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3 lessons Broadway shows like 'Hamilton' can teach Hollywood.

Broadway isn't exactly a shining example of diversity , but you aren't going to see #TonysSoWhite anytime soon.

Only one African-American woman has ever earned the Academy Award for Best Actress. One. (In fact, you can see all of the African-American Oscar winners for acting and most of their speeches in this video that's less than five minutes long.)

Meanwhile, Broadway has celebrated actors, writers, choreographers, and directors of color on the stage for decades , with several big names earning multiple awards in their lifetime — a feat few Hollywood actors of color have been able to achieve.

Left to right: Patina Miller, Cicely Tyson, and Billy Porter at the 2013 Tony Awards. Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.

Here are three easy lessons Hollywood can learn from Broadway.

Because if the Great White Way can make money telling stories by and about people from traditionally underrepresented groups, then why can't Hollywood?



Lin-Manuel Miranda (left) performs with the cast of his 2008 hit "In the Heights." Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images.

1. White, straight Americans aren't the only ones living the human experience.

It seems obvious, but sadly, many Hollywood insiders still don't get it. Broadway is winning by sharing and celebrating the rich stories, traditions, and cultures of traditionally underrepresented people.

Whether it's the cruel injustice faced by Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II, as depicted in George Takei's biographical musical, "Allegiance" ...

Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.

Or the story of five women during Liberia's civil war in the upcoming "Eclipsed." Written by Danai Gurira (who you may know as Michonne from "The Walking Dead") and starring Lupita Nyong'o, it's the first Broadway production to boast an entirely black cast and all-female creative team.

Coming to #Broadway February 23rd. Tickets on sale today. #eclipsed #eclipsedplay @lupitanyongo @ladyzjah @vintagepopsoul @danaijekesaigurira @liesltommy @clintramos Photo: Joan Marcus
A photo posted by Eclipsed on Broadway (@eclipsedbway) on

Even seeing a familiar story through a different lens can be quite revolutionary. That's how Lin-Manuel Miranda made American history come alive in his hip-hop infused musical "Hamilton."

Miranda accepts the award for Best Musical Theater Album at the Grammys. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

While the experiences may look unfamiliar on the outside, all of these stories hit themes that are deeply personal and universal: perseverance, love, and hope. And contrary to movie previews, white, straight people aren't the only ones who experience these things.

2. Challenge the status quo, rake in the dough.

(This one rhymes so you know it's true. )

While originality, writing, and creating new stories are important, Broadway has a long history of reviving older musicals and plays to offer a fresh take on these well-loved stories.

One way to breathe new life into long-running musicals and plays is with color-blind casting.

Actresses of color like Brandy Norwood and Carly Hughes have taken on the lead roles in the long-running Broadway classic "Chicago."

Hughes performs during a rehearsal for "Chicago." Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images.

In 2014, actor Norm Lewis took the stage as the 13th actor to play the phantom in "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway. It was the 10,936th performance of the show, and Lewis was the first African - American in the role.

And in the summer of 2015, actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste became the youngest and first African - American actor to play the role of Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables."

Before and after shot. Today is my last performance as Valjean on Broadway. What an incredible experience. I've learned and grown so much. Grateful for the people I've met and this opportunity. I will never forget it. Dedicating this performance to someone special to me. They know who they are. Also sending love to everyone who supported me. Family friends etc. Until next time ..Kyle signing out...saudade❤️✌🏿️ #onedaymore#valjeanout#24601 @lesmizbway
A photo posted by Kyle Jean- Baptiste (@baptistekyle1) on

Sadly, just days after the end of his historic run, 21-year-old Jean-Baptiste died after falling from a fire escape.

Color-blind casting for these eminent roles is a great way to broaden the talent pool and opens up opportunities for actors of color. Plus it freshens up these long-running shows and gives customers new reasons to see them again and again. Or, in Hollywood terms, "cha-ching."

3. There's no such thing as niche. A good story can appeal to anyone.

The true story of a lesbian cartoonist telling the tale of her dysfunctional family, including her closeted father's suicide.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions.

A coming-of-age story based on a 19th century German play that touches on abortion, child abuse, and other tough themes, performed in English and American Sign Language.

Rehearsing, rehearsing, rehearsing (and more rehearsing!)
A photo posted by Deaf West Theatre (@deafwest) on

A musical based on the real story of a young man who turns his dead father's shoe company into a place to make stiletto heels for drag performers.

Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions.

These aren't small productions. These are synopses for "Fun Home," the revival of "Spring Awakening," and "Kinky Boots." "Fun Home" and "Kinky Boots" have both recouped their investments and cleaned up at the Tony Awards. And all three shows have or will soon begin national tours.

Considering the average ticket holder for a Broadway production is a middle-aged white woman from outside New York City, this is no small feat. It's a reminder that people don't need their characters to look or behave just like them because at heart, good stories are universal.

It's not hard, Hollywood.

All you need is a great story, millions of dollars, and a few people willing to take a chance on storytellers, actors, and creators who want to bring unique offerings to life. They won't all be hits, but that's a risk you're already taking.

At least this way, we'll get compelling stories; see representations of different cultures, traditions, and populations; and open ourselves up to greater empathy. Oh, and better movies. We'll definitely get better movies.

Now who's in?

GIF via "Hamilton."




Community

Facebook group brings people together IRL to make meaningful friendships

True

Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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friendship
Education

3,700-year-old Babylonian stone tablet gets translated, changes history

They were doing trigonometry 1500 years before the Greeks.

via UNSW

Dr. Daniel Mansfield and his team at the University of New South Wales in Australia have just made an incredible discovery. While studying a 3,700-year-old tablet from the ancient civilization of Babylon, they found evidence that the Babylonians were doing something astounding: trigonometry!

Most historians have credited the Greeks with creating the study of triangles' sides and angles, but this tablet presents indisputable evidence that the Babylonians were using the technique 1,500 years before the Greeks ever were.

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education
Education

In 125 years, millions of people have looked at this painting. No one really saw it until recently.

Van Gogh saw something it took scientists another 100 years to see.

Image from Wikimedia Commons .

Van Gogh’s Starry Night.



Van Gough never got to enjoy his own historic success as an artist ( even though we've been able to imagine what that moment might have looked like). But it turns out that those of us who have appreciated his work have been missing out on some critical details for more than 100 years.

I'm not easily impressed, OK?

I know Van Gogh was a genius. If the point of this were "Van Gogh was a mad genius," I would not be sharing this with you.
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Joy

Woman who lives on a cruise ship shares the hardest part about her perfect life

She's a little afraid to leave her cabin.

via Christine Kesteloo/TikTok and Cagri Gurbuz/Pexels

Christine Kesteloo has one big problem living on a cruise ship.

A lot of folks would love to trade lives with Christine Kesteloo . Her husband is the Chief Engineer on a cruise ship, so she gets to live on the boat pretty much for free as the “wife on board.” For Christine, life is a lot like living on a permanent vacation.

“I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband, and it's often as glamorous as it sounds,” she told Insider. “After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry or pay for food.“

Living an all-inclusive lifestyle seems like paradise, but it has some drawbacks. Having access to all-you-can-eat food all day long can really have an effect on one’s waistline. Kesteloo admits that living on a cruise ship takes a lot of self-discipline because the temptation is always right under her nose.

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cruise ships
Health

Women do better when they have a group of strong female friends, study finds

We're stronger together.

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

Women do better when they have female friends.

Madeleine Albright once said , "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." It turns out that might actually be a hell on Earth, because women just do better when they have other women to rely on, and there's research that backs it up.

A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that women who have a strong circle of friends are more likely to get executive positions with higher pay. "Women who were in the top quartile of centrality and had a female-dominated inner circle of 1-3 women landed leadership positions that were 2.5 times higher in authority and pay than those of their female peers lacking this combination," Brian Uzzi writes in the Harvard Business Review .

Part of the reason why women with strong women backing them up are more successful is because they can turn to their tribe for advice. Women have to face different challenges than men, such as unconscious bias, and being able to turn to other women who have had similar experiences can help you navigate a difficult situation. It's like having a road map for your goals.

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women
Pop Culture

Millennials nearing 40 are sharing their biggest mistakes so everyone can learn from them

Here are 21 of the most powerful responses.

via Pexels

Millennials are now old enough to seriously reflect on life.

It seems like only yesterday a millennial was a college kid that baby boomers chided for being entitled and Gen Xers thought were way too sincere and needed to learn how to take a joke. Today, the oldest millennials, those born around 1980, have hit their 40s and have lived long enough to have some serious regrets.

They also have enough experience to take some pride in decisions that, in hindsight, were the right moves.

The good news is that at 40 there is still plenty of time to learn from our successes and failures to set ourselves up for a great second half of life. These lessons are also valuable to the Gen Zers coming up who can avoid the pitfalls of the older generation.

A Reddit user who has since deleted their profile asked millennials nearing 40 “what were your biggest mistakes at this point in life?” and they received more than 2,200 responses. The biggest regrets these millennials have are being flippant about their health and not saving enough money when they were younger.

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millennials
Joy

Stop blaming the 'Karens.' The people who complain the most have a different name.

The stereotype has been wrong all along.

via Rickey123/Pixabay

A woman giving a stern warning.

Over the past few years, women named Karen have taken a lot of heat in the media. The term "Karen" has been used to describe a specific type of entitled, privileged and often middle-aged white woman. Typically, "Karen” is depicted as demanding, self-important and constantly seeking to escalate minor inconveniences to authority figures, like demanding to "speak to the manager."

Identifying the folks who create unnecessary drama in our world is important. But calling them a “Karen” isn’t the best way to solve the problem. There are many reasons to have an issue with the “Karen” stereotype. First, it’s terrible for people named Karen, and it’s also a connotation that many feel is racist , sexist and ageist.

Further, according to a new study by Trustpilot , the stereotype isn’t accurate. A recent survey by the online media site found that the people who leave the most one-star reviews aren’t female, and the women who do it the most aren’t named Karen.

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