'Immediate Family,' Directed By Phylicia Rashad, Opens May 3 At Mark Taper Forum

L-R: Cynda Williams (background), Bryan Terrell Clark, Shanésia Davis, Mark Jude Sullivan (background), J. Nicole Brooks and Kamal Angelo Bolden in Paul Oakley Stovall’s “Immediate Family,” directed by Phylicia Rashad, playing April 22 through June 7, 2015, at the CTG/Mark Taper Forum.

                “Immediate Family,” a biting new comedy written by Paul Oakley Stovall and directed by Phylicia Rashad,  opens at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum on Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. Performances continue through June 7, 2015. (Previews began April 22.)

The play explores evolving ideas of marriage and family. When the Bryant siblings come together for the first time in five years to attend a wedding, the family reunion quickly becomes a hilarious family showdown. Secrets are revealed and long-held beliefs are challenged as a spirited game of cards brings all of the family dysfunctions to the table.

The cast for “Immediate Family” includes Kamal Angelo Bolden, J. Nicole Brooks, Bryan Terrell Clark, Shanésia Davis, Mark Jude Sullivan and Cynda Williams.

Sets for “Immediate Family” are by John Iacovelli, costumes by ESOSA, lights by Elizabeth Harper, sound is by Joshua Horvath with wigs and hair by Carol F. Doran. The production stage manager is David Blackwell.

 For tickets and information, please visit CenterTheatreGroup.org or call (213) 628-2772.

Robey Theatre's 'The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel' Set To Play National Black Theatre Festival

Robey Receives Academic Recognition

            The Magnificent Dunbar Hotel, the 20^th Anniversary production of Robey Theatre Company that was a critical and audience favorite, and that played an extended sold-out engagement at Los Angeles Theatre Center in late 2014, has been chosen as an official selection of the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C. It will play there August 3 through August 8, 2015.

            The play, written by Levy Lee Simon and directed by Ben Guillory, tells the story of the people who built and ran the famous Dunbar Hotel, and of the famous people who performed and stayed there.

            For information regarding tickets, go to www.nbtf.org

LAWTF 'Celebration' Set For June 19 In Culver City

For one very special night, the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival (LAWTF)  comes to Culver City for a unique performance on Friday, June 19, 2015 at 8 p.m. The venue will be the Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. The show will be hosted by Hattie Winston (Becker) and Joyce Guy (Parenthood).

The theme for the evening will be “Celebration: Steel Drums, Ballet Slippers and Resilience!” Six of LAWTF’s encore performers will be featured. Works are excerpted and include:

Wendy Hammers (RIPE): Part stand-up confessional, part booty-shakin’ biography, RIPE is a juicy dance with words, a celebration of the fleeting nature of life itself.

Juliette Jeffers (Pan Gyul): A Trinidadian woman who loves to play the steel drums in the 1950s deals with the fact that playing the drums was meant exclusively for men at that time.

Florence LaRue (Just As I Am): Ms. LaRue, a founding member of the legendary and award-winning pop vocal group The 5^TH Dimension, gives a glimpse into the life of the woman, not the celebrity.

Sharrell D. Luckett (YoungGiftedandFat): Once over 100 pounds heavier, Sharrell serves up interesting insights on her emotional struggle to adjust to life after her major weight loss.

Tracy Silver (Motion Cures): A misunderstood child in a dysfunctional family shares how the beauty and grace of ballet saved her life.

Jozanne Marie (Beautiful): Jamaican-born, Jozanne shares her brave story of survival, faith and victory in a personal story about a girl, an island and a secret.

The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, a non-profit arts organization, was founded by Executive Producer Adilah Barnes and Miriam Reed.

“Celebration: Steel Drums, Ballet Slippers and Resilience!” marks the LAWTF’s fifth consecutive annual program for residents of Culver City. This performance is made possible in part by the Culver City Performing Arts Grant Program with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Tickets for the performance are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $18 for students, seniors, and groups of 10 or more.

Reservations: (818) 760-0408. Online reservations are available at http://www.lawtf.org

To join and follow LAWTF on Facebook and Twitter, click on their links at http://www.lawtf.org

Fargas Named Brand Ambassador For COZI TV

Antonio Fargas , best known as "Huggy Bear" from   Starsky & Hutch,   has signed on as the first brand ambassador for NBC's COZI TV.

In this role, he'll star in exclusive musical promos for the network, which airs iconic series including   Starsky & Hutch   as well as   Magnum, P.I., Charlie's Angels, The Bionic Woman, Six Million Dollar Man   and   Lone Ranger,   plus classic movies.

Fargaas kicked off his relationship with COZI TV on Monday, with the premiere of the first of three network identity spots featuring Fargas and his swing band, The New Jump Blues (watch it below). The musical promos feature soundtracks created exclusively forCOZI TV. The other two promos will premiere later in the year. 

In his new role as brand ambassador, Fargas will also host other projects for the network.

"We are thrilled to have Antonio be part of the COZI TV family," said   Diane Petzke,  director of programming and promotion. "Antonio's career embodies our programming philosophy and the warm, inviting and laid-back attitude of our network."

After  Starsky & Hutch  ended its run in 1979, Fargas continued his stage, film and television career with roles in such movies as   Foxy Brown, Don't be a Menace  and  Car Wash   and appearances on shows including  All My Children, House of Lies, Miami Vice, Lie to Me   and  Everybody Hates Chris.

COZI TV launched on Jan. 1, 2013, on the multicast channels of the NBC Owned Television Stations and is now available in about 80 million homes nationally.

Story written by The Hollywood Reporter Staff  4/20/2015 9:10am PDT 

'Mad Max: Fury Road' Set To Open May 15

Synopsis:  From director George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary “Mad Max” franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a return to the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy).

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa(Charlize Theron). They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD opens nationwide on May 15^th!

2Pac’s ”California Love” Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDZ961xhNEo

Mad Max: Fury Road ‘Legacy’ Featurette: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-V16V3M23U

Mad Max: Fury Road Official Main Trailer: https://youtu.be/hEJnMQG9ev8?list=PLVfin74Qx3tVK4KoWLOmddtCqO-syK1nh

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadMaxMovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/madmaxmovie

Site: http://www.madmaxmovie.com/

#MadMax

'Rock My Soul' Tribute For Pastor Andrae Crouch

 

Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans

 

Donnie McClurkin, CeCe Winans and Marvin Winans 

Honor Their Friend and Mentor in a Musical Tribute during

Cleveland Rock Week

Recently, the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame and Museum rolled out the red carpet for gospel legend Andrae’ Crouch during the Rock My Soul: Gospel Music Celebration. Once the tickets were made available to the public they were gone in 12 minutes, needless to say, the house was packed. Some of Crouch’s long-time friends were on hand for the special occasion and everyone who turned out was there to remember all that he contributed to the music industry.  Crouch’s influence reached beyond the walls of the church and was woven throughout mainstream entertainment.  Crouch’s legacy lives on as his music is still being sung in churches around the world.

 

The seven-time Grammy winner was honored by musical greats Donnie McClurkin, CeCe Winans and Marvin Winans who all acknowledge Crouch as the person who paved the way for them.  “He set the standard so high for us and we’re still trying to reach that level,” says CeCe Winans. What was billed as a tribute concert turned into touching moments filled with stories of humble beginnings, laced with laughter and tears as God’s presence settled into the atmosphere. 

 

“Andrae’ Couch made an indelible impression on the way we write, the way we do harmonies, chords and structure,” says Marvin Winans

 

Where would Donnie McClurkin be today had a man named Andrae Crouch not stopped to pray for an eleven year old boy after a concert simply asking, “God give to him what you gave to me?”  McClurklin says, “After he prayed for me God gave me the gift to play the piano and that’s how I learned to sing.”

 

For those who couldn’t make it to Cleveland, truly missed a musical trip down memory lane, but can enjoy highlights of the evening by viewing the following links:

 

CeCe Winans:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG7XBxNX2A8

Donnie McClurkin:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vUepOIRywg

Marvin Winans:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upn34lF0WHo

Pickens and Avery To Be Honored At 'Giving Back'

James Pickens, Jr., and Margaret Avery will be honored at the 16^th Annual Roast/Toast sponsored by the Giving Back Corporation, Saturday, Apr. 25, 5 p.m., Doubletree by Hilton 6161 Centinela Avenue, Culver City, CA.  Ticket prices $100 and $75.  Telma Hopkins is the evenings’ hostess while Willard Pugh The Colored Purple will provide  the entertainment. 

James Pickens, Jr. is probably best known for his role as Dr. Webber on the long running hit ABC Show Grey’s Anatomy.  Margaret Avery is seen weekly on BET’s smash Being Mary Jane.

Giving Back Corporation was started 18 years ago, by Founder, and Executive Director, Ken Sagoes.   “Each year we are so pleased that we have the previous year’s honorees return and pass our torch onto the new recipients.”  States Sagoes.   “Each year, because of Giving Back, we are able to give financial aid to many urban students to assist with books, computers, lodging, etc.”  The Giving Back Corporation Scholarship Program has provided support to over 200 students over the 16 years.  The students have completed studies with Howard University, UCLA, UCS, Harvard, Yale, Pepperdine, etc. 

Past honorees have included Harold Wheeler Dancing With The Stars, Barbara Montgomery Amen, Ted Lange Loveboat, Ruby Dee, Bill Duke, Dick Anthony Williams, and Irma P. Hall The Ladykillers.