Podcasts about National Black Theatre Festival

Hannibal B. Johnson, a longtime Tulsa Area United Way volunteer, joins us to talk about his new book, " 10 Ways We Can Advance Social Justice Without Destroying Each Other." Buy it now on Amazon. ___ Hannibal B. Johnson, a Harvard Law School graduate, is an author, attorney, and consultant specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, human relations, leadership, and non-profit leadership and management. He has taught at The University of Tulsa College of Law, Oklahoma State University, and The University of Oklahoma. Johnson serves on the federal 400 Years of African American History Commission. He chaired the Education Committee for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission and served as local curator of its world-class history center, Greenwood Rising. His books, including Black Wall Street 100: An American City Grapples With Its Historical Racial Trauma, chronicle the African American experience in Oklahoma and its indelible impact on American history. Johnson's play, Big Mama Speaks—A Tulsa Race Riot Survivor's Story, was selected for the 2011 National Black Theatre Festival and has been staged in Caux, Switzerland. He has received numerous honors and awards for his work and community service, including a lifetime achievement award from the Oklahoma Center for the Book and induction into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame, the Tulsa Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tauw/message

Hey Friends & Kin!   FYI: THIS, JUST LIKE ALL EPISODES OF HAND ME MY PURSE, CONTAINS PROFANITY. THIS PODCAST IS FOR ADULTS AND CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT. Now that we've gotten that out of the way... _________   Friends and Kin in this episode I was blessed enough to be in conversation with a Black unicorn, Jonathan McCrory of the National Black Theatre! His story is one of overcoming, perseverance and understanding WHO you are. What an amazing way to close out Black History Month!   In this two part conversation we learn all about my guest. We learn where he comes from, the obstacles and blessings that he navigated during his journey and what he is up to currently. It was a spiritually uplifting conversation that I am truly excited to share with you. Here's a little bit about Jonathan:   Jonathan McCrory is a Tony Award and Emmy Award nominated producer, 2x Obie Award-winning, Harlem-based artist who has served as Executive Artistic Director at National Black Theatre since 2012 under the leadership of CEO, Sade Lythcott. He has directed numerous professional productions and concerts. He has been acknowledged as an exceptional leader additionally through Craine's New York Business 2020 Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives. In 2013, he was awarded the Emerging Producer Award by the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and the Torch Bearer Award by theatrical legend Woodie King Jr. He is a founding member of the collaborative producing organizations Harlem9, Black Theatre Commons, The Jubilee, Next Generation National Network and The Movement Theatre Company. McCrory sits on the National Advisory Committee for Howlround.com and was a member of the original cohort for ArtEquity. A Washington, DC native, McCrory attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and New York University's TISCH School of the Arts.   Enjoy this conversation, as I had such a wonderful time speaking with Jonathan about his life and his work. His story, the work he is doing as well as the work of the National Black Theatre should be something that we know about & THAT, friends & kin is exactly why I am sharing his story with you. Even though, Black History Month is over on the calendar - we should live a life where we strive to learn more and more about our history and the heroes of our communities today.    "GO WHERE YOU ARE ADORED. NOT WHERE YOU ARE TOLERATED..."   MeMe's Jam No. 83

Hey Friends & Kin!   FYI: THIS, JUST LIKE ALL EPISODES OF HAND ME MY PURSE, CONTAINS PROFANITY. THIS PODCAST IS FOR ADULTS AND CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT. Now that we've gotten that out of the way... _________   Friends and Kin in this episode I was blessed enough to be in conversation with a Black unicorn, Jonathan McCrory of the National Black Theatre! His story is one of overcoming, perseverance and understanding WHO you are. What an amazing way to close out Black History Month!   In this two part conversation we learn all about my guest. We learn where he comes from, the obstacles and blessings that he navigated during his journey and what he is up to currently. It was a spiritually uplifting conversation that I am truly excited to share with you. Here's a little bit about Jonathan:   Jonathan McCrory is a Tony Award and Emmy Award nominated producer, 2x Obie Award-winning, Harlem-based artist who has served as Executive Artistic Director at National Black Theatre since 2012 under the leadership of CEO, Sade Lythcott. He has directed numerous professional productions and concerts. He has been acknowledged as an exceptional leader additionally through Craine's New York Business 2020 Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives. In 2013, he was awarded the Emerging Producer Award by the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and the Torch Bearer Award by theatrical legend Woodie King Jr. He is a founding member of the collaborative producing organizations Harlem9, Black Theatre Commons, The Jubilee, Next Generation National Network and The Movement Theatre Company. McCrory sits on the National Advisory Committee for Howlround.com and was a member of the original cohort for ArtEquity. A Washington, DC native, McCrory attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and New York University's TISCH School of the Arts.   Enjoy this conversation, as I had such a wonderful time speaking with Jonathan about his life and his work. His story, the work he is doing as well as the work of the National Black Theatre should be something that we know about & THAT, friends & kin is exactly why I am sharing his story with you.    "GO WHERE YOU ARE LOVED. NOT WHERE YOU ARE TOLERATED..."   MeMe's Jam No. 82 Jonathan McCrory's Website National Black Theatre SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR “STRAIGHT FACTS”! PRACTICE LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION FIND A THERAPIST.   _______   EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS HERE! ⬅️ click that Rate + Review on Apple Podcasts. ⬅️ click that     And as always, "Thank you for your support…"  (said exactly like the 80s Bartles and Jaymes commercials)   xoxo MeMe *****************See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, playwright, poet, and author Pearl Cleage discusses her life and career with Remy Bumppo Theatre Artistic Director Marti Lyons. Remy Bumppo staged Cleage's Blues for an Alabama Sky in the fall of 2023. This conversation originally took place September 26, 2023 and was recorded live via Zoom. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOME More about the speakers: Pearl Cleage (she/her/hers) is an Atlanta-based writer whose plays include POINTING AT THE MOON, WHAT I LEARNED IN PARIS, FLYIN' WEST, BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, and BOURBON AT THE BORDER, commissioned and directed by Kenny Leon at the Alliance Theatre. She is also the author of A SONG FOR CORETTA, written in 2007 during Cleage's time as Cosby Professor in Women's Studies at Spelman College. Her play, THE NACIREMA SOCIETY REQUESTS THE HONOR OF YOUR PRESENCE AT A CELEBRATION OF THEIR FIRST ONE HUNDRED YEARS, was commissioned by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival and premiered in 2010, in a joint production by the ASF and Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, directed by Susan Booth. Her plays have also been performed at Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Huntington Theatre, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Long Wharf Theatre, Just US Theatre, True Colors Theatre, Bushfire Theatre, the Intiman Theatre, St. Louis Black Repertory Company, and Seven Stages. She is also an accomplished performance artist, often working in collaboration with her husband, writer Zaron W. Burnett, Jr. They have performed at the National Black Arts Festival, the National Black Theatre Festival, and colleges and universities across the country. Cleage and Burnett also collaborated with performance artists Idris Ackamoor and Rhodessa Jones on the script for THE LOVE PROJECT, which premiered at the National Black Theatre Festival in 2008, and is currently touring the country. Cleage is also an accomplished novelist. Her novels include “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day,” a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah Book Club selection, “I Wish I Had a Red Dress,” “Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do,” “Babylon Sisters,” “Baby Brother's Blues,” “Seen It All and Done the Rest,” and “Till You Hear from Me.” She is also the author of “Mad at Miles: A Blackwoman's Guide to Truth,” a groundbreaking work of race and gender, and “We Speak Your Names,” a praise poem commissioned by Oprah Winfrey for her 2005 celebration of legendary African American women and written in collaboration with Zaron Burnett. Cleage has also written for magazines, including “Essence,” “Vibe,” “Rap Pages,” and “Ms.” In addition to her work as the founding editor of “Catalyst” magazine, a literary journal, she was a regular columnist for the Atlanta Tribune for ten years, winning many awards for her thought-provoking columns. She has also written for TheDefendersOnLine.com. Cleage has been awarded grants in support of her work from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Fulton County Arts Council, the Georgia Council on the Arts, the Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and the Coca-Cola Foundation. Her work has earned her many awards and honors, including an NAACP Image Award for fiction in 2008. Pearl Cleage is represented by Ron Gwiazda at Abrams Artists Agency in New York City. Her website is www.PearlCleage.net. She also maintains a Facebook fan page. www.pearlcleage.net. Marti Lyons (she/her/hers) most recently directed the world-premiere of Galileo's Daughter by Jessica Dickey at Remy Bumppo, Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly at Northlight Theatre, Wife of a Salesman by Eleanor Burgess at Milwaukee Rep, Sense and Sensibility adapted by Jessica Swale at American Players Theatre and the world-premiere of John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower at Studio Theatre in D.C. Marti's other productions include The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess at Writers Theatre; Cymbeline at American Players Theatre; The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe and both the stage and audio productions of Kings by Sarah Burgess at Studio Theatre; the world-premiere of How to Defend Yourself by liliana padilla, a Victory Gardens and Actors Theatre of Louisville co-production; Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee at Victory Gardens and City Theatre; Witch by Jen Silverman at Geffen Playhouse and Writers Theatre (LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Direction); Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías at Victory Gardens; Botticelli in the Fire by Jordan Tannahill at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company; I, Banquo at Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Title and Deed by Will Eno at Lookingglass Theatre Company; Laura Marks' Bethany and Mine at The Gift Theatre. Marti is also an ensemble member at The Gift Theatre, and a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. martilyons.com

Jonathan McCrory is a two Obie Award-winning, Harlem-based artist who has served as Executive Artistic Director at National Black Theatre since 2012 under the leadership of CEO, Sade Lythcott. He has directed numerous professional productions and concerts which include: How the Light Gets In (NYMF), Klook and Iron John (NAMT),  Dead and Breathing, HandsUp, Hope Speaks, Blacken The Bubble, Asking for More, Last Laugh and Enter Your Sleep. He has worked at ETW at TISCH NYU with Emergence: A Communion and evoking him: Baldwin and at Suny Purchase directing Exit Strategy, &  A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes. He has been acknowledged as an exceptional leader additionally through Craine's New York Business 2020 Notable LGBTQ Leaders and Executives.In 2013, he was awarded the Emerging Producer Award by the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and the Torch Bearer Award by theatrical legend Woodie King Jr. He is a founding member of the collaborative producing organizations Harlem9, Black Theatre Commons, The Jubilee, Next Generation National Network and The Movement Theatre Company. McCrory sits on the National Advisory Committee for Howlround.com and was a member of the original cohort for ArtEquity. A Washington, DC native, McCrory attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and New York University's TISCH School of the Arts. To learn more, please visit www.jonathanmccrory.com. 

Today's episode is a recording of a SEVEN Talk from the 2022 Alumni Forum. This talk, given by Harvey Kennedy '74, is entitled, “Carolina Memories and Inspiration.”Harvey is a partner at Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy & Kennedy LLP. The alumnus was the second Black Morehead-Cain Scholar.You can watch all of the SEVEN Talks on our YouTube channel. More about HarveyHarvey Kennedy '74 has spent the last 45 years practicing law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the law firm of Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy & Kennedy, LLP. He represents individuals against major corporations and the government in employment, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases. Harvey is listed in Best Lawyers in America, and was selected as one of the top twenty employment lawyers in North Carolina by North Carolina Lawyers Weekly in 2021. Harvey has served on the board of directors of the National Urban League, the Winston-Salem Symphony, the Children's Center of Winston-Salem, and the National Black Theatre Festival. He received his JD from Harvard Law School in 1977 and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with highest honors in history in 1974. While at Carolina, Harvey was a member of the UNC Varsity Debate Team, served in the student legislature, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Harvey is married to Pat Kennedy.How to listenOn your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed.Catalyze is hosted and produced by Sarah O'Carroll for the Morehead-Cain Foundation, home of the first merit scholarship program in the United States and located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on Twitter or Instagram at @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org.

With the National Black Theatre Festival taking place this week in Winston-Salem, we dipped into the archives for a conversation with Nigel Alston, executive director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. They produce the bi-annual National Black Theatre Festival.  He and then-Arts Council president Randy Eaddy discussed the upcoming event. The Triad Podcast Network is presented by The Ginther Group real estate, Ashley McKenzie Sharpe home loans, ICON Custom Builders and Three Magnolias Financial AdvisorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://youtu.be/3iAYFLlfSZ0 In 1981, Mariann Aalda became one of the first African-American daytime soap opera heroines, the feisty, young criminal defense attorney DiDi Bannister on ABC's Edge of Night. But these days she's prosecuting ageism with a TEDx Talk, a solo show and as an AARP Age Disruptor. Her 30-yr TV career highlights also include co-starring opposite Redd Foxx and Della Reese as their daughter, Elizabeth, on the CBS sitcom,The Royal Family; recurring as Lita Ford, Anthony's yuppie-from-hell girlfriend on CBS' Designing Women, and co-starring opposite O.J. Simpson as his wife, Ellen for three seasons on the HBO dramedy,First & 10. More recently, her solo show, Gettin' Old Is a Bitch…But I'm Gonna Wrestle That Bitch to the Ground! broke a 30-year box office record at the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival, where it was picked up for a sold out run at New York's historic Billie Holiday Theatre in pre-pandemic 2020. Up next, she stars in the indie short film GUMBO, written and directed by Jess Waters and produced by Geno Brooks and The Artistic Standard for AMC's ALLBLK- TV. Ageing Shamelessly! Actor | Influencer | Speaker | Disruptor

My guest on Diverse Voices Book Review is acclaimed Houston playwright Celeste Bedford Walker.  The author of over 40 plays, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Institute of Letters in 2021. Born and raised in Houston Texas, Celeste Bedford Walker attended Jack Yates High School and Texas Southern University, both historically Black institutions in the Third Ward. Her writing has won numerous awards including the National Black Theatre Festival's August Wilson Playwriting Award, the NAACP Theatre Awards for Best Play and Best Playwright, New York's AUDELCO Award, and Broadway World's (Houston) Regional Award for Best Play.

For more information on Agape Theatre Project's production of Front Porch Society, visit About the Guest Melda is a passionate playwright. Her first play, Front Porch Society, delves into the complex and connected lives of four elderly black women in rural Mississippi Delta on the eve of the 2008 presidential election. What is the significance of our country's first Black president to women who have lived through Jim Crow, The Civil Rights Act, and the senseless killings of Black boys? The play enjoyed a world premiere at The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, TX (2017), and most recently, a mainstage production at the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC (2019). The play is traveling across the country gathering rave reviews. Her second play, Coconut Cake, was accepted into the New Works Reader's Series at the 2017 National Black Theatre Festival and had a 2017 staged reading during ReadFest in Houston, TX. Her most recent stage play, Thirty, is an explosive look at a generation of Black women trying to make sense of family secrets. Melda was commissioned by The Ensemble Theatre for their 2021-2022 season. Her upcoming short film, Cupcake, chronicles the divide mental illness creates between a mother and her daughter. In addition, Melda is an author of two books and freelance contributor to Black Masks magazine. Her first book, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976562413/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 (My Soul to His Spirit: Soulful Expressions from Black Daughters to Their Fathers) won the 2006 National Fresh Voices Award. It is a diverse and cathartic compilation of non-fiction writings by black women from across the United States. Her debut novel, https://www.amazon.com/Lime-Melda-Beaty/dp/1475090714 (Lime), is hailed as “America's Next Top Model” meets “Burning Bed.” Both books are available on Amazon.com. For more information visit https://meldacreates.com/ (https://meldacreates.com/). Connect with Us Facebook @beltlinetbroadway Twitter @beltlinetobway Instagram @beltlinetobroadway

Theater legend André De Shields dropped into our podcast ahead of his Feinstein's/54 Below show for a conversation about coming of age during the age of Aquarius, why he took on the monumental role of King Lear for the second time, and how destiny led him to his Tony-winning role in Hadestown.  A showstopper at the age of 75, De Shields was the triple-crown winner of the 2019 award season, garnering Tony, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Awards for his universally praised role as the messenger to the gods, Hermes, in Hadestown. In an illustrious career that has spanned more than half a century, he has distinguished himself as an actor, director, and educator. His notable theatrical appearances include roles in the original Broadway productions of The Full Monty (Tony Award® nomination), Play On! (Tony Award® nomination), Ain't Misbehavin' (Emmy Award) and the title role in The Wiz. In 2020, he received the 2020 Grammy Award for Musical Theater Album for Hadestown, an Honorary Doctor of Arts Degree from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the 2020 AUDELCO for Lifetime Achievement and the 2020 Red Bull Theater Matador Award for Excellence in Classical Theater. 2019 honors include The Actors' Equity Foundation Richard Seff Award, which honors veteran stage actors' best supporting performances of the year, the Project1Voice Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2019 SAGE Joyce Warshow Lifetime Achievement Award, and The York Theatre Company's 2019 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre, among others. He was also inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Among his other accolades are the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival's Living Legend Award and the 2007 Village Voice Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance. For tickets to André's show at Feinstein's/54 Below, visit: https://54below.com/events/andre-de-shields/. Photo of Mr. De Shields by Lia Chang. Credits The Feinstein's/54 Below podcast is hosted by Nella Vera, Kevin Ferguson, and Grace Benigni and produced by Bailey Everett and Michael Galvez, with support from the Feinstein's/54 Below marketing staff. Original artwork design by Philip Romano. Follow Nella on Twitter and Instagram at @spinstripes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff speak about the impact of theatre in their lives and why policy-makers should increase access to arts education. Jeff interview Corey Mitchell, a long-time educator, the first recipient of the TONY Award for Excellence in Theatre Education, and founder of the Theatre Gap Initiative. They discuss how increasing access to theatre education opportunities for students of color to reimagine the future of American theatre. Rachael and Jeff debrief with a dialogue about how young creatives are envisioning the future of education and the arts. In this episode you'll learn: The long-term impacts of increasing access to theatre and arts education; How exposure to people and experiences can impact young people; and What young creatives see in the future of education and the arts. Please download the transcript here. ABOUT COREY MITCHELL- Since 1995, Mitchell has been a fervent and passionate classroom teacher who believes whole-heartedly in the potential of his students. He joined the faculty of Northwest in 2001 where he now teaches Theatre, Musical Theatre, Middle School Drama, and Directing for the Stage. During his tenure there have been way too many musicals, plays, music revues, and cabaret shows to list, but some of the productions that really standout include—Ragtime, Hair, Pippin, Godspell, Shrek, All Shook Up, and The Color Purple (that production was the basis of the 2017 award-winning documentary, Purple Dreams, produced by GreyHawk Films). In addition to his work at NWSA, Corey has directed plays and musicals for a number of area theatre companies, including Theatre Charlotte, Charlotte Children's Theatre, Central Piedmont Community College, Hickory Community Theatre, and Davidson Community Players. In 2015, Corey was the first recipient of the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education. In addition to the Tony Award, Corey has received recognition from several other organizations, including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the Educational Theatre Association, North Carolina Theatre Conference, the Arts Empowerment Project, the Charlotte Post Foundation, and the National Black Theatre Festival. Notably, Corey was a top fifty finalist for the one million dollar Global Teacher Prize in 2017. Since 2017, Mitchell has been a consultant for the National Center for Educational Statistics (a non-partisan division of the U.S Department of Education), and he has presented keynote addresses, workshops, talkbacks, and master classes across the country and internationally. Corey thanks his family, friends, colleagues, and collaborators for their amazing support for all of these years. Check out my Burger King commercial that was an instant classic https://youtu.be/D6ZyvrZNoX0 WHERE TO FIND COREY: Twitter: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap Instagram: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap Facebook: Theatre Gap Initiative Website: www.theatregap.org This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support

Patdro Harris (Director/Broadway Choreographer/Writer) is nationally and internationally recognized and respected by colleagues, critics, and fans. The Washington Post hails him as a "superb choreographer". The New York Times applauds his artistry as "praiseworthy". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution enthusiastically commends his work as "dynamic … brilliant…solid season after season". And the Houston Chronicle says “...excellent and energizing direction and stunning choreography makes the show an absolute joy to experience”.  He has directed at distinguished theaters such as The Alliance Theater, Sacramento Theatre Company, Round House Theater, Liberty Theater Cultural Center, San Diego Repertory Theater Company, Penumbra Theater, Tuskegee Repertory Theater, Ensemble Theater, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theater Company, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Syracuse Stage, Theatrical Outfit, Connecticut Repertory Theater, The Tribeca Performing Arts Center, Howard University, Syracuse University, Florida A&M University & the University of Northern Colorado. He also served as choreographer, artistic consultant, and movement director with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Kennedy Center, Studio Theatre D.C, City Theatre of Pittsburgh, Minneapolis Mixed Blood Theatre, Jomandi Productions, The National Black Theatre Festival, Guthrie Theater, The National Black Arts Festival, Portland Center Stage, and Broadway's Royal Theatre.  Patdro has traveled the world as choreographer and lead dancer for the incomparable Stevie Wonder. He has worked with such artists as The SOS Band, TC Carson, Daryl Coley, Yolanda Adams, and India Arie. His talents were also showcased as Choreographer and Movement Specialist in Toni Morrison's world premiere opera, “Margaret Garner”. He choreographed the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit “A Raisin in the Sun” starring Sean Combs and Phylicia Rashad. Mr. Harris attended Alabama State University. In his current home of Atlanta, Georgia he has served on many arts committees including the Georgia Council for the Arts, and the Advisory Dance Panel for the Bureau of Cultural Affairs. He holds to his credit the 1996 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography and has been honored with a nomination for the same award for Best Supporting Actor. He has received a 2009, 2010, 2011, & 2016 Giorgee Award for best director & best show of the Year. Mr. Harris served as the first choreographer on the popular reboot TV show Dynasty season 3 episode 4. In 2019 & 2013 he received Atlanta's top theatre award, The Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Director of a Play Support the show: https://theanswersandiego.com/radioshow/8349 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TED LANGE certainly exemplifies the Renaissance Man Theatre Award that he received from the NAACP in Los Angeles and the Heroes and Legends HAL Lifetime Achievement Award. A prolific author, educator, and director and actor of stage and screen comprise the talents that have created a revered career and worldwide recognition. On May 10, 2018, Lange received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of his Contribution to the History of Television for his work on The Loveboat. A graduate of London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Lange has written twenty-five plays and has been labeled The Black Neil Simon, The Brown Bard, and The Footnote Historian. These nomenclatures reflect the nature of the plays that he has written and produced around the country in black theatres to rave reviews and numerous awards. Lange is passionate about comedy, Shakespeare, history, and character driven theatre. His quest is to weave the African American experience into stories that entertain and educate by using current events as the touchstone for timely stories and characters, by discovering little known historical facts and bringing alive lost moments of black history, and by using the timelessness of Shakespearean tales to reflect what is still relevant in today's culture. His Shakespearean based play written in verse, The Cause, My Soul, the Prequel to Othello, the NAACP Theatre Best Play of 2017, was presented at the Odyssey Theatre on the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death and at the North Carolina Black Theatre Festival. The Tears of Shylock another Shakespearean based play was read at the Matrix Theatre in April 2019. Lange's most current play, Blues in My Coffee, is a relationship comedy/drama that entertains and enlightens audiences in the relevant political issues surrounding Black Lives Matters. Four Queens – No Trump played garnered critical acclaim in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Omaha, and Chicago and won the NAACP Best Play – 1997. The Valley Theatre Awards nominated his play, Lemon Meringue Façade, in five categories and played off Broadway in New York at the New Perspectives Theatre. Another respected play, Soul Survivor, was staged at the National Black Theatre Festival at the 1996; The Olympics in Atlanta, and at the Lee Strasberg Institute in Hollywood, which co-starred Yolanda King. As a star of the television classic The Love Boat, Lange's ten seasons as Isaac Washington earned him global recognition. His television acting career also includes That's My Mama, Mr. T and Tina, and guest appearances on Evening Shade, Half and Half, Family Matters, In the Heat of the Night, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He hit the reality TV genre running on Celebrity Fit Club. Combining all his talents, Lange wrote, acted, directed, and produced his play, Let Freedom Ring in Los Angeles. A historical dramedy about how the Liberty Bell was cracked. The play is based on a true story…almost When asked about the diversity of his career, Lange states, “The duty of the Artist is to find his muse, then let her rip.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/momentsofgrace/support

Welcome back to a fresh new episode of Fourth Wall! Today, Alaina and Corey sit with Jackie Alexander, the Artistic Director of NC Black Rep, who also produces the National Black Theatre Festival! We talk about growing up in black theatre, how to follow your purpose, and what it means to be a black artist in this time. Do you have an experience to share about Representation in the Arts or any of the other topics we’ve discussed on 4W? We wanna read that shit! Send it to us so we can get your perspective and possibly share it on the show! → hello@fourthwallpod.com. (mailto:hello@fourthwallpod.com) FIND GUEST ONLINE: Instagram: @ncblackrep (instagram.com/ncblackrep) ncblackrep.org FIND FOURTH WALL AND THIS EPISODE’S HOST ONLINE: Fourth Wall on Instagram: @thisisfourthwall (instagram.com/thisisfourthwall) 4W Community Inbox: fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:fourthwallthepodcast@gmail.com) Host: @alainanewell (instagram.com/alainanewell) @coreyindahouz (instagram.com/coreyindahouz) ~~~ Fourth Wall: the podcast is created with TLC by Alaina Newell (@alainanewell) instagram.com/alainanewell Director of Talent: Ashani Smith (@ashanihadiyah) instagram.com/ashanihadiyah With original music by Ben Bailey (@benianbailey) instagram.com/benianbailey --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fourthwall/support

Hey, #ShiftShapers! It's time to dive into another insightful conversation between friends, host Thea Monyeé, and special guest in episode 20 of Shaping the Shift: Writing Our Future with Nikki Skies.⁣ ⁣Nikki Skies (@nskies) is an accomplished poet, award-winning playwright, actor, and author - best known for her fiery performances- currently living in Atlanta, GA.⁣ ⁣A firm believer in the power of education, Nikki is an alumna of Grambling State University (B. A. in Theatre/Acting), Howard University (M.A. in Film program for Screenplay Writing), and Clark Atlanta University (M.A. in Africana Women's Studies) ⁣ ⁣@nskies has opened in venues across the country for the likes of Sonia Sanchez, Gloria Steinem, and the late Amiri Baraka. Nikki was cast as a co-star for the late John Singleton's television drama, "Rebel" on BET. She was also the creative writer for BET's digital series, "Rebel Yell."⁣ ⁣In theatre, Skies' one-woman show in which she portrayed the late Afeni Shakur, mother of Tupac Shakur, was commissioned as a fundraising event for Morehouse College. In addition to lengthy experience as an actor, director, and playwright, her latest play, Hope's Return, debuted at the esteemed National Black Theatre Festival as a part of the New Works Reader's Theatre among a national selection of over 400 plays.⁣ ⁣Nikki is currently a Ph.D. student in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Georgia. Her research revolves around the restorative tenets of dramatic monologues in the contemporary works of southern black women playwrights. @nskies is currently adjunct faculty at Spelman College in Arts and Visual Culture and the Playwright-In-Residence at Orange Box Theater.⁣ Visit Soundcloud, Google Play, Apple Podcast, iHeart Radio, Spotify, or www.shapingtheshift.com to listen.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣#podcastseries #podcastepisode #podcastforwomen #wellnessforwomenofcolor #wellnessforwomen #POCwellness #BIPOCwellness #shiftshaping #shiftshapers #rideandthrive #joyandpleasure #creativeentrepreneur #creativeentrepreneurs #oya #decolonizingjoy 

Nick Courmon (NDC_Poetry) is a spoken word artist from Greensboro, NC. He enjoys using his art to address a myriad of social issues in addition to mental health awareness. He has work published in BROAD magazine, a digital and social justice publication from the Women's Studies and Gender Studies program at Loyola University Chicago. He was also a member of the Detour Slam Team that placed 11th overall at the 2019 Southern Fried Poetry Slam and has featured at the North Carolina African American Cultural Celebration, and the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem, NC. He is currently a Masters student at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. You can follow him on Instagram at @ndc_poetry and find him on Facebook at “Nick Courmon” as well. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/okoyomoh--egbekhuwa/message

Me and Dean had a great discussion about the Super Bowl, Coronavirus, and the Greensboro Four and then we were joined by our guest Michael Ringer and Jason Damico....During that discussion, we talked about ending hunger, food desserts, and Jason's career as a Blues musician and actor.....Definitely a great conversation....Originally scheduled was Aduke Aremu, a talented playwright and director......There was some confusion but we have rescheduled Aduke for next week....I have known Aduke for a number of years, having met her many years ago at the National Black Theatre Festival...   I remember working with her on Bum Sonata, a play about homelessness, that she is bringing back several decades after it's first run..   We look forward to hearing her talk about being a woman in the Theatre world as well as about many of the great theatre forces that inspired her career....This should be a delightful conversation with a longtime friend.. She is also working with the Harlem Dyer Center and has worked with many institutions jn places ranging from Atlanta to Charlotte to various places overseas.....

I have known Aduke for a number of years, having met her many years ago at the National Black Theatre Festival...   I remember working with her on Bum Sonata, a play about homelessness, that she is bringing back several decades after it's first run..   We look forward to hearing her talk about being a woman in the Theatre world as well as about many of the great theatre forces that inspired her career....This should be a delightful conversation with a longtime friend.. She is also working with the Harlem Dyer Center and has worked with many institutions jn places ranging from Atlanta to Charlotte to various places overseas....In addition to this longtime friend, we will be hearing from Lamont Pearley, a blues musician and music historian.....

I have known Aduke for a number of years, having met her many years ago at the National Black Theatre Festival...   I remember working with her on Bum Sonata, a play about homelessness, that she is bringing back several decades after it's first run..   We look forward to hearing her talk about being a woman in the Theatre world as well as about many of the great theatre forces that inspired her career....This should be a delightful conversation with a longtime friend.. She is also working with the Harlem Dyer Center and has worked with many institutions jn places ranging from Atlanta to Charlotte to various places overseas....In addition to this longtime friend, we will be hearing from Lamont Pearley, a blues musician and music historian.....

Me and Dean had a great discussion about the Super Bowl, Coronavirus, and the Greensboro Four and then we were joined by our guest Michael Ringer and Jason Damico....During that discussion, we talked about ending hunger, food desserts, and Jason's career as a Blues musician and actor.....Definitely a great conversation....Originally scheduled was Aduke Aremu, a talented playwright and director......There was some confusion but we have rescheduled Aduke for next week....I have known Aduke for a number of years, having met her many years ago at the National Black Theatre Festival...   I remember working with her on Bum Sonata, a play about homelessness, that she is bringing back several decades after it's first run..   We look forward to hearing her talk about being a woman in the Theatre world as well as about many of the great theatre forces that inspired her career....This should be a delightful conversation with a longtime friend.. She is also working with the Harlem Dyer Center and has worked with many institutions jn places ranging from Atlanta to Charlotte to various places overseas.....

LineByLineMaking Your Mark Through the ArtsHCC's James V Thomas is a guest after receiving the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival's award in Scenic Design.

Tracie Jiggetts, Director, Choreographer, And Mother, Set Out To Change The Scope Of The Future By Addressing The Fear That Threatens The Lives And Dreams Of Our Youth. With this vision, she founded The Art of Truth in 2013. By taking a deeply honest approach to understanding the human experience, addressing the root of individual and communal challenges and helping to overcome societal hardships, The Art of Truth is a catalyst for healing and self-love, a movement toward empowerment through dance, music, theatre, and visual art. The Art of Truth Mission: To offer a sacred space and freedom to be one’s self, the courage to find who that self is; and the creative ability to express that self through the art.Tracie is a captivating dancer, actor, choreographer, and director, who believes in the power of individualism and creativity. Tracie was born and raised in Baltimore Maryland, where she began her training at the Baltimore School for the Arts, with a host of inspiring instructors, that included Sylvester Campbell and Stephanie Powell. She continued her dance and theatre training at Catonsville Community College, Studio 801, Morton Street Dance Studio and Towson State University. She holds a BA in Urban Arts from Coppin State University. Tracie has an extensive performance history; gracing the stage of countless venues including The Lyric, Arena Players, Center Stage and The National Black Theatre Festival. Aside from The Art of Truth, Tracie is also the director of the Maryland Summer Center Arts program at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center. Email: traciejiggetts@gmail.comSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/AMERIKANTHERAPY)

Nigel is a motivational speaker, trainer and columnist. He serves as the Executive Director, North Carolina Black Repertory (produces the bi-annual National Black Theatre Festival), is a Dale Carnegie Trainer, and served as interim Director of Forsyth County Department of Social Services. He is active in the community and an all around great human!

The story of The Scottsboro Boys, which began in 1931 and evolved over the course of 80 plus years, has inspired books, documentaries, songs, movies, and even a Broadway musical. But the significance of this case transcends pop culture and speaks to racial injustice in this country in a way that feels timely and relevant for right now. About the Guest Moses T. Alexander Greene is an unconventional playwright, cultural arts producer, performer, and artistic director whose commitment to the arts and creative scholarship continues to impact a myriad of landscapes. A sixth-generation New Yorker (Long Island), he is a double graduate of Syracuse University with a Master’s in New Media Management and a dual Bachelor’s in African American Studies and Writing for Television, Radio, and Film. He has served as Chief Communications Officer/Assistant Professor of Media & Film at Saint Augustine’s University. In 2013, he was one of 20 educators nationwide named as a Fellow of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (EMMY) Foundation. As an arts advocate, Greene currently serves Raleigh in several capacities: vice-chair of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, chair of the Commission’s Racial Equity, Access and Inclusion Task Force and board member of the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County. He is also the visionary behind Nia Kuumba, a special audition that provides singers and actors of various ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and gender identities as well as performers with disabilities with an opportunity to audition for over 30 local and regional professional and community theatres at one time. After two years serving as director of the African American Cultural Center at NC State, Greene recently resigned to pursue producing cultural arts programs full-time, including serving as artistic director of Li V Mahob Productions, a Raleigh-based theater company he founded in 2018. As artistic director of https://www.facebook.com/LiVMahobProductions/ (Li V Mahob), he is committed to uplifting narratives of the diverse experiences of African Americans and African diasporic cultures through performance art. The first production of the company, a work written by Greene called POOLED, held its world premiere that February at the Kennedy Theater of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. The National Black Theatre Festival named POOLED as “one of the best 25 black theatre productions of the U.S., Africa, Europe and the Caribbean” and selected it as a main stage production. Greene is also the dramaturg and historian for Theatre Raleigh’s production of ‘The Scottsboro Boys’. Resources and Credits https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2014/spring/scottsboro.pdf (National Archives: The Scottsboro Boys, Injustice in Alabama) https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/scottsboro/ (American Experience: Scottsboro, An American Tragedy) https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/theater-dance/2017/09/06/The-real-life-Scottsboro-Boys-A-Timeline-of-Injustice/stories/201709060008 (Pittsburgh-Post Gazette: The Real Life Scottsboro Boys, a Timeline of Injustice) https://scottsboroboysletters.as.ua.edu/ (University of Alabama: To See Justice Done, Letters from The Scottsboro)… http://www.africanamericanarts.org/ (THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS: What You Need to Know Before You Go) Photo: Juanita E. Jackson visiting The Scottsboro Boys, January 1937, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Visual Materials from the NAACP Records, LC-USZ62-116731. Connect with RDU on Stage Facebook – @rduonstage Twitter – @rduonstage Instagram – @rduonstage Web www.rduonstage.com Support this podcast

According to The New York Times, the https://ncblackrep.org/nbtf-info/ (National Black Theatre Festival) is one of the most historic and culturally significant events in the history of black theatre. The event brings together black theater companies from around the world and celebrates the contributions of African American artists. This year, the festival chose 25 plays to represent the best in black theater from the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. One of those plays selected to make its national debut as one of the festival’s main stage productions was the gospel musical drama, POOLED, written by Moses T. Alexander Greene. Hear what he has to say about the healing powers of POOLED and what it means for our community to have this work validated on a national stage. About the Guest Moses T. Alexander Greene is an unconventional playwright, cultural arts producer, performer, and artistic director whose commitment to the arts and creative scholarship continue to impact a myriad of landscapes. A sixth-generation New Yorker (Long Island), he is a double graduate of Syracuse University with a Master’s in New Media Management and a dual Bachelor’s in African American Studies and Writing for Television, Radio, and Film. Since May 2017, he has served as director of the NC State University's African American Cultural Center and leads its mission to cultivate the critical examination and exploration of African American and other African Diasporic cultures. Before that, he served as Chief Communications Officer/Assistant Professor of Media & Film at Saint Augustine's University. In 2013, he was one of 20 educators nationwide named as a Fellow of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (EMMY) Foundation. As an arts advocate, Greene currently serves Raleigh in several capacities: vice-chair of the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, chair of the Commission's Racial Equity, Access and Inclusion Task Force and board member of the African American Cultural Festival of Raleigh and Wake County. He is also the visionary behind Nia Kuumba, a special audition that provides singers and actors of various ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and gender identities as well as performers with disabilities with an opportunity to audition for over 30 local and regional professional and community theatres at one time. In 2018, he founded and became the artistic director of https://www.facebook.com/LiVMahobProductions/ (Li V Mahob Productions), a Raleigh-based, professional theatre company committed to uplifting narratives of the diverse experiences of African Americans and African diasporic cultures through performance art. The first production of the company, a work written by Greene called POOLED, held its world premiere that February at the Kennedy Theater of the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh. The National Black Theatre Festival named POOLED as “one of the best 25 black theatre productions of the U.S., Africa, Europe and the Caribbean” and selected it as a main stage production.  Connect with RDU on Stage Facebook – @rduonstage Twitter – @rduonstage Instagram – @rduonstage Web http://www.rduonstage.com/ (www.rduonstage.com) Support this podcast

We visit with Nigel Alston, executive director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. They produce the bi-annual National Black Theatre Festival, which begins in Winston-Salem on July 29th. He and Arts Council president Randy Eaddy discuss the upcoming event.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Thiel from the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership chats with Nigel Alston, executive director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. They produce the annual National Black Theatre Festival which will be returning to Winston-Salem on July 29thSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shelley Robertson's most recent credits include guest starring roles on "The Rookie", "This Is Us", "Lucifer" and "Timeless". She also has upcoming roles in Amazon's "Goliath", and Apple TV's new show, "Morning Show". Shelley is also best known for her many TV commercials, such as Facebook Portal, Geico, Samsung (Danny Glover's wife), Bayer Aspirin, Jif Peanut Butter, Xerox (one of the Greek chorus members), and McDonald's. Her other tv guest starring roles include "Criminal Minds", "Code Black", "Extant", "CSI:Cyber", "NCIS", and "The Newsroom"... among so many others. With performing in her DNA, Shelley was born in Philadelphia, PA and started singing/acting in school productions in middle school. She left Philly for Atlanta, GA where she attended Emory University graduating with a Political Science degree headed to law school. After a stint working a 9-5 in Atlanta city government and getting halfway through her master's degree in Public Administration, her DNA moved life in another direction. Working with Howard E. Rollins and Carroll O'Connor on "In the Heat of the Night" began Shelley's professional acting career. Within a few years, she was living in Los Angeles. Upon arrival in Hollywood, the Theatre called; and she was overjoyed to receive a LA Weekly nomination for Best Actress for "Joe Louis Blues", and a NAACP Theatre Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for "Long Time Since Yesterday" with a great run at the National Black Theatre Festival in North Carolina. Then, Shelley's most rewarding role to date happened... Motherhood. Aiyana and Randy are her motivation and her joy! Along the journey, she's recurred on "Cold Case", "Brothers and Sisters", and "Greek". And is also credited on critically acclaimed TV shows such as: "Grey's Anatomy", "Everybody Loves Raymond", "ER", "Touched By An Angel", "The West Wing", "CSI and CSI:Miami", "Southland", a leading role in "The Ditchdigger's Daughters", and more. While everyday feels like her career is just getting started, Shelley is excited to finish her first book, produce a screenplay and pilot she's written, and mark her brand with her production company, Hawk Productions LLC. Follow the journey on ig, fb and twitter @iamshelleyrobertson. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theactorslounge/support

  About our Guest: Obie award winning and Adelco nominated Harlem based artist who has served as director of Theatre Arts at Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s National Black Theatre since 2012.  He's also directed numerous productions including Dead and Breathing, HandsUp, Hope Speaks, Blacken The Bubble. He was awarded the Emerging Producer Award by the National Black Theatre Festival and Winston Salem North Carolina and the Torchbearer Award by Theatrical Legend Woody King Jr. He is a founding member of the collaborative producing organization Harlem 9, Next Generation National Network and The Movement Theatre Company. He sits on the National Advisory Committee for Black Theatre Commons and How Round. Was a member of the original cohort for Art Equity and is a proud emerge N.Y.C. Alumni A Washington D.C. native, and he attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in New York University,Tisch School of the Arts.   Episode Summary Jonathan shares secrets of his journey of going from actor to behind the scenes to becoming the director of theater at the National Black Theater at 25. He shares his mission of helping other creatives and secrets to make sure that his work is growing.     Insight from this episode:   Secrets to meaningful connections Secret to bridging the gap between the old and the new and still staying in alignment with Dr. Teer’s vision. How to deal with adversity of people who want things to stay the same How to go about setting and accomplishing goals Strategies on self care rituals How to gauge and make sure that the work you are doing is improving Rubrics/benchmarks to measure success Jonathan sees success of the work that is being accomplished by the human transformation of the people he is able to touch, and what they are able to accomplish.   3 tips to survive as artist in the city    “Find your tribe, find the people who can share space with you and hold you down in love and in light and help you to lean into the discomfort in love and light” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107 Dont get goal jacked Be generous   3 self care rituals that you use Meditation Take baths Smile   Quotes from the show: “Don’t Get Goal Jacked” - Jonathan McCrory Episode #107   “I like joy, I love to smile, it was a gift given to me by mother and grandmother and my dad and all of those lineages coming together really helpled to cultivate a space where i got to learn black boy joy” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “when you lead after voicing it with an intentionality of manifesting the resources from the universe provide it” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “The algorithim to success: you have to uplift from the muck to become the diamond” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “What you do not know is something you have to be generous in starting to know” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “Your POV is limited because of the beautiful live you have been able to live” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “The quest for greatness and purpose and for being energized is to dismantle those blind spots to a space where your pov has a 360 reality to it and then you start to become awakened to humanity” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “The more specificity you have the more universal you will become” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “If we are to be our ancestors wildest dreams…inside of that conversation is we are the vessels to manifest unfinished works” - - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “Whatever’s not serving me I send it back to the sender” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “I strive for excellence and excellence is a moving target” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “When I think I know excellence, there is another realm of excellence” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   “I will spend the entirety of my life trying to achieve with joy, curiosity and anticipation” - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   Resources Mentioned: Inside Timer App-Apple Inside Timer App-Android   Favorite Book: The Alchemist   Favorite Quote: “I’m my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”-Unknown   3 keys to Create Your Best Life: Understand that this walk might physically be lonely by you’re never spiritually alone. - Jonathan McCrory episode #107 Through silence you will interrupt the noise.  - Jonathan McCrory episode #107 When you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and honestly tell yourself you love yourself There’s nothing to fear inside of the darkness.  You are light.  - Jonathan McCrory episode #107   Stay Connected: Create Your Life Series:   https://www.facebook.com/cylseries/ https://www.instagram.com/cylseries/   Kevin: www.kevinybrown.comwww.instagram.com/kevinybrown www.twitter.com/kevinybrown www.facebook.com/kevbrown001 Guest Name: www.jonathanmccrory.com Email Jonathan@natioanlblacktheatre.org www.Instagram.com/JYMC86 Fb.com.com/mccrory1     Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on  itunes, google play, stitcher and www.createyourlifeseries.com/podcast

With the National Black Theatre Festival in town, I had the opportunity to talk with a few of the poets from "Midnight Poetry", one of the popular events during the festival.

Deardra Shuler talks to producer Rome Neal, the Artistic Theatre Director of the Nuyorican Poets Café theatre program.  Over the years he has received five Audelco Awards for his direction of Pepe Carril’s "SHANGO de IMA" and Samuel Harp’s "DON”T EXPLAIN." Mr. Neal also received two Audelcos for his acting: one for Lead Actor in Gabrielle N. Lane's "SIGNS," and one for Solo Performance in his critically acclaimed "MONK," by Laurence Holder.   Neal also received the National Black Theatre Festival's coveted Lloyd Richards Director’s Award.  His directorial credits includes his adaptation of William Shakespeare's "JULIUS CAESAR SET IN AFRICA," Sekou Sundiata's "THE CIRCLE UNBROKEN IS A HARD BOP" Amiri Baraka's "MEETING LILLIE," "SHANGO de IMA," "Prism," Ishmael Reed's "THE C ABOVE C ABOVE HIGH C" and Amiri Baraka's "PRIMITIVE WORLD: AN ANTI- NUCLEAR JAZZ MUSICAL," all performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and National Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem North Carolina.  His film acting credits include Michael Almereyda’s "HAMLET" Spike Lee’s "SUMMER OF SAM" and Leon Ichaso’s "PINERO."  Mr. Neal has a CD entitled: "A Brighter Crooner", and now his live concert "All in The Puddin'" recently released on DVD along with his "Rome Neal's Banana Puddin' Jazz Jam... A Night To Remember." His daughter Lia Neal is a member of the Stamford Women's Gold Medal Olympics Swimming Team.

This is a black arts and culture site. We will be exploring the African Diaspora via the writing, performance, both musical and theatrical (film and stage), as well as the visual arts of Africans in the Diaspora and those influenced by these aesthetic forms of expression. I am interested in the political and social ramifications of art on society, specifically movements supported by these artists and their forebearers. It is my claim that the artists are the true revolutionaries, their work honest and filled with raw unedited passion. They are our true heroes. Ashay! 1. Jovelyn D. Richards, who joins us to speak about "Tootsie's Juke Joint" (a.k.a. The Mother), is a international solo performance artist, director, independent film maker, and writer. Ms. Richards work has been produced by: Central Eastern University, Afro Solo, National Black Theatre Festival  & the Los Angeles Women's Festival. Her body of work she refers to as the :Nappy Headed Love Stories, Black Love & Intimacy She is a radio host for Pacifica Radio 94.1.  Jovelyn holds both an MA & MFA in the humanities. Ms. Richards first indie novel Tulips for Evening was published this fall.  A copy of her novel will be auctioned off at her reading of her play October 20th at the Exit Theatre on Eddy Street in San Francisco as a part of The SF Olympians: Week 3: The Cradle, Oct. 19-22.     

The Sharvette Mitchell Radio Show | Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. EST | www.Sharvette.com First Segment: Lady Myesha Chaney Lady Myesha can be seen and heard in homes across the country on Oxygen's Preachers of LA and on a talk radio show with her husband, “Real Life with Wayne and Myesha Chaney.” Lady Myesha is a wife, mother, songwriter, recording artist, television/radio personality, published author, motivational speaker, worship leader, and entrepreneur has never been a stranger to the  balancing act of pursuing her divine purpose. Read more > http://sharvette.com/on-air-with-lady-myesha-chaney/ Second Segment: Yetta Young Yetta Young is an award-winning Producer/Director and is the CEO & Executive Producer of YYP & Associates, LLC, a production, management and consulting firm, specializing in producing extraordinary events. A highly sought after producer, Yetta's work has traveled both nationally and internationally appearing before millions on the Bravo's Real Housewives of Atlanta, Tom Joyner Cruise, National Black Theatre Festival, Beverly Hills NAACP Theatre Awards and in theatre's across the country. Read more > http://sharvette.com/on-air-with-yetta-young/

James Reynolds (Abe, Days of Our Lives) discusses the Kickstarter campaign for the Fremont Centre Theatre's production of Holding On, Letting Go to be presented at the National Black Theatre Festival. He also talks about his character of "Abe".  Co-Hosted with Pam Rogers.  Approx. 34 minutes. Kickstarter Campaign Link:  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fct/holding-on-letting-go-at-the-national-black-theatr Fremont Centre Theatre website:  http://www.fremontcentretheatre.com/ Fremont Centre Theatre FB:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fremont-Centre-Theatre/150612054956836 Fremont Centre Twitter:  https://twitter.com/fremontCtheatre

Jamaican born Playwright, Producer and Actor David Heron has been called one of the most successful Caribbean artists of the last decade.He first came to the attention of Jamaican theatre audiences as a playwright, with the runaway success of his first play "Ecstasy", which ran for two years and toured three continents, emerging as one of the most popular Jamaican plays ever. Since then he has penned five more stage plays, all of which have earned him great commercial and critical acclaim in his homeland and internationally- "Intermission" , "Against His Will" , "Love and Marriage and New York City", "Redemption" and "4PLAY" . Heron is the recipient of five International Theatre Institute Awards including Best Producer and Best Script for "Intermission", and Best Production, Best Drama and Best Script for "Against His Will". His biggest international success to date has been his romantic comedy, "Love and Marriage and New York City", which has toured regionally in the USA as well as throughout Great Britain in both 2002 and 2003, playing to packed houses and excellent reviews, and prompting British critic Terry Grimley to christen Heron "Jamaica's own Neil Simon." The 2006 revival of the show at The Billie Holiday Theatre in New York was nominated for the prestigious AUDELCO Award, New York's highest accolade for Off Broadway Black Theater. That production then triumphed as an Official Selection of the 2007 National Black Theatre Festival held in Winston Salem North Carolina in August, 2007.Heron is only the second Jamaican playwright, after Trevor Rhone, to have his work showcased at the festival, one of the largest in the world."Love and Marriage and New York City" went on to enjoy a highly successful limited run in Toronto, Canada in May of 2008, where Heron made the cover of PRIDE Magazine, of the nation's foremost Black publications.As an actor, Heron's credits include "Ecstasy", "Intermission", "Love and Marriage and New York City", (in Jamaica, Britain and Off Broadway) the US regional production of the Broadway hit "Cheaters and Redemption" (Jamaica and US regional tour).Migrating to the USA, he immediately received high praise for his role as Friday in the World Premiere production of "Robinson Crusoe" at the prestigious Orlando Shakespeare Festival in 2006, and played Hotspur in "H", a modern day adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 at the Bric Studios, New York.In 2007, he made his Shakespearean debut as Laertes in Take Wing and Soar's critically acclaimed production of "Hamlet" at The Workshop Theater Off Broadway, and received excellent notices for his role as Prince in The New Federal Theater's revival of Errol John's classic Caribbean drama, "Moon On A Rainbow Shawl".In 2008, he earned further critical acclaim for his performance as The Messenger in the Off Broadway revival of "Medea" at the National Black Theater in Harlem, as well as in Othello and "The Taming of The Shrew" at The Virginia Shakespeare Festival.In 2009, he appeared in the Off Broadway premiere of John Patrick Shay's acclaimed drama, "Trickster At The Gate", as Harlem Jazz musician Roy "Lucky" Luckwood. In August of 2006, Heron received one of the highest accolades of his career when the City Council of New York honored him with a Proclamation and Award at City Hall, in recognition of his "Outstanding theatrical career and his invaluable contribution to the betterment of society."He is a proud member of the Actors Equity Association and The Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists. If you would like to see David performing live, he will be starring in the first play that he wrote, "Ecstasy" (directed by Douglas Prout and produced by Kingston 6 Entertainment), which is playing in a number of locations in the Greater Toronto area between October 15 - October 24 (see details below)."Ecstasy" locations and showtimes:October 15, 2010 (North York, Ontario):Jamaican Canadian Association (995 Arrow Road) at 8:00 p.m.October 16, 2010 (Barrie, Ontario)::Georgian College Theatre (1 Georgian Drive) at 8:00 p.m.October 17, 2010 (Mississauga, Ontario):Glenforest Secondary School (3575 Fieldgate Drive) at 6:00 p.m.October 23, 2010 (Ajax, Ontario):J. Clarke Richardson College (1355 Harwood Avenue North) at 8:00 p.m.October 24, 2010 (Brampton, Ontario):Central Peel Secondary School (32 Kennedy Road North) at 6:00 p.m. Ticket Prices: $30.00 (In Advance) $40.00 (Day Of) Ticket Locations: Loc' N Twist: 49 Hillcrest Avenue, Brampton, Ontario - (905) 463-1747 and 14 St. Andrews Street, Toronto, Ontario - (416) 850-0336 Majestic Barber & Salon:: 289 Dundas Street East, Mississauga, Ontario - (905) 268-1111 Nicey's Food Mart - 50 Morcambe Gate, Scarborough, Ontario - (416) 497-9717 Ticket Information Online: http://www.ticketweb.ca/snl/Search.action?query=david+heron+ecstasy (Ticket Web) Feel free to email us at info@blackcanadianman.com. If you live in North America, you can leave us a voice mail at 1-866-280-9385 (toll free). God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith, Vibe and Vegas info@blackcanadianman.com http://thevibeandvegasshow.wordpress.com/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/vibeandvegas