In fact, the production team deserves additional praise for presenting Oscar-worthy performances to global audiences for the debuts of “Wicked” and “Gladiator 2.”
Both are slated for IMAX showcases, and the mega tech productions offer pre-Thanksgiving Day and pre-Christmas weekend boosts to make profitable gains for the Leap year.
Already predicted to break box office records, the screen version of one of Broadway’s biggest hits and the sequel to the Sword and Sandals Roman blockbuster is being touted for Golden Globes, People’s Choice, and Academy Awards.
‘Wicked’ stars Cynthia Erivo as the off-colored green witch to captivate children and adults in the epic tale about the “Wizard of Oz.”
Co-starring with Ariana Grande, Erivo is a British actress acclaimed for her performances in “The Color Purple” and “Black Panther,” not to mention her role as Harriet Tubman.
If audiences assumed her favorite color was purple, see her in forest green.
She is enviously color-cast from head to toe. When she says, “It’s not easy being green,” she is not talking about a facade; her reference is to uniqueness, differences, and staying true to oneself regardless of challenges.
The fashion-forward actress says, “It’s about being comfortable in one’s skin.”
The music is entrancing, the fashion wickedly bewitching, and the wizardry soars past Emerald City.
Celebrities are abundant in the spectacle, and dance scenes provide the exact cadence for a complete bonanza. Another sword and sandals feature pits Academy Award winner Denzel Washington in a challenging role to portray Marcinus, a former gladiator and wealthy arbiter.
In Gladiator 2, the screen legend dares to defy the Gods. Washington plays the villainous role of a freed slave who finds prominence in Rome, where fighting for life is a sport.
His character emerges as the focus and also prominently places Blacks in the Empire, which rewrites the perception of dominance in the civilization that ruled the Coliseum.
Indeed, Hollywood knows gold when they see it.
Perhaps they, too, are capitalizing on the winning combination of black, green, and gold.
Have a festive Thanksgiving.
YULE LOVE THE SEASON
There is more to come this season. Whoopi Goldberg returns to the stage in the family feature “Anne.“
For a limited engagement period – Dec. 4 to Jan. 4, the revered EGOT (winner of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) will once again step away from her daily chair television’s The View to reprise the character of Miss Hannigan.
Slated for the Theater of Madison Square Garden, the tale about the red-haired orphan still manages to entice audiences.
Another year-end treat introduces the raspy sounds from the Louis Armstrong Jukebox. It slates a musical recap of the blues trumpeter whose broad smile, lily-white teeth, and signature handkerchief provoked controversy about his image.
Some described Louis Satchmo Armstrong as being an Uncle Tom.
Others excused his stage demeanor as a compromise to getting along to get along.
The conflict between white acceptance and Black perceptions dogged his national appearances, but internationally, he was Satchmo, the king of the blues and jazz.
Booked for another limited engagement, James Monroe Inglehart succeeds in capturing the essence of the husband to four wives, his adventures, his politics, and his world-renowned songs,“ “Hello Dolly“ and “The Star Spangled Banner,“ among them.
Appearing now at Studio 54, the talent demonstrates how Satch emerged as an icon whose New York home in Queens became a museum and why he is still revered after five decades throughout the 20th century.
Multiple Grammy winner and musical genius Wynton Marsalis is the principal orchestrator of the Broadway tour de force. A little help from singer/actress Vanessa Williams provides the winning ingredient for keeping the music on the playlist for longer than promised. It’s truly a wonderful world. Oh yeah!
Catch You On The Inside!
