|
Leslie Lee (playwright)
Leslie Lee (1930 – January 20, 2014) was an American playwright, director and professor of playwriting and screenwriting. Life and work Leslie Lee grew up in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree from Villanova University. Lee's early theatre experience was at Ellen Stewart's La Mama Experimental Theatre Club in the East Village, Manhattan. His play ''Elegy for a Down Queen'' was produced at La MaMa in 1970 and in 1972 by John Vaccaro's Playhouse of the Ridiculous. ''Cops and Robbers'' was produced at La MaMa in 1971 by La MaMa GPA Nucleus Company. 1997, marked the beginning of Mr. Lee's theatre collaboration (spanning twenty years) with his Dramatic Writing Student from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts whom he deemed his protégé, Sophia Romma (née Murashkovsky). Colonel Lee directed Sophia Murashkovsky's play, ''Love, In the Eyes of Hope, Dies Last'' which was produced at La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Playwright
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder (as in a wheelwright or cartwright). The words combine to indicate a person who has "wrought" words, themes, and other elements into a dramatic form—a play. (The homophone with "write" is coincidental.) The first recorded use of the term "playwright" is from 1605, 73 years before the first written record of the term "dramatist". It appears to have been first used in a pejorative sense by Ben Jonson to suggest a mere tradesman fashioning works for the theatre. Jonson uses the word in his Epigram 49, which is thought to refer to John Marston: :''Epigram XLIX — On Playwright'' :PLAYWRIGHT me reads, and still my verses damns, :He says I want the tongue of epigrams ; :I have no salt, no bawdry he doth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newspapers, digital and national publications, and other media beyond Broadway. The awards were first presented during the 1949–50 theater season, celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2020. David Gordon, Senior Features Reporter at TheaterMania.com, currently serves as president. History The Outer Critics Circle was founded as the Outer Circle during the Broadway season of 1949–50 by an assortment of theater critics led by John Gassner, a reviewer, essayist, dramaturg, and professor of theater. These critics were writing for academic publications, special interest journals, monthlies, quarterlies, and weekly publications outside the New York metro area, and were looking for a forum where they could discuss the theater in general, particula ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Winfield
Paul Edward Winfield (May 22, 1939 – March 7, 2004) was an American stage, film and television actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film '' Sounder'' (1972), which earned him an Academy Award nomination. He portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1978 television miniseries ''King'', for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. Winfield was also known for his roles in '' Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'', ''The Terminator, L.A. Law,'' and 24 episodes of the sitcom ''227''. He received four Emmy nominations overall, winning in 1995 for his 1994 guest role in ''Picket Fences''. Early years Winfield was the son of Lois Beatrice Edwards, a single mother who was a union organizer in the garment industry. Although published obituaries stated he was born in Los Angeles on May 22, 1941, some primary sources indicate he was born May 22, 1939, in Dallas, Texas. His stepfather fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Go Tell It On The Mountain (film)
''Go Tell It on the Mountain'' is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film directed by Stan Lathan,page 327 based on James Baldwin's 1953 novel of the same name. It stars Paul Winfield, Rosalind Cash, Ruby Dee, Alfre Woodard, Douglas Turner Ward, CCH Pounder, Kadeem Hardison, Giancarlo Esposito, and Ving Rhames in his first film role. The film was initially broadcast on the PBS television program ''American Playhouse'' on January 14, 1985. Plot This film adaptation of James Baldwin’s celebrated novel tells the journey of a family from the rural South to “big city” Harlem seeking both salvation and understanding and of a young boy struggling to earn the approval of a self-righteous and often unloving stepfather. Cast *Paul Winfield as Gabriel Grimes *Rosalind Cash as Aunt Florence *Giancarlo Esposito as Elisha *Douglas Turner Ward as Reverend James * Ruby Dee as Mrs. Grimes *Ving Rhames as Young Gabriel *CCH Pounder as Deborah *Alfre Woodard as Esther *Kadeem Hardi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Baldwin
James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) was an American writer. He garnered acclaim across various media, including essays, novels, plays, and poems. His first novel, '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'', was published in 1953; decades later, ''Time'' magazine included the novel on its list of the 100 best English-language novels released from 1923 to 2005. His first essay collection, '' Notes of a Native Son'', was published in 1955. Baldwin's work fictionalizes fundamental personal questions and dilemmas amid complex social and psychological pressures. Themes of masculinity, sexuality, race, and class intertwine to create intricate narratives that run parallel with some of the major political movements toward social change in mid-twentieth century America, such as the civil rights movement and the gay liberation movement. Baldwin's protagonists are often but not exclusively African American, and gay and bisexual men frequently feature prominently in hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Killing Floor (1984 Film)
''The Killing Floor'' is a 1984 American made-for-television drama film directed by Bill Duke which highlights the plights of workers fighting to build an interracial labor union in the meatpacking industry in the years leading up to the Chicago race riot of 1919. The film debuted on PBS via the ''American Playhouse'' series on April 10, 1984 and was produced by Public Forum Productions, an independent company founded by the film's writer Elsa Rassbach. The teleplay was later adapted by Leslie Lee. In July 2021, the film was shown in the Cannes Classics section at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Plot Based on real individuals and actual events, the film focuses on two poor black sharecroppers who leave Mississippi for the Chicago stockyards to seek out employment opportunities vacated by soldiers who had departed for World War I. Frank Custer (played by Damien Leake) and Thomas Joshua (Ernest Rayford) eventually secure jobs working in the infamous meatpacking industry, where t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
LeVar Burton
Levar Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host, best known for playing Geordi La Forge in '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (1987–1994). He also played Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries ''Roots'' (1977), and was host of the PBS Kids educational television series '' Reading Rainbow'' for more than 23 years (1983–2006). He received 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award as host and executive producer of ''Reading Rainbow''. His other roles include Cap Jackson in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977), Donald Lang in ''Dummy'' (1979), Tommy Price in ''The Hunter'' (1980), which earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, and Martin Luther King Jr. in ''Ali'' (2001). Burton received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of the book ''The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.'' In 1990, he was honored for his achievements in televisio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yaya DaCosta
Camara DaCosta Johnson (born November 15, 1982), better known as Yaya DaCosta, is an American actress and model. She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of ''America's Next Top Model''. DaCosta eventually went to star in ABC's daytime drama series ''All My Children'' (2008), ABC's comedy-drama ''Ugly Betty'' (2009), and NBC's medical drama ''Chicago Med'' (2015–2022)''.'' DaCosta starred in the Lifetime television film ''Whitney'' (2015) as singer Whitney Houston and received praise for her performance. Early life and education DaCosta was born on November 15, 1982, in New York City and is of Brazilian and Black-American descent. She was raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. In addition to English, she speaks Portuguese, French, Spanish and conversational Japanese. She attended the elite Northfield Mount Hermon School during high school before attending Brown University, where she majored in Africana studies and international relations. Career After finishing second ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brandon J
Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name * Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales *Brandon, Queensland, a small town just south of Townsville Canada * Brandon, Manitoba England * Brandon, County Durham *Brandon, Lincolnshire * Brandon, Northumberland *Brandon, Suffolk *Brandon, Warwickshire * Brandon Hill, Bristol France * Brandon, Saône-et-Loire Ireland *Brandon, County Kerry *Mount Brandon, a mountain overlooking the village * Brandon Bay, the bay overlooked by the village * Brandon Creek, County Kerry * Brandon Hill, a hill between Graiguenamana and Inistoige, Co. Kilkenny. United States *Brandon Corner, California *Brandon, Colorado *Brandon, Florida *Brandon, Iowa *Brandon Township, Michigan *Brandon, Minnesota *Brandon Township, Minnesota *Brandon, Mississippi *Brandon, Montana *Brandon, Nebraska *Brandon, New York *Bra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Marian Uggams (born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer. Beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s, Uggams is recognized for portraying Kizzy Reynolds in the television miniseries ''Roots'' (1977), earning Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for her performance. She had earlier been highly acclaimed for the Broadway musical ''Hallelujah, Baby!'', winning a Theatre World Award in 1967 and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1968. Later in her career, Uggams received renewed notice with appearances alongside Ryan Reynolds as Blind Al in ''Deadpool'' (2016) & ''Deadpool 2'' (2018) and in a recurring role on ''Empire''. Life and career Early life Uggams was born in Harlem, the daughter of Juanita Ernestine (Smith), a Cotton Club chorus girl/dancer, and Harold Coyden Uggams, an elevator operator and maintenance man, who was a singer with the Hall Johnson choir. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Ruben Santiago-Hudson (born Ruben Santiago Jr., November 24, 1956) is an American actor, playwright, and director who has won national awards for his work in all three categories. He is best known for his role of Captain Roy Montgomery from 2009 to 2011 on ABC's '' Castle''. In November 2011 he appeared on Broadway in Lydia R. Diamond's play ''Stick Fly''. In 2013 he starred in the TV series '' Low Winter Sun'', a police drama set in Detroit. Early life Ruben Hudson was born in 1956 in Lackawanna, New York, the son of Alean Hudson and Ruben Santiago, a railroad worker. He later adopted his mother's maiden name as part of his compound surname."Ruben Santiago-Hudson profile FilmReference.com; accessed October 14, 2010. His father was [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signature Theatre Company
Signature Theatre Company is an American theatre based in Manhattan, New York. It was founded in 1991 by James Houghton and is now led by Artistic Director Paige Evans. Signature is known for their season-long focus on one artist's work. It has been located in the Pershing Square Signature Center since 2012. About Signature has presented entire seasons of the work of Edward Albee, Lee Blessing, David Henry Hwang, Horton Foote, María Irene Fornés, Athol Fugard, John Guare, Bill Irwin, Adrienne Kennedy, Romulus Linney, Charles Mee, Arthur Miller, Sam Shepard, Paula Vogel, August Wilson, Lanford Wilson, A. R. Gurney, Naomi Wallace and a season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company. Among its programs are the Residency One Program, celebrating a single playwright with multiple productions over the course of a year, and Legacy Program, which brings those playwrights back for additional productions. Signature also introduced Residency Five, a program that will feature ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
