-the-scenes story that will leave you laughing. But it's not just about the laughs. Vanessa and Heather also share the profound messages they hope audiences will take away from the show. This conversation is a testament to the power of theatre to entertain, inspire, and provoke thought. If you're passionate about Broadway and Off-Broadway, or simply curious about the people and processes behind the performances, don't miss an episode of our podcast. We're here to spark conversations and celebrate the incredible work of industry professionals. Subscribe to our podcast for a front-row seat to all the action, both on and off the stage! Support the show If you liked this episode, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review. Share your thoughts with us on this episode below: On Instagram: @halfhourpodcast On TikTok: @halfhourpodcast On our website: www.twoworldsentertainmentllc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘The Notebook’ Announces Broadway Stars, Kenny Leon to Direct ‘Our Town’ on Christmas, ‘Lempicka’ Teases Announcement “Today on Broadway” is a daily, Monday through Friday, podcast hitting the top theatre headlines of the day. Any and all feedback is appreciated: Grace Aki: grace@broadwayradio.com | @ItsGraceAkiMatt Tamanini: matt@broadwayradio.com | @BWWMatt Patreon: read more The post Today on Broadway: Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

Ossie Davis's daring farce, "Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch," has been revived on Broadway for the very first time. Tony-winning actor Leslie Odom, Jr. plays Purlie Victorious Judson, a Black man determined to win back the money for his community church from Ol' Cap'n Cotchipee. Tony nominee Kara Young stars as Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins, a woman who gets caught up in Purlie's scheme. The production is directed by Tony-winner Kenny Leon, who joins us alongside Young and Odom Jr.  

In this week's episode, we dive into the 2023 revival of the Broadway play "PURLIE VICTORIOUS." We unpack the significance of this timeless show in the present-day context, dissecting its plot and themes. We also give a shout-out to the visionary scenic design by Derek McLane and the masterful direction by Kenny Leon that brought the story to life. Our discussion wouldn't be complete without acknowledging the remarkable performances by the star-studded cast, including Leslie Odom, Jr, Kara Young, Billy Eugene Jones, Jay O. Sanders, Heather Alicia Simms, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Noah Robbins, Noah Pyzik, and Bill Timoney. Light-hearted yet insightful, this episode is a must-listen for all theatre enthusiasts. So, grab your headphones and tune into our podcast to discover how "PURLIE VICTORIOUS" continues to captivate audiences in 2023. Let's chat Broadway! Support the show If you liked this episode, don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review. Share your thoughts with us on this episode below: On Instagram: @halfhourpodcast On TikTok: @halfhourpodcast On our website: www.twoworldsentertainmentllc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joaquina Kalukango received the 2022 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her performance as Nelly O'Brien in Paradise Square. She received a 2020 Tony Award nomination for her performance in the critically acclaimed Broadway production of Slave Play. For that production she also received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, and Broadway.com listed her as one of the top five performers (male or female) of the year. Kalukango is a 2021 SAG Award nominee for Cast in a Motion Picture for her role as Betty X opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir in Regina King's directorial debut, One Night in Miami. She had a recurring role on the HBO series Lovecraft Country. Other TV credits include Ava DuVernay's Netflix series When They See Us and Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia, directed by Kenny Leon. Additional Broadway credits include The Color Purple, Holler If Ya Hear Me, and Godspell.

[TW//Postnatal Depression, Suicidal Thoughts] 80% of mothers experience "baby blues" but 10% have a dramatic increase in symptoms that lasts beyond the usual 1-3 weeks and can develop into postnatal depression. These symptoms were horrific for my next guest, actor Carryl Thomas, who experienced suicidal thoughts and a breakdown. She found the strength to ask for help and is now a hugely positive voice on helping other parents with baby blues, postnatal depression and finding a sense of the individual self as well as being a parent. Carryl is also mother to successful young performers and she discusses how to manage other parents and children pressures and expectations in an exciting and challenging acting industry. Carryl is an English actress who grew up in South London. Carryl studied Musical Theatre at Mountview and enjoyed a few years in West End Musicals performing in Olivier Award winning shows, such as, My Fair Lady (directed by Sir Trevor Nunn) and Our House (directed by Matthew Warchus) and then made a smooth transition into Television joining Channel 5's original soap Family Affairs as troubled teen Kelly Boulter for 3 years, where she received British Soap and Screen Nation Award Nominations. Carryl subsequently joined the cast of The Sarah Jane Adventures and made a guest appearances in Holby City. Carryl created the role of Keisha in the world Premiere Flashdance directed by Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. Other work includes filming a new crime series from the producers of CSI and Law and Order, Silent Witness, Emmerdale and Royal Variety performances. As a busy Mother of 4 boys, Carryl continues working as an actress and combines acting with running the Foundation course at Mountview. Carryl's sons seem to be following closely in her footsteps. Her eldest son made his acting debut at the National Theatre in Patrick Marber's adaptation of Three Days in the Country, her second son Oscar made his acting debut in Bridgerton for Netflix, her third son Eiden-River made his debut in Silent Witness for BBC 1 and her youngest, Lake is only 4 but is surrounded by the arts and it won't be long before he decide to join in or indeed run for the hills! Topics 0:00 Intro 3:05 Carryl's rock bottom 6:17 Baby blues vs postnatal depression 13:35 Depression vs PND 31:00 Why did Carryl have suicidal thoughts? 32:43 How did Carryl start to get better? 36:45 The individual self vs being a parent 41:22 Being a performer vs being a parent 46:13 Advice for parents who have children in the industry 51:33 How do you maintain good mental health? 54:00 Working at Mountview 56:05 Advice for anyone connected to PND who is suffering If you've been affected by any of the issues discussed on today's episode Carryl recommends visiting: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-natal-depression/overview/ This Podcast is not for profit but my goal is to break even. To help me make more please donate here. Thank you! https://bit.ly/3kSucAs Follow Carryl Instagram - https://instagram.com/carrylthomas Follow Oliver Instagram - https://bit.ly/3IemHLY Twitter - http://bit.ly/3GQYj2l Facebook - http://bit.ly/3w8S1Gx LinkedIn - http://bit.ly/3kp4ymC TikTok - https://bit.ly/3YGLsYm Listen or watch on:  YouTube - https://bit.ly/3YrPEff Spotify - https://bit.ly/446C0zt Apple - https://apple.co/41IrJt4 or search 'School of Rock Bottom' where you listen to your podcasts. https://bit.ly/3YrPEff

Today, I'm thriilled to announce my episode with one of Broadway's best directors, Kenny Leon, who's producttion of Purlie Victorious began previews this week. Tune in today to hear him discuss his process and career, including his collaboration with Adrienne Kennedy in Ohio State Murders, his upcoming projects Our Town and The Help, the project he feels should've transferred to Broadway, what he learned about visual storytelling during Children of a Lesser God, why he felt it was important to join the producing team of Some Like it Hot, his process when he first receives a play, his conversations with August Wilson, and so much more. You won't want to miss this masterclass in directing.

We are beyond thrilled to chat with Glinda Upland herself, Broadway's McKenzie Kurtz, who joined us to discuss the upcoming 20th Anniversary of Wicked! In this episode, McKenzie shares her story of seeing Wicked on Broadway for the first time, booking the role, which Glinda costume is her favourite, her first flight inside the bubble and more! McKenzie Kurtz made her Broadway debut as Princess Anna in FROZEN in February of 2020. Most recently, and prior to her current role in Wicked, she appeared in NBC's Annie Live! as the Star-to-Be, and as “Heather” in Marvel's new television series SHE HULK on Disney+. In the fall of 2021, she performed in the out-of-town tryout of TRADING PLACES directed by Kenny Leon. She graduated from the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre, and Dance with a BFA in Musical Theatre in 2019.

This year, Shakespeare in the Park is running "Hamlet" directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon through August 6th. And starring in this production, which is set in 2021 Atlanta, is Tony nominee Ato Blankson-Wood. He joins us to discuss his interpretation of one of the most famous roles in theater history. 

Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews  and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.King James is playing off-Broadway at New York City Center Stage I, a production of Manhattan Theatre Club. Find out more at www.manhattantheatreclub.org.If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org Follow The Present Stage on Instagram at @thepresentstageThe Present Stage: Conversations with Theater Writers is hosted by Dan Rubins, a theater critic for Slant Magazine. You can also find Dan's reviews on Cast Album Reviews and in The New Yorker's Briefly Noted column.The Present Stage supports the national nonprofit Hear Your Song. If you'd like to learn more about Hear Your Song and how to support empowering youth with serious illnesses to make their voices heard though songwriting, please visit www.hearyoursong.org

Esteemed Tony and Obie Award-winning, Emmy-nominated director Kenny Leon, and noted actors Norm Lewis and Eugene Lee join Tavis in studio to shine a spotlight on the compelling masterpiece that is “A Soldier's Play.”

Actor, producer, and current Co-Artistic Director at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago Glenn Davis joined us to talk about Rajiv Joseph's "King James," directed by Kenny Leon. The play is having its New York debut as Manhattan Theatre Club presents Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group's "King James” off-Broadway at City Center.

Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, Javier Muñoz and more talk LIVE with The Art of Kindness and Broadway Podcast Network on the Fat Ham Broadway opening night red carpet. Join us as we chat with: Tony winner Audra McDonald, Will Swenson (A Beautiful Noise), Javier Muñoz (Hamilton), Broadway director Kenny Leon, Tra'Lynn Husbands (The Lion King), National Black Theatre Artistic Director Jonathan McCory, Gia Love, Eric Bergen (Chicago, Madam Secretary), Kadeem Ali Harris (Harlem), Pulitzer Prize-winning Fat Ham playwright Jamies IJames, Fat Ham director Saheem Ali, Amber Iman, Phoenix Best (Dear Evan Hansen), Antwyan Hopper (A Strange Loop), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's Molly Burnett, Danielle Moné Truitt, Jasmine Batchelor, and friend of the pod Jay Armstrong Johnson. Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us: artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com Follow us @artofkindnesspod / @robpeterpaul Support the show! (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok) Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio. We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony and Emmy Winning Production Designer Derek McLane and Eila Mell have come together to create the new hit book Designing Broadway, available wherever books are sold! This episode is incredible for all artists – especially theatre designers who are beginning to explore their multi-hyphenate identities.  Together with other leading set design and theatre talents, McLane invites us into the immersive and exhilarating experience of building the striking visual worlds that have brought so many of our favorite stories to life. Discover how designers generate innovative ideas, research period and place, solve staging challenges, and collaborate with directors, projectionists, costume designers, and other artists to capture the essence of a show in powerful scenic design. With co-writer Eila Mell, McLane and contributors discuss Moulin Rouge!, Hamilton, Hadestown, Beautiful, and many more of the most iconic productions of our generation. Among the Broadway luminaries who contribute are John Lee Beatty, Danny Burstein, Cameron Crowe, Ethan Hawke, Moisés Kaufman, Carole King, Kenny Leon, Santo Loquasto, Kathleen Marshall, Lynn Nottage, David Rabe, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Wallace Shawn, John Leguizamo, and Robin Wagner. Filled with personal sketches and photographs from the artists' archives, this stunningly designed book is truly a behind-the-scenes journey that theatre fans will love. Derek McLane is an Emmy and Tony Award winning production designer for Broadway and television, who's nearly 350 designs include: Broadway credits such as MJ, The Michael Jackson Musical, Moulin Rouge! (Tony Award), A Soldier's Play (Tony Nomination), American Son, Parisian Woman, The Price, Beautiful, Fully Committed, Noises Off, Gigi, 33 Variations (with Jane Fonda) (Tony Award), China Doll (with Al Pacino), How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying (with Daniel Radcliffe), Follies, Anything Goes, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (with Robin Williams), Ragtime, The Pajama Game, I Am My Own Wife. Off-Broadway: Buried Child, Jerry Springer The Opera, Merrily We Roll Along, The Spoils, If I Forget, Love, Love, Love; The Night of the Iguana, Sweet Charity, Buried Child, Into the Woods, Ruined, The Last Five Years, Television 6 years of Academy Awards, NBC Musicals: The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz & Hairspray. Derek is the Chairman of the Board of The New Group Theatre. His many awards include: 2 Tony Awards, 2 Emmy's, 2 Obie's, 2 Drama Desks, 3 Lucille Lortel Awards, and 3 Art Directors Guild Awards. @derekmclane Eila Mell is the author of Designing Broadway as well as the official guide to the hit television series Project Runway, titled Project Runway: The Show That Changed Fashion. Among her other books are New York Fashion Week and, with Ty Hunter, Makeover from Within: Lessons in Hardship, Acceptance, and Self-Discovery. Mell has been featured in the New York Times, Marie Claire, Glamour, and CBS's The Insider, as well as in the documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's. She is the co-host of the podcast Jiffy Pop Culture with comedian Frank Liotti. @eilamell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamil Jude is a highly accomplished director/producer/playwright/dramaturg focusing on bringing socially relevant art to the community. Jamil is the Artistic Director at Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, GA. He is the Co-Founder of The New Griots Festival, which is dedicated to celebrating, advocating, and advancing the careers of emerging Black artists in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. http://www.jamiljude.com/biohttps://www.instagram.com/mrjdjude/https://truecolorstheatre.org/https://www.instagram.com/truecolorstheatre/Now is a great time to act on your dreams! If this episode helped you, please share to a friend!https://www.instagram.com/HyphensHaven/http://www.dreamofdrea.com/Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/DreamofDréa

The mini-series of NBC Live TV Musicals continues!!!! This week we discuss the 2016 Live TV version of HAIRSPRAY directed by Kenny Leon and teleplay by Harvey Firestein. SUBSCRIBE. RATE. REVIEW!! THEME and Stingers: Ryan Thomas Johnson IG: @theatre_theater_pod Twitter: @the_theatre_pod Gmail: theatretheaterpod@gmail.com tiktok: @theatre_of_the_absurd SONG CREDITS: Good Morning Baltimore - Maddie Baillio - HAIRSPRAY Live! (2016) Screw Loose - Alli Mauzey - Cry-Baby: The Musical (Original Studio Cast Recording) Resources below BLM Donation and Education LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/NationalResourcesList Black Owned Businesses in LA: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18w-0RBhwBBlXDN9kRV9DVSCAGSCjtHb9K0Pq2YBv18U/htmlview?usp=sharing&pru=AAABcpXptV0*XfoiE2Ay5SJUCEO3tXROGQ&urp=gmail_link MPJI https://marshap.org/ Petitions https://linktr.ee/petitions_123

Duluth officials said they are proud of the city's newest public art, a mural called “Meet Me on Main” that is painted on the back window of the Nacho Daddy building, which is located on Main St. The officials say it allows people to step back in time to the old Duluth. Brenda Ehly is the artist behind the piece. She said she was inspired from a phrase on the city's seal that she saw when she first moved to Duluth. Ehly is no stranger to the Duluth art scene. Her notable pieces in downtown Duluth include: ♦ Dream Big mural at Hill Street & West Lawrenceville ♦ Painted bike rack at Hill Street & West Lawrenceville ♦ Two paintings displayed in Maple Street Biscuit Company♦ ♦ Interior & exterior signage at both Crave Pie & Harper Row ♦ Backdrop for the model train set at the Southeastern Railway Museum ♦ Pen & ink depiction of City Hall located inside City Hall as part of our permanent art collection Gwinnett County commissioners agreed to partner with the Georgia Department of Transportation on one proposed new interchange on an interstate in the county and to team up with the city of Buford on a draft report for another proposed interchange on a different interstate. One of the interchanges is the long-discussed proposed McGinnis Ferry Road interchange on Interstate 85 in Suwanee. The other is a proposed interchange on Interstate 985 at Thompson Mill Road in Buford. The partnership with Georgia DOT pertains to right-of-way acquisition for the McGinnis Ferry Road interchange on I-85. The interchange has been in the planning stages for years and advertisements calling for construction bids for the project are expected to be posted this year. The other project, with Buford, is further off, however. In fact, it only recently go the OK from federal officials to even be considered. Under the agreement, the county and Buford will jointly fund the creation of a draft project concept report on a proposed new interchange on I-985 at Thompson Mill Road. Each side will pay $500,000 for the study, with the county using 2017 special purpose local option sales tax funds for is portion of the cost. “Producing ‘American Son' is part of a season of site specific shows about moving forward in the face of adversity,” Live Arts Theatre's Co-Artistic Director Becca Parker said. If the name “American Son” is familiar, it was a 2019 movie directed by Kenny Leon and written by Christopher Demos-Brown. The movie was based on Demos-Brown's play of the same name. American Son' touches many avenues of life such as interracial relationships, being the product of an interracial relationship, and different levels of profiling by those in power as well as the public. The story centers around a bi-racial couple who must confront their feelings about race and bias after their son is detained by the local police following a traffic stop incident. Because of the language which is described as “severe adult,” other adult topics and moderate violence, the play is recommended for audiences ages 16 and up. The audience is also cautioned that the production contains racially charged language and an audio depiction of a shooting. Leading the production are Le Titia Sloan as Kendra Ellis-Conner, the mother of the “American Son.” R. Chandler Bragg portrays Scott Conner, the father who is estranged from Kendra. The cast is completed by Santiago Vargas as Officer Paul Larkin and Live Arts Theatre Pro Company member D. Norris as Lieutenant Stokes. The production opens today and runs through Sunday. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday show begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Southeast Region announced Tuesday that Georgia and Tennessee are two of 14 states that have been selected to participate in the expansion of a demonstration project to evaluate the impact of using Medicaid eligibility data to directly certify students from low-income households to receive free and reduced-price school meals. Historically, most students who receive these meals have been certified based on information they submit in an application. Officials say adding Medicaid to the list of benefit programs that can “directly certify” a student to receive free or reduced-price meals is a win-win for students, families, and school officials. This means less paperwork for families and fewer school meal applications for school districts to process and verify. The remaining 12 states selected to participate in this round of the project are Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming. The newest round of this demonstration creates an important opportunity to further test the impact of Medicaid Direct Certification, which was first initiated through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The Biden Administration is committed to expanding direct certification opportunities and certifying more eligible children for free and reduced-price meals without an application. For more information, visit the FNS webpage on Direct Certification. For more information be sure to visit www.bgpodcastnetwork.com   https://www.lawrencevillega.org/  https://www.foxtheatre.org/  https://guideinc.org/  https://www.psponline.com/  https://www.kiamallofga.com/  https://www.milb.com/gwinnett  https://www.fernbankmuseum.org/  www.atlantagladiators.com      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[REBROADCAST FROM September 23, 2022] If you love theater, you've likely seen a set designed by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt, from "Come From Away" to "Flying Over Sunset" to "Merry Wives" to "POTUS." Now he's drawn back the curtain on his process, and the importance of set design, in his new book, Transforming Space Over Time: Set Design and Visual Storytelling with Broadway's Legendary Directors. Boritt joins to reflect on his career, and his collaboration with directors like James Lapine, Kenny Leon, Hal Prince, Susan Stroman, Jerry Zaks, and Stephen Sondheim. You can currently see Boritt's work onstage in "The Piano Lesson" (through January 29), "Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & The Pool" (through January 15), and "Ohio State Murders" (through late February).   Mecca: A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim Setting: Stephen Sondheim's Turtle Bay town house: the holiest of holies for several generations of theater artists. We're in a ground-floor living room, sprawling and cluttered, spreading from a small front entrance foyer through the main chamber to a back conservatory that opens into a community garden. The room's salient visual feature is Steve's collection of antique puzzles, displayed in frames and vitrines and arrayed on tables. Beowulf Boritt: I'm sure you hear this from a lot of people, but your shows, more than any others, are what convinced me to pursue theater. I grew up thinking musicals were frilly and silly, but when I started being exposed to your shows—first Sunday, then Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd—I thought, This is what I want to do. Stephen Sondheim: So you're blaming me? BB: Just placing blame where it's due, Steve! I asked various directors, “What productions made a strong impression on you when you were young?” Both James [Lapine] and Susan Stroman credited Sweeney Todd and its design as the show that made them think, This is what theater can be. Of course, Hal directed it, and the set was famously a real, and enormous, Victorian factory reassembled onstage by Eugene Lee. But that set isn't inherent in the writing; in fact, the action is never literally in a factory. When you were developing the show with Hugh Wheeler, it wasn't with a factory setting in mind, was it? SS: No, no. That came afterward. That was Hal's idea. I don't know how he came to it. For me, Sweeney Todd is not really a story of how the Industrial Revolution manufactured vengeful Sweeney Todds. That had nothing to do with what I wrote at all—though I did ultimately put one line in the lyrics about machines, to make Hal happy. I wanted to do it as a small, scary show. I told Hal that if we were going to do it at a big theater, I'd like to drape the entire place in black, have gaslit lampposts all around, and have the cast all around,too: on top of you, beside you, in the aisles, and so on. I wanted the whole theater to look like the inside of a coffin. I wanted an organ and an organist onstage for that opening prelude—a loud organsound to start the show. BB: You said you have no part in designing the show, but that's a very clear visual image you just described—your initial thoughts about it. SS: I have no visual imagination to say, “The costumes should be red.” But of course I have some ideas about staging the numbers. The director can throw them out, but I do go on record with what I am thinking. BB: I'm going to rewind to early in your career, to one of my favorite musicals and one I have not yet hada chance to design. Did you have any visuals in mind as you wrote West Side Story with Arthur Laurents and Leonard Bernstein? SS: Where is Puerto Rico? No, I don't think I had anything in mind, but I'll tell you an anecdote, one of those things that one never forgets. Oliver Smith, who designed it, wanted to show us the model of the setso we went out to his house in Brooklyn. He showed it to us and there was concern over the scene with the highway bridge, for the rumble at the end of the first act. Jerry Robbins—or maybe it was Lenny or Arthur—turned to me and said, “What do you think?” I was twenty-five years old! “I agree,” I said. “It just doesn't seem quite right.” Oliver turned on me and said, “Who cares what you think? You don't know anything about the theater!” He was really ugly. He was upset that they didn't like it, but he couldn't lash out at Jerry, Lenny, or Arthur, so— BB: And you were the new guy. SS: Yes. You know , I understand why he did it. BB: Did you ever work with him again? SS: No. BB: When you're the new kid, and an old hand lashes out at you, it's amazing how much it stings. You remember it forever. On my first Broadway show, Spelling Bee, that happened to me. Someone involved in the show, not James, really went after me because I was the new kid. To be honest, I had probably donesomething stupid—but it was unpleasant, and I will never forget it. BB: Last question, and it isn't really a question. I'm going to shorten the quote, but you've said, “Lyric writing has to exist in time. You have to lay the sentences out so there's enough air for the ear to take them in. There's music, there's costumes, there's lighting. There's a lot of things to listen to and look at. And therefore, the lyric must be in that sense simple.” SS: The experience of a musical is so rich that it's like you're getting two kinds of dessert. You're getting the pecan cake and the caramel ice cream, so you don't want to overdo it with either one. SS: All art is about economy of means. It's about finding the part that is necessary and getting rid of the unnecessary. That's the hard part, but once you know it, if you're ruthless, you'll get rid of the extra and keep the great. In general, in art, less is more. Although you must remember, there is also Tolstoy!

A new play stars Audra McDonald as a famous writer who decides to investigate what really happened at her alma mater when she was a student there. McDonald and director Kenny Leon join us to discuss "Ohio State Murders," running at the James Earl Jones Theater through February 12th.

Writer Suzan-Lori Parks and director Kenny Leon on spiritual inspiration, making work that matters and why this Pulitzer-winning play is like 'Doctor Strange.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kenny Leon is one of the great directors of our time. He directed Denzel Washington in Raisin in one Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun and Sean Combs in another. He's won a Tony. He's worked with Jennifer Hudson and Harvey Fierstein and Audra McDonald and Phylicia Rashad and Viola Davis and on and on. So what is he doing on a Chicago podcast largely dedicated to politics? Well, he directed King James at the Steppenwolf Theatre. And Ben saw it. And loved it so much he just had to see it again. So, he flew to L.A. and...well, you'll have to listen to hear the rest of the story. Kenny talks basketball, politics, theater and his ongoing mission to find common themes that might help bridge our many divisions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you love theater, you've likely seen a set designed by Tony Award-winner Beowulf Boritt, from "Come From Away" to "Flying Over Sunset" to "Merry Wives" to "POTUS." Now he's drawn back the curtain on his process, and the importance of set design, in his new book, Transforming Space Over Time: Set Design and Visual Storytelling with Broadway's Legendary Directors. Boritt joins to reflect on his career, and his collaboration with directors like James Lapine, Kenny Leon, Hal Prince, Susan Stroman, Jerry Zaks, and Stephen Sondheim. Mecca: A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim Setting: Stephen Sondheim's Turtle Bay town house: the holiest of holies for several generations of theater artists. We're in a ground-floor living room, sprawling and cluttered, spreading from a small front entrance foyer through the main chamber to a back conservatory that opens into a community garden. The room's salient visual feature is Steve's collection of antique puzzles, displayed in frames and vitrines and arrayed on tables. Beowulf Boritt: I'm sure you hear this from a lot of people, but your shows, more than any others, are what convinced me to pursue theater. I grew up thinking musicals were frilly and silly, but when I started being exposed to your shows—first Sunday, then Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd—I thought, This is what I want to do. Stephen Sondheim: So you're blaming me? BB: Just placing blame where it's due, Steve! I asked various directors, “What productions made a strong impression on you when you were young?” Both James [Lapine] and Susan Stroman credited Sweeney Todd and its design as the show that made them think, This is what theater can be. Of course, Hal directed it, and the set was famously a real, and enormous, Victorian factory reassembled onstage by Eugene Lee. But that set isn't inherent in the writing; in fact, the action is never literally in a factory. When you were developing the show with Hugh Wheeler, it wasn't with a factory setting in mind, was it? SS: No, no. That came afterward. That was Hal's idea. I don't know how he came to it. For me, Sweeney Todd is not really a story of how the Industrial Revolution manufactured vengeful Sweeney Todds. That had nothing to do with what I wrote at all—though I did ultimately put one line in the lyrics about machines, to make Hal happy. I wanted to do it as a small, scary show. I told Hal that if we were going to do it at a big theater, I'd like to drape the entire place in black, have gaslit lampposts all around, and have the cast all around,too: on top of you, beside you, in the aisles, and so on. I wanted the whole theater to look like the inside of a coffin. I wanted an organ and an organist onstage for that opening prelude—a loud organsound to start the show. BB: You said you have no part in designing the show, but that's a very clear visual image you just described—your initial thoughts about it. SS: I have no visual imagination to say, “The costumes should be red.” But of course I have some ideas about staging the numbers. The director can throw them out, but I do go on record with what I am thinking. BB: I'm going to rewind to early in your career, to one of my favorite musicals and one I have not yet hada chance to design. Did you have any visuals in mind as you wrote West Side Story with Arthur Laurents and Leonard Bernstein? SS: Where is Puerto Rico? No, I don't think I had anything in mind, but I'll tell you an anecdote, one of those things that one never forgets. Oliver Smith, who designed it, wanted to show us the model of the setso we went out to his house in Brooklyn. He showed it to us and there was concern over the scene with the highway bridge, for the rumble at the end of the first act. Jerry Robbins—or maybe it was Lenny or Arthur—turned to me and said, “What do you think?” I was twenty-five years old! “I agree,” I said. “It just doesn't seem quite right.” Oliver turned on me and said, “Who cares what you think? You don't know anything about the theater!” He was really ugly. He was upset that they didn't like it, but he couldn't lash out at Jerry, Lenny, or Arthur, so— BB: And you were the new guy. SS: Yes. You know , I understand why he did it. BB: Did you ever work with him again? SS: No. BB: When you're the new kid, and an old hand lashes out at you, it's amazing how much it stings. You remember it forever. On my first Broadway show, Spelling Bee, that happened to me. Someone involved in the show, not James, really went after me because I was the new kid. To be honest, I had probably donesomething stupid—but it was unpleasant, and I will never forget it. BB: Last question, and it isn't really a question. I'm going to shorten the quote, but you've said, “Lyric writing has to exist in time. You have to lay the sentences out so there's enough air for the ear to take them in. There's music, there's costumes, there's lighting. There's a lot of things to listen to and look at. And therefore, the lyric must be in that sense simple.” SS: The experience of a musical is so rich that it's like you're getting two kinds of dessert. You're getting the pecan cake and the caramel ice cream, so you don't want to overdo it with either one. SS: All art is about economy of means. It's about finding the part that is necessary and getting rid of the unnecessary. That's the hard part, but once you know it, if you're ruthless, you'll get rid of the extra and keep the great. In general, in art, less is more. Although you must remember, there is also Tolstoy!

The Bard crashed the rehearsals of the Benson Theatre, and had the rewarding opportunity to talk with Kathy Tyree, Jared Cernousek, Kerri Forrester, and Moira Mangiameli!  Their show "American Son" opens Thursday, August 18th and will run from the 18th-21st and the 27th-29th.  Join us for some really deep conversations about race and perspective in this show, which was written by Christopher Demos-Brown.  We were so honored to talk with Director, and Omaha's Queen of Soul, Kathy Tyree;  the talented classical singer and now Actor, Kerri Forrester; the recent UNO Graduate of Theatre and Directing, Jared Cernousek, and the Benson Theatre's Executive Assistant, Moira Mangiameli.  Moira tells us about the new Benson Theatre and it's creation, orchestrated by Executive and Founding Director, Amy Ryan.  American Son made its world premiere at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, MA in June 2016. The play won the 2016 Laurents/Hatcher Award for Best New Play by an Emerging Playwright.  It then premiered on Broadway in 2018, and ran until 2019.   It was later adapted as a Netflix original movie which was nominated for an Emmy in 2020.  You may have heard us speak about Kenny Leon on our podcast before when talking about August Wilson's plays, and it's important to note that  Kenny Leon directed both the Broadway play and the Film.  Join us for a timely, heavy, yet fun interview about this play and meet the makers of this play at the new Benson Theatre! ***** BENSON THEATRE CONACT INFO: Website and Tickets: https://bensontheatre.org/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BensonTheatre  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bensontheatre/  Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BensonTheatre  6054 Maple Street, Omaha, NE  ***** HOW TO LISTEN TO THE PLATTE RIVER BARD PODCAST  Listen at https://platteriverbard.podbean.com or anywhere you get your podcasts.  We are on Apple, Google, Pandora, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Podbean, Overcast, Listen Now, Castbox and anywhere you get your podcasts. You may also find us by just asking Alexa.  Listen on your computer or any device on our website: https://www.platteriverbard.com. Find us on You Tube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCPDzMz8kHvsLcJRV-myurvA. Please find us and Subscribe!

Show Notes: 00:00​   Episode 52 and announcement about the podcast 01:00​   Have you seen the spoons? (Or, “The mystery of the silver where?”) 08:19​   Maggie's crazy “Volcano Town” dream. Can you control dreams? 11:18​   How the podcast has affected family dynamics. 15:48​   Preview of musical Trading Places at the Alliance Theatre  directed by Kenny Leon, Book by Thomas Lennon and Music and Lyrics by Alan Zachary & Michael Weiner (Note : “Ever After” was previewed at the Alliance Theatre in 2013 with Sierra Boggess as Danielle) 19:31​   Matt's great.  Spontaneity and communication make things happen! 21:47​   Maggie's date in Atlanta and everyone's relationship challenges. 27:4  ​   Conversations with adult kids vs. when they were younger. 32:10​   Listener question from Lindsey: “When siblings move away, how do you fill the void?” 38:16​   Exchange of gratitudes for making the Wholesome Chaos Podcast happen. Show Sponsor: Calm: Go to www.calm.com/chaos to get 40% off of premium subscription for a limited time.

“Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer” is coming to Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre next week, and we hear from playwright Cheryl West and director Joy Vandervort-Cobb. Plus, the latest installment of our series, “Speaking of the Arts,” features visual artist Paula Brett.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tony award-winning director Kenny Leon and actor/writer Thomas Lennon tell us about the musical “Trading Places.” The world premiere performance opens tonight at the Alliance Theater. Plus, photographer Dale Niles and collector Andrea Noel discuss their collaboration "What Lies Within," a photo book that documents the eclectic collector's world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/sLr6rbzYmik PETER BOGYO has been an actor, a Company Manager, a General Manager, an Executive Producer, a Producer of Special Events and Benefit Concerts, and an Author. On Broadway, he served as General Manager of LOVE LETTERS, starring Mia Farrow, Brian Dennehy, Carol Burnett, Alan Alda and Candice Bergen; THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, starring Cicely Tyson, Vanessa Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr.; STICK FLY, starring Dulé Hill, directed by Kenny Leon, TIME STANDS STILL, starring Laura Linney, directed by Daniel Sullivan, AMERICAN BUFFALO, starring John Leguizamo, directed by Robert Falls, A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, starring Kevin Spacey and Eve Best, directed by Howard Davies, THE BLONDE IN THE THUNDERBIRD, starring Suzanne Somers; SLY FOX, starring Richard Dreyfuss, directed by Arthur Penn; FORTUNE'S FOOL, starring Alan Bates and Frank Langella, directed by Arthur Penn, and VOICES IN THE DARK, starring Judith Ivey, directed by Christopher Ashley. Off-Broadway, his general manager credits include A MOTHER, A DAUGHTER, AND A GUN with Olympia Dukakis; Elaine May's ADULT ENTERTAINMENT, directed by Stanley Donen; Jerry Herman's musical revue SHOWTUNE; MR. GOLDWYN, starring Alan King, directed by Gene Saks; MADAME MELVILLE starring Macaulay Culkin and Joely Richardson; and THE UNEXPECTED MAN, starring Alan Bates and Eileen Atkins, directed by Matthew Warchus. He has served as Executive Producer for the soldout Carnegie Hall concert PIAF! THE SHOW, and for FIGARO 90210 at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street. For more information, please visit www.peterbogyo.comnstagram.com/pbogyo.gmg/

In this episode we check out Netflix's one hundred and eighty-fifth film, the 2019 drama ‘American Son' directed by Kenny Leon starring Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee.   Please follow us at Flix Forum on Facebook or @flixforum on Twitter and Instagram and answer our question of the week, 'Would you be interested in seeing the stage version of this?'   You can listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Podbean so please subscribe and drop us a review or 5 star rating.    If you're interested in what else we are watching, head on over to our Letterboxd profiles; Jesse  MJ   We also have our own Flix Forum Letterboxd page! Links to all our past episodes and episode ratings can be found there by clicking here.    Next week we have 'Drive', so check out the film before then. You can see the trailer here.   Flix Forum acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present, emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. 

Dean Richards, entertainment reporter for WGN, joined Bob Sirott to provide the latest news in entertainment. Dean and Bob talked about what could happen after Jussie Smollett’s sentencing and his interview with director Kenny Leon. He also discussed the death of Chicago TV executive Bob Ramsey what to watch this weekend, and WGN TV’s appearance […]

The second episode of Hey Awesome Girl with Tivi Jones features actress and writer Imani Vaughn-Jones, who currently stars as Zayla on NBC's latest drama, Ordinary Joe. Recently, Imani's 10-minute digital play 'A Single F*cking Retweet' was produced by Purdue University and showcased as part of Coalescence Theatre's 2021 Black Lives Black Words festival. The screenplay for her thriller 'Valencia' has been cleaning up on the festival circuit, with awards and placements including quarterfinalist for the 6th Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards, Finalist for the May Independent Short awards, and Best Thriller Screenplay at Festigious Los Angeles. She is a Dihvinely Konnecked Fellow with Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre and a loud and proud Capricorn. In this episode, Tivi Jones talks to Imani Vaughn-Jones about dreams that change, fulfillment, and tuning out the noise of others. _______ Want the full experience?: Find the video interview of this episode at: https://www.heyawesomegirl.com/show Learn more about Imani Vaughn-Jones: Imani Vaughn-Jones Website: imanivaughnjones.com Imani Vaughn-Jones Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imanivaughnjones/ Imani Vaughn-Jones Twitter: https://twitter.com/ItMeansFaith ________ ***Featured in this episode:*** Awesome, Cropped hoodie. Worn by Tivi: https://www.heyawesomegirl.com/product/awesome-since-2016-crop-hoodie/ ________ Every week Tivi interviews amazing Boss Babes in tech, medicine, law, entrepreneurship, entertainment, parenting, and more about their lives, goals, and how every day, they are working to add more Pleasure, Ease, and Abundance in their orbit. This show is part business advice, part life coaching, and part real talk with girlfriends. If you're looking for a show that's real and relatable but also inspiring at the same time, Hey Awesome Girl with Tivi Jones is the one for you! You can find us on all platforms @heyawesomegirls. Follow and subscribe to never miss an episode!

Brandall C. Jones is the Connectivity Director at Kenny Leon's True Colors Theater Company in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined Experientially Speaking to talk about the company's commitment to celebrating Black storytelling, and the importance of access and representation in theater. We also dig into art's role in understanding history, bringing people together, and much more. 

An Atlanta native, Victor Jackson (@MrGlamRockSoul), is a true multi-hyphenate talent by definition, he is a gifted singer, actor, writer and stylist - the so much more. He has been an artist all of his life and always wanted to “just create” from the moment he was a little boy. Victor brings a special and beautiful warmth to this episode of Blk on the Scene with sharing his intention to always wanting to "just create" and what that journey looked like for him. Episode Mentions: HBOs Lovecraft Country https://www.hbo.com/lovecraft-country Broadway Dreams Foundation https://broadwaydreams.org/ Kenny Leon's True Color Theater Company https://truecolorstheatre.org/ Real Housewives of Atlanta https://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-atlanta Trappy Hour https://www.instagram.com/trappyhourharlemreloaded/?hl=en Tri-Cities High School https://www.fultonschools.org/tricitieshs Creating Loafing https://creativeloafing.com/homepage Gotta Dance Atlanta https://www.got2dance.net/ Apache Cafe https://apachexlr.com/ Kandi Burruss https://www.instagram.com/kandi/?hl=en Bedroom Kandi https://www.bedroomkandi.com/ Donja R. Love https://www.them.us/story/donja-r-love-one-in-two-interview Purpose Awakening by Touré Roberts https://www.amazon.com/Purpose-Awakening-Discover-Motivated-Birth/dp/1455548375 Victor Jackson https://www.mrglamrocksoul.com/videos Victor Jackson New Music Video “Groovin” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnUkEvtG1kA&t=1s Please remember to subscribe, leave a rating and follow us on all social platforms @BLKONTHESCENE where you can share your love letter to BLK entertainment too.

As the Artistic Director at Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia and the Co-Founder of The New Griots Festival, Jamil has learned to be a better leader, a better husband, and a better father through multiple life transitions over the years. He prides himself on personally developing through adversities and the simple things in life. In this episode of the Work N Play Podcast, we discussed: - Being a leader and stepping up in a pandemic- Managing being a new girl dad- Remaining authentic as a black man with the growth of being a leader in various rooms And so much more! Connect with Jamil in instagram: Connect with the host Arylle:

Welcome back to the podcast! Marvelously proficient composer, arranger and songwriter Matthew Head joins me on this episode to discuss his background and diverse career. Matthew's soundtracks have garnered Grammy, Emmy, Peabody and NAACP awards and nominations, all while working from his home in Marietta, Georgia. His notable projects include TV series such as GREENLEAF (on OWN), Boomerang (on BET), THE FAMILY and P-VALLEY. Here I talk with Matthew about composing and arranging score and songs for the new Lifetime feature, ROBIN ROBERTS PRESENTS: MAHALIA, which details the life of gospel music legend Mahalia Jackson, starring Danielle Brooks and directed by Kenny Leon.   The soundtrack for ROBIN ROBERTS PRESENTS: MAHALIA, produced by Matthew Head, including both score and songs with performances by Danielle Brooks, is available from ABKCO Music & Records.   Stay safe out there, wear a mask and take care of yourself and each other!    Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod   Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com   

My next guest is HBCU grad Kenny Leon, TONY Award-winning and EMMY-nominated Broadway, TV and Film Director, and is the Director and a Co-Executive Producer on Lifetime's highly-anticipated Gospel biopic "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia." The new movie premieres Saturday April 3rd at 8pm/7c, starring TONY Award-nominee, SAG and GRAMMY Award-winning actress Danielle Brooks as the music legend and civil rights trailblazer Mahalia Jackson, one of the most celebrated Gospel figures in U.S. history. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Kenny Leon.https://www.moneymakingconversations.comhttps://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversationshttps://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingConversations/https://twitter.com/moneymakingconvhttps://www.instagram.com/moneymakingconversations/Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday on Political Rewind: a conversation with one of the most respected and beloved artists to come out of the Atlanta theater community. Kenny Leon is a Tony award-winning director of Broadway theater, filmmaker and a director of several prime time television shows. His work often illuminates the social issues of our day, and seeks to bring us together across racial, religious and political divides. Leon recently directed a series called Amend, featuring Will Smith, about the transformational power of the 14th Amendment. The show is now streaming on Netflix. For his latest project, Leon directs a biopic on the life of the great gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Robin Roberts Presents: The Mahalia Jackson Story follows the rise of one of the most influential voices in American music. The film follows Jackon's life, struggles and achievements through a tumultuous period in U.S. history. Leon said he sought to avoid an unrealistic portrayal of the singer, played by Danielle Brooks, and instead focus on Jackson's resilience in the face of adversity. "The story we're telling is not about a person who is anointed with a great voice and who is perfect," Leon said. "We're telling a story of a woman who was knocked down 10 times but got up 11 times." Panelist: Kenny Leon — Actor, author and Tony Award-winning director, and director of the upcoming Robin Roberts Presents: The Mahalia Jackson Story