Greetings! As GBE Women’s Herstory Month moves into its last week, two our greatest soulful divas are reporting health problems on the road. The management team for the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, has released a statement that she will not perform in at what would have been her 76th birthday concert event scheduled for the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark March 25. According to the statement, Franklin also won’t appear at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival April 28. Doctors have ordered the legendary star, who last year announced plans to retire, to stay off the road and rest completely for the next two months.
Chaka Khan, once known as “Little Aretha” early in her career, has released a statement blaming the flu for what appeared to be a drugged out—possibly drunk—demeanor at a performance in Miami. Khan’s statement reads, “She has been supporting her scheduled show dates as she has been battling the flu for a number of weeks despite the doctor’s orders to cancel these shows and rest.” Our best to these legendary ladies for a full recovery and return to form.
THEATER
“The Fannie Lou Hamer Story,” a one-night-only 100th anniversary command performance written and performed by the multiple award-winning playwright, actress and singer, Mzuri Moyo Aimbaye. This free event is at Herbert Cave Auditorium at Harlem Hospital, located at 506 Malcolm X Blvd., New York, N.Y., Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. Promotional excerpts will be held Saturday, March 24, at Columbia University Prentis Hall, 632 W. 125th St., visiting with Harlem’s Oscar and Grammy nominated IMPACT Repertory Theatre, and Sunday, March 25, at the Riverside Church community gathering after Palm Sunday service. The play is in support of legislation to make Juneteenth an official National Day of Observance. Call 347-395-0259 or visit fannielouhamerstory.com.
“Chicago,” the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical recently celebrating its 21st anniversary on Broadway, welcomes legendary singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson, making her Broadway debut in the role of Matron “Mama” Morton, starting Monday, March 12, at the Ambassador Theatre, 219 W. 49th St. For show information and tickets, call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
“The Wiz” is an Afro-futuristic funky musical take on L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz,” winner of seven Tony Awards in 1975, including Best Musical. Embark on this “Oz-some” adventure, featuring Bad Boy recording artist Robert Curry of Day26 as the Tin Man. Part of the New York Black Arts Festival. Saturday, March 31, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Auditorium at Columbia-Secondary Schools, 425 W. 123rd St., New York, N.Y. For information, visit newyorkblackartsfestival.org.
“Sistas: The Musical,” St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 W. 46th St. (between Eighth and Ninth avenues), New York, N.Y. Now through June 24, 2018. For information, call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
“An Adam Experiment” offers a glimpse into the life of Adam Clayton Powell Jr., historical icon who fought for social justice and equality during the Civil Rights Movement while also wrestling with his own demons. Billie Holiday Theatre,1368 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N.Y. For tickets, call 718-636-6995 or visit thebillieholiday.org.
“Subway Story (A shooting),” final installment of the GUNPLAYS series, written and directed by William Electric Black. Theater for The New City, 155 First Ave. (at 10th Street). For information, visit theaterforthenewcity.net.
MUSIC
Brandy, Friday, March 23, at 9 p.m., B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y.
Brandy, Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m., The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, 39 Norwich Westerly Rd., Mashantucket, Conn.
Aretha Franklin, Sunday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, 1 Center St., Newark, N.J.
Maze, featuring Frankie Beverly, Thursday, March 29, at 8 p.m., B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y.
TV
PBS TV American Masters documentary “Lorraine Hansberry: “Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart” explores the inner life and works of the activist, playwright and author of “A Raisin in the Sun.” Visit pbs.org.
“Winnie” explores the life of Winnie Madikizela Mandela, one of the most misunderstood and intriguing of contemporary female political figures. Tuesday, March 27, 2018, PBS.
FILM
“A Wrinkle in Time,” starring Storm Reid and featuring Oprah Winfrey. Directed by Ava DuVernay. Check local listings.
“Color of Water,” featuring Academy Award winner and Golden Globe Nominee Octavia Spencer. Check local listings.
BOOKS
Schomburg Center presents “The Break Beat Poets Anthology: Black Girl Magic,” an anthology celebrating and canonizing the words of Black women across the Diaspora, Saturday, March 31, at 3 p.m. Visit nypl.org/locations/schomburg.
COMMUNITY
The 14th National Black Writers Conference returns to Medgar Evers College, CUNY. This year’s theme is “Gathering at the Waters: Healing, Legacy and Activism in Black Literature.” Thursday, March 22, to Sunday, March 25, 2018, in Central Brooklyn. This year the honorees are Colson Whitehead, Kwame Dawes, David Levering Lewis, Susan L. Taylor, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due and Eugene B. Redmond. Locally, regionally and nationally celebrated writers, scholars, literary professionals, students and the community-at-large will convene over four days to examine the state of literature produced by Black writers, to listen to writers read from their works, to attend a variety of informative workshops and to fellowship with other supporters of Black literature. For general information and registration call 718-804-8883 or visit centerforliterature.org.
The National Association of Kawaida Organizations, in conjunction with the International African Arts Festival, hosts a special Black History Month Part 2: Focus on Women, featuring author-educator-playwright-broadcaster, Professor Gloria Browne-Marshall. The theme of her presentation is “She Took Justice.” Sunday, March 25, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza, 1360 Fulton St., Brooklyn, N.Y., in the African Arts Festival office, Suite 401. For more information, call 718-789-3264 or 718-638-6700, or visit iaafestival.org.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM weekly with “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and simulcast over WLIB 1190AM. The full show can also be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2 and at WBLS.com.,WLIB.com and iHeartRadio. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with Radio GBE: “The Global Black Experience” and “The Global Beat Experience,” Fridays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Archived online at www.wbai.org. For bookings or to reach us about your GBEvent or for comments, email co-editor Nyerere, nyerere1@aol.com, find us at Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE or call 212-592-3279.