Black in Period Films

  After nearly three years the Tony Awards are finally back! This 2020/2021 award season had some big wins for the period productions that I was rooting for.  As always this award show wrap up will specifically focus on the projects that have black characters (both main and side) and are set in the past. These productions include Moulin Rouge!, Tina, A Soldier's Play, and A Christmas Carol. Categories that did not include these productions are not listed below.  Best Musical Moulin Rouge! (Winner) Jagged Little Pill Tina   Best Revival of a Play A Soldier's Play (Winner) Betrayal Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune   Best Book of a Musical Diablo Cody – Jagged Little Pill (WINNER) John Logan – Moulin Rouge! Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar, and Kees Prins – Tina   Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Andrew Burnap – The Inheritance as Toby Darling (WINNER) Ian Barford – Linda Vista as Wheeler Jake Gyllenhaal – Sea Wall/A Life as Abe Tom Hiddleston – Betrayal as

       Adapted from the celebrated 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, PASSING tells the story of two Black women, Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga), who can “pass” as white but choose to live on opposite sides of the color line during the height of the Harlem Renaissance in late 1920s New York. After a chance encounter reunites the former childhood friends one summer afternoon, Irene reluctantly allows Clare into her home, where she ingratiates herself to Irene’s husband (André Holland) and family, and soon her larger social circle as well.      As their lives become more deeply intertwined, Irene finds her once-steady existence upended by Clare, and PASSING becomes a riveting examination of obsession, repression and the lies people tell themselves and others to protect their carefully constructed realities. Written and Directed by: Rebecca Hall Watch Passing, only on Netflix.

  An adaption of the William Shakespeare classic. After being convinced by three witches, a Scottish Lord sets out to become the King of Scotland.  From writer/director Joel Coen and starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, and Harry Melling. The Tragedy of Macbeth – In Theaters December 25. Streaming on Apple TV+ January 14.

     The upcoming biopic about musical legend Whitney Houston titled, ‘I Wanna   Dance With Somebody’ is shaping up. Months ago, they found their Whitney in British actress Naomi Ackie (Small Axe, Lady Macbeth). The production now has their Bobby Brown in Ashton Sanders; according to a Deadline exclusive. Ashton has been in period films Straight Outta Compton, Moonlight, and Judas and the Black Messiah.      Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou, Talk to Me, Harriet) joined the project after Stella Meghie left the film as director.   Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten (The Theory Of Everything, Bohemian Rhapsody) is writing the screenplay.      Whitney Houston’s life has been brought to television with the 2015 Lifetime film, Whitney. The Angela Basset-directed film starred Yaya Dacosta as Whitney Houston and Arlen Escarpeta as Bobby Brown.