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‘The Wiz’ returns to Broadway! Come for the nostalgia, fall in love with the new

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Director Schele Williams talks about respiratory new, “unabashedly black” life into the Broadway classic “The Wiz.”

I promise: you will not miss Toto. Outstanding New Broadway Revival”Wizard”, as director Schele Williams said, “it feels like we are hugging you.” A treasured history of Black America from the 1978 film version starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, itself inspired by on Broadway in 1975 hit starring Stephanie Mills and directed by Geoffrey Holder, the stage version of “The Wiz” transforms L. Frank Baum’s children’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” (and its acclaimed 1939 film adaptation) into an Afrofuturistic fantasy that transcends generations in its lessons in self-confidence, facing fears and taking risks. Starring Wayne Brady (as the Wizard), Deborah Cox (as “The Good Witch” Glinda) and influential newcomer Nichelle Lewis as Dorothy, this latest adaptation is electrifying.

Wiza’s stellar creative team includes Oscar-winning production designer Hannah Beachler (both “Black Panther”), choreographer JaQuel Knight (known for Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on)”), costume designer Sharen Davis (“Ray,” “Dreamgirls”) and Oscar-winning wig designer Mia Neal – suggest that there is a wizard-like leader behind it all, and that leader is theater director Schele Williams.

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The director of “The Notebook” on Broadway and former co-director of “Motown: The Musical,” Williams saw the original version of “The Wiz” at age 7. TheGrio spoke with her over the phone from Long Island, just before her death, on a well-deserved vacation where she discussed the Blackness-Blackness of her vision for “The Wiz,” the challenges of remixing all the previous versions of the story, and more.

Tell us in detail how you took on directorial duties for the new version of “The Wiz.”

In August 2020, I got a call offering me the opportunity to direct the series. I was surprised because I didn’t even know there was a (new) version of “The Wiz”. It was truly the most amazing conversation I’ve ever had. The first thing I said when I talked to the producers was, “I would like a couple of months,” because I really wanted to put in the effort: read the books (and) review the material. I thought, “Please send me every version of the scripts you possibly can get your hands on,” (and) I actually looked through the L. Frank Baum documentary. You know, all the stuff.

Then I came back with lots of cards; many things I moved to wherever I felt like it, these are the moments when I wanted to learn more; here are the songs that I think serve this moment in a new place; that’s what I want from “The Wiz” right now, and that’s the overall message that I think might be important for this generation – that’s a little bit different than the message that I think we needed in the ’70s. I came back with these things and said, ” This is the direction I need to take this story,” and everybody agreed.

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In addition to standards comparable to “He’s the Wiz”, “Ease on Down the Road” and “Home”, there was even new music comparable to the song “Poppies” and pop. Are there plans for a soundtrack?

Oh, it’s, yes. We are recording it at the end of April. I do know they try to get it out as quickly as possible.

Wayne Brady as The Wizard (Photo: Jeremy-Daniel for “The Wiz” on Broadway)

Was there any concern that the show can be too black for white audiences?

There were no worries. It was a mandate. I believed to myself, “This show is going to be unapologetically black.”

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What was your rule of thumb when remixing previous versions of “The Wiz” and “The Wizard of Oz”?

Interviews were held with all creators. It was about where is the best time to nod to whatever piece of mental property we wish to nod to and feel like, “This is the organic place to do it.” In fact, there was no motion plan at the starting. But once we began, we thought, “Wow, this would be a great time to put a book out there; that will best serve the moment.

We knew it was very important for me to create some touchstones for whatever version of this story you knew and loved. We wanted to verify this. The starting point for “The Wiz” might have been the book; it may very well be “The Wizard of Oz”; it may very well be “The Wiz” on Broadway; it may very well be the movie “The Wiz”. We wanted to say, “We love all these versions and we love your memories of them, and we want to honor that. We also want to take you on this journey and hope you can embrace and love it too.

My favorite scene was their entrance into the No Sleep club in Emerald City – all forms of dance, from “Soul Train” vibes to Afrobeat and club music.

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It was so funny because in the movie (during the Emerald City sequence) it’s obvious that “I wouldn’t be caught dead (in) red”, right? They did it with colors and fashion. We had to make fashion. But we are not a movie. You can’t snap your fingers and suddenly everything (turns) red, everything (turns) blue. Magic can happen in the cinema. In (theater) we deal with different types of magic. One of the questions we asked ourselves was: “We want to give a nod to the film at this point. How do we do it?” Then JaQuel (Knight) said, “We do it in dance. We do three different types of dance. It’s the same with dance and music. We switch. Instead of going from red to gold to green, we use three different styles of dance. It’s our nod to the film in its own way.

The Wiz, The Wiz revival, The Wiz on Broadway, Wayne Brady, Deborah Cox, Schele Williams, Nichelle Lewis, Black theater, Black Broadway, Broadway, Black theater, Broadway Theater, The Wizard of Oz, theGrio.com
The Emerald City from “The Wiz”. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel for “The Wiz” on Broadway)

Narratively speaking, why connect the Lion, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Dorothy to Evillene in a way that makes them want to take her down?

This story got here into my world in 2020, which was a difficult time because I used to be having a variety of conversations with a variety of people about the existence of Black people. And I had these conversations; that is what made me want to change into a director. Do we elevate our stories, tell them with dignity, and represent on stage the responsibility that rests with us as storytellers? Because what we represent Black people on stage leads to our streets. If we proceed to reinforce stereotypes, we are usually not helping the lives of Black people on the other side of the theater.

What I believed of the Lion, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow were all individuals who got here into Dorothy’s life, and their stories were about what had happened to them – but they didn’t include that folks loved them, that they loved someone. they belonged, that they were rooted in the community and that they were loved. I believed, “I’m not putting a black person on stage without amplifying these ideas.”

The curses that befell them were things they might overcome, and for the Scarecrow, the profession he worked for and loved was returning; Lion, his family; and the Tin Man, his family whom he loved and missed a lot. It isn’t any coincidence that the themes of excellence, care, legacy and belonging run through this show.

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What is the significance of the numbers 227 and 701 in the addresses when Dorothy first crashes in New Orleans?

227 has two meanings. 227 is an angel number. It means confidence and a reminder that you simply are on the right path. This is the famous meaning of the number 227. For Black people, it’s (beloved TV show) “227.” (laughter) We built on it in two ways, which may be very funny. We have that “Maaara” moment where (the good witch) Addaperle says, “Gliiinda!” It’s 100% like “Maaary!” We are 100% sure that everybody will see it.

Glinda’s address is 701. This is Louis Armstrong’s address, 701 North Rampart Street. This was our tribute to New Orleans. Specifically, in the French Quarter in Storyville, where he played in the streets as a toddler. Now it’s Louis Armstrong Park. The arch (in the scene) is a nod to the arch in the park. And since we put it on Tremé, we wanted there to be one address where it may very well be confirmed. We very intentionally just wanted to proceed to showcase Black excellence and its impact on culture, to acknowledge our ancestors and our heritage throughout the piece. And there’s loads of it.

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Miles Marshall Lewis (@MMLunlimited) is a Harlem-based author and cultural critic whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Rolling Stone, and plenty of other magazines. Lewis is currently completing a cultural biography of comedian Dave Chappelle, the sequel to Promise That You Will Sing About Me: The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar.

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Prayer led Bobby Brown to search for therapy after losing Whitney Houston, daughter of Bobbi Kristina and son Bobby Jr.

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Over the years, Bobby Brown had to endure great regret, including the worst nightmare of every parent, the death of a baby.

During the looks ofJennifer Hudson Show“On Monday, May 19, a 56-year-old R&B singer opened on how he moved in regret after the death of his daughter Bobbi Kristina, son of Bobby Brown Jr. and his ex-wife Whitney Houston.

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“First of all, a lot of prayer, which absolutely took me to the point where I accepted therapy in my life,” said Brown Hudson. “I accepted going to the therapist and really solve all the problems I had in me.”

Brown, who was married to the manager Alicia Eteredgedge since 2012 and has five additional children, assigns her family and stays near his family members, “when times become” as a source of strength.

“They are still there because (regret) doesn’t end. It’s not like it is going to simply disappear. It will likely be with you ceaselessly, nevertheless it’s about coping with it and really being attentive to yourself. Paying attention to how you’re feeling that day and informing someone how you’re feeling.

Brown and Houston, who had a famous but passionate relationship, were married for 14 years from 1992 to 2007. They welcomed Bobbi Kristina, their only child together, in 1993 on February 11, 2012, Houston died by accidental drowning related to the use of drugs on the hotel on the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills. She was 48 years old. Bobbi Kristina died in an especially similar way on July 26, 2015, on the age of 22, and on November 18, 2020, Bobby Brown Jr., whom Brown shared with Kim Ward, also died of drug overdose. He was 27 years old.

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From the death of Bobbi Kristina, who in July in July within the tenth anniversary, Brown honored his heritage while launching Bobbi Kristina Serenity HouseNon -profit, which provides resources to victims of domestic violence.

Brown told Hudson that his daughter was not largely due to domestic violence.

“What happened to my daughter, I don’t want it to happen with a child of another man or a woman,” said Brown. “That is why we have Bobbi Kristina Serenity House to be a safe haven for those who undergo domestic violence.”

He added: “It’s time to speak. You know, people have to speak and ask for help. And when you don’t ask for help, a friend must ask for help. We must watch out for themselves. House of peace is there, as I said, be a safe haven for those who have to escape from a situation that is not healthy.”

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Former bodyguard Whitney Houston once considered risking all this for a deceased singer

(Tagstranslat) Bobby Brown

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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“Gingers to black”

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Ginger, Black people, tiktok


The hot approach to Tiktok has evolved into expressing solidarity between black people and red -haired white people, commonly referred to as gums on social media. While on the surface of solidarity it seems a bit strange, unity is due to the common experience of oppression due to physical characteristics over which no group controls.

According to the creator of Tiktoku, he stated that “everyone who is ginger who has red hair; these are black people. All tenants are black people. If they have red hair, they are black,” the thought quickly swept in social media, in an identical way to discourse that every one women are burned.

Shamar Dickens, a 33-year-old black artist from Atlanta, said he has it related to many Red -haired, who shared their stories about ostraconization or bad treatment with him, which caused him to think deeper about how other white people treat gums and the way white people, more broadly, treat black people.

“There were so many of them with very similar stories about their childhood and upbringing, which shaped my view on this. There are definitely black people of the white community, especially after hearing about their history and hardships,” said Dickens.

He continued: “As a black person and how I feel about it, I look at it from another point! There is so much negativity in the world, and even more division in the world. I love it because it produces so much positiveness and love.”

According to Dr. Tydden, an assistant to the Urban Planning Professor on the University of Toronto, the trend touches the historical treatment of Irish (who are sometimes red -haired), after they first emigrated to America and had to gain white because they weren’t perceived as white people, solidarity with black people.

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“This trend refers to the historical marginalization of” gums “, phenotypes highly associated with the Irish. Treatment of Irish, especially at the hands of the British, is well documented, and their discrimination went well in American colonization. This historically created solidarity between African-American and Irish populations, “said Rodden Outlet.

Redden also warned that the trend in Tiktoku failed, partly because a few of them had accepted what it means to be white in America.

“Instead of referring to the ways in which tenants are treated, e.g. it is believed that it is unattractive (addressed to men) or fetishized (in the case of women), some films transformed into the co-optation of black cultural expressions so that the creators could demonstrate their” blackness “-Redden said.

“He was a black artist who emphasized how they were treated badly, and it is unfortunate to become an opportunity to disregard African -American traditions,” Redden noted.

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Melanie Preston, a licensed mental health therapist at Matter of Focus advising, repeated Redden’s criticism and said that the flattening of separate historical experiences of individuals or other digital currency is a bit naive.

“Comparison of being red to being black may feel nervous and even confirm some, nevertheless it is fake equivalence. Red -haired can face teasing – people have faced the generations of systemic, legalized oppression. Borrowing black pain to confirm other struggles, doesn’t construct solidarity – it erases the context. fight ”to confirm other struggles.

Connor, a 27-year-old creator of Rudy’s content, who often creates satirical movies, said that he understands the seriousness of similarities between black people and red-haired, despite the final “unnecessary nature” of this trend.

“Growing up, they were defined by hair, intimidated, stereotypical,” said Connor. “This” other “is something that I know is a common experience.”

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He also admitted that white leases are still white, which suggests that they’ve some benefits that black people won’t ever receive within the United States.

“At the tip of the day, white ginger is white, which brings all of the privileges, perspectives and experiences common for being white. We won’t ever really have the ability to compare our experience with a median black person, but we will sympathize with, support, love and stand in solidarity because imitate yourself – said Connor.

(Tagstranslat) tiktok

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Four lifestyle habits that can help you live up to 100

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A 115-year-old woman from Surrey named Ethel Caterham officially received the title The oldest alive man.

Many people reading this message may wonder what the key of Caterham is.

Although it is normally not idea to make the most of the information on health and longevity from supersenters (because they are sometimes an exception than the rule), there are some lifestyle suggestions that we can use from researching groups of long -term individuals who can help us increase our possibilities for an extended life.

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(*100*)


1. Physical activity

Physical activity is sweet for you – who knew? Studies show that people who find themselves more physically energetic daily They live longer, a healthier life. One study showed that moving from physical activity to about 75 minutes every week of vigorous walking increased the expected life expectancy about two years.

But perhaps less known is how bad inaction is on your health and longevity. This is a bit difficult to explain, however the positive effects of exercises actually differ from the negative effects of inaction. This means you can have A positive effect in your health Being each more energetic and avoiding inactive.

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However, nearly as good as a structured exercise, in itself it cannot balance the damage to inactivity and sitting throughout the day. Studies even show that being sitting is expounded to Higher risk of premature death for any reason.



If you want to live longer, you should try to avoid sitting for a very long time, if possible. Practical recommendations on this Include standing every half-hour, seeing someone within the office as an alternative of calling or sending E -Mail and stand in public transport during travel. That’s a plus strive to perform about half-hour of moderate exercise for many days It will help maximize the possibilities of an extended, healthy life.

2. Eat vegetables

Council many children fear: eat vegetables if you want to live for a very long time.

Last examination Then got here about 100,000 people in 30 years, said that individuals who have reached 70 years in good health (which suggests that they didn’t have chronic diseases) normally ate more fruit, vegetables, whole grain, nuts and legumes, in addition to smaller fats, red or processed meats, fried food and suggestion. Importantly, this study doesn’t say that you have to be a vegan or never eat red meats – this only identifies trends in diets related to healthy aging.

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An elderly woman feeds eating an older man.
A healthy weight loss plan can be the important thing to healthy aging.
Tom Wang/ Shutterstock
(*100*)

When and the way much you eat, it can also play a job when it comes to aging. Studies of calorie and intermittent restrictions in animals have shown that each can increase life. Our initial work in humans also showed that after an empty stomach it can cause three weeks Similar, positive metabolic shifts It suits what now we have seen in animals that will live longer. However, more research is required in an extended time-frame to determine the impact on Healthspan and life in humans.

3. Sleep

The regular dream of excellent quality can also be vital health for all times and general longevity.

In the study, about 500,000 British irregular sleep patterns were related to 50% higher risk of early death compared to those with regular sleep patterns. Change employees showed the next risk of strokes, and nurses who worked on rotational changes for a long time Less healthy and had previous deaths in retirement compared to nurses who didn’t work with changes.

Although these data suggest that good quality, regular sleep is essential for good health, how much sleep you need and when you should go to sleep seems to be highly individualistic. This makes it difficult to transfer recommendations for the whole population-which is why NHS recommends that adults get between 7-9 hours of sleep.

4. Stress

Stress has a variety of influence in your health.

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For example, the growing evidence indicates that the stressors of formative years (comparable to the lack of parent, neglect or abuse) can negatively affect health in later life-nave to molecular and cellular levels through Increasing inflammation levels in a way that can increase risk of bad health and premature death in old age.

And vice versa, older adults that show increased psychological resistance to stress are he’ll die less often for any reason. Eight weeks of normal yoga is enough Improve psychological immunity in older adults.

The effect of social connections might be related. Those who live more socially also live live longer. In fact, people over 65 years old who’re socially energetic daily thrice more likely Live for more five years compared to those that almost never become involved in social activities.

It is a widespread discovery that strong social networks seem Increase longevity. This may result from the way in which social connections help us relieve stressors in our lives.

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The role of genetics

Although there are a lot of lifestyle habits that we can change, one thing that we cannot control when it comes to our lives is genetics. Some studies suggest that naturally occurring mutations in genes related to longevity are more common in long -term people.

Although it’s difficult to irritate the role of genetics compared to lifestyle when it comes to life expectancy, current forecasts suggest that longevity is between 20-40% related to genetics.

But good genetics are usually not all the pieces. Although Ethel Caterham reached the extraordinary age of 115-And considered one of her sisters lived on the 104th daughter of Caterham initially recognized her on the age of 71 and 83.

And even when you win a genetic jackpot and follow lifestyle, you would still be very completely satisfied that he could have an important age of Caterham on the age of 115. Mutation cells, a type of clots, completion of biological happiness. Despite this, if you want to maximize your possibilities for an extended life and remain as healthy as possible, try to be more physically energetic daily, eat weight loss plan, go to sleep and maintain low stress.

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This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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