The Billie Holiday Theatre Hosts Next Edition of 'Black Narrative'

 As a part of its Spring 2025 Season, The Billie Holiday Theatre - one of the nation’s preeminent arts and culture organizations - presents the next edition of its new theater series “Black Narrative” in collaboration with the award-winning New Black Fest. Launched in Fall 2024, the series celebrates the power of Black storytelling and was created to further The Billie’s commitment to centering the exploration of the Black theater canon. Founded in 2010, The New Black Fest celebrates, advocates and showcases diverse and provocative work in a festival format of Black theater artists and more from across the African Diaspora. This unique collaboration will feature two days of events to include a solo production, excerpts, readings, short films and topical conversations. To be held on The Billie’s iconic stage, the festival will take place on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22. 

Curated by Keith Josef Adkins, The New Black Fest at The Billie Holiday Theatre will bring together Brooklyn-based theatermakers, filmmakers and thinkers for a collective demonstration of empowerment, innovation and joy in the midst of what is a constantly changing social and political landscape. From an odyssey through a Haitian-American woman's experience in America to a Cameroonian-American artist's riff on perseverance to what it means to be Black, American and conscious in the world today, this two-day festival will explore and underscore the importance of storytelling that gives voice to the African Diasporic experience. 

For its Friday night event, “Black Narrative” will feature a presentation of Tony nominee Pascale Armand’s one-woman show $#!thole Country Clapback: A Redux.

Directed by Stephanie Rolland, the piece is a smart and savvy rebuttal to Donald Trump’s ongoing comments about Haiti as well as a chronicle of the journey of Armand’s family from Haiti to becoming American citizens. (Friday, March 21, 7:30pm)

On Saturday, the focus will center around new stories and storytellers from across the African Diaspora. The event will kick off with How Do We Define Black Courage, a panel of artists and thinkers discussing the current state of Black theater moderated by Brooklyn-based arts advisor Rob Fields followed by a performance of a diverse group of storytellers. Participants include: Andrea Ambam (Storyteller); DN Bashir (Playwright); Russell G. Jones (Storyteller); NSangou Njikam (Actor/Playwright); Renaldho Pelle (Filmmaker ); Liza Jessie Peterson (Activist/Playwright/Filmmaker) and Lauren A. Whitehead (Playwright); Goldie Patrick will direct. The day will also feature the showing of two short films with Renaldho Pelle’s The Fire Next Time and Liza Jessie Peterson’s Black Love Manifesto, Suite 1. (March 22, 3p - 8pm)

“The New Black Fest has always revered the history and the commitment of the iconic Billie Holiday Theater so to be welcomed into their house is a rewarding experience,” said Adkins. “The New Black Fest thrives on its collaborations with important institutions and their audiences so it goes without saying that we’re looking forward to sharing courageous Black stories at the Billie.”

“We are thrilled to culminate our inaugural ‘Black Narrative’ season with The New Black Fest. This collaboration speaks to The Billie’s larger mission of providing a home and nurturing space for Black theater to not only be created but to thrive,” said The Billie’s Executive Director Shadawn Smith. “With this series, we are reinforcing The Billie’s role as a beacon of innovation and creative springboard for artists and as a staple for our audiences to experience the best of theater. We are where Black theater lives!”

The Billie’s 2024-2025 Season marks the iconic theater’s first full season under the leadership of Executive Director Shadawn Smith. This season’s programming features an exciting and expanded lineup to include a new music series, community focused events, dance presentations, special editions of core programs and, of course, theatrical productions uniquely curated to The Billie’s standard of excellence. 

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