Entertainment: Black Stars On Broadway

Black Stars on Broadway

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
'American Idol' Season 1 finalist Tamyra Gray blazed a new trail on Broadway when she revamped the look of lead character Mimi, a drug addicted HIV positive spitfire in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical 'Rent.' It wasn't the first time around the track for the former Georgia pageant queen; she previously starred in the Indian inspired outing, 'Bombay Dreams.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Academy Award winning film veteran Morgan Freeman made a return to The Great White Way in April 2008. The last time the 'Million Dollar Baby' actor appeared on the Broadway stage before: 1988's 'The Gospel at Colonus.' As Frank Elgin, the Memphis native took on a roll traditionally played by a white actor in the Mike Nichols-directed revival.

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Hip-hop superstar Sean "Diddy" Combs won rave reviews as Walter Lee Younger in the 2002 revival of the classic play 'A Raisin in the Sun.'

Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Sexy 'Soul Food' star Boris Kodjoe stepped up his acting game by filling in for Terrence Howard during a break in production of the sell-out, all-black version of Tennessee Williams' play 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.' Though it was only two weeks, the former fashion model turned pin-up hunk received high marks for taking on the lead role as sexually tormented jock, Brick. He held his own alongside Tony Award winning thespians James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad and Anika Noni Rose.



Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
'Law & Order' powerhouse S. Epatha Merkerson returned to her theater roots with her critically acclaimed turn in 'Bye, Bye Birdie.'


Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
In 2007, Grammy Award winning diva Chaka Khan made her Broadway debut in the Oprah Winfrey-produced musical 'A Color Purple.'



Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Known as a scene-stealer in films such as 'What's Love Got to Do With It?' and 'Meet The Browns,' Kinloch, Missouri born powerhouse Jenifer Lewis returned to her Broadway roots with a starring role in the Tony Award winning best musical 'Hairspray.' The 'Jackie's Back' star was originally tapped to play the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the original workshop of the Jon Waters-inspired tour-de-force. But because of legal obligations with her role in the Lifetime series 'Strong Medicine,' she couldn't open the show. Now, in between major projects, she's taken on the role and is wowing sold out crowds.



Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
Ousted 'American Idol' finalist Frenchie Davis got a career boost when she wowed sell-out crowds in Broadway's long-running musical 'Rent.'



Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
For his Broadway debut, multi-platinum selling R&B superstar Usher Raymond had audience members wrapped around the block for autographs. In 2006, the 'Confessions' singer brought a new meaning to what was known as "usher" on Broadway with his razzle dazzle of a performance as lawyer Billy Flynn in 'Chicago.'


Black Stars Light Up The Great White Way
In 2004, TV star Wayne Brady made a splash on Broadway playing legal eagle Billy Flynn in the hit musical 'Chicago.'