#NNPA BlackPress

Roman Banks Set to Star in ‘MJ: The Musical’ at the Nederlander Theatre

Roman Banks once aspired to be “a serious actor,” in the vein of Will Smith’s Robert Neville in the 2007 film “I Am Legend.” But those aspirations changed when he got his hands on a bootleg copy of Hamilton and saw Black actor and singer Leslie Odom, Jr. play Aaron Burr. “When I saw myself […]
The post Roman Banks Set to Star in ‘MJ: The Musical’ at the Nederlander Theatre first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

9 months ago

July 28, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

Roman Banks once aspired to be “a serious actor,” in the vein of Will Smith’s Robert Neville in the 2007 film “I Am Legend.”

But those aspirations changed when he got his hands on a bootleg copy of Hamilton and saw Black actor and singer Leslie Odom, Jr. play Aaron Burr.

“When I saw myself represented on stage when that musical struck a chord in me that I didn’t know I had, I said, ‘I’ve got to give that back to somebody else,’” the actor and musician told The Chicago Defender.

Banks is poised to do just that when he stars in his most significant role yet — Michael Jackson in “MJ: The Musical” at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre, August 1 – September 2.

“MJ: The Musical” gives audiences a glimpse into Jackson’s life and the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, where he performed 69 shows over 15 months.

Banks will play Jackson in the first national tour of the Tony award-winning show.

“I’m not here for myself. I’m here for those who will follow.”

Each night, Banks will execute Jackson’s most beloved songs, style and moves for audiences who know the King of Pop’s routines like the back of their hand.

That’s every moonwalk and adlib, every note and clothing accessory.

But it’s an opportunity that Banks seems to relish.

Becoming MJ

To prepare for this role, he watched Jackson’s music videos, recorded concerts and award show speeches. He also spoke with people who knew the megastar personally, like the Talauega brothers, who danced for Jackson.

He even chatted with an uncle, one of the dancers in the music video for Jackson’s “Bad.”

But for Banks, the opportunity to portray pop music’s greatest entertainer is more than just performing his songs or dance moves with precision. It’s the recognition of his responsibility as the show’s principal actor.

“How can I be a leader on and off the stage? That’s just as important to me as portraying Michael,” Banks said, “Because it’s not all about the glitz, glam and fashion. I want anyone who will work with me throughout my entire career to look at me and know that I was a man who was reachable, who was honorable, and who was respectable to anyone, regardless of their position.”

“If there’s anything this trip is teaching me inside, it is that it takes a village, from my hair to my makeup, to my wardrobe, to my transportation. I wouldn’t be here without this wonderful group of humans,” he said. They help keep me strong, so I just want to do my best to lead with grace and diligence.”

Making the Musical His Playground

But back to this whole Broadway thing and seeing “Hamilton” for the first time.

When asked to elaborate on that feeling of identifying with that particular musical, Banks said it was like getting the opportunity to play on a playground that was previously off-limits.

“It’s like growing up and seeing a playground that looks so fun, but nobody like you plays on that playground,” he said, “Maybe you still play on the playground, but maybe it’s not as nice, maybe it’s not as updated, maybe it’s not as cared for. And it’s like being the first one to swing on that swing set.”

“I can go across the monkey bars, too, and let’s not only play on the playground, let’s build our own,” he said.

“That’s what Hamilton was for me. There was more possibility to my career than I had thought of previously.”

Not to belabor the metaphor, but Banks also said he wants to make that playground — Broadway theater and musicals — available to others.

Banks added, “Let’s make the playground ten acres long. Because everyone deserves to see themselves in this light. As a black man, that’s our history in this country — let’s leave behind a better tomorrow.”

“I’m not here for myself. I’m here for those who will follow.”

‘MJ: The Musical,’ What Audiences Should Expect

As for what audiences can expect when they see “MJ: The Musical,” Banks advised that they bring just one thing: an open heart.

“Come expecting to enjoy yourself and see where the show takes you,” he said.

He describes it as going to see a show with no preconceived notions. It’s going into a play with the thought, “I hope this art moves me today.”

“And that’s when I have the most fun in the theaters when I don’t know anything,” said Banks, “I’m amazed.”

“I hope people can come with that same kind of openness of, ‘I don’t know what journey I’m about to go on, but I’m open to it. And I’m excited for it,’” he said.

“And let us thrill you.”

For More Information

What: Broadway in Chicago presents “MJ: The Musical,” by Director/Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and Playwright Lynn Nottage

When: August 1 – September 2, 2023. For showtimes and tickets, visit this link.

Where: James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W Randolph, Chicago, IL 60601)

What Else: The show is 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission

The post Roman Banks Set to Star in ‘MJ: The Musical’ at the Nederlander Theatre appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post Roman Banks Set to Star in ‘MJ: The Musical’ at the Nederlander Theatre first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Chicago Defender Staff

Posts by Chicago Defender Staff

Up Next

Carlee Russell Arrested, Charged In Kidnapping Hoax

Don't Miss

This Saturday, Burst Into Books Presents the 2nd Annual W.O.W. Lit Fest

Chicago Defender Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.