Mama, I Want to Sing!
Distributor: Codeblack Entertainment and FoxFaith
Director: Charles Randolph-Wright
Producers: Jeff Clanagan, Marvet Britto, Holly Davis Carter, David Pomier
Screenwriter: Charles Randolph-Wright
Cast: Ciara, Lynn Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, Kevin Phillips, Juanita Bynum, Hill Harper, Ben Vereen, Billy Zane, Kim Porter, Shonda Farr, Marvin Winans
Synopsis: Mama, I Want to Sing! tells the story of a preacher’s daughter, who rises from the church choir to international pop superstardom. The character is loosely based on Vy Higginsen’s sister, Doris Troy, best known for the 1963 pop hit “Just One Look.” Higginsen and her husband Ken Wydro wrote, produced, directed, financed, and marketed the play, which was originally rejected by every major producer in New York. None believed that the story was worth telling or that an audience could be found for a gospel based production.
By the end of 1984, the play was named by Time Magazine as one of the “Ten Best Theatrical Productions of the Year.” Having played more than 2400 performances over eight consecutive years (1983-1991), the show became the longest running Black off-Broadway musical in the history of American theater touring both domestically and internationally.
