Stage Black is an American reality competition television series created by David E. Talbert and Lyn Talbert and produced by Edmonds Entertainment and Prizm Entertainment in which 10 contestants (five men and five women) compete for roles in Talbert's play Love in The Nick of Tyme, starring Morris Chestnut and R&B recording artist Avant.
The series aired in the USA on TV One from 22 July to 16 September, 2007. There are eight hour-long episodes in one season.
Stage Black premiered in South Africa on DStv's Vuzu channel on Monday 5 November 2012, at 19h30. New episodes broadcast in a double bill, weekly.
Synopsis
When award-winning playwright David E. Talbert and savvy Hollywood producer Tracey Edmonds team up with actors Morris Chestnut and Blair Underwood, the result is a reality series where 10 contestants (five men and five women) compete for roles in Talbert's play Love in The Nick of Tyme, starring Morris Chestnut and R&B recording artist Avant.
The winners, one man and one woman, will also win featured roles in an upcoming Talbert production and be a part of its national tour, where they will perform on some of the biggest stages in the country.
But in the business of show business, it's not all fun and games...
Stage Black gives you a sneak peak into the wild and wacky behind-the-scenes world of what happens off the stage as these 10 contestants - 10 total strangers - sing, act, scratch and claw their way to a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make their theatre dreams come true on not just any stage, but the Black stage.
This hour-long series, co-created by Lyn Talbert, will be judged each week by a star-studded panel that includes Talbert himself, Blair Underwood, Avant, Elise Neal, Deborah Cox and more.
With two contestants being eliminated each week based on theatre-related competitions, Stage Black is your backstage pass to all of the real drama that never made it to the stage.
Episodes
Episode 1: The Nationwide Search
Renowned playwright David E. Talbert and Golden Globe nominated actor Blair Underwood team up to embark upon a nationwide search to find the most gifted and charismatic undiscovered talent in the country.
From thousands of anxious hopefuls only the most talented 10 will be invited on the national tour of Talbert's latest production, Love in the Nick of Tyme.
Episode 2: Old MacDonald had a Farm
The cast settle into their spacious new Houston habitat and the competition begins. In this first challenge, the cast is divided into two teams and marketing abilities are put to the test as they are tasked with passing out flyers for David E. Talbert's play, Love in the Nick of Tyme.
When Den Father Freez Luv identifies cheaters in the midst, tempers flare and nerves get rattled-forcing a 'sing-off' during the eliminations to the nursery rhyme, "Old MacDonald had a Farm".
Episode 3: His Eye is on the Sparrow
Blair Underwood surprises the young actors with a one-on-one acting workshop. And in their next theatre challenge, the contestants resort to singing, dancing and even begging and pleading in order to connect with theatre patrons and sell programs.
Then it's off to the Big Apple where the winning team will enjoy a luxurious reward and the losing team will compete in an open mic challenge for a tough New York crowd which includes R&B recording artist Avant and American Idol Trenyce.
Episode 4: Pride Comes Before a Fall
In the wake of last week's unpredictable cast eliminations, the cast becomes polarized, and living in a tiny New York City apartment doesn't help.
As budding romances are squashed, Den Father Freez Luv gets the cast out of the house and onto the streets for their next competition: a street-corner performance challenge.
In this men vs. women challenge, the losing team will face David E. Talbert in an elimination 'act-off.'
Episode 5: The Tortoise and the Hare
The boom is lowered from last week's cliffhanger elimination and after three rounds of eliminations the remaining six, those who have not already struck out of the competition -
take some time to relax with a night of bowling.
Still in party mode, the cast jet from New York City to Orlando, Florida. But when David E. Talbert drops by and realizes just how much goofing off has been going on, the party comes to an abrupt halt.
Episode 6: Red Leather, Yellow Leather
Den Father Freez Luv picks up where David E. Talbert left off: after the hopefuls' cold reading, which left everybody cold, he leads the remaining six in an intense actor's boot camp. Then it's goodbye Orlando, hello Miami where Blair Underwood stages his own workshop for them.
Technique integration is then put to the test, culminating in a blocking competition on the Love in the Nick of Tyme stage with David E. Talbert.
Episode 7: ...And Then There Were Four
The final four are in Miami and in this two-part challenge David E. Talbert divides the remaining contestants into teams of two.
As J. Cotton and Princess learn their on-stage speaking parts, Quincy and Charmel perform backstage duties, which include finding just the right pair of boxers for Love in the Nick of Tyme star, Morris Chestnut.
Will the backstage duo deliver the underwear in the nick of time? Will the on-stage actors pull together all the techniques they have learned throughout the competition?
Watch to see which team will win.
Episode 8: Curtain Call
After competing in actor performances, monologue competitions and other show biz related challenges, David E. Talbert, Blair Underwood, Freez Luv and more special guests crown the final two winners.