Ken Widrowwho co-created, wrote and produced the long-running 1983 film Off Broadway Musical hit Mama, I want to sing Doris Troy, who was inspired by the 1960s “Just One Look” singer’s life, died Tuesday, January 21, at his home in Harlem, New York. He was 81 years old.
His death was announced by theater publicist Keith Sherman. The cause of death was not immediately available.
Wydro, producer of Broadway productions such as the 1980s Joe Turner come and go In 2008, David Mamet’s film was revived American buffalo Starring Cedric the Entertainer, John Leguizamo and Haley Joel Osment, it will be best remembered Mama, I want to sing (Which he created with his wife Hijensen, sister of Doris Troy). Make the offer long lasting Off Broadway It debuted at the historic Heckscher Theater in 1983 and played 2,213 performances before closing in 1991.
In addition to subsequent revivals and world tours, the play has spawned two series (Mama, I want to sing the second part and Mama, I Wanna Sing: The Whole Story) and a 2011 film adaptation starring Ciara, Lynn Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, and Billy Zane.
In 1998, Wydro and Higginsen founded the Mama Arts Foundation with the mission of uplifting the black musical treasures of gospel, jazz, and R&B, and “healing and inspiring through the power of collective music making.” Today, Mama Foundation is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic Harlem institution.
For the Mama Foundation, Wydro has co-created and directed numerous musicals that have been performed in various theaters and churches in Harlem for decades.
Author of two plays, Secrets: The Untold Story of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung and vice versaWidrow is survived by Higginson, his wife of 44 years, and his daughter, Ahmaiah Knoel Higinson-Widrow.
