BV Entertainment Newswire July 26

Yellow Brick Road, Again

David Alan Grier may be headed back to Broadway.

Grier, whose theater credits include the original production of 'Dreamgirls' and 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' has been cast in the title role of Tony Award winning 'The Wiz.'

The funnyman, best known for his 'In Living Color,' movie critic character Antoine Merriweather, received an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. He won the lead role in the Broadway musical 'The First,' portraying baseball icon Jackie Robinson, and went on to receive a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and win the 1982 Theatre World Award.

Directed by Des McAnuff, who helmed this year's Tony Award winning Best Musical 'Jersey Boys,' the new version of 'The Wiz' will start previews at California's La Jolla Playhouse Sep. 26. A Broadway announcement is said to be pending.

Emmy Award winner Wayne Brady is set to star as the Scarecrow, and Tony Award nominated Valarie Pettiford (most recently seen on UPN's long-running sitcom 'Half & Half') will take on the dual role of Aunt Em and Glinda.

Nikki James, Tituss Burgess, Michael Benjamin Washington, E. Faye Butler and Heather Lee round out the principal cast.

Based on 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' by L. Frank Baum, with a book by William F. Brown, and music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls, McAnuff's version is described as a major re-envisioning for the 21st century with a multicultural cast.

"Our production will reflect the shifts that have occurred in the dominant pop culture, in both music and theatre, since 'The Wiz's' history-making Broadway debut in the 1970s," McAnuff said.

"This is modern Oz, with a modern look and modern sounds. It is a privilege to working with such an esteemed company of actors as we head together into this great adventure. This promises to be an exciting ride for all of us!"

Original 'Wiz' orchestrator Harold Wheeler (renowned as a tunesmith for dazzling productions of 'Dreamgirls,' 'Hairspray' and 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels') has been tapped to oversee the music.

R&B veteran Stephanie Mills originated the role of Dorothy on Broadway. Want to download some music from the original recording? You can here.

Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Richard Pryor starred in the 1978 film version of 'The Wiz.' More info on the film here.

'Xzibit' A

West-coast rap superstar Xzibit has signed a deal with Koch Records to distribute his Open Bar Entertainment music imprint.

With over three million units already sold, The 'Pimp My Ride' host will release his sixth album, 'Full Circle,' Sep. 19. The first single will be titled 'Concentrate.'

"After 10 years of being signed to a major label, I have learned a lot,' Xzibit (nee Alvin Nathaniel Joiner) said."Koch Records is giving me the opportunity to put this knowledge to work. I am excited to be putting an Independent record out through Open Bar Entertainment/KOCH Records and am looking forward to doing what I love to do best."

X, as he affectionately known, is set to appear alongside Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the forthcoming movie, 'Gridiron Gang' which is set for release this fall. Last year, he appeared in 'XXX' alongside Ice Cube and Samuel L. Jackson, and 'Derailed' starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen.

Check out Xzibit's video for 'Hey Now' here.

Harper On The Road

Still riding the wave of his best-selling literary debut 'Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny,' actor Hill Harper has been confirmed to share his perspective on leadership at the 2006 Nissan Student Government Leadership Program (NSGLP) scheduled for July 30 through Aug. 3, at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi.

For the second year, Nissan will host 60 Student Government Association (SGA) Presidents from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for a three-day leadership training experience. The program aims to expose attendees to a curriculum usually reserved for Fortune 500 executives and is a beacon for Nissan's continued commitment to HBCUs.

"[We] developed this innovative program to prepare the next generation of community, corporate and global leaders," said Nissan North America Vice Chairman Jim Morton. "Last year's inaugural session was a tremendous success. The students were engaged and enthusiastic and took away skills that enhanced their roles as the student executive leadership for their campuses. We are looking forward to another great year."

Other speakers confirmed for the conference include Bennett College President Johnnetta B. Cole, reality TV pioneer turned community activist Kevin Powell and young millionaire Farrah Gray.

Harper, who stars on the hit series 'CSI:NY,' is an Iowa City native who holds academic degrees from Brown University, Harvard Law School, and the Kennedy School of Government. Outside of his literary effort, his business portfolio includes co-ownership of two luxury boutique hotels (The International House and Loft 523) outside New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Want to know more about Hill Harper and his literary effort? Read more here.

You can purchase Hill Harper's letters here.

'Giants' From Camp Tupac

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (TASF) will present 'Shoulders of Giants' July 29, at Georgia State University's Rialto Center for Performing Arts in Atlanta.

The camp's students (age 12-18 years old) are responsible for performance pieces in 'Shoulders' -- which uses material from Shakur's best-selling book of poetry, 'The Rose That Grew from Concrete,' as the basis.

According to a spokesperson, the students' works will encompass art forms as varied as poetry and dance. The eighth-annual show serves as a reminder of the impact the camp has on its attendants, all of whom have been touched and inspired by the camp's namesake's legacy.

The project is the eight-year-old brainchild of Tupac's mother, Afeni Shakur, who saw the impact of performing arts on her son and has made it her mission to give back some of that creativity and confidence to students in the TASF program.

Proceeds from the play will go towards the continued development of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts.

Are you a fan of Tupac? Read all about his new 'Legacy' here.