Christina Ham News

Artistic Director Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company are thrilled to present Christina Ham's Nina Simone: Four Women beginning this September. In its Atlanta debut, Nina Simone: Four Women, directed by Michele Shay, brings to life the four women from the play's namesake song, giving voice to "Aunt Sarah", "Sephronia", "Sweet Thing", and "Peaches". The day after the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, these four women find themselves in search of solace in the ruins of the church, where Nina is struggling to compose a song that can capture the pain and protest that resides in her heart. This play with music includes some of Nina Simone's most popular civil rights anthems such as "Mississippi Goddam," "Go Limp," and "Young, Gifted, and Black."

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces its 44th season, opening withCurve of Departure by Rachel Bonds and directed by BJ Jones. The season continues with the World Premiere of Mansfield Park, Kate Hamill's new adaptation of Jane Austen's classic tale of social satire, directed by Stuart Carden; followed by Christina Ham's Nina Simone: Four Women,directed by Kenneth L. Roberson; and the World Premiere of Landladies (previously titled The Janice), written by Sharyn Rothstein and directed by Jess McLeod. Closing out the season is Into the Breeches! by George Brant and directed by Jessica Thebus.

The Playwrights' Center today announced the recipients of the 2018-19 McKnight National Residency and Commission and 2018-19 McKnight Fellowships in Playwriting.

The 2018-19 season at People's Light explores love, appetite, loss, and legacy through script and song.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced programming for its 2018-2019 season of Performances for Young Audiences, featuring trailblazing journeys in theater, music, and dance that will inspire and resonate with audiences of all ages. The Kennedy Center has commissioned and co-commissioned six world premiere works that will bring audiences on expeditions through time and place to Birmingham in the 1960s, through a young man's imagination in present day New York City, and even to the stars and beyond.

Artistic Director Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company are proud to announce the 2018-2019 season - 'Moments Make the Movement.'  The four productions of this 16th season are woven together by a thread of radical change at the societal, organizational and familial levels.  The season opens in September with Nina Simone: Four Women by Christina Ham.  

Artistic Director Braden Abraham today announced Seattle Repertory Theatre's new eight-play 2018/2019 season, which features a sweeping theatrical adaptation of a best-selling novel, a world premiere from a local playwright, a Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical, a thriller direct from London's West End, and more.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces its 44th season, opening withCurve of Departure by Rachel Bonds, directed by BJ Jones and featuring Mike Nussbaum and Sean Parris. The season continues with the World Premiere of Mansfield Park, Kate Hamill's new adaptation of Jane Austen's classic tale of social satire and the quest for romance, directed by Stuart Carden, and featuring Kayla Carter and Heidi Kettenring; followed by the World Premiere of The Janice, written by Sharyn Rothstein; and Christina Ham's Nina Simone: Four Women. Closing out the season is Into The Breeches! by George Brant.

Actress Anna May Wong (1905-1961) was incredibly prolific, appearing in silent movies, 'talkies,' television, plays and vaudeville. She was also stifled by a close-minded industry which largely limited the Chinese American actress to stereotyped roles, and the Hays code which kept her out of romantic leads.

Actress Anna May Wong (1905-1961) was incredibly prolific, appearing in silent movies, 'talkies,' television, plays and vaudeville. She was also stifled by a close-minded industry which largely limited the Chinese American actress to stereotyped roles, and the Hays code which kept her out of romantic leads.

I was recently in Atlanta, GA which is noted for its many museums. They have a Coca-Cola Museum, College Football Hall of Fame, the second largest aquarium in the world, the home of CNN, and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. But the highlight for me was the Civil Rights Museum. It was incredibly moving. When I saw the exhibit concerning the death of four young Black girls in Birmingham,

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Nina Simone: Four Women runs November 10-December 24, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company at their first rehearsal below!

Nina Simone didn't write her most iconic song inside Birmingham's bombed out 16th Street Baptist Church just after four girls were killed there in 1963. But she was so full of rage she could have. It's not the only flight of fancy in Christina Ham's dynamic theatrical work 'Nina Simone: Four Women' at Arena Stage.

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Nina Simone: Four Women runs now through December 24, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN runs through December 21 at Arena Stage. FOUR WOMEN has a book by Christina Ham, and is directed by Timothy Douglas. Watch the cast and director Douglas in rehearsals in this video!

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Set in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which four little girls lost their lives in 1963, Ham uses Simone's song 'Four Women' as the framework to explore the songstress' shift from artist to artist-activist.

Starting November 10, Theresa Cunningham gets to channel the pioneering songstress and make her Arena Stage debut with the East Coast premiere of Nina Simone: Four Women. Before there was Bono or John Lennon, there was Nina Simone and Christina Ham's new play follows her transformation from artist, to artist and activist.

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Nina Simone: Four Women runs November 10-December 24, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company at their first rehearsal below!

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Set in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which four little girls lost their lives in 1963, Ham uses Simone's song 'Four Women' as the framework to explore the songstress' shift from artist to artist-activist.

The Playwrights' Center is excited to announce the 2017-18 McKnight National Residency and Commission recipient, 2017-18 McKnight Fellows in Playwriting, 2017-18 McKnight Theater Artist Fellows, 2017-2020 Core Writers and 2017-18 Core Apprentices.