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another small
REVOLUTION
in banking 

IT'S ABOUT TIME
TEACHERS
GOT THEIR BIG BREAK
ON BROADWAY.

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WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST

in music with the immensely successful Def Jam Records: in film with Def Pictures; in television with HBO's "Def Comedy Jam"; in the fashion industry with the red-hot Phat Farm clothing line; and in magazine publishing with One World magazine. Simmons also executive produced the critically acclaimed HBO series, "Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry." Simmons, 45, is a native New Yorker who began promoting rap shows, managing artists and producing records under his own Rush Artist Management banner in the late '70s. By the early '80s, the roster included such hit-making rappers as Whodini, Kurtis Blow and Run-DMC. Over the years, Rush would help mold the career of such chart-topping artists as Will Smith, Ja Rule, Ashanti, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. In 1984, Simmons co-founded Def Jam Recordings, which quickly became rap's premier label. It continues to hold the leading spot in the market with a roster that includes Jay-Z, DMX, Method Man and Montell Jordan. Def Jam went into business with Columbia Records/Sony Music in 1985. In 1995 Polygram Music bought out Sony's half-interest in Def Jam. Island/Def Jam is now owned by Polygram's successor, the Universal Music Group. Simmons retains the title of Chairman of Def Jam Records and maintains an active interest in and commitment to the company. His desire to further the "hip-hopification" of American media has also included films: Krush Groove (1995), Tougher Than Leather (1998), The Nutty Professor starring Eddie Murphy (1996), Gridlock (1997), How to be a Player (1997), and two films directed by Abel Ferrera, The Funeral (1996) and The Addiction (1996). Russell Simmons began producing "Def Comedy Jam" for HBO in 1991. The show, which ran for seven years, helped revolutionize the American comedy industry and introduced some of today's hottest comedians, including Martin Lawrence, Chris Tucker, Steve Harvey, Jamie Foxx, DL Hughley, Cedric The Entertainer, Bernie Mac and Bill Bellamy, among others. Simmons also produced "One World," a nationally syndicated weekly television show designed as a hip-hop style "Entertainment Tonight," which was hosted by Kimora Lee Simmons, the former supermodel who became Simmons' wife. The show was a natural outgrowth of One World magazine, which he launched in 1996. In 1992, Simmons founded Phat Farm, a men's sportswear brand that began as a passion to convey the All-American hip-hop lifestyle and has evolved into the standard for sportswear worldwide, including denim, outerwear, loungewear, footwear and fragrance. Phat Farm has since paved the way for a sexy women's collection, Baby Phat. Under the creative direction of Kimora Lee Simmons, the collection has expanded to include denim, outerwear, lingerie, faux furs, handbags and accessories. Due to the success of the men's and women's collection, the company introduced kids' wear - Phat Farm Boys and Baby Phat Girlz. In the world of advertising, Simmons, as the Vice Chairman of Global Hue, the world's largest cultural advertising agency, is both the visionary as well as one of the chief administrators in supplying top Fortune 500 companies with strategic segment-based marketing solutions. Russell Simmon's interests extend far beyond the business world, and he spends a great deal of his time and considerable energy working for social, political and philanthropic causes, pushing hip-hop on to new plateaus of power and relevance. In 1995 he, along with his brothers Danny and Joseph Simmons (Rev. Run of Run DMC), founded Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. The organization is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as offering exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color. Since its inception, Rush Philanthropic has awarded more than $500,000 in grants to worthy organizations. 

Information in "Who's Who in the Cast" is provided by the production. Where opinions are expressed, they are those of the players, not necessarily those of PLAYBILL Magazine. 

OPENING NIGHT: NOVEMBER 14, 2002

General Management
Roy Gabay Theatrical Production & Management
Cheryl Dennis, Steven DeLuca,
Nick Lobel-Weiss, Susan Vargo

Press Representative
The Pete Sanders Group
Pete Sanders
Glenna Freedman Terence Womble 

Marketing & Promotions
Tracey Mendelsohn/Monique Martin
Quicksilver Entertainment Marketing

Def Poetry Jam Ambassadors
Kojo Ade, Daniel Banks, Reeshmah Brightley, Nyakya 
Brown, Terrence Dean, Tiffany Ellis, Kamilah Fobes, Lester Grant, Candace Jackson, Lisa-Erika James, Williams Johnson, Rollie Jones, Jason King, Dekar
Lawson, Judith McCabe, Debbie Mclntyre, Thembisa, Mshaka, Major Scurlock, Julia Shaw, April Silver, Marla Teyolia, Raecine Tyes, Clyde Valentin, Kim Weston-Moran

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