Nita Whitaker and Kiandra Richardson Shine In BeBe Winans' Musical 'Born For This' At Broad

By Darlene Donloe

The story of BeBe Winans is being told through song in the rousing musical, Born For This, currently enjoying a successful run at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

There’s some incredible sangin’ going on to deliver the story of how BeBe went from being in the shadows of his famous brothers, The Winans, to a stint on the PTL Club, to eventual stardom as part of a duo with his equally talented sister, CeCe Winans.

Yes, there is sangin’ going on, not singing. Singing would not give this show justice. The singers in this show are sangin’ their hearts out.

Nita Whitaker

Kiandra Richardson

Two of those singers are Nita Whitaker, who plays Mom Winans and Kiandra Richardson, who plays Whitney Houston.

In the show Juan Winans plays his uncle, BeBe.  Deborah Joy Winans (Juan’s sister, who also stars in the series Greenleaf) plays their aunt, CeCe Winans.

In Born For This, Detroit teenagers BeBe and CeCe Winans experience the ultimate in culture shock when they are invited to join Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Praise The Lord network in Pineville, North Carolina. The Bakkers become an unlikely surrogate family as BeBe and CeCe rapidly become the hottest stars in televangical America. Eventually crossing over to mainstream fame, BeBe must learn to reconcile they temptations of fame and fortune with the things he values more. It’s a wildly funny yet emotional journey toward self-discovery.

Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans

CeCe and BeBe Winans

Born For This, book by Randolph-Wright and BeBe Winans, featuring music and lyrics by BeBe Winans, plays at the Broad through August 6. The show, directed and co-written by Charles Randolph Wright (Motown: The Musical) premiered last year at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

I recently caught up with Nita Whitaker and Kiandra Richardson to talk about the show.

Nita Whitaker and Milton Craig Nealy (Pop Winans)

DD: Nita, how did you go about developing Mom Winans and what age are you playing?

NW: I’m playing her in her 40s and 50s.  To develop her I watched videos on YouTube to get her movements and to get her mothering sensibilities. I just wanted to observe her.

DD: What did you find by observing her?

NW:  It was about finding her voice. There isn’t a lot of video of her speaking. So there’s no dialogue to really study. I wanted to get her physicality. She was an incredible woman who raised 10 kids. I wanted to her sense of authority and humor.

DD: So what is your impression of Mom Winans?

NW: She’s a grand lady. There is nothing but pride when you get to see your children fly.

DD: What was the one thing you wanted to get across to audiences?

NW:  I wanted to make her real and human and a flawed human being. I wanted to capture all the things that make her who she is.

Nita Whitaker (foreground) and Milton Craig Nealy rehearsing 'Born For This.'

DD: Your song, Seventh Son, brings down the house.

NW:  Thank you.  The first workshop of the show the song wasn’t in the show. I remember thinking, ‘this is a mom who would pray for her children.  She needs another song. Two weeks before the workshop Charles (Randolph Wright) was in London. He called BeBe, who was about to get on a play. He said he needed a song for Mom Winans. All along my feeling was that Mom needed to get her moment. She gets it with Seventh Son.

DD: It’s an incredible song.

NW:  I wanted the song to be a prayer for all of her children. That’s exactly what we got.

Juan Winans, Kiandra Richardson and Deborah Joy Winans in 'Born For This' 

DD: Kiandra, you’re playing Whitney Houston, who is someone very well known.  What kind of research did you do to develop the role?

KR:  I didn’t want to mimic Whitney. I just wanted to bring the essence of Whitney.  I just watched a lot of her videos. I wanted to capture some of the things Whitney would do. I studied her mannerisms. I studied what she would do with her hands.

DD:  Before you got the role of Whitney, what did you think of her?

KR: I know a lot of people look at her as being larger than life, but I’ve always looked at Whitney as a human being.

DD: The show pretty much depicts her as being down to earth.

KR:  When studying her it brought it all together for me. She was not a glamorous person in real life. That was left for the stage. She was real.

Juan Winans, Kiandra Richardson and Deborah Joy Winans 

DD: What was the biggest challenge?

KR:  As an actor you want to give glimpses of whoever you’re portraying. You always want to find good things, even if you don’t agree with some things surrounding the person. As an actor you have to tell the story from your perspective.  As an actor you when you’re playing an angel, you find the devil in them and vice versa.

DD: How do you prepare to go on stage?

KR:  I prepare with prayer and meditation. I’m listening to meditation and watching Whitney videos.

DD:  Where do you go when you’re on stage?

KR:  I get lost in the story. I’m delivering it. I just get lost.

DD: What is your favorite part of the show?

KR:  I think it’s the closet scene. It’s when I’m showing them the clothes they should use for their upcoming tour.  It’s when Whitney is talking to BeBe and CeCe and she gets to just be Nippy (Whitney’s nickname), the girl from Newark. She tells them both not to live for fame.

DD: How did you come to get this role?

KR:  I was auditioning for American Idol in 2015. I got my golden ticket.  A week before I was supposed to start, I had to fly out to audition for this show. I auditioned. The next day they offered me the role.  I was in a beauty supply store when BeBe called me. He said, ‘Girl, you need to come do this show.’  We talked for about 30 minutes. I prayed on it.  

DD: You passed on American Idol?  That had to be a hard decision.

KR:  It was the best decision that I could have made. I have no regrets.

Born For This, The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, 1310 11^th St, Santa Monica, CA, 7:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. through Aug. 6; www.thebroadstage.com or 310 434-3200.

Paul Robeson Theatre Festival Set For August

            Coming soon: Robey Theatre Company’s second Paul Robeson Theatre Festival. 

            The theme will be Harlem to Central Avenue.

            Beginning in 1917, the Harlem Renaissance was the flowering of Black performing, literary and visual arts that signaled the birth of the New Negro Movement, an attempt by African Americans in the arts to define their own identity free of historic stereotypes. In the words of novelist and poet Langston Hughes, “We younger artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased, we are glad. If they are not, it doesn’t matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too. The tom-tom cries and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased, we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn’t matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves.”

            In the decades that followed, the New Negro Movement made its way west from Harlem to California, and Los Angeles’ Central Avenue became the center of African-American culture in this city.

            The 2017 Paul Robeson Theatre Festival will celebrate the Harlem Renaissance and the impact that it ultimately had on Black culture and the arts in Los Angeles.

            The Robey Theatre Company, founded by Ben Guillory and Danny Glover, has presented award-winning African-American theatre in Los Angeles for over two decades. The Paul Robeson Theatre Festival will take place at Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA. 

            Beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 25, the Festival starts with a Gala reception, welcoming by co-founders Danny Glover and Ben Guillory, formal announcements of upcoming events, presentation of awards recognizing creative achievements, and the rehearsed reading of a new play “Birdland Blues” by Randy Ross Ph.D.

            Saturday, August 26, at noon: A Conversation: Playwriting-The Creative Process.

            2 p.m. and 7 p.m.- Performances of a program of short plays inspired by the theme of the Festival. 

            Sunday, August 27 at 1 p.m.: A Conversation: The Rehearsal Process.

            3 p.m. – A repeat performance of the short plays.

            Instead of performing different plays at each of the three show times, all three performances will feature the same short plays, effectively giving the plays a mini-run that will allow different audiences to see the complete roster of plays at the time most convenient for them, and will also permit audience members to see the plays more than once, should they be so inclined.

            The program of short plays will be presented in Los Angeles Theatre Center’s intimate Theatre 4.

            The particular plays being performed and ticket prices for the performances will be discussed in an upcoming release. The two Conversation events will be free to the general public.

            The 2017 Paul Robeson Theatre Festival: Harlem to Central Avenue. Presented by Robey Theatre Company in association with The Latino Theater Company. August 25-27, 2017. At Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013.

            Tickets: $35 Opening Night. $35 one performance. $25 group sales of ten or more. Early Bird Bargain: Order by August 18 to get Opening Night plus one performance.

            For information: (213) 489-7402; www.robeytheatrecompany.org

Production Underway On 'Isn't It Romantic?'

Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, Adam Devine and Priyanka Chopra

provide topsy-turvy love and laughs under the direction of Todd Strauss-Schulson

                BURBANK, CA – July 10, 2017 – Principal photography has begun on New Line Cinema’s romantic comedy “Isn’t It Romantic?” starring Rebel Wilson (“How to Be Single,” the “Pitch Perfect” films), Liam Hemsworth (the “Hunger Games” films), Adam Devine (“The Intern,” the “Pitch Perfect” films) and Priyanka Chopra (“Quantico,” “Baywatch”), under the direction of Todd Strauss-Schulson (“A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,” “The Final Girls”).

New York City architect Natalie works hard to get noticed at her job, but is more likely to be asked to deliver coffee and bagels than to design the city’s next skyscraper.  And if things weren’t bad enough, Natalie, a lifelong cynic when it comes to love, has an encounter with a mugger that renders her unconscious, waking to discover that her life has suddenly become her worst nightmare—a romantic comedy—and she is the leading lady.

Wilson stars as Natalie, alongside Liam Hemsworth as Blake, a handsome client; Adam Devine, as her earnest best friend, Josh; and Priyanka Chopra as yoga ambassador Isabella.

Strauss-Schulson directs from a screenplay by Erin Cardillo, Dana Fox & Katie Silberman, and Paula Pell.  Todd Garner (“Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” “Tag”), Gina Matthews & Grant Scharbo (“13 Going on 30,” “What Women Want”) are producing, with Marty Ewing (“The Accountant,” “It”) and Jeremy Stein (“Into the Storm”) executive producing.  Filming is taking place in and around New York City.

Collaborating with Strauss-Schulson behind the scenes are director of photography Simon Duggan (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hacksaw Ridge”), production designer Sharon Seymour (“Argo,” “The Town”), editor Andrew Marcus (“Begin Again,” “Sing Street”), and costume designer Leah Katznelson (“How to Be Single,” “Sleeping with Other People”).

The film is set for a Valentine’s Day release in 2019, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The Dunkirk VR Experience Is Now Available

Warner Bros. Pictures, in partnership with Microsoft, Intel and Dell, has created Save Every Breath: The Dunkirk VR Experience (VRE), which went live July 7th, and is available on multiple virtual reality platforms, at dunkirkmovie.com/vr.  The pulse-pounding 360-degree short film immerses the viewer in the world of Christopher Nolan’s epic action thriller “Dunkirk.”  Through three tightly woven sequences, the VRE offers a tantalizing taste of the much-anticipated film, in which 400,000 Allied soldiers are trapped on the beach of Dunkirk, France, with their backs to the sea as the enemy closes in.  “Dunkirk” opens in conventional theatres and IMAX® on July 21, 2017.

                The writer/director/producer of “Dunkirk,” Christopher Nolan, said, “In just a few taut moments, the Dunkirk VR Experience provides a thrilling glimpse of the three main settings in our film in a uniquely subjective way.” 

                Created by Practical Magic, the VRE features specially created original content that thrusts viewers into each of the movie’s three key perspectives—land, sea and air—where they experience firsthand the race against time to survive under enemy fire.  The twisting time frames of the scenes mirror the non-linear structure of the circuitous time scales in Nolan’s movie.

                The virtual reality experience takes your breath away, submerging you underwater in the channel, surrounded by danger; then taking you to the skies, piloting an RAF Spitfire; and finally onto the beach, one of hundreds of thousands of trapped Allied soldiers awaiting their fate.

                Matthew Lewis, the president of Practical Magic, directed and produced Save Every Breath: The Dunkirk VR Experience.  He offered, “The world Christopher Nolan created for ‘Dunkirk’ played right into the strengths of VR.  It’s relentless storytelling with the enemy always a breath away.  We knew exactly how we wanted to bring that into VR—to put you right there in that moment.  It’s just a taste of the story you’ll see on the big screen…and ‘Dunkirk’ is a film that truly must be seen on the big screen.”

www.dunkirkmovie.com/vr  

About DUNKIRK

From filmmaker Christopher Nolan (“Interstellar,” “Inception,” “The Dark Knight” Trilogy) comes the epic action thriller “Dunkirk.”

                “Dunkirk” features a multigenerational ensemble cast, including Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, James D’Arcy and Barry Keoghan, with Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy.

                Nolan directed “Dunkirk” from his own screenplay, utilizing a mixture of IMAX® and 65mm film to bring the story to the screen.  The film was produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan, with Jake Myers serving as executive producer.

                The behind-the-scenes creative team on “Dunkirk” included director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Nathan Crowley, editor Lee Smith, costume designer Jeffrey Kurland, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and special effects supervisor Scott Fisher.  The music was composed by Hans Zimmer.

                Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Syncopy Production, a film by Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk.”  Opening in conventional theatres and IMAX, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

This film has been rated PG-13 for intense war experience and some language.

'Spider-Man: Homecoming,' Cool Superhero Movie

By Darlene Donloe

If Spider-Man: Homecoming is any indication about the franchise’s future, it’s going to be just fine.

That’s because the latest installment is fun, refreshing, hilarious and entertaining.

And, although Peter Parker is only a high school kid, he’s the man. I take that back. He’s the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.  And, he’s a good one. The other two actors to play the role, Tobey McGuire and Andrew Garfield – were actually grown men.  All three have left their mark on the character.

Spider-Man fans will rejoice watching this fantasy/science fiction film, out nationwide on July 7. The story, a bit off center, is still engaging enough to make it interesting. All ages will enjoy this wild ride.  

Tom Holland as Spider-Man

Remember when a young Spider-Man made his debut in Captain America: Civil War with the Avengers? It was met with wide approval.

Well, this time he’s on his own – well sort of. Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) does make an appearance. And, well, there is a kind-of an appearance from the other Avengers. You’ll have to see the movie.

So, after saving the world from evil with the other Avengers, Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei). Because he is a neophyte superhero, he is still under the watchful eye of his mentor Tony Stark, who designs his powerful Spider-Man costume.  Peter’s friends believe he has an internship with Stark’s company.

So, Peter is just being an ordinary teenager when, to everyone’s surprise (actually no one is surprised) the evil Vulture (Michael Keaton) is causing chaos.  Keaton is a good villain. He’s colder than ice and is actually kinda spooky. It makes you wonder why he’s not still playing Batman. But, I digress. Vulture is about to cause some major mayhem when he and his gang unload alien weapons on the black market, but Peter is not having any of it. Spider-Man is out to stop them by any means necessary.

Zendaya

There are some flat out funny moments in this film, including Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans’ humorous Captain America PSAs.  Zendaya does a comical turn as one of Peter’s classmates, as does Jon Favreau as Stark’s right hand man. One of the funniest moments in the film is when Peter’s best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), finds out Parker is actually Spider-Man.  It’s classic. It’s brilliant! It’s hilarious!

Laura Harrier

A standout, fabulously fine turn in the film is its diversity. Peter Parker’s love interest in the film is a tall, smart African American classmate named Liz (Laura Harrier).

This is the best Spider-Man ever!

Spider-Man: Homecoming, directed by Jon Watts, stars Tom Holland (Spider-Man) Michael Keaton (Vulture), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark), Donald Glover, Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds), Zendaya (Michelle), Jon Favreau, Laura Harrier (Liz Allan), Tony Revolori (Flash Thompson), Bokeem Woodbine (Herman Schultz/Shocker) and Tyne Daly.

ON the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likeable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony Pictures) gets an E (excellent).

Rated: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence, some language and brief suggestive comments); Running time: 2h 13m.

Jackiem Joyner's Sixth CD Has A 'Main Street Beat'

Jackiem Joyner has spent a lot of time on airplanes this month to pave the way for the arrival of his sixth album, Main Street Beat, a steamrolling sax set that was recently released by Artistry Music/Mack Avenue Records. Jetting back and forth from his suburban Los Angeles base, Joyner is taking the album he produced, boasting nine of his original compositions, directly to audiences in all parts of the U.S. so they can dance with him to the funky new tracks that reflect his ardor and appreciation for the Motown sound while celebrating his joy of becoming a father. 

The Main Street Beat concert trek began close to home in nearby Pasadena in early June before taking flight for shows in major cities, including Cincinnati, Birmingham, San Diego and Philadelphia. Fireworks will be flying in front of an anticipated crowd of 40,000 when Joyner hits the stage at a Fourth of July event presented by Los Angeles urban radio station KJLH. He will fly back east again to play Akron, Ohio’s BLU Jazz+ on July 7 and resume the busy coast-to-coast travel for a run of August concerts.           

A high-energy set showcasing Joyner’s impassioned horn play on tenor, soprano and alto sax, Main Street Beat was originally intended to be a funk record, but became more with R&B, contemporary jazz and pop nuances seeping into the mix. The grooves - many of which are infused with the soul power of a muscular sax section laid down in layers by Joyner - are undeniably danceable while his innate flair for crafting catchy hooks and buoyant melodies are prominent in the new material he penned for the project. Aptly, Joyner selected a pair of tunes to record that embody these elements: Justin Timberlake’s euphoric “Can’t Stop The Feeling” and Bruno Mars’ old-school party jam “Treasure.” Guesting on the album are a pair of noteworthy guitarists: Steve Oliver, who appears on the first single named for Joyner’s daughter, “Trinity,” and Chicago hitman Nick Colionne, who strums his electric jazz guitar with trademark panache on “When You Smile.”  

The release of “Main Street Beat” coincides with the tenth anniversary of Joyner’s debut disc, “Babysoul.”

Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans Talk About Playing BeBe and CeCe Winans In 'Born For This'

Juan Winans and Deborah Joy Winans
Photo by Greg Mooney

By Darlene Donloe

The rehearsal hall at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica is abuzz with activity. Actors are stretching, some are vocalizing, many are milling around.

In a week all of them will be center stage for the opening of Born For This, a musical about the life and career of Grammy® award-winning, gospel sensation BeBe Winans.

Juan Winans, who plays his uncle, BeBe, in the show, comes over to introduce himself as does the show’s director and co-writer Charles Randolph Wright (Motown: The Musical).

Juan and his sister, Deborah Joy Winans, who stars in the series Greenleaf, rehearse their duet, Lord Lift Us Up.  Their harmony and obvious emotional connection is palpable.

Nita Whitaker, who plays Mom Winans, brings down the house during rehearsal when she sings Seventh Son. The song is so emotional, even fellow cast members who have heard the song on numerous occasions, are wiping away tears.

In Born For This, Detroit teenagers BeBe and CeCe Winans experience the ultimate in culture shock when they are invited to join Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s Praise The Lord network in Pineville, North Carolina. The Bakkers become an unlikely surrogate family as BeBe and CeCe rapidly become the hottest stars in televangical America. Eventually crossing over to mainstream fame, BeBe must learn to reconcile they temptations of fame and fortune with the things he values more. It’s a wildly funny yet emotional journey toward self-discovery.

Born For This, book by Randolph-Wright and BeBe Winans, featuring music and lyrics by BeBe Winans, opens July 11 at the Broad. The show premiered last year at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta and the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.

I recently spoke to Juan (JW) and Deborah Joy (DJ) about the show and what audiences can expect.  They are both relaxed and fresh-faced as they don that classic Winans smile.

Deborah Joy Winans

DD: What is it like when you’re playing your own relatives?

JW: We’ve spent so much time together that it’s easy to step into these roles. This is a family that we love and have much respect and admiration for. I’ve spent a lot of time on stage with BeBe in the performance aspect so I get to pick up some things. And, of course, some of it is genetic. That has made it enjoyable and fun. It’s a great opportunity to relive their journey.  We even found out some things we didn't know.

DD: What are some things you didn’t know?

JW: How much racism they faced in North Carolina in the early 80s. We didn’t know how much it played how much they had to conduct themselves.   Facing racism at 15 or 16, it shapes you.  It shapes your outlook. I think it impacts your art. That’s really important.  It gives you a different perspective.

DD: What did you learn personally about BeBe or CeCe?  Did something come up that you didn’t know?

JW: We spent a lot of time with them. You look at the things they faced and challenged and you get a greater sense of their resilience and fortitude.  You understand their character and realize who they are.  You can’t get this far in this business without being resilient and having character. You have to tap into that reservoir.  When you think about what my grandparents gave them and what our parents, my dad, Carvin, gave to us. You see what has happened through the generations and realize where you come from.

Juan Winans

DD: What happens to you when you hit the stage? Are you fully aware of what’s going on around you?

JW: I try to put myself where BeBe would be. I’m just responding to what is happening on stage because something different can happen every night. That’s the best part, and fun part, of doing the show.

DJ: I’m fully aware.  By the time I hit the stage I’ve spent a lot of time in rehearsals fine tuning the nuances and the character. When you step on stage you need to be fully present. I know what I’m doing. I like to be fully present.

(l-r) Juan Winans, Kiandra Richardson and Deborah Joy Winans
Photo by Greg Mooney

 DD: How do you prepare to go on stage? Is there a ritual?

JW: We certainly pray as a company. Me and Deborah pray before we go on. Physically we warm up and try to be ready. There are parts of the show that are emotionally challenging. It can overtake you. Being focused on our calling and our gift is very important.

DD:  What is your favorite moment of song in the show?

JW: It depends. I love singing the title song, Born For This. It’s an amazing song written by an amazing songwriter, if I may say so myself.  Also the closing number as well. The life that it brings.

DD: What do you want the audience to leave with? Why should they come see this show?

JW: The great part about this story is that we touch on things and ideas that are valuable to all of us as human beings. I want them to leave inspired. Find their purpose.  Aspire to love one another and take care of one another. That’s a very relevant message in the times we find ourselves in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvpmD_3_RQo

DD: You have performed this is Atlanta and in D.C.    Will you switch up anything for the LA audience?

JW:   I’m excited to be here.  I used to live here. It is great to be back. Challenge to be in epicenter of media and entertainment. They are not going to cut us any slack, so I’m up for bringing the A game every night.

DD: I have a bug to pick with you both, in fact your whole family. How is it that everyone in the family can sing? That’s just not fair.

JW: You’re going to have to talk to God about that.

DJ: Yep, you gotta take that up with the Lord.

Born For This, The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage, 1310 11^th St., Santa Monica; 7:30 p.m., Tues.-Fri.; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. through Aug. 6; www.thebroadstage.com, 310 434-3200.