I know we're a few days into the month of February, but I wanted to take a moment to bring awareness to a few great African Americans I've always respected and that have had a deep impact in my life. 

Sidney Poitier

He's not only one of the greatest male stars of all time, he was awarded USA's highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, by Barack Obama in 2009. 

Langston Hughes

He's best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance. He was an incredible writer. He wrote novels, short stories and plays. 

Would love to hear who you're paying respect to during African American month. Tell me in the comments below.

Hey y'all,

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving with their loved ones! Right before the holiday, I got the chance to share some laughs with Tim and Sam Daly where I appeared in one of the episodes for "The Daly Show," a new YouTube series. We had a blast — Tim and Sam were cracking me up the entire time!

Let me know what you thiink of the show and be sure to check back for more episodes!

I recently found out that Sesame Street introduced a new muppet to the show during their special, “Growing Hope Against Hunger.” Lily, a 7-year-old will represent the 17 million children living at or below poverty level, who often times, do not know where their next meal will come from. Described as “food insecure,” Lily talks about the topic of hunger from a child’s point of view with a hopeful message.

What do y'all think of Lily? Have any of your kids seen the episode?

As many of you know, one of my biggest passions is theatre. It’s something I enjoy, both as a performer and as a member of an audience. It was brought to my attention recently that the Theatre Development Fund (TDF), a nonprofit that sustains the arts and encourages diversity in audiences, created a new program called Autism Theatre Initiative. It’s something many us may never consider, but theatre is one of many things that children and adults with autism find difficult, if not impossible to attend — until now.

Through TDF’s new initiative, “The Lion King” and a panel of autism experts were able to create the very first autism-friendly Broadway performance, providing an environment that supports those with an autism spectrum disorder. Some adjustments that were made to the production include:

•    Volume and light reduction
•    Cutting strobe lights and sudden light cues
•    Doing the music electronically instead of using an orchestra for better sound control

This is such a beautiful initiative and something that draws positive attention to autism, encouraging us to learn more about this group of disorders, and issues other families experience that many of us may never consider. Let me know your thoughts, and if you were able to attend this performance. Can’t wait to hear from you guys!

It's the end of summer and I wanted to put together something chill and laid back for those long summer nights.

Hope you dig it.

TRACKLIST:

• Diary - Alicia Keys
• Amos Lee - Another Lonely Day
• Ben Harper - Fight for your Mind
• Bilal - Sometimes
• Billy Porter - Time
• Nikka Costa - Everybody Got Their Something
• Me'shell Ndegeocello - Bitter
• David Ryan Harris -  If I Had a Dime-
• Adelle - Make You Feel My Love
• Colin Hay - I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
• Idina Menzel - You'd Be Surprised
• The Rescues - You're Not Listening

I realize that everybody's workout routine or regiment is completely personal and different, but every once in a while I'm inspired by something someone else 'hips' me to. 

This is a gym mix that I'm very much feeling. 

Jay Z's 'Off That' really gives that push I need coming out the gate as well as Eminem's 'Soldier'. The rest is a mix of both fun cuts combined with tracks with driving beats meant to assist in that last 45 minutes of cardio. 

Hope you dig it.

TRACKLIST:

• Off That (Feat. Drake) - Jay-Z
• Brown Sugar (Raw) -Black Star
• Soldier -Eminem
• Power - Kanye West
• That's All She Wrote (feat. Eminem) - T.I.
• We Got The Beat - Talib Kweli
• Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
• Swing Ya Rag (feat. Swizz Beatz) - T.I.
• Over - Drake
• Two Words (feat. Mos Def) - Kanye West
• Hello/Goodbye (Uncool) [feat. Unkle] - Lupe Fiasco
• Takeover -  Jay-Z
• Rush - Talib Kweli 

Saw this great article and had to share:

Idina Menzel at Red Rocks: If you can't feel the love...you're dead

A perfect night under a blood-red moon at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre clearly took Idina Menzel's breath away - but not her signature five-octave voice.

Performing hits from "Rent," "Wicked," and even that admittedly ridiculous bad-mom song called "Poker Face" that introduced her to a national TV audience on "Glee," a disarmingly self-deprecating Menzel repeatedly went Sunday where most celebrities no longer dare to tread: She got personal, she got real, she got silly - and she often became overcome with emotion, what with her mother and sister (who live in nearby Louisville) in attendance, along with her famous husband, and their 22-month-old son. Her stage mic, in fact, was laced with a beaded necklace that Walker Nathaniel Diggs made for his mom.

Menzel could have stood at the exit and shaken every departing hand, and the audience could not have felt more like they already had been allowed into the world of a woman who is clearly the Streisand of her generation. Only, apparently, a heck of a lot nicer. 

Read the whole article here.

What concerts have you been to this summer? Where should Idina perform next?

For this week's playlist, I thought I'd go to one of my all-time favorites, Stevie Wonder. While his career has spanned over 50 years, his early hits still feel fresh and vital. "Superstition" took the Motown sound and taught it to rock with a driving beat that landed Stevie a #1 hit. His cover of the Beatles' "Work It Out" gives it a whole new funk flavor and "Lately" is perfect tearjerker ballad.

Listen to these classics (and a few others) below:

Are you a Stevie fan? What songs hold special meaning for you?

When auditioning, be sure to enter the room with a focused energy. Be in your body and make eye contact with the auditor. It makes a strong impression and lets everyone know that you deserve to be there. I always think it's a good idea to have some presence of the character you're to be playing upon walking in the door as well.

I'm not saying go in there with an eye patch and a parrot if you're reading for a pirate. Just go in there with a bit of flavor of what you're about to do. I find it makes it easier to transition for both you and whoever else is watching in the room.

What other questions about theatre and acting do you have for Taye? Share your own audition stories and questions in the comments below.

This week's playlist pick has a pretty interesting backstory. Singer-songwriter Josh Rouse started off as an alt-country singer in Nebraska, moved to Tennessee and embraced the A.M. radio sound of Carole King and now lives in Madrid, where he's picked up a bit of bossa-nova lounge.

His latest album, Turista is the perfect soundtrack to listen to while sipping lemonade and kicking back. Check it out below:

What's your perfect laid back summer song or album? Let me know in the comments.