Even though only the first half is currently being shown in theaters, “Wicked” is already setting records. As of this past Sunday, the film had generated $634 million worldwide after six weeks of release. That makes it officially the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in global box office history. The previous record holder was “Mamma Mia,” which was released in 2008. It amassed $611 million, but that was by the end of its run. “Wicked,” co-starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, has also earned $424 million at the domestic box office, surpassing “Grease” as the top domestic Broadway adaptation. This success makes…
Author: Ron Wynn
One of the Nashville’s longest running musical groups will be making a special holiday appearance at the City Winery on December 26. The Nashville Jazz Orchestra has been one of the city’s finest large bands for decades, and the place where many of the city’s finest improvisers assembled to play both classic tunes and originals. The group’s roots date back to the mid–90s when trumpeter and arranger Jim Williams founded it. For many years it was the city’s only large jazz ensemble. They got their start playing concerts at schools, parks, festivals, and theatres, plus select engagements. Williamson began organizing…
The notion that only a few tweaks here and there can fix the Tennessee Titans has been thoroughly disproven this season. After Sunday’s latest home disaster to the Jacksonville Jaguars, it’s pretty clear that a major overhaul is needed to even make this team competitive, let alone return it to the playoffs. Another double digit loss season is now a certainty after the 10-6 loss that was also the lowest scoring game this season in the entire NFL. That the Titans twice decided to go for touchdowns on fourth down rather than get chip shot field goals backfired when it…
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced its 16th Annual AAFCA Awards and 2025 Special Achievement honorees last week. The Special Achievement Awards ceremony takes place Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and the Annual AAFCA Awards Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The recipients include actors and artisans from 2025 Oscars contenders “Nickel Boys,” “The Piano Lesson,” and “The Six Triple Eight.” The 2025 Special Achievement Awards honorees include: Lynn Whitfield, Legacy Award; Brandon Wilson and Ethan Herisse, Gen Next Award; “Nickel Boys,” Karen & Stanley Kramer Social Justice Award; and Amber Rasberry,…
The accomplishments of a groundbreaking squad of athletes have now been officially celebrated. Howard University’s famed 1974 soccer team, which made history 50 years ago, was inducted last week into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame. They were the first Historically Black College/University to win an NCAA national title, claiming victory following an undefeated campaign. It was an enormous achievement, not only because they were pioneers, but because they won the championship in a sport where not many HBCUs were even fielding teams at the time, and one that still isn’t nearly as popular on Black college campuses as football…
The famed group Boyz II Men are developing a feature film biopic that will chronicle their 30- year career. The four-time Grammy winners had an array of hits in the 1990s that continued into the 21st century. These included “End of the Road,” “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” “On Bended Knee,” “One Sweet Day” and “Motownphilly.” The band has partnered with production and financing companies Compelling Pictures and Primary Wave to develop the film, with Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris executive producing it. Compelling will also begin production on a long-form documentary…
CBS continues to generate publicity for its upcoming new daytime drama “Beyond The Gates,” the first Black-oriented network daytime drama in decades. They announced last Friday 10 new cast members for the program, all of them with extensive experience either in television, film or in theatrical productions. The new members are: Brandon Claybon (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “General Hospital”), Timon Durrett (“Queen Sugar,” “Stuck With You”), Sean Freeman (“Finding Happy,” “Tales”), Marquita Goings (“Zatima,” “Woke”), Maurice Johnson (“Chicago Fire,” “To Catch a Killer”), Trisha Mann-Grant (“The Family Business,” “A Royal Christmas Surprise”), RhonniRose Mantilla (Broadway’s “Harmony the Musical”), Ambyr Michelle (“Snowfall,” “The…
There’s been plenty of anticipation regarding Morris Chestnut’s new CBS series “Watson,” a show he is also executive producing. The network late last week finally released publicity photos of Chestnut as the title character, while also announcing a premiere date. The show will make its debut Jan. 26, 2025, airing directly after the AFC Championship game, a prime spot often used to launch promising new series. It will then shift to its regular time slot of 9 p.m. CT Feb. 16, while also streaming on Paramount +. The premise combines elements of mystery and medical shows, starring Chestnut as the…
Jason Berry’s celebrated documentary “City of A Million Dreams: Parading for the Dead in New Orleans,” is coming to Nashville next month. This is one of the stops for this year’s 2024-2025 South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. It is a long-running South Arts program that connects US-based documentary filmmakers with communities throughout the South for screenings and conversations around important stories, topics, and the art of filmmaking. The Nashville location for the screening will be the Global Education Center, 4822 Charlotte Avenue. It’s set for November 16 at 4 p.m. There’s also a dance party scheduled in…
Saxophonist, educator and record label head Rahsaan Barber has been a mainstay in Nashville jazz circles for many years. Though he’s currently working as a professor at The University of North Carolina, he still maintains his local label Jazz Music City. Now he’s returning to town this weekend to spotlight his new LP “Six Words,” which features both his sextet Everyday Magic and a slate of all original compositions. He’ll be appearing at the Nashville Jazz Workshop’s Jazz Cave October 27 in a special album release concert. Barber has appeared and/or collaborated with a host of music greats. These include…