Tag Archives: Sheryl Lee Ralph

Celebrating Women’s History Month with Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl

This month is Women’s History Month. and in honor of it, Davis Broadcasting Inc out of Columbus Georgia, hosts an annual Women’s Empowerment Luncheon. There have been many great speakers in the past including  Tina Knowles, Jasmine Guy, Kim Fields and many more ! The 11th Annual Women’s Empowerment Luncheon will take place March 15, 2013 at the Columbus GA Convention and Trade Center.

Mrs. Sheryl Lee Ralph will be keynote speaker at luncheon to share her words on Living a Legacy: Living to Inspire Others.

Congratulations Sheryl, DeVon, Rebecca and Wendy taking home awards during Oscar Week

By TBR – Exclusive – Hollywood, CA – When it comes to anything Gospel or anything Hollywood usually you wouldn’t think to put these two words in the same sentence. However thanks to visionary Tomeka B. Holyfield, that mindset is no more, with the creation of Gospel Goes to Hollywood.

Produced and created by Holyfield and now in its second run, the 2nd Annual Gospel Goes to Hollywood Awards Luncheon was Oscar ready with a palatial setting from the first step out of the Limo to the exquisite interior and lavishly landscaped courtyard exterior of the Taglyan Complex on Friday, February 22, 2013 from 11-2PM in Hollywood, CA.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a high-powered red carpet, servers offering glasses of Mimosas’, heavy tray pass h’orderves, and a flawless saxophonist playing everyone’s favorite song.  Within steps of everyone’s initial drop off point, a heavy hitting media row was only a few feet away anxiously waiting to interview or photograph the many honorees or special guests. Everyone from Sheryl Lee Ralph, Judge Mabalean, T.C. Carson, Terry & Rebecca Crews, Devon Franklin, Rockmond Dunbar, Erica Campbell, Jimmy Jean Louis, Florence LeRue, Adrian Anderson, and many others felt right at home.

 

This year’s honorees included Sony Pictures executive and Minister DeVon Franklin who gave a powerful acceptance speech, Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, who received the  Faith and Endurance Award, Marla Gibbs with the Living Legend Award.. Also honored were Terry and Rebecca Crews with the “Equally Yoked” award. Truly their 25 years in marriage shows off itself. They were deserving of the award and last but not least Wendy Raquel-Robinson honored for her humanitarian work with charities and philanthropy.

Hollywood Producer DeVon Franklin To Be Honored during OSCAR WEEK….

Hollywood Producer DeVon Franklin To Be Honored

As Actor/Actresses/Directors/TV-Film Producer’s

“Celebrate The Faith” during OSCAR WEEK at

2nd Annual Gospel Goes To Hollywood Awards Luncheon

Hollywood, CA – The 2nd Annual Gospel Goes to Hollywood Awards Luncheon (GGTH) will be hosted by actress Wendy Raquel Robinson and Grammy Winning Donnie McClurkin.  This event was hailed as a resounding success last year in Hollywood and this year will be no exception.  The event, is to raise awareness and funds in support of the fight against domestic violence, will be held Friday, February 22, 2013 at the historical Taglyan Cultural Complex in Hollywood, CA.  Festivities will began with a high-powered-red-carpet and pre-reception on the lavishly landscaped courtyard of Taglyan. Guests will enjoy delectable pass trays and mimosa before entering the venue adorned by beautiful floral designs by Tic-Tock Couture Floral.  


Hundreds of guests, celebrities, industry legends and some of today’s hottest artist will be in attendance as Hollywood Actors/Actresses, TV/FILM Directors and Producers all gather to “Celebrate The Faith” during Oscar Week. Recording artist J. Kingdom will kick off the show followed by the Grammy Award Winning duo MARY MARY.

Last year, the event concluded when celebrities Loretta Devine, Bill Duke, Cutis King, CeCe Winans, Gospel Saxophonist Angella Christie, Donnie McClurkin, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Kimberly Elise, Mikki Taylor, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Yvette Nicole Brown, Judge Mathis, Kenny Lattimore, Jimmy Jean Louis, Desiree Coleman Jackson, Tonya Young Williams, Rochelle Aytes, Adrian Anderson, J.C Jones, Kym E. Whitley, Mo & Kita, Wendell James and Sherif Atkins all joined Donnie McClurkin on stage to sing and celebrate the untold stories of faith in Hollywood.

This year, the LIST will be longer as this event has become a SIGNATURE EVENT during Oscar Week!

“This is a much-needed event and if you’ll have me, I’ll be here every year,” says Donnie McClurkin. 

Event Sponsors: included Taglyan Cultural Center, Coca-Cola, Tic-Tock Couture Floral and Walgreens to name just a few. Proceeds from the day’s events are donated to The Helpppping Hands Foundation dedicated to assist abused & battered women and their children throughout the world.

About The HELPPPPing Hands Foundation: 

A 501(c) 3 non-profit organization designed to meet the needs and empower women and children everywhere since 1997.  For the past 14 years they’ve been Helping, Empowering and Preparing people for their PURPOSE, PLAN and PLATFORM by lending a HELPPPPing Hand. The focus is on assisting abused & battered women and their children by providing support counseling, education and resources that will help to transition these individuals back into society as a viable citizen in homes and communities. To learn more about The HELPPPPing Hands Foundation, visit them at www.TheHelpingHandsFoundation.us

About the HELPPPP Agency:

The Helpppagency birthed in 2005, is a full service event planning and management company based in Atlanta Georgiaowned and operated by Tomeka B. Holyfield.  The Agency gained national attention in 2006 after producing the FIRST EVER Red-Carpet Events in the Christian Community. The event recognizes and celebrates local pastors, sports figures and celebrities who share in the faith. The All-Star Gospel Celebration, now in its 8th year, has become a staple event during NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2012, the first ever Gospel Goes To Hollywood Awards Luncheon was lunched to MUCH fan fair! Visit them at: www.GospelGoesToHollywood.com

To Purchase Tables (No Individual Tickets Sold): http://store.thehelppppagency.com/

For Sponsorship Opportunities, contact TEAM HELPPPP at 877.841.8088 or info@GospelGoesToHollywood.com

Sheryl Lee Ralph Explains What “Diva” Really Means [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

Sheryl Lee Ralph talks about the true definition of “diva” in this interview and her very successful book “Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl.” Take a listen to Sheryl Lee Ralph point out the positive aspects of being a diva, and then hear her encourage others to be more Christ-like and learn from her mistakes on how to make better choices in life.

 To check it out GO to  Sheryl Lee Ralph Defines Diva!

 

Dreamgirls’ Sheryl Lee Ralph Will Guest Star on Second Season of “Smash”!

The second season of the musical drama series “Smash” will featureSheryl Lee Ralph guest-starring as the mother of a stage diva played by the previously announced new cast member Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.

 

Ralph was the original Deena Jones in Broadway’s Dreamgirls, for which she was Tony Award-nominated in 1982 as Best Actress in a Musical. Hudson won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award in 2007 for playing Effie in the film “Dreamgirls.”

Ralph also created the role of Muzzy in Broadway’s Thoroughly Modern Millieand has starred in films (“The Mighty Quinn”) and TV series (“Moesha,” “Designing Women,” “It’s a Living”).

Vulture.com was the first to report the Ralph news. Playbill.com was able to confirm that Ralph will play Cynthia, who is not an actress or performer but is the mom of Hudson’s stage star Veronica Moore. Hudson is set to appear in a multi-episode arc on “Smash,” including early episodes in season two.  Both are new to the series, which is expected to be significantly revamped when it surfaces on NBC in midseason (think January). Josh Safran (“Gossip Girl”) is the new show runner in charge of story, replacing creator Theresa Rebeck. Tony nominee Sean Hayes, Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan, Andy Mientus and Tony nominee Daniel Sunjata are among the other newcomers to the cast in season two.

The show — a soap opera about the making of a new musical called Bombshell, about Marilyn Monroe — offered mother-daughter tension in season one: Rising star Ivy (played by Megan Hilty) sparred with her Broadway star mom, Lee (played by Tony winner Bernadette Peters). Stay tuned. 

Episodes of season one of “Smash” are available for live streaming on NBC.com.

Did you follow Playbill.com’s weekly episode-by-episode recap, The Smash Report? Here’s the May 2012 column that looks at the season-one finale.

Sheryl Lee Ralph Making Her New York Musical Theatre Debut!

Sheryl Lee Ralph will be making her New York Musical Theatre Festival debut in a new musical  IT’S ON! Celebrating your favorite TV show theme songs and would like to invite you to the staged reading
TUESDAY, JULY 10 at 8pm
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 at 4:30pm 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11 at 8pm

The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center (480 W. 42nd Street)

$20 tickets are available through the festival website www.nymf.org/itson
Produced by Janet Billig Rich & Rebecca Roffman
Yes, dahlings it’s back to the great white way and IT’s ON like popcorn!  Bring flowers, gifts and of course applause for DIVA Whitley Thomas-Harris Jackson played by your DIVA Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mmmuwah!!
IT’S ON! was conceived by Stan Zimmerman (“Golden Girls,” “Roseanne”) and written by Stan and Christian McLaughlin (“Married with Children.”)

Starring (in alphabetical order): Jenna Leigh Green (“Wicked,”) Colin Hanlon (“Rent,”) Curt Hansen (“Hairspray,”) Tony Award Nominee, Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Dreamgirls, Thoroughly Modern Millie”) and Mindy Sterling (“Austin Powers.”)

IT’S ON! uses the theme songs from T.V. shows like “True Blood,” “The Brady Bunch,” “Charles in Charge,” “Small Wonder,” and even “COPS” to tell the story of Lucy and Charlie.  Song writing partners since college, Lucy and Charlie finally have been given the chance to record their own T.V. show theme song for a new T.V. show.  Stay tuned to find out if they can succeed with the help of session singers the dangerously divine DIVA Whitley Thomas-Harris-Jackson and the beibericious P.J., P.J.’s overzealous mom-ager Babs, and Mort the sound engineer.
See you all there!
22nd DIVAS Simply Singing Dec. 1st in Los Angeles www.thedivafoundation.org


Sheryl Lee Ralph Releases New Book!

The rave reviews are coming in one right after the other for Sheryl Lee Ralph’s first book, REDEFINING DIVA: LIFE LESSONS FROM THE ORIGINAL DREAMGIRL (3/13 from Simon & Schuster).
Kirkus Reviews says,
“A highly enthusiastic memoir by one of the original Broadway Dreamgirls… Actress Ralph embraces the label Diva (“Divinely Inspired Victoriously Anointed”), … Proposing that a real diva is a strong woman who respects herself and others and who promotes positive change. Ralph presents an engrossing story of a woman who challenged Hollywood… Her responses to trying circumstances reveal genuine grace and the ability to move forward with forgiveness.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY says,

    “In Ralph’s sharp account of the stage performance [Dreamgirls], she reveals intimate views of Nell Carter, Quincy Jones, Jennifer Holliday, and especially Michael Bennett, the show’s director and choreographer…She offers stories about Diana Ross, adding new drama to the Dreamgirls saga…Ralph’s involvement in children’s charities, politics, and her own Diva Foundation, which promotes AIDS awareness, portrays a deeply compassionate woman.  Readers will welcome her honesty.”

Fitness Guru, Richard Simmons says,

     “Sheryl Lee Ralph’s REDEFINING DIVA is delightful, insightful, humorous and delicious in every sense of the word. A must read for every person looking to be divinely inspired …”

Day time talk show host, Wendy Williams says,

   “Sheryl Lee Ralph is a true D.I.V.A. She uses her powers for good not evil.
This book is truly an inspiration to all who read.”

…and the list goes glowingly on. Original DREAMGIRL and DIVA Sheryl Lee Ralph has written a book that tells it like it is.

Part memoir, part self-help, Ralph says “You’ve got to be able to look in the mirror and LOVE what you see.  That person should mean the world to you. Your relationship with that person should be worked on every day and not neglected because YOU really mater.”

In sharing moments from her life (the good, the bad and yes, the ugly) Ralph reclaims and truly redefines the word DIVA placing it in the hands of those who want to recognize that they are Divinely Inspired Victoriously ALIVE people who are able to go with the ups and downs of life. Miss Ralph, Auntie Sheryl or DIVA as she is affectionately called,Sheryl Lee Ralphs book appeal spans generations in its call to readers to roll with the punches and appreciate that when you get knocked down, you must get back up again because through it all, Life is for the living. The alternative is for the dead.  You choose.