The New Group's just celebrated opening night ofBlack No More, featuring Leanne Antonio, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Elijah A. Carter, Jennifer Damiano, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ryan Fitzgerald, Gaelen Gilliland, Polanco Jones Jr., Zachary Daniel Jones, Tamika Lawrence, Sarah Meahl, Howard McGillin, Mary Page Nance, Oneika Phillips, Nicholas Ranauro, Malaiyka Reid, Mars Rucker, Angela M. Sauers, Tracy Shayne, Theo Stockman, Ephraim Sykes, Tariq 'Black Thought' Trotter, Akron Watson, Nyla Watson, Edward Watts and Lillias White.
- 2/16/2022
- by Bruce Glikas
- BroadwayWorld.com
The BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia has closed out its 9th edition by naming Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth as its best narrative feature.
The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.
Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...
The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.
Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...
- 8/27/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia has closed out its 9th edition by naming Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth as its best narrative feature.
The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.
Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...
The Sundance title has Nicole Beharie playing a former pageant winner focused on preparing her rebellious daughter for a “Miss Juneteenth” pageant. The ensemble cast for Godfrey People’s feature debut includes Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Liz Mikel, Markus M. Mauldin, Lori Hayes, Akron Watson, Jaime Matthis and Phyllis Cicero.
Other film jury competition winners at the Philadelphia showcase for filmmakers of color include the best best feature documentary prize going to Stateless, where director Michele ...
- 8/27/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
A Texas mother pushes her reluctant teen daughter to follow in her footsteps as a beauty queen. Yes, we’ve seen so many versions of this story before — but luckily, the Miss Juneteenth competition is no typical beauty pageant. It commemorates the day in 1865, some two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, when slaves in Texas were finally freed. And the movie that bears its name, set to be released on VOD on June 19th during one of the greatest racial-justice protests in history, bristles with timeliness as it celebrates young...
- 6/17/2020
- by Peter Travers
- Rollingstone.com
“Miss Juneteenth” richly captures the slow pace of ebbing small-town Texas life, even if you might wish there were a bit more narrative momentum to pick up the slack in writer-director Channing Godfrey Peoples’ first feature. She’s got a very relatable heroine in Nicole Beharie’s Turquoise, an erstwhile local beauty queen whose crown proved the peak rather than the kickoff to her dream of a better life — high hopes now transferred to a daughter reluctant to inherit that burden.
This portrait of a whole community dogged by debt and diminishing prospect has a basic authenticity that will ring true for many viewers unaccustomed to seeing themselves onscreen. That is, people whose aspirations toward the middle-class American Dream grow ever more remote as the middle class itself struggles to maintain its position.
Juneteenth is celebrated in many African American communities, but got its start and raison d’être in the Lone Star state,...
This portrait of a whole community dogged by debt and diminishing prospect has a basic authenticity that will ring true for many viewers unaccustomed to seeing themselves onscreen. That is, people whose aspirations toward the middle-class American Dream grow ever more remote as the middle class itself struggles to maintain its position.
Juneteenth is celebrated in many African American communities, but got its start and raison d’être in the Lone Star state,...
- 1/25/2020
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Broadway's biggest hit said goodbye to some of it's biggest hitters this week. Hamilton bid adieu to Tony-winning star and writer Lin Manuel Miranda, Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr, Tony nominee Phillipa Soo and 'The Bullet' herself, Ariana DeBose. That's a big change for the blockbuster and has, doubtless, left several Hamilton devotees heartbroken. We figured it'd be fitting to take a look back at some Sessions performances from the Tony-winning score that has wiggled its way into our heads and playlists and won't let go nor do we want it to. Featuring The Color Purple's Akron Watson, Elf's Paul Ianiello, Avenue Q's Imari Hardon, country-fried acoustic trio Siren, new comer Ellis Dawson and Hamilton's own Angelia standby- Alysha Deslorieux.
- 7/11/2016
- by Ben Cameron
- BroadwayWorld.com
Cast members from the Tony-nominated revival of The Color Purple made their way to The Laurie Beechman Theatre on Thursday evening for Broadway Sessions. It became clearpretty darn quickthat we were no longer in a theater- we were at Church These cats can sing like nobody's business. And that's just what they did. They Sang Cast members Rema Webb, Antoine L. Smith, J. Daughtry, Adrianna Hicks, Bre Jackson, Phoenix Best, Akron Watson and Carla R. Stewart were greeted with standing ovation after standing ovation. The cast also shared insights into their audition experiences, told us their favorite 'audience reactions', played a round of 'The Color Purple Pyramid' and joined their voices together for an unforgettable group performance of the show's 11 o'clock number, 'I'm Here.'...
- 6/6/2016
- by Ben Cameron
- BroadwayWorld.com
Citing Racial Discrimination, 10 former American Idol contestants have filed a lawsuit against the show, and are seeking damages of $25 million dollars each. http:/www.tmz.com/2013/07/24/american-idol-9-black-contestants-lawsuit-25-million-racism/">TMZ reports that Corey Clark, Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju’Not Joyner (Season 8), and Chris Golightly (Season 9) are part of a lawsuit that claims that were mistreated while on the show and unfairly disqualified from the competition, mainly due to their race. The lawsuit stems from a letter submitted in January by New York City lawyer James H. Freeman on behalf the 10 contestants to the U.S. Equal Employment...
- 7/27/2013
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Though 10 former "American Idol" contestants who are African-American are trying to sue the show for $25 million, minimum, a piece, Season 11 finalist Jermaine Jones doesn't think they're going to get very far. In a new interview, he calls the former contestants' attempts to justify "Idol's" alleged racism "ludicrous."
"I think they are going a little overboard," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Some of these cases are over 10 years old. What have you been doing since the show that you feel you deserve $25 million?"
The lawsuit alleges that the producers of the hit Fox reality show are conducting a "cruel and inhumane plot" that dredges up old arrest information to make the African-American contestants look like "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants." Those involved in the case are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson...
"I think they are going a little overboard," he tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Some of these cases are over 10 years old. What have you been doing since the show that you feel you deserve $25 million?"
The lawsuit alleges that the producers of the hit Fox reality show are conducting a "cruel and inhumane plot" that dredges up old arrest information to make the African-American contestants look like "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants." Those involved in the case are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson...
- 7/26/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Ten African-American former American Idol contestants are suing the show, claiming racial discrimination. Each of the contestants is seeking $25 million in damages, alleging they were treated unfairly both onscreen and off because of their race. Corey Clark, Jaered Andrews, Jacob John Smalley, Donnie Williams, Thomas Daniels, Akron Watson, Ju’Not Joyner, Chris Golightly, and Terrell and Derrell Brittenum say in their suit that Idol goes out of its way to question black contestants about arrest records and background information, a pattern the claimants say paints them as “violent criminals, liars, and sexual deviants.” It’s probably worth noting here ...
- 7/25/2013
- avclub.com
A group of 10 former American Idol contestants — including Season 5′s tantrum-throwing Brittenum twins and Season 2′s Corey Clark (best remembered for claiming he had an affair with judge Paula Abdul) — are suing the show and producer Fremantle Media for a whopping $25 million apiece, claiming they were booted from the competition due to racism. The suit was first reported by TMZ.
In addition to Clark (pictured) and Terrell and Derrell Brittenum, the contestants involved in the suit include Season 2′s Jaered Andrews and Jacob John Smalley, Season 3′s Donnie Williams, Season 6′s Thomas Daniels and Akron Watson, Season 8′s Ju’Not...
In addition to Clark (pictured) and Terrell and Derrell Brittenum, the contestants involved in the suit include Season 2′s Jaered Andrews and Jacob John Smalley, Season 3′s Donnie Williams, Season 6′s Thomas Daniels and Akron Watson, Season 8′s Ju’Not...
- 7/25/2013
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
Former American Idol contestant Corey Clark is suing Fox again… and this time, he’s not alone.
EW has confirmed that 10 onetime Idol hopefuls — including Clark (season 2), Jaered Andrews (season 2), Jacob John Smalley (season 2), Donnie Williams (season 3), Terrell Brittenum (season 5), Derrell Brittenum (season 5), Thomas Daniels (season 6), Akron Watson (season 6), Ju’Not Joyner (season 8), and Chris Golightly (season 9) — have banded together to file a suit against the singing series.
The plaintiffs claim that they were treated unfairly — and kicked off the show unjustly — because they all happen to be black. TMZ first reported the news.
The suit’s story began in January,...
EW has confirmed that 10 onetime Idol hopefuls — including Clark (season 2), Jaered Andrews (season 2), Jacob John Smalley (season 2), Donnie Williams (season 3), Terrell Brittenum (season 5), Derrell Brittenum (season 5), Thomas Daniels (season 6), Akron Watson (season 6), Ju’Not Joyner (season 8), and Chris Golightly (season 9) — have banded together to file a suit against the singing series.
The plaintiffs claim that they were treated unfairly — and kicked off the show unjustly — because they all happen to be black. TMZ first reported the news.
The suit’s story began in January,...
- 7/25/2013
- by Hillary Busis
- EW - Inside TV
"American Idol" is being sued by 10 black former contestants, claiming they were kicked off the show in their respective seasons because of their race, TMZ was the first to report.
The plaintiffs are Season 2's Corey Clark, who was disqualified after it was revealed that he was previously arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery on police officers and his sister, as well as endangering the life of a child; Season 2's Jaered Andrews, who was also dismissed following the discovery of an assault charge stemming from a fatal bar fight; Season 2's Jacob John Smalley, who was eliminated early on in his season; Season 3's Donnie Williams, who was pulled from the show after an arrest for speeding and drunk driving while "Idol" was filming; Season 5's twin brothers Terrell Brittenum and Derrell Brittenum, who were cut after executives learned of an arrest and charges of identity theft; Season 6's Thomas Daniels,...
The plaintiffs are Season 2's Corey Clark, who was disqualified after it was revealed that he was previously arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery on police officers and his sister, as well as endangering the life of a child; Season 2's Jaered Andrews, who was also dismissed following the discovery of an assault charge stemming from a fatal bar fight; Season 2's Jacob John Smalley, who was eliminated early on in his season; Season 3's Donnie Williams, who was pulled from the show after an arrest for speeding and drunk driving while "Idol" was filming; Season 5's twin brothers Terrell Brittenum and Derrell Brittenum, who were cut after executives learned of an arrest and charges of identity theft; Season 6's Thomas Daniels,...
- 7/25/2013
- by Jaimie Etkin
- Huffington Post
Ten former "American Idol" contestants from various seasons, all of whom happen to be African-American, have filed a lawsuit against the Fox reality show claiming they were unjustly kicked off the show because of their race.
The contestants are accusing the producers of conducting a "cruel and inhumane" plot to exploit their lives for ratings by illegally researching their arrest records and using the histories to embarrass them on national television, TMZ reports.
The contestants involved are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9).
The lawyer representing the contestants in the suit claims the show used the arrest info to make his clients out to be "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants" when, in fact, none had ever been convicted of the charges stemming from their arrests.
The contestants are accusing the producers of conducting a "cruel and inhumane" plot to exploit their lives for ratings by illegally researching their arrest records and using the histories to embarrass them on national television, TMZ reports.
The contestants involved are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9).
The lawyer representing the contestants in the suit claims the show used the arrest info to make his clients out to be "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants" when, in fact, none had ever been convicted of the charges stemming from their arrests.
- 7/25/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Ten black former "American Idol" contestants from various seasons have filed a lawsuit against the show, claiming they were unjustly booted because of their race ... and they Each want $25 million ... minimum.We broke the story ... the contestants have accused producers of conducting a "cruel and inhumane" scheme to exploit them for ratings by illegally digging up their arrest histories and using the records to humiliate them on national TV. The contestants -- Corey Clark (Season...
- 7/24/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
American Idol clearly gives the boot to contestants for lacking the right vocal chops. But did the show ax several former hopefuls because they were black? That's what nine erstwhile Idol hopefuls are claiming in a complaint filed against the show alleging that racism played a role in their ouster in an attempt to juice up ratings. They include Corey Clark and Jaered Andrews from season two; Donnie Williams from season three; twins Terrell and Derrell Brittenum from season five; Thomas Daniels and Akron Watson from season six; Ju'Not Joyner from season eight; and Chris Golightly from season nine. Attorney James Freeman confirms to E! News that he has submitted a complaint to the federal Equal Employment...
- 1/25/2013
- E! Online
Nine black former "American Idol" contestants -- from various seasons -- are banding together to Sue the show ... claiming they were all Forced off "Idol" as part of a racist (and illegal) plot to boost ratings. TMZ has obtained a letter, submitted to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by NY attorney James H. Freeman -- in which he asks for permission to sue Idol and Fox on behalf of his clients ... who have...
- 1/25/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
New York attorney James H. Freeman has submitted a letter to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in which he asks for permission to sue "American Idol" and Fox on behalf of nine contestants, claiming a racist plot to boost ratings, reports TMZ.
The nine contestants are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell and Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9).
Related: 'Idol' Season 12 pics
Freeman claims he became suspicious of "Idol" when Jermaine Jones was kicked off the show in 2012, during Season 11. Producers claimed it was because Jones failed to inform them about outstanding warrants for his arrest. Freeman alleges that "Idol" has been conducting a "cruel and inhumane" scheme to exploit black contestants for ratings.
The show's background check includes the question "Have you ever been arrested," which Freeman claims violates California employment law,...
The nine contestants are Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell and Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9).
Related: 'Idol' Season 12 pics
Freeman claims he became suspicious of "Idol" when Jermaine Jones was kicked off the show in 2012, during Season 11. Producers claimed it was because Jones failed to inform them about outstanding warrants for his arrest. Freeman alleges that "Idol" has been conducting a "cruel and inhumane" scheme to exploit black contestants for ratings.
The show's background check includes the question "Have you ever been arrested," which Freeman claims violates California employment law,...
- 1/25/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
American Idol producers have been sued by nine black former contestants for alleged racism. The nine singers from various different seasons have joined together to sue the Fox competition for allegedly forcing them out of the show, reports TMZ.
The current Idol panel The ex-contestants claim that they were axed as part of a racist plot to boost ratings for the network. A letter has been submitted to the Us Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by New York attorney James H Freeman, stating that he wants permission to sue Idol and Fox on behalf of his nine clients. The acts in question are: Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9). Freeman claims (more)...
The current Idol panel The ex-contestants claim that they were axed as part of a racist plot to boost ratings for the network. A letter has been submitted to the Us Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by New York attorney James H Freeman, stating that he wants permission to sue Idol and Fox on behalf of his nine clients. The acts in question are: Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9). Freeman claims (more)...
- 1/25/2013
- by By Tom Eames
- Digital Spy
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