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Do the Right Thing on Broadway?!

Drew Shade
By Drew Shade

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“Do the Right Thing” is considered one of the greatest American films of all time.  In 1999, it was deemed to be “culturally significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress, and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, one of just six films to have this honor in their first year of eligibility. The film takes place on the hottest day of the year in Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York. Three businesses are the epicenter of the block:  a storefront radio station where deejay (Samuel L. Jackson) plays all of the hits; a convenience store owned by a Korean couple; and Sal’s Famous Pizzeria, notable as the only white-owned business on the block. Sal employees his sons, Vito and Pino, and one black employee, Mookie played by Spike Lee. Racial tensions overflow when two of Mookie’s best friends Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), who constantly blasts Public Enemy’s rap song “Fight The Power” on his boom box; and Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito),  who complains that Sal’s “Wall of Fame,” includes no people of color, demand a neighborhood boycott. The boycott ends with devastating consequences that highlight the societal ills faced by people of color. The movie reaped an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and won Best Picture and Best Director awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Other notable members of the cast included Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Rosie Perez and Frankie Faison.

The idea of “Do the Right Thing” as a play is an exciting thought, but will it actually make it to Broadway? Although there are no definitive dates in place, it seems Spike Lee has said yes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IClY2r1b30Q

 

“Do The Right Thing” has popped up in our newsfeed with the first ever co-naming of a Brooklyn street after the film, commemorating where the movie was set.

https://instagram.com/p/6NhsAhyqlD/

With the historical unveiling of Do The Right Thing Way on Stuyvesant Avenue, we can only hope that the play will follow soon. Tell us, would you attend a Broadway play of Do The Right Thing? Who would you cast?

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Drew Shade
Drew Shade
Drew Shade is a visionary creative force at the intersection of Black theatre, media, and culture. As the Founder and Creative Director of Broadway Black, Off-Book: The Podcast, and The Antonyo Awards, he champions artistic excellence and amplifies the voices of Black theatre artists with intention, heart, and unapologetic pride. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Playbill, Deadline, The Observer, and Apple TV’s Dear…, and he's collaborated with brands and institutions such as NBC, BET, Audible, Universal Pictures, SheaMoisture, The Public Theater, Signature Theatre, National Black Theatre, and more. He has also served as a cultural consultant and curator for countless Broadway productions for over a decade — establishing himself as a trusted voice and tastemaker in theatre and media. In addition to his work behind the scenes, Shade is a performer and creative artist in his own right, with credits including Classical Theatre of Harlem’s The First Noel at The Apollo, The Preacher’s Wife musical at The Alliance Theatre, and a Sondheim tribute concert at Carnegie Hall led by Tituss Burgess. He’s also lent his voice to campaigns for Google and continues to explore visual storytelling through photography — from red carpets to press coverage. Rooted in joy, justice, and the belief that Black theatre is both legacy and revolution, Shade continues to build platforms and shine light where it’s long been overdue — so Black artists are seen, heard, and celebrated on their own terms. “Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone’s disbelief.” – August Wilson

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