George Faison

If the work of George Faison has ever inspired you… If his choreography moved you… If his leadership opened doors for you… Now is the time to give a flower back. Celebrate George Faison’s 80th birthday with us by helping protect the legacy of a giant whose work has transformed American culture. Click the go fund me link in bio

George W. Faison danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1967-1970. He was the first African American choreographer to win a Tony Award for his choreography in The Wiz (1975) helped to launch the careers of singer Stephanie Mills. In the early 1970s, he created two modern American dance classics, Suite Otis and Slaves, for the George Faison Universal Dance Experience. In the early 1980s, he changed his professional career focus to writing, directing, and choreographing dramatic and musical theater pieces. Faison choreographed for Broadway and choreographed and directed numerous productions for regional theaters and worked as a choreographer for entertainers like Earth, Wind and Fire, Ashford and Simpson, Dionne Warwick, Patti Labelle and Cameo, among others. He co-produced and wrote the Cosby Salutes Ailey NBC TV special celebrating the 30th anniversary of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He is co-founder and producing artistic director of the Faison Firehouse Theatre, a unique performing arts-based outreach and youth theatre project in Harlem, New York City where his legacy continues to inspire and create. Shout out to @therealgeorgefaison for the enduring legacy of The Wiz....and its embodied history! • • #thewiz #thewizbway #oz #broadway #arts #harlem #nyc #newyork #tonyawards #choreography #dance #moderndance #alvinailey #emmyawards #historymakers #legend #theatre #blackbeltexcellence #blackboymagic #thearts

Daddy’s home

I directed this 10 years ago, the glory in this performance is they included women, brilliant and so on time, a must see. #faisonsays #faisonfirehousetheater #harlemstage #freedomfighters

Oh Happy Day, a message for our time. Finding the God in you. #ohhappyday #faisonfirehousetheater #jordancooper #faisonsays

Sometimes you have to treat yourself, I indulged in @seescandies #Faisonsays #faisonfirehousetheater #seescandies

Congratulations to @jussiesmollett for having the #1 R&B/SOUL ALBUM in the US. Streaming now #faisonfirehousetheater #breakout #jussiesmollett

Last night at the Faison Firehouse

Loves in need of love today #thebrotheroflove

It starts with a welcome #nuyricanpoetscafe #bananapuddingjazz

André De Shields, @phyliciarashad , @therealgeorgefaison Celebrate 50th Anniversary of THE WIZ Ep 96 of @backstagepasswithliachang airs 1/12/25 at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and streams on MNN2. On this edition of Backstage Pass with Lia Chang, @project1voice 's Erich McMillan -MCall celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Ken Harper’s The Wiz, which opened at The Majestic Theatre on January 5, 1975, with The Wiz, himself, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner Andre De Shields, and choreographer George Faison, who won the Tony Award for The Wiz. The afternoon started with brunch at Bond 45 and we were joined by Brian Stokes Mitchell, Allyson Tucker-Mitchell, Michael Dinwiddie, Natasha Yvette Williams and Leonard Joseph. After brunch and a cake, we walked over to The Majestic Theatre through Shubert Alley and met up with Phylicia Rashad, who played a munchkin in the show, to take a few photos. The Wiz, Charlie Smalls’ musical adaption of The Wizard of Oz, opened at the Majestic Theatre January 5, 1975. The production played 15 previews and 1,672 performances before closing January 28, 1979. The musical earned eight Tony nominations, winning 7 including best musical. The production featured music and lyrics by Smalls and book by William F. Brown. Special thanks to @bond45nyc , Majestic Theatre, St. James Theatre, Nederlander Organization, Roxanne Cade and @iamirenegandy . Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/2VI4M59U8Ms @mnnnyc