Twenty-nine Broadway shows earned Tony nominations this season, with top contenders including “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Death Becomes Her,” and “Maybe Happy Ending”—each receiving 10 nods. Hosted by Cynthia Erivo, the Tonys will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 8, with historic wins possible for African-American stars like Audra McDonald and Kara Young.
Author Archives: Mark Kennedy
AP Drama Writer
Posted inMusic
Broadway celebrates a packed and varied theater season with the 2024 Tony Awards
The 28 Broadway shows nominated for Tony Awards are hoping to win on June 16, with “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Stereophonic” leading the pack with 13 nominations each.
Posted inTV and Film
Lance Reddick, ‘The Wire’ and ‘John Wick’ star, dies at 60
By MARK KENNEDY, AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Lance Reddick, a character actor who specialized in intense, icy and possibly sinister authority figures on TV and film, including “The Wire,” “Fringe” and the “John Wick” franchise, has died. He was 60. Reddick died “suddenly” Friday morning, his publicist Mia Hansen said in a […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bob Marley immersive experience to land in US this year
By Mark Kennedy, AP Entertainment Writer A massive immersive experience celebrating Bob Marley is heading for its U.S. premiere early this year, complete with photographs, lots of music and even a pair of the reggae giant’s footwear. The multi-room exhibit “Bob Marley: One Love Experience” will open in Los Angeles on Jan. 27 at Ovation […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ singer-actor Irene Cara dies at 63
By Mark Kennedy, AP Entertainment Writer Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara, who starred and sang the title cut from the 1980 hit movie “Fame” and then belted out the era-defining hit “Flashdance … What a Feeling” from 1983’s “Flashdance,” has died. She was 63. Her publicist, Judith A. Moose, announced […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Sidney DuPont finds a ‘powerful, dynamic and necessary’ role
By Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press Sidney DuPont knew he’d made the right career decision when a musical theater icon, Chita Rivera, not only threw a shoe at him but also slapped his face. It was in 2019 at a workshop on the Broadway musical “Paradise Square,” where DuPont and A.J. Shively were performing an […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Michael Jackson musical to launch a national tour in 2023
By Mark Kennedy, AP Entertainment Writer The new, splashy Broadway musical about Michael Jackson is going to “moonwalk” across America next year. “MJ,” packed with dozens of songs by the King of Pop and others, plans to hit 17 major cities over two years starting in 2023. It kicks off in Chicago on July 15, […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wicked’ welcomes a pioneering good witch, Brittney Johnson
By Mark Kennedy, Associated Press While many people spent Valentine’s Day with the traditional flowers and chocolates, Brittney Johnson was making theater history. The young Broadway veteran was gently lowered onto the Gershwin Theatre stage to become the first Black actor to assume the role of Glinda full-time in “Wicked,” shattering a racial barrier on […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Charley Pride, Black country music superstar, dies at 86
In this Oct. 4, 2000, file photo, Charley Pride performs during his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame at the Country Music Association Awards show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) By Mark Kennedy AP Entertainment Writer Charley Pride, one of country music’s first Black superstar […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
New Orleans stage and screen actor Carol Sutton dies at 76
In this May 1, 2019, file photo, actress Carol Sutton arrives at the World Premiere of “Poms” in Los Angeles. Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy “Steel Magnolias” and the TV series “Queen Sugar,” […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Newsweek Apologizes for Op-Ed Questioning Harris Eligibility
By MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Newsweek has apologized for an op-ed that questioned Sen. Kamala Harris’ U.S. citizenship and her eligibility to be Joe Biden’s running mate, a false and racist conspiracy theory which President Donald Trump has not dismissed. “This op-ed is being used by some as a tool to […]
Posted inAfro Briefs, Arts & Culture, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT, ENTERTAINMENT, National News, NEWS
Artist Kehinde Wiley Unveils Bold Sculpture in Times Square
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Perpetually crowded Times Square has a new statue for pedestrians to navigate — but it’s unlike any other. Artist Kehinde Wiley unveiled his biggest work ever Friday, a massive bronze statue of a young African American man in urban streetwear sitting astride a galloping horse. […]