SayconTalks.blogspot.com has moved to SayconTalks.com

SayconTalks.blogspot.com has moved to SayconTalks.com ! We got our own official
site and we're flying baby so you can browse around here or you can groove
on over to http://SayconTalks.com  to check out our new digs! SayconTalks.com has a new look, new entertaining  content, and also features the vlog "SayconTalks TV" our newest addition to serving you the latest interviews and motivation.
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Sengbloh in Motown the Musical on Broadway!
We build! Warrior Life! Happy New Year!

 

Xoxo,
SS

We Are With You

 

 

As we mourn the lives of the children and adults who passed in the sensely shooting in Connecticut we send uplifting prayer to their families, classmates, and the law enforcement and public officials as they attempt to collect evidence to explain this horrible crime.

We are with you! We love you! We send you light! God Bless You!

Saycon Sengbloh: Young and Powerful for Obama Award Recipient

Photo by: MontanaUSA used by permission
 

You guys I'm thrilled to announce I'm being awarded the Young and Powerful for Obama Award this coming Thursday October 25th! I will have a chance to celebrate in Atlanta with family and friends, a personal treat and sort of a birthday present as well. My birthday month, October, always sort of brings about some type of transition for me, either easy or hard yet transition that's definitely necessary. Just trying to work harder and be more motivated at my craft is more of a challenge in some ways and easier in others as the years go by! I hope to continue to make Atlanta proud!
Love,
Saycon

Saycon at "HELLO GORGEOUS" Streisand Review!

What's up ya'll?! This past week, the fall kicked off for me with a performance at the one-night-only concert "Hello Gorgeous! A Salute to the Streisand Songbook", presented by Scott Nevins and Joe Lodato benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. I've included the photos below from the event. Photos by Joseph Marzullo/WENN. Click to see a clip of me singing "On A Clear Day" Barbra Streisand's song from the movie! I never ever sang her music before but it felt really good and everyone did a great job. Including Kristy Kates and my homeboy Marty Thomas both of whom I did Wicked on Broadway with Marty, who invites me to sing with his Divas show, from time to time. One thing I know is Barbra Streisand has had the best songs and arrangements, so the audience of mostly Streisand fans already knew the words to all their favorite songs!

Beyond the Shade

So here it is another day blogging and catching up! Please visit the cool website it's a site designed by my friend and web designer Christine Horn, http://beyondtheshade.com/ It's a cool site with lots of features about her life and the lives of other actresses, and the not so tall as well. I have a featured spot on there called "Saycon Says..." ,where I give handy advice to up and coming singers, actors, and dancers! Please visit this site when you get a chance!

Saycon

Motown & Chrysler join on Broadway Pre-Launch!

Motown the Musical: As Martha and the Vandellas:
Saycon Sengbloh, Rebecca Covington, and N'kenge

Saycon Sengbloh and Morgan James

Saycon and young phenom Jibreel

Well one thing is for sure: the mounting of a musical is big business! I performed at an event to announce the pre-sale tickets for Motown the Musical and their collaboration with Chrysler and Citibank. Tickets are on sale already for a show that will be starting this spring. Representing Martha and the Vandellas, Saycon, N'Kenge, and Rebecca Covington had a ball in sparkly Ralph Lauren dresses that were tweaked for our special performance at the Nederlander Theatre. The whole cast was outfitted for the event to give a modern suggestion of whats to see in the spring. Though the actual show costumes will be a whole other ballgame true to life, time, and authentic to the time periods portrayed. It was an exciting day that started with rehearsals, fittings, sound checks, and ended with a reception to celebrate. The stars were out from Aretha Franklin, the legendary writing group Holland, Dozier, Holland,  Smokey Robinson, and of course Berry Gordy himself. We performed some numbers from the show and the audience got to get a little taste of the show Mr. Gordy and his team have been working so diligently on. I'm excited for people to see it!

Saycon, Rebecca, and N'kenge:Divas at the afterparty out of our drag!

http://www.freep.com/article/20120927/ENT04/120927093/-Motown-Musical-gets-star-studded-preview-Broadway

http://www.motownthemusical.com/tickets.html

Liberia: Children's Law Guarantees Rights of Children

This information is a few months old to some but new to me and I'm happy to hear it, read it, and pronounce it on SayconTalks.blogspot.com. Celebrating the children of Liberia. A law has been passed to make it imperative thtat the children of Liberia be protected, and allowed to flourish and grow! Making education and rather than juvenile labor a mandated priority for all Liberian children, bettering the quality of their lives. I've attached a video that talks all about it featuring Liberia's president, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. I hope to learn more about this law in the days to come and I hope that it is effectively practiced and followed.

Please take a look at the UNICEF youtube video featuring highlights from that day,  here!

Also for more information visit http://www.unicef.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrtOOWjEEFk (copy & paste link here if needed)

Saycon Sengbloh: Motown the musical at Broadway on Broadway

Brandon Victor Dixon and Saycon Sengbloh "Dancing In the Streets"

"Get Ready" cause here we come! Motown the musical is on its way. I was so excited to see our images on the jumbo tron in the middle of Times Square! We took a full day's rehearsal to put together a live performance featuring many who will be in the Motown Broadway show. Just before beginning the final *lab before Broadway rehearsals begin in January a large group of us were invited to perform at the annual Broadway on Broadway event that highlights current and upcoming Broadway shows to see. Armed with a box of Navy Blue t-shirts with antique gold writing, our stage manager Julia gave us the basis for our costumes for that day. We all paired out shirts (which we were told NOT to cut/shred) with jeans, pants, boots, shorts and skirts to add the wow factor. I paired mine with a khaki-gold skirt on trend with the high to low flowiness, a sparkly belt with tassels, and against my podiatrist's recommendations, sparkly golden stilettos! Topped off with a rose and a ponytail with wavy bangs! I was no match for the sparkly warm golden pietted pants and super coif worn by the fabulous, Valisia Lekae, whose Diana Ross, will be the show stopper you must all come to see this spring! We were all so happy and excited! There's lots to do to get ready for gig like this. A lot goes into putting up a Broadway show especially one that is based on so many real life figures, time, effort, sacrifice, and work but we love our work that's why we do it! I've included some cute pics from the day, and a link to the performance below! Enjoy!

FULL PERFORMANCE:
http://broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-TV-MOTOWN-Cast-Performs-Get-ReadyDancing-In-The-Street-at-BROADWAY-ON-BROADWAY-20120910

INTERVIEW FEATURING VALECIA LeKAE & SAYCON SENGBLOH
http://www.broadwaychannel.com/broadway-on-broadway-2012.aspx

Motown star Valisia LeKae swept off her feet by Spiderman!

*lab- is a rehearsal period used by the producers/writer/director to see actors performing the material sort of like a demonstration to help decide on changes that need to occur before ultimate mount of the show happens.

Forever MJ: Broadway sings Michael Jackson!

photo by Darryl for ArtX photography used by permission

Forever MJ! Participated in a concert featuring music by the one and only Michael Jackson, classics that generations have grooved to for decades from "Ben" to "Butterflies." MJ brought us the hits we were invited to perform by Corey Mach, the show's producer, we took time to perform some of the best songs to ever be recorded in pop music. Lots of friends of mine lent their voices, Chester Gregory, Morgan James, Tituss Burgess, and Nicholas Christopher among others I had recently met whose voices were phenomenal! I sang "Can't Help It" early on in the night and later joined Morgan and Tituss for a gut busting trio of "I'll Be There" complete with the I dream of Jeanie ponytail swinging! It was a good time celebration located at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC's West Village area and the lighting  and sound was thoroughly "rockstar-ish".
Lots of fun here's a few pics and some links to check out.

Fashion Week : Korto Momolu

Saycon Sengbloh and Fashion designer Korto Momolu Photo used by permission.

photos courtesy of Saycon Sengbloh

Ooooooh weee! Fashion! Fashion! Fashion! David Bowie said it best... Sometimes I have a week where I'm just fashion crazed and this was one of them! I attended he show by the fabulous Korto Momolu. The show was elegant and sophisticated, I loved it! Pics from the night are here! After waiting forever I finally got a photo with the Liberian designer, the L's we're making in the photo are for "Liberia!!!" The goodie bag was  amazing as well complete with hair products, jewelry, a t-shirt and a box of Cheerios!  I gotta celebrate Korto Momolu's promotion with Cheerios to help feed local hungry! Good stuff! PS-I was rocking the colorblock craze everyone's been into, not sure if it worked for me with the extra shiny hair but I liked the outfit when I bought it LOL. Muah!
 http://www.hautefashionafrica.com/2012/09/08/new-york-fashion-week-springsummer-2013-day-2-korto-momolu/

Sasha Allen sings at Joe's Pub

I attended a wonderful show this past week, the scene was magical. Joe' Pub was on its feet, quiet, and breathless! Sasha Allen was singing  many classic soul hits and it was a lovely sight to behold, the silence really took hold once she had begun her tribute-medley to Whitney Houston. We sort of all held our breath not wanting to miss a note. There' was not the usual hooping and hollering you hear at these sort of shows because the audience litteraly did not want to miss a note. Miss. Allen was in top form, wearing a simple white blouse and black pants. The vocalists accompanying her were true soulsingers, nothing background about them (among them underground soul rocktress Kimberly Nicole) were dressed to impress and the band was immaculate and lush: strings, horns, they spared no expense. later in the eveing even the vocalists Cheryl Pepsi Riley and Inaya Day aka "Jiffy" came out and did a powerhouse rendition of "This Will Be". Wooo lawd! Their "Teflon" voices were in the house! The Musical Director, her long time beau, Rob Lewis, put together an amazing show and I was happy to be there!This was a beautiful night always a treat to hear a voice like hers and see all the wonderful Hair Broadway peeps in the crowd! It was like a reunion of sorts.

Check out this link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgPxr8LKLzA

xoxo
Saycon 

The House That Will Not Stand

Life takes you in many directions. I'm thankful for them... The past 2 weeks I've been in Pougkeepsie, NY, on the Vassar college campus surrounded by some talented individuals and some interesting personalities! Participating in Powerhouse and New York Stage & Film summer festival.

I'm playing the dark romantic Odette in "The House That Will Not Stand" by Marcus Gardley.

Saycon rehearses "Once On This Island"

I'm excited to be working with the wonderful cast of Once On This Island at the Papermill Playhouse! Check out some clips from the rehearsal that the press came out to visit the other day!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/166262-PHOTO-CALL-Syesha-Mercado-Darius-de-Haas-Saycon-Sengbloh-and-More-Preview-Paper-Mills-Once-On-This-Island

SAYCON in Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE

Come see Saycon Sengbloh in Hurt Village! I'm so excited to tell everyone about the new daring and extraordinary piece by Katori Hall. I'm thrilled to be a part of this show at the New Signature theatre. The language and characters in Hurt Village  are something that has not been seen on the American theatrical landscape in a very long time perhaps since Melvin Van Peeple's Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, or Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. Hurt Village is not a musical though the musical influence of hip-hop pulses through the veins of this ghetto story set in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm playing the role of Toyia a girl who works at the local "shake junt" and is fiercely protective of her man, her body, and her baby. With costumes by Clint Ramos I'm having a ball wearing clothes from all of hip-hop's fashion moguls (Sean John, Fetish, an House of Dereon). And sharing a stage with New York's hottest up and coming talents, like Lloyd Watts, Charlie Hudson III,  Marsha Stephanie Blake, Nicholas Christopher, Corey Hawkins, Ron Cephas Jones, Joaquina Kalukango , and Tony award winner Tonya Pinkins directed by Patricia McGregor! Choreography by Daniel Price. Come out and witness this new work!

Check out some of the reviews below:

"Five Stars! Exceptional! This is theatre that throbs with life, and quickens the pulse and mind!"

Adam Feldman, Time Out New York

"A rousing, latter-day response to A Raisin in the Sun! Vividly acted! [The actors] inhabit David Gallo’s evocative urban-jungle jumble of a set (and Clint Ramos’s sociologically exact costumes) with fervent and affecting conviction. And they make sure we feel the emotional double edge with which their characters regard one another."

Ben Brantley, New York Times

"An original theatre voice!"

Linda Winer, Newsday

"A terrifically exciting work by a playwright with something to say!"

Marilyn Stasio, Variety

"Thoroughly sensational! Obligatory viewing! Under direction by Patricia McGregor as fierce as Katori Hall's writing, the cast makes a strong bid for a best-ensemble prize!"

David Finkle, Theatermania.com

"Makes you stand up and pay attention!"

Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Post

Photos by Joan Marcus

http://www.signaturetheatre.org/index.aspx

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VIDEO FROM FIRST REHEARSAL

Hurt Village: First Rehearsal from Signature Theatre Company on Vimeo.

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Backstage

JOOKIN'

Hurt Village: Jookin' in Rehearsal from Signature Theatre Company on Vimeo.

FIRST REHEARSAL PHOTOS

Photos by Erik Carter Photography.

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March 2012

My LA Trip: Fela tour!

Courtesy of Saycon Sengbloh

I had a ball in Los Angeles joining the wonderful touring cast of Fela reprising my role as Sandra Iszadore. Who knew I'd be bringing in the 2012 New Year right there in LA. Hopefully more of sunny LA will be in my future! It was a jam packed 2 weeks. One week of rehearsals and one week of performances, interviews, meetings, and kicking it in between! One of the interviews I did was for YoungHollywood.com the interview featured, Nandi Bhebhe, Jill Vallery, and myself talking and dancing with the host, Lesley Robbins.
http://www.younghollywood.com/videos/lifestyle/lifestyle-events/dancing-with-the-cast-of-fela.html

 I'm not sure how we found the time to squeeze this in after rehearsal and before the show that night, but we made it work LOL. It was amazing and a blessing to return to the show if only for a week! I will be sure to let you all know if I roll through the "shrine" on the tour again. The Ahmanson theater was huge and the sound was great, I was digging LA! While in LA I had so many great friends and family come through including Stu James, Lesly Donald, Marcus Mitchell, Shaun Earl, Lisa Thomas, Adisa Anderson, and the lovely Sakara Anderson, along with their sons, girlfriends, and family as well! Not to mention the talented Scott Nevins and friend, who seemed to have had a ball. I also met soul singer Ndambi who attended with her manager Monica Young. Sandra Izsadore also came with all sorts of celebrities. Check out the younghollywood interview by clicking the link below or click to download my track #2 Sorrow, Tears, and Blood recording:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-warrior-ep/id476799155

http://www.younghollywood.com/videos/lifestyle/lifestyle-events/dancing-with-the-cast-of-fela.html

Saycon and Nneka in New York City

Nneka in New York! the Nigerian & German songbird is here in the U.S. to promote her new album. I saw her across the room in a Whole foods store while have a tea with my friend Maia (aka Soulluvlai)  often at a loss for words I couldn't remember her name for the life of me but of course who can forget that face! A classic beauty without a shred of makeup. Boldly, and nosily, I approached her to ask if she was a Nigerian singer she said yes though I'm pretty sure she and her friend thought I was full of sh*t, LOL anyway we began to chat. I told her about my visit to Nigeria last spring.  Nneka said she was in town to promote her new album and I was happy to tell her we shared a publicist when we were in Nigeria, Miss Bobby Taylor who did some amazing work during our time there. Nneka was kind and I was random, anyway, well done Nneka let's do a duet one day :-) let's unite for Liberia and Nigeria ya digg?. Check out this video of Nneka making of her new album.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pVKyP56PXLY

PS.-Shoutout to my Nigerian brothers and sisters struggling to pay for gasoline with oil prices surging. peace,
Saycon

Justin Johnston is Roger in Rent! Flashback:Saycon as Mimi

http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/gallery/2735.html

y good friend Justin Johnston who will be made his debut soon as Roger in the off-Broadway production of Rent! I'm thrilled because Justin and I go way back. Years ago when I first traveled to New York to audition for the show there I was nervous in the waiting room, waiting for my turn to go inside and sing and read my scenes for my Mimi audition. In the room next door was a window through which I could see the coolest dancers ever. Also peeking into the room was Justin Johnston and we watched excitedly killing time waiting for our chance to shine and we were thrilled to find out that the dancers with rehearsing for Missy Elliots latest video. We always recall this memory and years later he's about to open as Roger! I'm quite proud. Ha! the show Rent will always be a part of me as, I got my Equity card on the national tour of Rent. Also, my current show Hurt village co-stars Nicholas Christopher who is on leave from the Off-Broadway Rent company in which he plays Collins. Check out some photos of me from the tour for the nostalgia :) and check out the link to the flashback of Broadway's various casts of Rent as showcased on Playbill.com http://www.playbill.com/news/article/158801-Josh-Grisetti-Justin-Johnston-Rashad-Naylor-Are-Rents-New-Mark-Roger-and-Benny-Starting-Jan-20

Hurt Village: Jookin' in NYC with Daniel Price

Daniel Price
Photo used by permission

2012 has started with a bang. Had no idea I'd be introduced to the urban ballet known as "JOOKING" in 2012. Its been an exciting week in New York City, soaking up the southern sounds, booming bass, and mystical rhythms as we embark upon a journey to the Hurt. Hurt Village is a play written by Katori Hall but it is a play that takes a small yet poignant slice of Memphis, African-American life and brings it to life with all the joys, sorrow, and music it can. We are getting an introductory dance course in jookin' via Master Jook-King Daniel Price.

Daniel Price

 Each day after studying lines and doing blocking we put on our sneakers to get our dancing toes wiggling. Before you ask, nooo, our show, Hurt Village is not a musical, its a play a very urban, real play with a lil' southern hip-hop thrown into the mix --BUT. .. what is life in Memphis, Tennessee without music. Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Justin Timberlake, and B.B. King had their start on the Memphis music scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee A little known fact the capital of ancient Egypt was known as Memphis as well, and how befitting considering the moves and isolation that include ankle throws and g-walking can resemble at times the hieroglyphics that are famously found on the walls of ancient Egyptian canvases. I enjoyed working with Daniel. His laid back, yet intense spirit was a welcome southern vibe in a room full of angsty New Yorkers, he reminding me of some of my peoples from Atlanta. I look forward to following his career and seeing where life takes Daniel next!
If you click the photo on the upper right you'll see a video of  Daniel in action ( parental advisory on the lyrics but the moves are hot!)
copy & past eht link below if you can't see it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyoY5wRH0Jk