This production, held at: University of Saint Joseph, Hoffman Auditorium in the Bruyette Athenaeum, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117 sold completely out. The audience was captivated by every scene and moved by every note. MaPeach Productions has been committed to producing and developing an eclectic repertory of challenging, bold, and thought-provoking work, representing a varied array of theatrical styles and forms.  While choosing the best and brightest from the area we’ve created a platform that is unique and supported.

The Wiz is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of OZ in the context of African American Culture. It opened on October 21, 1974. The 1975 Broadway production and won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

This Musical whimsically talks about transformation and faith, which is a message MaPeach Productions embraces. In this soulful, entertaining musical we have received rave reviews and experienced the wonder of transformation as well. We hope that you, too, are transformed by what you see at every MaPeach experience.

The Director of this production, a well-known poet, playwright and actor, is a native of Hartford, CT. Darlene “Peaches” Brandon is most known locally as the long-standing host of the Monday night “Love Jones Experience” as well as the founder of  MaPeach Productions.

She coaches the Connecticut Poetry Slam team, Verbal Slap, currently ranked 15th in the nation, all while teaching the youth the foundations of acting. Darlene has a heart for the artistic community and is dedicated to bringing quality performances to the Greater Hartford area while coaching and developing new and seasoned talent.

The Musical Director, for this production, Colin Ivan Osborn is a native of New Britain, CT and a graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Concentration in Music Performance. 

Colin has been performing on stage since the age of three years old. Colin has performed all over the United States and has perform with/ shared the stage the with artists such as Beverly Crawford, Donnie McClurkin, Kirk Carr, Darryl Coley, VaShawn Mitchell, Lisa McClendon and Stephen Hurd, just to name a few.

Colin has completed his first musical project as singer, songwriter and producer of the The Other Side: The Album, which is the musical soundtrack to the stage play (The Other Side) which he has written and is currently producing. Colin has also instituted “In The Key of C Vocal Class and Voice Training” providing vocal instruction and workshops throughout the Metro Hartford area.  Colin is not only excited about being the Musical Director; he was also excited about reprising his role a “Tin Man”.

Our play supports inner-city families in Connecticut. Through community performances, we are able to create opportunities for local talent to be discovered. We harness the potential all of these talented individuals to create a unique theatre experience. We believe in the power of community and have witnessed first-hand how theater has brought together individuals from diverse communities for one common goal. If you are new to our audience, we welcome you. We also invite you to join the MaPeach Production family and dream a little harder, believe a little more and to recognize the beauty that is found within, in yourself and others.

Considered to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century, A Raisin in the Sun is the story of a recent widow, Lena Younger, who wants to use her husband’s insurance money to buy a house for her family and move them from the cramped apartment in which she, her two children, her daughter-in-law and grandson currently live. As the Younger family clash over how best to use the money, their future seems uncertain and slightly risky. However, they are determined to overcome issues that were rarely discussed at that time, including women’s rights and black identity, and stick together as a family and never themselves become subject to deferred dreams.

The cast features Frances McAlpine Sharp as Lena Younger, Famecia Ward as Ruth Younger, Warren Hawk as Walter Lee Younger, Izaiah Harding as Travis Younger, Damion Morgan as George Murchison , Lenise “NuNuu” Smith as Beneatha Younger, Shaune Glenn as Joseph Asagai,

Wassily Smyrnow as Karl Linder and Colin Osbourne as Bobo.

Brandon is joined by Diwan Glass, Assistant Director and Stage Manager, and Shakira Perez, Production Assistant and Assistant Stage Manager.

Wrapping up the evening we had Grammy Award Winning songstress Charmange Tripp coming to bring you the sound of the century. This full night of entertainment also included one of Connecticut’s hottest dance crews led by “Big Jus”.  Our talents were combined on one sage to bring you heat like you have never heard it before!  One Night, One Stage, One common ground “All Mixed Up”.

The Wiz: is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of OZ in the context of African American Culture. It opened on October 21, 1974. The 1975 Broadway production won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

The Musical Director of this production, Charmagne Tripp, is both a lyricist and vocalist. Her recent success as the featured vocalist on the highly anticipated album from Rap Superstar, Eminem has exposed her to audiences internationally. Charmagne wrote and sang the lyrics to the hook on “We Made You”, the first single released from the album “Relapse” produced by Dr.Dre and Doc Ish which topped charts worldwide and has won a Grammy for Best Rap album. She began her career dazzling audiences with her rendition of “The National Anthem” performed at professional competitions throughout the country. She performed at Sean “P Diddy” Combs’ 3rd Annual All-Star Festival in Cancun, Mexico. She has also featured with live Jazz and R&B bands at Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos and various Music festivals. She has opened for recording artists Brian McKnight, Deborah Cox & Roy Ayers.

The Director of this production, a well known poet, playwright and actor, is a native of Hartford, CT. Darlene “Peaches” Brandon is most known locally as the former host of the Monday night “Love Jones Experience” of which she retired from to pursue directing under her company MaPeach Productions. In September of 2008 Darlene was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which directly affected her ability to perform.

Through her love for the arts, Darlene began her fight to gain mobility so she could return to the stage. Darlene has taken on the role of Director for this performance; she has heart for the artistic community and is dedicated to bringing quality performances to the Greater Hartford area while coaching and developing new and seasoned talent.

This star-studded performance includes some of the most powerful entertainers in our local artistic community. The all-star lineup includes: Grammy Award Winner, Charmagne Tripp, Marquis “Qwes” Johnson, Evelyn Dillon, Jonathan Smalls, Crystal Senter Brown, Allison McMeans, Patrick Comos and Sharece M. Sellem. The production is choreographed by Sharece M. Sellem and Jus Hues. Please come and follow along with us as we bring Broadway to Hartford through the most electrifying performers from this area, we present to you “TheWiz”.

From its inception in California1974 the highly acclaimed critical success of this Broadway Obie and Tony Award–winning Coreopoem, “ForColored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf” has excited, inspired, and transformed audiences all over the country. This production is passionate and fearless; Shange’s words reveal the deep challenges many women have faced and overcame through out the twentieth century. First published in 1975, Shange’s work was praised by The New Yorker for “encom­passing . . . every feeling and experience a woman has ever had”. Every adult and coming of age woman will be able to identify with one if not all of the characters. Each poem is written with vivid and powerful language that resonates in the souls of the cast members so everyone in the theater can travel with them on their journey to peace and acceptance.

The director of this production, a well known poet, playwright and actor, is a native of Hartford, CT. Darlene “Peaches” Brandon is most known locally as the host of the Monday night “Love Jones Experience” of which is one of the longest running open microphone venues in the Hartford area.Darlene has heart for the artistic community and is dedicated to bringing quality performances to the Greater Hartford area while coaching and developing new and seasoned talent.

This star-studded performance includes some of the most powerful entertainers in our local artistic community. The all-star line up includes: Tracy “Mind.Evolution” Caldwell, Walillah Chassange, Adrienne Davis, Lynnette Johnson, Alison Dennessa McMeans, Shireal Renee, Jessica Simpson, Lenise “NuNuu” Smith and Janee Woods Weber Written By Ntozake Shange, Directed By Darlene ”Peaches” Brandon, Choreographed by Tanisha Brandon-Wilson