Topically Yours - Brenda Braxton and Donna Moore

Host Deardra Shuler interviews actress Brenda Braxton and Playwright/Composer/Lyricist Donna Moore who has been developing Cougar The Musical for eight years. Ms. Moore started her career at age 11 when she was cast in the PBS, TV show, ZOOM, where she is the only Zoomer to have also been a contributing writer. At age nine, two years prior to being on the show, she wrote a play called ‘Ms Truitt’ which aired on the pilot of the Emmy award-winning series. (Time flies- 40th ZOOM reunion is this Aug in Boston). A graduate of NYU Drama (TSOA), Moore is currently writing, “I Need a Lawyer or a Hitman”.

Brenda Braxton starred as Velma Kelly opposite Usher in Broadway’s hit musical Chicago. Prior to that, she was featured on Broadway in the musical revueSmokey Joe’s Cafe, that earned her a 1995 Tony Award nomination, the NAACP Theater Award, the city of Chicago’s Jefferson Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Album. Other Broadway credits include Jelly’s Last Jam, Cats, Legs Diamond and the original production ofDreamgirls. She received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Living the Dream” Award given by New York Gov. George Pataki and the Josephine Baker Award from the National Council of Negro Women for her work as founder of Leading Ladies Just for Teens, seminars, geared to empower teenage girls. In 2006, she launched BBRAXTON; Exceptional Grooming for Exceptional Men, an upscale men’s grooming salon in Harlem. 

Cougar the Musical opens August 26th at the St Lukes Theatre, located at 308 West 46th St, NYC.  For tickets call  212-239-6200 or go to Telecharge.com.