State of Black Theater March 10-16th

From March 10-16, 2013 HowlRound.com will publish a week-long series of articles from leading African American theater organizations and practitioners from across the country on the STATE OF BLACK THEATER in America. 

On Thursday, March 14 from 2-3pm EST, curator Jonathan McCrory will host a twitter session with participating organizations and practitioners using #newplay. 

Jonathan McCrory

The HowlRound series will give a snapshot of what is happening within Black Theater across the country and asks practitioners to address hard questions and spark dialogue around the challenges and opportunities facing the field. 

“Black Theatre is at a cross-roads and I think it is important that something be done to bring awareness to this critical moment. This week is an invitation to interact with these amazing innovative organizations that only represent a fraction of the African American Institutions in America and what better platform to do it on than Howlround. Please leave comments, challenge us to think deeper, and help to uplift the Black Theatre community” says curator Jonathan McCrory.

The series will include articles by:

Ben Guillory, Producing Artistic Director, The Robey Theatre Company, Los Angeles, CA

Carla Stilwell, Managing Producer, MPAACT Theatre, Chicago, IL

Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe, Director and Producer, San Francisco, CA

Eileen J. Morris, Artistic Director, The Ensemble Theatre, Houston, TX 

Michael Dinwiddie, President, Black Theatre Network

Sade Lythcott, CEO, The National Black Theatre Inc., New York, NY

Sarah Bellamy, Associate Artistic Director, Penumbra Theatre, Saint Paul, MN

Talvin Wilks, Director and Scholar, New York, NY

Valerie Curtis-Newton, Artistic Director, The Hansberry Project, Seattle, WA 

Featured Interview with:

Ron Simons, Founder President, SimonSays Entertainment, New York, NY

To learn more, please click here.

Cherry Lane Theatre playwright mentoring program (NYC)

Katori Hall

First Online With Fran is a TV talk show dedicated solely to arts advocacy as a means to raise sustainable national attention to the Arts. Hosted by Frances McGarry, the pilot episode features an interview with Angelina Fiordellisi, Artistic Director and Founder of the renowned Cherry Lane Theatre in NYC. It's worth a watch for a couple of reasons because 1) playwright Katori Hall gets a plug, 2) you get to meet the person behind the playwright mentoring program, and 3) it helps support Ms. McGarry's goal of creating the first TV talk show dedicated solely to arts advocacy-- and us.

Red Harlem Readers

Jamal Williams' "The Ascension of Marie Laveau" reading Saturday, February 16th (Jersey City)

Please click image to enlarge.

I'm excited that my newest artistic creation, "The Ascension of Marie Laveau" is finally making its first live appearance as a staged reading ten long months after I finished writing the play. I am proud that I am doing the "process" the "work" that all artists must do to proactively shape their pieces into becoming worthy of future productions with great actors and professional production staffs. But the most important thing that I will get out of this process is to hear the words from the page to guide me into working on the next revision. Jersey City, Saturday Feb 16th, 2pm at Sanai's Restaurant. Just doing the work... Jamal Williams

Jitterbug invited to Emerging Artists Theatre's New Works Fest (NYC)

Jitterbug! is the latest iteration of the award-winning play "Once Upon A Time In Harlem: A Jitterbug Romance" by DC Copeland. Chosen to appear in the Emerging Artists Theatre's 7th Annual New Works Festival, it will be the first reading of the full 3-act play and will include music and dance. A shortened "radio" reading version took place at the prestigious National Black Theatre in Harlem last March. It was directed by noted actress, director, and teacher Petronia Paley. Ms. Paley will also direct this reading. Joining the team this time around will be Emmy-nominated choreographer Jeffrey Page. Dramaturgy by Jaz Dorsey.

Jitterbug! has been nominated for a "Creative Vision Award" by USA Projects the premiere non-profit website supporting artists fundraising and advocacy.

Winner of the Jaz Dorsey Fusion Award from the African American Playwrights Exchange (AAPEX).

Time/Date: 9pm, Saturday, March 23rd.

Place: Tada! Theatre, 15 West 28th Street (Between Broadway and 5th)

All tickets $10.00 through Brown Paper Tickets *

*Please note, a non-profit fundraising tax deductible opportunity has been established with USA Projects for Jitterbug! Please consider donating so we can make this reading all it can be. Thank you.

Blackboard Reading Series TONIGHT (NYC)

Tonight! 

Monday, February 11, 2013 7:00pm 

COMMUNITY NIGHT 

Playwrights bring your pages (up to 10) Actors bring yourselves! Community Night's are such a fun evening! If you're a PLAYWRIGHT interested in participating - RSVP with your submission, and we'll put you on the roster to present your 10 pages. ACTORS - bring yourselves (and RSVP as well)! We have a number of confirmed playwrights - so actors and playwrights begin arriving at 7:00pm please! 

$10 Suggested Donation ~wine served~ RSVP: info@blackboardplays.com

Red Harlem Readers

DC Black Theatre Festival call for plays

For more information, please click here.

Online submission form is here.

Kirsten Greenidge's LUCK OF THE IRISH opens at Lincoln Center Theatre 3 tonight

Kirsten Greenidge

LUCK OF THE IRISH begins when an upwardly mobile African-American couple wants to buy a home in an all-white neighborhood of 1950's Boston. To do that,  they pay a struggling Irish family to "ghost-buy" a house on their behalf. Fifty years later, the Irish family wants "their" house back. Moving across two eras, Luck of the Irish explores racial and social issues and the universal longing for home. 

The play runs from Feb 2-8th.

To learn more about the play and the playwright, please check out an interview with her here. To buy tickets at Lincoln Center 3,  please click the link. 

Red Harlem Readers