Vonzell Solomon on Broadway?

I just read on AOL that Vonzell is coming to Broadway to star in a play called 'The Return' based on a bestselling book by Sonia Levitan about Ethiopian Jews escaping persecution in their homeland. It sounds interesting. Has anyone heard anything about this project?

I did hear her mention it on Tyra or one of those morning shows a few weeks ago, but all she said was that she was "in talks" to do a Broadway show. Sounds interesting!

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Can you copy what the article said here? All I've heard is that she was "in talks" to do the show but nowhere did it mention that it was a Broadway show, nor was there anything definite about it even coming to NYC. The show was to be workshopped in L.A.

She was from season 4 actually (the one where Carrie won). I loved her voice too.

The following is from AOL Black Voices:

Season four 'American Idol' finalist Vonzell Solomon has inked a recording contract with Dallas Austin's label Rowdy Records. Tyler Perry's soundtrack for 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman' was released on Rowdy Records as well. Solomon, a Florida-bred former postal employee, is also heading to Broadway to star in 'The Return,' which is based on the bestselling Sonia Levitan book of the same name.

Her is the link to the NYPost article, dated 2/23/06. They get one thing seriously wrong in this article though, you'll see.

EDIT: I just noticed that it doesn't give you the full article sometimes, here it is for those that don't want to sign up with NYP:

February 23, 2006 -- Vonzell on the stage

Former "American Idol" contestant Vonzell Solomon tells Tyra Banks tomorrow (5 p.m./Ch. 9) that she's won the lead in a New York stage production of "The Return," based on Sonia Levitan's bestseller about Ethiopian Jews fleeing persecution in Africa. Vonzell will play the lead character Vesta, and the show will apparently rehearse in L.A. Quincy Jones' daughter is an executive-producer.

If the show does come to New York, Solomon will join Frenchie Davis ("Rent," "Dreamgirls"), Diana DeGarmo ("Hairspray") and Tamyra Gray ("Bombay Dreams") as former "Idol" contestants who've segued to the Manhattan stage.





New York Post

Updated On: 3/21/06 at 02:55 PM

Erin, you are correct. In the AOL thing they don't get specific; but in the NYPost, they do mention that it is to start in LA and MAY move to NY.

Ah, Frenchie. I had to read it twice to catch the error!

And I love the contradiction in the article. In the first paragraph, it says its a New York production, but in the second, they emphasize the if. Interesting.

My bad folks, I had Frenchie mixed up with someone else and I don't remember her at all from Idol. I need more sleep.

Anywho, anyone that knows anything about it, or lives in LA and gets to check this out please let everyone know. I'm really hoping for Vonzell that this show is successful.