Shirley Jo Finney, a theater director and the star of Wilma (1977), has died. She was 74.
The Fountain Theatre announced Finney’s death on social media writing in an Instagram post, “With broken hearts, we share the sad news that director Shirley Jo Finney, a beloved member of our Fountain Family, passed away yesterday after a long illness.”
Some of the productions that Finney directed included Citizen: An American Lyric, Heart Song, In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, The Ballad of Emmett Till, Yellowman, Central Avenue and From the Mississippi Delta.
Finney had been battling with cancer for eight months, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.
Finney starred in the television film Wilma, a biopic about track star Wilma Rudolph and the obstacles she faced to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics. In the television movie, Finney starred opposite Cicely Tyson, Jason Bernard, Denzel Washington and more.
The Fountain Theatre announced Finney’s death on social media writing in an Instagram post, “With broken hearts, we share the sad news that director Shirley Jo Finney, a beloved member of our Fountain Family, passed away yesterday after a long illness.”
Some of the productions that Finney directed included Citizen: An American Lyric, Heart Song, In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, The Ballad of Emmett Till, Yellowman, Central Avenue and From the Mississippi Delta.
Finney had been battling with cancer for eight months, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.
Finney starred in the television film Wilma, a biopic about track star Wilma Rudolph and the obstacles she faced to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics. In the television movie, Finney starred opposite Cicely Tyson, Jason Bernard, Denzel Washington and more.
- 10/15/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Shirley Jo Finney, a theater director and actor known for the 1975 TV biopic “Wilma,” died on Oct. 10 following an eight-month battle with cancer. She was 74.
The Fountain Theatre announced the news of Finney’s death in a statement on Friday.
“It shatters my heart beyond expression to announce the passing of my artistic sister,” said Stephen Sachs, artistic director of the Fountain Theatre. “I am deeply, deeply devastated. She was my theatrical soulmate for 26 years.”
Finney directed eight productions over many years at the Fountain Theatre, including Endesha Ida Mae Holland’s “From the Mississippi Delta”; Stephen Sachs’ “Central Avenue”; Dael Orlandersmith’s “Yellowman”; Ifa Bayeza’s “The Ballad of Emmett Till”; Claudia Rankin and Stephen Sachs’ “Citizen: An American Lyric”; and Jeremy J. Kamps’ “Runaway Home,” among other titles. Finney and her productions received several accolades, including the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award for best director for “Yellowman.
The Fountain Theatre announced the news of Finney’s death in a statement on Friday.
“It shatters my heart beyond expression to announce the passing of my artistic sister,” said Stephen Sachs, artistic director of the Fountain Theatre. “I am deeply, deeply devastated. She was my theatrical soulmate for 26 years.”
Finney directed eight productions over many years at the Fountain Theatre, including Endesha Ida Mae Holland’s “From the Mississippi Delta”; Stephen Sachs’ “Central Avenue”; Dael Orlandersmith’s “Yellowman”; Ifa Bayeza’s “The Ballad of Emmett Till”; Claudia Rankin and Stephen Sachs’ “Citizen: An American Lyric”; and Jeremy J. Kamps’ “Runaway Home,” among other titles. Finney and her productions received several accolades, including the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award for best director for “Yellowman.
- 10/15/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Tennis great Serena Williams will receive the Jackie Robinson Sports Award on Saturday during the 54th annual NAACP Image Awards, which are airing live on BET and simulcast across other Paramount Global networks including CBS, Comedy Central, MTV and VH1.
The Robinson honor is presented to individuals in sports for their high achievement in athletics in addition to their contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement, awards organizers said Thursday.
Previous winners include Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilma Rudolph and the Harlem Globetrotters.
“Serena Williams is the quintessential example of Black excellence,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said. “From her record-breaking wins on the tennis court to her business acumen to her philanthropic endeavors, she has set the bar for athletes everywhere. We are proud to honor and celebrate her with this year’s Jackie Robinson Sports Award.”
Williams won...
The Robinson honor is presented to individuals in sports for their high achievement in athletics in addition to their contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement, awards organizers said Thursday.
Previous winners include Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Wilma Rudolph and the Harlem Globetrotters.
“Serena Williams is the quintessential example of Black excellence,” NAACP president and CEO Derrick Johnson said. “From her record-breaking wins on the tennis court to her business acumen to her philanthropic endeavors, she has set the bar for athletes everywhere. We are proud to honor and celebrate her with this year’s Jackie Robinson Sports Award.”
Williams won...
- 2/23/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Queen of the South co-producer and Queen Sugar producer Tina Mabry has signed on to direct and co-write Pretty Big at Warner Bros. and HBO Max, a project which Mike Jackson of Get Lifted Film Co., Poppy Hanks and Jelani Johnson of Macro and Kristina Sorensen will produce.
Pretty Big is based on the true life story of Akira Armstrong and the origin of her Pretty Big Movement dance company. In the movie, a young plus-sized woman takes matters into her own hands when she keeps getting rejected from dance companies, despite her obvious talent. When she starts her own company for bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors, she sets out to win a prestigious competition and prove to the dance community that anyone can dance at an elite level. This was a competitive package bid on by several studios. Dan Steele is co-writing.
EPs...
Pretty Big is based on the true life story of Akira Armstrong and the origin of her Pretty Big Movement dance company. In the movie, a young plus-sized woman takes matters into her own hands when she keeps getting rejected from dance companies, despite her obvious talent. When she starts her own company for bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors, she sets out to win a prestigious competition and prove to the dance community that anyone can dance at an elite level. This was a competitive package bid on by several studios. Dan Steele is co-writing.
EPs...
- 1/19/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Akira Armstrong’s Pretty Big Movement dance company set out to destroy stereotypes in the dance world — and now that story is getting the Hollywood treatment in a new film.
Set at Warner Bros. for HBO Max, “Pretty Big” is based on the true life story and the origin of Armstrong’s dance company, which is inclusive of bodies of all shapes, sizes and colors. Tina Mabry has signed on to direct the project, co-writing the screenplay with Dan Steele.
The movie follows Armstrong, a young, plus-sized woman who takes matters into her own hands after being rejected from other dance companies, despite her obvious talent. After starting her own company, she sets out to win a prestigious competition and prove to the dance community that anyone can dance at an elite level.
Warner Bros. nabbed the competitive package, bid on by multiple studios, for HBO Max. Get Lifted Film Co.
Set at Warner Bros. for HBO Max, “Pretty Big” is based on the true life story and the origin of Armstrong’s dance company, which is inclusive of bodies of all shapes, sizes and colors. Tina Mabry has signed on to direct the project, co-writing the screenplay with Dan Steele.
The movie follows Armstrong, a young, plus-sized woman who takes matters into her own hands after being rejected from other dance companies, despite her obvious talent. After starting her own company, she sets out to win a prestigious competition and prove to the dance community that anyone can dance at an elite level.
Warner Bros. nabbed the competitive package, bid on by multiple studios, for HBO Max. Get Lifted Film Co.
- 1/19/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Producer Kirk Shaw has launched Ambitious Entertainment, a new intellectual property acquisition and development fund. The venture starts with a strategic partnership with Impossible Dream Entertainment, the production company headed by producers Yvette Yates Redick and Shaun Redick, latter of whom produced Get Out and BlackKklansman, and together have the Jamie Foxx-starrer Day Shift at Netflix. Shaw, who has produced and financed over 240 films and television series will be board member and CEO of the fund. Joining him on the board is LatinX producer Yates Redick.
Ambitious Entertainment’s heads said they will invest up to $10 million for acquisitions and development of feature films and series over the next couple years. The multi-million dollar development investment, led by Gpl Ventures Managing Member Cosmin Panait, will allow the group to acquire and control rights to dozens of new intellectual properties. The overall goal is to go public on the...
Ambitious Entertainment’s heads said they will invest up to $10 million for acquisitions and development of feature films and series over the next couple years. The multi-million dollar development investment, led by Gpl Ventures Managing Member Cosmin Panait, will allow the group to acquire and control rights to dozens of new intellectual properties. The overall goal is to go public on the...
- 5/19/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Nas collapses history and culture in the jarring new video for “War Against Love,” a track off his new rarities compilation, The Lost Tapes 2.
Directed by Jason Goldwatch, the clip is a compelling visual collage that features Nas performing the track amidst an array of juxtapositions, such as side-by-side videos of mushroom clouds and blooming flowers, and a photo of Olympic track star Wilma Rudolph crossing the finish line next to a Civil Rights-era snapshot of police chasing two black teenagers (the same one famously used on the cover of...
Directed by Jason Goldwatch, the clip is a compelling visual collage that features Nas performing the track amidst an array of juxtapositions, such as side-by-side videos of mushroom clouds and blooming flowers, and a photo of Olympic track star Wilma Rudolph crossing the finish line next to a Civil Rights-era snapshot of police chasing two black teenagers (the same one famously used on the cover of...
- 9/24/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Zap2it: The "Moms Mabley" film was your directorial debut. What was the experience like?
Whoopi Goldberg: It's a documentary. I didn't direct people what to say. The ride is mine.
Zap2it: Do you want to do more documentaries?
Whoopi Goldberg: Ken Burns does the greatest documentaries, and does the 10-part documentaries, and the way he wants to do it. I would like to do a 10-part series starting with black entertainment from the end of the 1800s through till now. And do another 10-part [series] on the history of black people in sports, and talk about Wilma Rudolph and Willie Mays and all of the guys, the Globetrotters and the black golfers and Arthur Ashe.
Zap2it: You wound up raising money online and then took some criticism for it. What was that about?
Whoopi Goldberg: I did some of the money through Kickstarter. I ran...
Whoopi Goldberg: It's a documentary. I didn't direct people what to say. The ride is mine.
Zap2it: Do you want to do more documentaries?
Whoopi Goldberg: Ken Burns does the greatest documentaries, and does the 10-part documentaries, and the way he wants to do it. I would like to do a 10-part series starting with black entertainment from the end of the 1800s through till now. And do another 10-part [series] on the history of black people in sports, and talk about Wilma Rudolph and Willie Mays and all of the guys, the Globetrotters and the black golfers and Arthur Ashe.
Zap2it: You wound up raising money online and then took some criticism for it. What was that about?
Whoopi Goldberg: I did some of the money through Kickstarter. I ran...
- 12/30/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
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