David Simmons News

Black Ensemble Theater’s Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the 2022 Black Playwrights Festival from April 26-30, 2022, featuring works by Viola Bennett, Jill Ross, Lillian Mitchum, Reginald Williams and Dwight Neal, curated and directed by Black Ensemble Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks. 

Special Offer - Broadway's Shoshana Bean Brings Holiday Concert to Candlelit Cathedral in LA 12.18

After the global pandemic forced Broadway and live concert venues to shutter last year, Bean is expanding her global reach and bringing her holiday concert, Sing Your Hallelujah, to Los Angeles on December 18 at Immanuel Presbyterian Cathedral.

Jonathan Reid Gealt, New York City based composer, is set for the worldwide release his highly anticipated new studio album ARCHETYPE on Friday December 3rd, 2021. ARCHETYPE marks Gealt’s 4th studio album, following “Whatever I Want It To Be” (2015), “Here For You: Ballads For Broadway Impact” (2013), and “Thirteen Stories Down” (2010).

With hope and cheer, more than 400 singers from across the country will perform in a virtual holiday choral concert, Joy!, produced by Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the nation's largest choral organization for adults over 55, in collaboration with AARP.

During this engaging, interactive, student-led series of masterclasses, students will explore recent events in regards to social injustice during these fragile and uncertain times. Students will also create original music and monologues to help them give voice to the struggles of their hearts in a hopeful, compassionate, and empathetic way.

Due to the success of its inaugural virtual summer program, the nonprofit Encore Creativity for Older Adults, the nation's largest choral organization for adults over 55, will begin a fall semester of its virtual Encore University on September 8, 2020.

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2019 Season (Legends and Lessons) with You Can't Fake the Funk (A Journey Through Funk Music), written and directed by Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks. You Can't Fake the Funk (A Journey Through Funk Music) will be performed July 20- September 8, 2019 at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago.The press opening is Sunday, July 28 at 3:00pm.

Young Dancemakers Company (Founding Director: Alice Tierstein; Co-Director Jessica Gaynor; Music Director: William Catanzaro), a unique dance ensemble comprised of dance students from NYC's public high schools working under the guidance of acclaimed professionals, is proud to present their 24th annual touring season which will be performed at various locations across four NYC boroughs. The series, in which young artists develop their own original choreography and present it in free public showings, will run from July 24th thru August 3rd and feature works developed under the tutelage of Alice Teirstein and Jessica Gaynor, as well as 2019 guest artist John Heginbotham of Dance Heginbotham and in workshops with members of the acclaimed Bridgman|Packer Dance, the Bessie-nominated choreographer and YDC alumn Jonathan Gonzalez, and 2019 Fosse Dance Workshop Leader and a faculty member of the Joffrey Ballet School Peter Yuen.

SHOWTIME Sports released the official trailer for the anticipated documentary film “ONE & DONE” featuring the 2016 No. 1 NBA Draft Pick Ben Simmons.

Hang with me here, Dear Readers, as there are only a few things I can tell you about Seattle Public Theater's current production of 'On Clover Road' lest I give away any surprises. In fact when I arrived to the theater the management asked me not to open the press packet they gave me to keep the secrets from me before I saw it. But I'll do my best. Let's see, I can say that the show is a one act with a run time of about 75 minutes. I can say this blistering thriller is written by the amazing Steven Dietz, author of 'Lonely Planet', 'Becky's New Car', 'Yankee Tavern' and 'Bloomsday' to name just a few. And most importantly I can say that you do not want to miss this one because if you do you'll be missing an incredibly thrilling ride with some of the finest performances I've seen all year.

A desperate mother will do anything to get her daughter back. In an abandoned motel on a desolate American road, she meets a man with whom she believes is her only hope at reunion... but nothing is as it seems and what happens next will shock voyeurs to their core. ON CLOVER ROAD - a gritty new play by critically acclaimed playwright Steven Dietz - has its Pacific Northwest premiere with Seattle Public Theater beginning on September 23rd through October 16th at the Bathhouse in Green Lake. 

A desperate mother will do anything to get her daughter back. In an abandoned motel on a desolate American road, she meets a man with whom she believes is her only hope at reunion... but nothing is as it seems and what happens next will shock voyeurs to their core. ON CLOVER ROAD - a gritty new play by critically acclaimed playwright Steven Dietz - has its Pacific Northwest premiere with Seattle Public Theater beginning on September 23rd through October 16th at the Bathhouse in Green Lake. 

Put on your swankiest outfit, grab a cocktail and join us for a glamorous evening of entertainment as our 85 singers and dancers and a hot seven-­piece band recreate some of the most memorable musical moments from the silver screen.

Put on your swankiest outfit, grab a cocktail and join us for a glamorous evening of entertainment as our 85 singers and dancers and a hot seven-­piece band recreate some of the most memorable musical moments from the silver screen.

The Red House Arts Center in Syracuse, NY presents the Pulitzer Prize winning play CRIMES OF THE HEART, written by Beth Henley and directed by Jenn DeCook, as parts of its LAB Series December 11-13.

The Red House Arts Center in Syracuse, NY presents the Pulitzer Prize winning play CRIMES OF THE HEART, written by Beth Henley and directed by Jenn DeCook, as parts of its LAB Series December 11-13.

Closing out the 26th season, Artistic Director David Simmons has put together some of the greatest works by your favorite composer and mine, Stephen Sondheim. When I was 14 years old, I heard 'Sunday' from Sunday in the Park with George for the first time. I remember it clearly. I'd borrowed the album from the library - yes - while everyone else was playing kickball down the street, I was holed up in my room, listening to the vinyl of lesser-known musicals. THAT'S how gay I am.

KC and The Sunshine Band dominated the 1970s, ruling the airwaves with a unique meeting of Caribbean, pop, R&B and latin styles that inspired infectious grooves and the distinctive Sunshine Sound, producing such #1 hits as 'Get Down Tonight,' 'That's the Way (I Like It),' 'Boogie Shoes,' 'Shake Your Booty,' and many more. Before he impacted the world, teaching them how to boogie, Harry Wayne 'KC' Casey was, like the rest of America, being shaped by the music, conflicts, innocence, sex, social and political movements and counterculture of the 1960s.

KC and The Sunshine Band dominated the 1970s, ruling the airwaves with a unique meeting of Caribbean, pop, R&B and latin styles that inspired infectious grooves and the distinctive Sunshine Sound, producing such #1 hits as "Get Down Tonight," "That's the Way (I Like It)," "Boogie Shoes," 'Shake Your Booty," and many more. Before he impacted the world, teaching them how to boogie, Harry Wayne "KC" Casey was, like the rest of America, being shaped by the music, conflicts, innocence, sex, social and political movements and counterculture of the 1960s.