1/22/26 O&A NYC HAIL TO THE KING: Martin – A Ballet by Gordon Parks – Act III Letter From The Birmingham Jail

Martin Act III Letter

Martin Act III: Letter From The Birmingham Jail – Dr. King (John Jones) is arrested and while in jail he writes the now historic letter from the Birmingham Jail. With the help of Rosa Parks (Sheila Rohan) King is able to disseminate his message to the masses. Continue reading

1/20/26 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: IAM AFRICA : Hymn to the Motherland

“A continent too often diminished, wounded, or forgotten, yet still rising, still loving, still giving. Africa is the source. The first heartbeat of the world. The flame beneath the ashes, the stardust in our blood.” – Le Pacte de Cendres Continue reading

1/20/26 O&A NYC HAIL TO THE KING: Martin- A Ballet by Gordon Parks- Act II March On Selma

Martin (Act 2) March On Selma (2)Act II from Martin: A ballet by Gordon Parks depicts the violent encounter with police during the march on Selma. Continue reading

1/19/26 O&A NYC HAIL TO THE KING: Martin: A Ballet By John Parks- Act 1

Martin Act 1 SHEILA ROHAN

Martin: A Ballet by Gordon Parks Act 1 Introduces John Jones as Martin Luther King, Sheila Rohan as Rosa Parks and James E Murphy as the Assassin. Continue reading

1/19/26 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY HOLIDAY ISSUE: King In The Wilderness: The Last Years of MLK Jr.’s Life

King In The Wilderness is a HBO Documentary that chronicles the final years of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, from 1965 to 1968. Directed by Peter Kunhardt, the film premiered in 2018 to mark the 58th anniversary of King’s assassination. Continue reading

1/18/26 O&A NYC HAIL TO THE KING!: Martin: A Ballet By Gordon Parks (Prelude)

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Martin: a ballet by Gordon Parks, an original five-movement ballet chronicling the struggles of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Filmed in 1990 the work stars John Jones as Dr. King and Sheila Rohan as Rosa Parks, featuring choreography by Real Lamb. “Martin” (PBS, 1990),  about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. Parks served as executive producer, director, composer, keyboardist and documentary photographer for this boldly ambitious project. Continue reading

1/16/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: THE HOLY BLUES INTERVIEW – Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro

“My roots are also in the Gospel church, the Gospel churches of the south where I grew up…holy blues—paeans to joy, anthems to the human spirit.” These words written by Alvin Ailey were the impetus for The Holy Blues, a collaborative choreographic endeavor by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar and emerging dancemakers Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro. Continue reading

1/13/26 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Teyana Taylor Wins Female Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture at Golden Globes Awards

Teyana Taylor won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Female Actor in a Motion Picture for her powerful role as Perfidia Beverly Hills in the film One Battel After Another, marking a significant career milestone at the 2026 ceremony. She dedicated her win to brown sisters and little brown girls, delivering an emotional speech emphasizing that their softness isn’t a liability and they belong in every room.  Continue reading

1/12/26 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Sounder – Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield and Kevin Hooks

Sounder (1972) is a film drama based on the 1969 novel by William H. Armstrong about a black depression era sharecropper family in Louisiana. The movie starred Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, and Kevin Hooks. Musician Taj Mahal composed the film’s blue-inspired soundtrack and appears in a supporting role. Continue reading

1/11/26 O&A NYC IN MEMORIAM: Carmen de Lavallade (CBS Sunday Morning 2017)

In this Dec. 3, 2017 Sunday Morning report, Carmen de Lavallade talked with Rita Braver about her artistic journey (including her collaborations with Alvin Ailey and future husband Geoffrey Holder), and her decision to boycott a 2017 Kennedy Center Honorees reception following President Trump‘s remarks about White nationalists who marched in Charlottesville, Va. Continue reading