BV Entertainment Newswire March 27: Russell Simmons & Stan Lathan, 'The Color Purple,' Gladys Knight, The Sopranos, James Earl Jones, Ludacris

Dynamic Duo

Russell Simmons and Stan Lathan have struck a multi-faceted deal with HBO, including the production of series, specials, and other projects produced through their Simmons Lathan Media Group. "I've had the privilege of working with Russell and Stan at HBO for many years, and have always admired their ability to stay current in their sensibilities and taste," said the premium cable channel's chairman and CEO Chris Albrecht. "I've said many times that HBO is only as good as the people who work here, and I can't think of two people I would want inside the HBO fold more than these talented individuals."

Simmons, the rap culture mogul who founded Def Jam Records, and Lathan, the television sitcom veteran who helmed ‘Sanford & Son,’ began their collaboration with HBO in 1989 on the long-running series “Def Comedy Jam” and are currently executive producers of the acclaimed series “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry,” which launched in 2001 and returns with a new season later this year. “[HBO] have allowed us the freedom to knock down doors and have supported us in creative ventures that would not have seen the light of day anywhere else in Hollywood, and for those reasons we are thrilled to build upon this great relationship,” Simmons said. An HBO rep confirmed that a series pilot for “The Unsuccessful Thug” has been green lit. From comic Mike Epps , the story revolves around a small-time criminal's transition into stand-up comedy. “We are excited about bringing new talent to the forefront, and continuing to develop our relationships with established talent,” Lathan said.

Purple All Over

'The Color Purple' is set to begin performances at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on April 17, 2007. Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, the musical features music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. With co-producers Oprah Winfrey, Harvey Weinstein and Scott Saunders in tow, the production opened at New York's Broadway Theater on December 1, and has performed very well at the box office. According to a rep, The Color Purple's Broadway director, Gary Griffin will helm the run, scheduled to stay in Chicago through November 2007. In a groundbreaking marketing tie-in, the cast of the Broadway musical performed the first ever in-flight Broadway performance today -- to celebrate the debut of AirTran Airways' new nonstop service from Chicago to New York. Passengers aboard Flight 883 experienced the best seats in the house complete with playbills and stage lights.

Shining Knight

Gladys Knight will make a return to secular music with her June 6 release ‘Before Me,’ her debut recording for venerable jazz label Verve Records. According to a label spokesperson, the 12-track opus is a heartfelt homage to the great legends of song including Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne. Recorded in New York and Los Angeles and helmed by Grammy winning master producers Tommy LiPuma and Phil Ramone, the set will feature time-tested standards such as "God Bless the Child,' "The Man I Love" to the spirit-sending "Come Sunday" and "I've Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." The renowned Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra was assembled for this special recording, plus musicians such as saxophonist David “Fathead” Newman, keyboardist Joe Sample, trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Chris Botti, and guitarists Russell Malone and Anthony Wilson.

Rap For The Sopranos

Lord Jamar and Treach will star in an episode of HBO's 'The Sopranos' on April 2. The rap veterans appear in an Alan Taylor directed storyline titled "The Fleshy Part of the Thigh," delving into the subject of street credibility in the hip-hop industry. Treach, born Anthony Criss, and Jamar, born Lorenzo Dechelaus, play thug rappers who interact with mob kingpin Tony Soprano during his recovery from a coma. Both rappers, front-men for former rap trios Naughty By Nature and Brand Nubian, respectively, have also starred in HBO's 'Oz.'

Back to Broadway

James Earl Jones will return to the theatre stage with a starring role in 'Thurgood,' a one-man show about history maker Thurgood Marshall, set to run from April 30 through May 14 at the Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut. Leonard Foglia --who directed Jones in last year's Broadway revival of 'On Golden Pond'-- will helm this story centering on Marshall, who rose from a childhood in the backstreets of Baltimore to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Seriously Ludacris

While Ludacris (nee Chris Bridges) readies his primetime acting debut with an appearance on the cop drama 'Law & Order: SVU' -- airing March 28 on NBC, the Def Jam Records rapper/actor is a hot commodity in other areas. Coming off of the Best Picture Academy Award success of Paul Haggis' 'Crash,' The Champaign, Ill. native son is also the spokesperson for two major endorsement deals: PUMA North America's new Puma Suedes, and General Motors' new Pontiac Solstice. Ludacris also launched his own radio show on XM Radio entitled ‘Disturbing Tha Peace Presents Ludacris’ Open Mic,’ and will release his sixth solo album, 'Release Therapy,' this summer. On the philanthropic front, he joins Charlize Theron, Avril Lavigne, Bow Wow, Eve, Rosario Dawson, Ziggy Marley and Adrian Brody as one of the celebrity faces for the ALDO Fights AIDS Youth AIDS campaign. Last month, his own non-profit Ludcaris Foundation was honored by the Artist Empowerment Coalition.