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It's no secret that New York radio personality and theater producer Vy Higginsen is on a mission to save today's teens. Not only is Higginsen concerned with educating America's youth, she is also determined to redeem the art and history of Gospel music through her Harlem organization 'Gospel for Teens.'
Each fall, Higginsen, who also serves as the Executive Director of The Mama Foundation for the Arts, recruits teens ranging from the ages of 13 to 19 to join her upbeat Gospel crew. In addition to the programs and many initiatives to formally train aspiring singers, Higginsen and her team are also adamant about developing mechanical skills in each student.
In the midst of a recent Saturday session, the seasoned theater vet noticed that many of her students were soft spoken and appeared self-doubting about where they were raised. Their behavior struck a cord with Higginsen, which led to an exercise featuring each student shouting their name along with the town that they resided in.
"They were mumbling and they were saying it under their breath," she explained during an episode of '60 Minutes' earlier this month. "And I was like, 'this is terrible' [It's like their saying] 'I'm ashamed of who I am and where I come from."
The demonstration was nothing new for Higginsen, who has broken down barriers throughout her career, including becoming the first woman in advertising sales at Ebony magazine and the first black female writer, producer, and director of the Off-Broadway musical 'Mama, I Want to Sing.'
Higginsen's track record has helped to fund 'Gospel for Teens' solely from grants, small donations, and ticket sales from 'Mama, I Want to Sing.' Implementing a non-profit business model for the organization allows the participating teens to focus on their talents and not worry about tuition.
"Any worry, any pain, any problem with your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, the dog, the boyfriend. I want that out now of your consciousness," Higginsen declared to the class later in the '60 Minutes' episode. "That's your baggage; leave the bags outside, because this time is for you."
Check out an exclusive excerpt of 'Mama, I Want to Sing' featuring the students of 'Gospel for Teens.'
Stars of Broadway
Phylicia Rashad, who warmed millions of TV viewers' hearts in the 1980s as Clair Huxtable on the groundbreaking NBC sitcom 'The Cosby Show,' has taken on a role like none other. Making a triumphant return to Broadway in the spring of 2009, the Tony Award-winning star of plays such as 'A Raisin in the Sun,' 'Gem of the Ocean' and 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,' exposed an emotional depth and acting range that is unparalleled. In the Pulitzer prize-winning play 'August: Osage County,' Rashad portrayed Violet Weston, the pill-popping, acid-tongued, no-holds-barred central figure of a dysfunctional clan experiencing the sudden loss of its patriarch.
Hip-hop superstar Sean "Diddy" Combs won rave reviews as Walter Lee Younger in the 2002 revival of the classic play 'A Raisin in the Sun.'
On the big screen, he's best known for voicing the character of Darth Vader in the 'Star Wars' franchise, but Mississippi-born James Earl Jones is an accomplished stage actor. Over his career, he's won seven Tony Awards since his 1969 breakout role in 'The Great White Hope.' Some of his notable performances include Oberon in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' and more recently as Big Daddy in the 2008 revival of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning drama 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.' In October of 2010, he returned to the stage in 'Driving Miss Daisy' opposite Vanessa Redgrave.
It takes some serious vocal chops to be the youngest winner of 'American Idol.' Given that's how Jordin Sparks got her start, it would come as no surprise that the 'No Air' singer would nail the role of Nina in the musical about growing up in Washington Heights, 'In the Heights.' Sparks made her Broadway debut late summer of 2010.
After years of toiling on TV shows and films, acclaimed actors Ernie Hudson (of 'Oz' fame) and LaTanya Richardson Jackson (previously seen in 'The Fighting Temptations') made their Broadway debuts in the critically acclaimed revival of the August Wilson play 'Joe Turner's Come And Gone,' which opened at the Belasco Theatre on April 16, 2009. The story is set in a Pittsburgh boarding house circa 1911 and features a colorful cast of characters played by Chad L. Coleman, Roger Robinson, Aunjanue Ellis, Andre Holland, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Arliss Howard, Danai Gurira, Michael Cummings and Amari Rose Leigh.
Fans of Disney's 'High School Musical' franchise headed to Broadway to check out Corbin Bleu's Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical 'In the Heights.' The 21 year-old thespian, who is a native of Brooklyn, New York and trained under Debbie Allen's tutelage, took over the lead role of Usnavi in the spring of 2010.
Hollywood heavyweight Cedric The Entertainer joined Tony Award nominee John Leguizamo and Academy Award nominee Hayley Joel Osment in a November 2008 revival of David Mamet's classic play, 'American Buffalo,' which played a short riun at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway. Following three small-time crooks who wax philosophically about society while conspiring to steal a rare and valuable coin from a neighborhood collector, the Oscar Joyner produced production marked the funnyman's debut on The Great White Way.
'American Idol' Season 1 finalist Tamyra Gray blazed a new trail on Broadway when she revamped the look of lead character Mimi, a drug addicted HIV positive spitfire in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical 'Rent.' It wasn't the first time around the track for the former Georgia pageant queen; she previously starred in the Indian inspired outing, 'Bombay Dreams.'
Patti LaBelle joined the cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical 'Fela!' on Sept. 14, 2010. The Grammy Award-winning diva took over for Lillias White, who originated the Broadway role of the African musical pioneer's mother. The musical's big-name producers, Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith came out to cheer on Patti for her first performance.
Having already criss-crossed the world as a member of the most successful girl group of all-time, Destiny's Child, and appeared on Broadway replacing Toni Braxton as the title character in 'Aida,' in 2003, Michelle Williams took her return to The Great White Way seriously. She first played the lead role of Roxie Hart across the pond in the West End production of 'Chicago' in July of 2009 before shaking it up on Broadway.
Comments: (8)
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By: Gichaya on 4/26/2011 10:41PM
Wow, when I was a little girl I remember seeing this play. It featured the wife of a Knicks basketball player in the lead role. I was about four years old, but I recall it being an excellent play. Good job Vy
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By: Gichaya on 4/26/2011 10:42PM
I think her name was Desiree
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By: mikmmoore5 on 4/27/2011 9:01PM
In addition to the programs and many initiatives to formally train aspiring singers, Higginsen and her team are also adamant about developing mechanical skills in each student. ye~Share your life and love with friends. Mixedmatching.C om, it is a dat-ing service for black and white people to find their true luv.maybe you will like it.Sign up for free and find your girl or guy.
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By: Virtuouswon on 4/27/2011 6:52AM
Amazing. Wonderful. Inspiring. Makes me feel honored that they look like me.
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By: Ms. Pedee on 4/27/2011 9:44AM
The original play was awesome! I saw it 3 times with family members and friends. I saw it when Deitra Hicks was in the lead role. That sista can saaaaang! Years later I was flicking channels and I saw her performing at the Apollo.
I actually thought that her MIWTS exposure would sky rocket her career to super stardom but it didn't. I was surprised to hear that she was on Divorce Court. So I watched the clip of it myself to see if it was really her or someone with the same name. It was her. She won her case and the other woman gave Deitra the ring back that Deitra's husband had given to the other woman.
As I was watching this spectical I couldn't help but wonder, how the heck did Deitra Hicks wound up in a situation like that and at the time she was going to anger management classes, too.
I know we women can sometimes get caught up in some mess but it's just sad to know that with all of her talent, she wound up being on a televised divorce show. Where she starts to sing because it relieves her stress. I was actually looking for Ashton Klutcher because I KNEW I was being punked.
Deitra Hicks was in several Tyler Perry productions. That's cool and dandy but what concerns me is that, she was under Vy Higginsen's wings, therefore other youngsters and their parents who are ultimately responsible for their children, should keep in mind that fame without proper guidance can be disastrous.
I hope that these youngsters in the new MIWTS play are nurtured better because once the limelight dims, what you do next is as important as what you're doing now. Coming from the theatre and trying to make it as a main stream singer apparently isn't easy. Heather Headly tried and had some success. Desiree Coleman also tried and had some success.
But to end up on Divorce Court and singing to control your anger is sad. Very sad.Because of that court drama, finding out what she's up to now is very difficult because alll links are connected to her divorce case. If anybody knows what she's up to now can you please post it. Thank you.
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By: Minister Keith on 4/28/2011 7:13AM
Ms. Pedee,
We appreciate your concern and thank you for supporting Mama I Want To Sing, during the early years. Deitra is blessed and she's doing fine no need to worry about her.
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By: BARBARA on 5/03/2011 6:04AM
I saw MAMA I want to sing on sat. Reak singing real singers Great music I am going back for Mothers day with my family
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By: Max on 5/05/2011 12:48PM
@Ms. Pedee, no one ever became famous or wealthy from that show. Unless their name is Higginsen. The play is losely based on Vy's sister, doris Troy. I wish the new generation of MAMA youngsters the best. it's a great play and much success to ALL envolved.
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