Black girl magic continues to rock, as “P-Valley” creator Katori Hall just signed an overall deal with Lionsgate Television.
Hall made a name for herself with her highly celebrated stage play P—y Valley, which was picked up by Starz, and turned into the hit television drama series surrounding the lives of women working in the strip club and coming up by any means necessary.
Under her new deal, Katori Hall will create and develop projects for the production studio. Hall also was recently nominated for two Tony Award nominations for her work as a playwright and producer on the Broadway production Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.
She stated in a press release, “Adapting my play from the stage to the screen was a decade-long odyssey, and I’m so grateful that the journey led me to a studio that understands the value of complex storytelling centered on marginalized people of color. I’m thrilled about this partnership with Lionsgate and I look forward to continuing to tell bold, impactful stories with the ability to reach a rich, diverse, global audience.”
Not forgetting about the struggle which helped lead to her success, the deal also provides funds to commission Black playwrights and Hall will also mentor up and coming creatives.
Hall added, “In this unprecedented moment, Black playwrights are particularly struggling – so much so that I fear some will leave the art form forever. This would undoubtedly be a major loss. Without theater, there would be no me. In fact, there would be no ‘P-Valley.’ That’s why I partnered with Lionsgate on this initiative to help ensure that African theater is more inclusive and diverse when the curtain rises again.”
“P-Valley” made a huge impact with its debut this year and will return in 2021 with an expanded season from eight-10 shows. The hit series stars Brandee Evans, Shannon Thornton Elarica Johnson, Nicco Annan, Isaiah Washington and J. Alphonse Brown.
