Many celebrities have mastered the art of acting with outtakes, replays, and do-overs but few have stepped out their boundaries and ventured to the big lights of Broadway. Audra McDonalds was recently casted in the remake of The Sound of Music. With so many African Americans taking on broadway roles, 2013 isn’t just the year for blacks in movies but also those on the stage. Take a look at our list of singers and actors who landed major roles on Broadway.
Condola Rashad
Daughter of Phylicia Rashad and Ahmad Rashad loves the stage. We first got hip to the buddig actress when she starred in Stickfly. Later she stared in the remake of Steel Magnolia alongside her mother before returning to Broadway to star in Trip to Bountiful and Romeo and Juliet.
The recording artist stepped out of the studio and onto the Broadway stage. The singer starred in After Midnight and The Color Purple.
Vanessa Williams
The former beauty pageant is no stranger to the stage. Outside of her movie and television career she’s starred in four broadway plays including Kiss of the Spider Woman, Sondheim on Sondheim, Into the Woods, and The Trip to Bountiful.
Photo Credit: Zimbio
Most notably known as the third member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams is also an avid Broadway actress. In between her music career, she takes time to act in plays like The Color Purple, Chicago, What My Husband Doesn’t Know, and Fela!
He may be known for his roles in Best Man, Brown Sugar, and Stella Got Her Groove back but he started off on Broadway. He has five Tony awards under his belt for his Broadway appearance in Carousel and Rent—where he met his wife.
Phylicia Rashad
Claire Huxtable is Phylicia Rashad’s most notable character, but it was the Broadway play A Raisin in the Sun that got her a Tony award. She was the first African American woman to win a Tony for best actress in a play.
Cuba Gooding Jr.
The Butler actor may be lighting up the big screen but he’s also lighting up the stage in Trip to Bountiful. Starring alongside Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams, he’s a natural on stage.
Deborah Cox
Early in her career, she had women all over belting out their best renditions of her ballads, “Nobody’s Supposed to be here”. She took a break from her music to live out her Broadway dreams. Deborah Cox made her acting debut in Elton John’s 2004 Broadway rendition of Aida and returned again in 2012 to star in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Photo Credit: Singers Room
This celebrity isn’t exactly known for acting, but that didn’t stop him from dabbling into the 2004 Broadway remake of A Raisin in the Sun.
Photo Credit: ABC
Denzell may have started off in movies, but that didn’t stop the Oscar winning actor to venture into Broadway. In 201o he starred in Fences and he’s returning to the stage to star in the 2014 remake of A Raisin in the Sun.
Photo Credit: REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi
Viola Davis
The women who has learned to embrace all of herself also embraced her stage career. While she shined in the The Help it was her acting debut in King Hedley II won her a Tony.
Photo Credit: Digital Spy
Anika Noni Rose
The FAMU graduate won a Tony for her portrayal as a teenage girl in Carolin, or Change. She stepped away from Broadway for a bit to do Dreamgirls and The Princess in the Frog. But she later returned to star in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and will star in the 2014 remake of A Raisin in the Sun.
Photo Credit: NY Times
The versatile actor juggled his movie and TV career just to perform in the 1992 Broadway play Two Trains Running. His performance in this August Wilson play adaptation won him a Tony Award and he still takes time to return to the stage periodically.
Photo Credit: Chronicle
David Alan Grier
The comedian and actor took time out of his TV and movie career to star in Porgy and Bess on Broadway.
Photo Credit: Broadway World
Dule Hill
Dule Hill is most known for the TV show Pysch but his talent extends past TV. The actor starred in the 2011 production of Stick Fly and 2013 production of After Midnight.
Photo Credit: Zimbio
Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker not only is beautiful but she’s an extremely versatile actress. While she continues to act on the big screen, she’s no stranger to the stage. Boris Kodjoe’s wife made her broadway debut in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Blair Underwood
We fell in love with him in Set in Off and throughout his career, he continued to swoon us with his good looks and talent to match. Blair Underwood extended his accolades when he starred alongside Nicole Ari Parker in the Broadway revival of A Streetcar Named Desire.
Photo Credit: ZapIt
Terrence Howard
The controversial actor off the screen, stepped on the stage for his 2008 debut of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Photo Credit: Menagerie Entertainment