Fans love it. Critics don’t. After Tyler Perry, can urban theater cross over? -8

The Bravo show, which returns with
new episodes in June, follows the
mounting of a stage play promoted
and written by Lawrence. Hoping to
inject new life into the circuit and
expose its stars to a wider audience, Lawrence took the idea
for a reality show to the cable
network with plenty of drama built
in. Two cast members, veterans of
the circuit, have a child by the same
man; he is another widely known actor in the industry. Ginuwine, a sex
symbol in the
1990s, joined the cast of the play
and reality show to challenge
himself and got more than he
bargained for. Sparks fly between
him and fellow cast member Tondy Gallant, who's appeared in other
circuit plays — including "If These
Hips Could Talk" and "Mama's
Sweet Potato Pie," where Gallant
and Ginuwine first met. Jermaine Sellers, who's acted in
Tyler Perry plays and is also
starring on the Bravo show, says he
had done "the Broadway thing," but
found more opportunities and steady
paychecks on the road with stage plays. Washingtonpost