Theater News

Melvin Van Peebles’ Stage Adaptation of His Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song to Play BRICstudio

Melvin Van Peebles
(© Charles Rogers)
Melvin Van Peebles
(© Charles Rogers)

Melvin Van Peebles will adapt his 1971 groundbreaking film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song into a musical theater production, which will have work-in-progress presentations at BRICstudio on February 3 and 4 at 8pm.

The production will have its official premiere at the Sons d’Hiver Festival in Paris, later this year. The piece is a collaboration between Van Peebles and music ensemble Burnt Sugar The Arkestra Chamber, and includes a large cast of actors and singers. The presentation will conclude with an audience dialogue with the artists, followed by a book-signing with Van Peebles.

Van Peebles has worked as an actor, producer, writer and director. He received Tony nominations for book, music and lyrics of the 1972 musical Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, and garnered another nod for best book of Don’t Play Us Cheap in 1973. He received a 1987 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing of a Children’s Special. Last year, he starred in a run of his show, Unmitigated Truth: Life, a Lavatory, Loves and Ladies at the Algonquin Theater.

Tickets are $10. To purchase, or for more information, visit www.bricartsmedia.org.