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THE PULSE OF ENTERTAINMENT: “Three Ways To Get A Husband,” an I’m Ready Production stage play stars Billy Dee Williams; 'Welcome Home Roscoe'
“Three Ways To Get A Husband,” an I’m Ready Production stage play comes to Baltimore at the Lyric Theater
*Billy Dee Williams, Lenny Williams, Elise Neal, Shirley Murdock and Leon star in the Je’Caryous Johnson stage play, “Three Ways To Get A Husband.” The play comes to the Baltimore Lyric Theatre from February 12-17; the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas from February 6 – 9; the Beacon Theatre in New York from February 19 – 24; the Marriam Theatre in Philadelphia from March 4 – 9, and then on to Washington DC at the Warner Theatre from March 11 – 16.
Johnson’s partner in I’m Ready Productions is Gary Guidry. The stage play centers around attorney Chastity Moore (Elise Neal), who is caught in the middle of making one man, Devon (Leon) returning from services in Iraq, choose her over his country and another, Jemarcus Hansen (Reggie Reg), who is her live-in lover.
Chastity’s father Wayne Moore (Lenny Williams) and mother Patricia Moore (Shirley Murdock) is pressuring her to get married to a long time boyfriend who she is “shacking up with.” She sees Devon being sympathetic to her homeless ex-veteran Uncle, William Moore (Billy Dee Williams), which melts her heart and they both experience a tender moment, which Jemarcus sees.
“My character is a homeless ex-vet who meets a homeless woman from Katrina and they fall in love,” legendary actor Billy Dee Williams said about his character.
Billy Dee, a legend in Hollywood best known for his roles in “Lady Sings The Blues,” “Mahogany,” “Star Wars,” and “Brian’s Song,” also paints (www.BDWWorldArt.com). Williams said that he had worked for Johnson before and when asked to do the play he didn’t hesitate. He describes the difference in the stage plays he performed in, in his earlier acting days, with the current ones as being the targeted audience. The current plays are “targeted towards the Black audience and relates to concerns of Black people.”
Award winning actor, Leon, is best known for his roles in “The Temptations,” “The Little Richard Story,” and “The Five Heartbeats,” is also starring in the Bill Duke directed 20th Century Fox movie, “Cover.” He said that three years ago he did a stage play for novelist Erick Jerome Dickey and had a great experience, so when he was asked to do this play he immediately committed for a 2008 run.
“The cast is very friendly and supportive,” Leon said about his fellow actors.
The father of an eight year-old daughter, Leon said so far the play has received standing ovations. His character, who has served two years fighting for his country is now fighting for his girl.
Malcolm Lee’s, “Welcome Home Roscoe,” starring Martin Lawrence, MoNique, James Earl Jones and Mike Epps hits theaters Friday, February 8th
“The idea for the story about an African-American family started six-seven years ago,” director Malcolm Lee, and cousin to Spike Lee, said about his latest movie. “I was always directing something or having kids.”
The film Malcolm is talking about is, “Welcome Home Roscoe.” The movie is about RJ (Martin Lawrence) who comes back home for his parents, Mama Jenkins (Margaret Avery) and Papa Jenkins (James Earl Jones), 50th wedding anniversary with his finance’ Bianca (Joy Bryant) and 10 year-old son. His crazy, but lovable family members, his brother Otis (Michael Clarke Duncan; his smart-mouth sister Betty (MoNique’), and his sly cousin Reggie (Mike Epps), make for a fun filled experience. That trip home reminds him of the kid he used to be and the big-egoed adult he has become.
Lee said when the time was right he wrote the script and began to think of people to play the roles. He came up with Martin, James Earl, Cedric (who plays the childhood friend Clyde), Mike and MoNique’.
“I hoped I could get these people,” Malcolm recalls. “I hadn’t seen much of ‘The Parkers,’ or the movies MoNique was in. I only saw her in stand-up and said, ‘let me meet her.’”
The film, Lee says, is about every kind of relative you might find in a family. In his opinion audiences like to laugh and he feels they will get tons of laughs with this movie.
“The film has a lot of heart and emotions,” he says.
The married father of two boys is best known for his movies, “The Best Man,” “Undercover Brother,” and “Roll Bounce.” He worked a lot in his early days helping his cousin, Spike Lee, on the set of his films. He attended a performing arts school and went on to college to study in film.
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