In 'Get on Up, Becoming James Brown With Every Murmur, Milestone and Mashed Potato

Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in "Get on Up." Photo from "Get on Up" Facebook page.

MR. Chadwick Aaron Boseman is on trend to becoming a household name. His journey started with “42,” playing Jackie Robinson.

In “Get on Up: The James Brown Story,” opening today in U.S. theaters, the South Carolina native portrays another legendary, history-making figure. The moment CB shows up on screen, speaking in that rapid-fire rasp, he morphs into “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.” (See video below).

The film, directed by Tate Taylor, tracks JB's life from his difficult childhood in Georgia to the early 1990s, around the time he begins to make a comeback after a stretch in prison for failing to stop for police and leading them on a two-state car chase.

CB delivers an electrifying performance, exquisitely capturing JB's hubris, in what is sure to be considered one of the best films of the year. And perhaps, the best biopic of the year from a story by Steven Baigelman, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth. It was adapted for the big screen screen by JB and J-HB.

“Get on Up” will not be forgotten during awards season. CB is sure to see his name on some Best Actor lists … More shortly

“Get on Up” is rated PG-13 for sexual content, drug use, some strong language, and violent situations; visit http://www.getonupmovie.com/ to learn more about the film.

Mark Rylance Is the Biggest Attraction in 'Jerusalem'

Johnny “Rooster” Byron is a proud non-conformist in "Jerusalem." Photo by Simon Annand.

BY TAMARA BECK

JOHNNY “Rooster” Byron (Mark Rylance) is not a revolutionary; he is the revolution!

Johnny, the dubious hero of “Jerusalem,” a play about one man’s resistance to conformity, dispenses drugs and drink to minors out of a ramshackle trailer in the woods near a middle-class English town.

In “Jerusalem,” currently at the Music Box Theatre in an extended run through 21 Aug., Jez Butterworth has written an idyll of squalor. The “Jerusalem” of the title refers to a hymn, beloved in England, inspiring optimism and hope, and venerating the uniqueness of the country.

Johnny, in his renegade ways, aspires to that same spirit, in a kind of “Live Free or Die” fashion. The town’s youngsters are drawn as much to his dissident and subversive nature as they are to the “epic” parties he throws. (See video at http://www.jerusalembroadway.com/media/video/)

Johnny has no desire to be respectable. His war with authority is in part a class war. His neighbors and the local constabulary are more interested in removing Johnny’s eyesore of a home so that a housing development can be built near the Wiltshire forest than in stopping his illegal trade.

Mackenzie Crook as Ginger in "Jerusalem." Photo by Joan Marcus.

In “Jerusalem,” MR, who lends his exuberance to every role, has material worthy of his colossal talent. By the way, MR was rewarded for his performance with the 2011 Best Actor Tony. Johnny, who moves in a non-stop whirl of action and inventive talk, weaving his own myth, gets all of MR’s unstinting dynamism.

Although MR’s portrait overwhelms, the large cast includes many a worthy performance, including a very fine turn by Max Baker as Wesley, a local innkeeper forced to choose propriety over his friendship with Johnny. Geraldine Hughes as Johnny’s ex-wife, Dawn, also stands out as a troubled soul undermined by her addictions.

There are myriad reasons besides the extraordinary performances to see JB’s odd and exciting new drama. Be warned, however – “Jerusalem” is a challenge and many may find it offensive. It is also brilliant.

Visit http://www.jerusalembroadway.com/ to learn more about “Jerusalem.”