National Black Theatre Will Present Sarah Jones, Amy Sherald Stage Adaptations in 2026

National Black Theatre draws on the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s archives to curate an exhibit celebrating women in the arts, while also presenting new theatrical works and collaborations as part of its 2025/2026 season.

The programming is part of the season titled The Alchemy of Return: Remembering is a Radical Act, led by Chief Executive Officer Sade Lythcott and Executive Artistic Director Jonathan McCrory.

The slate follows the return of The Peculiar Patriot, presented in partnership with New York Theatre Workshop and Lena Waithe, and continues the institution’s focus on heritage, humanity, and intergenerational storytelling.

SCHOMBURG CENTENNIAL: HIDDEN FIGURES RECENTERED

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY

Monday, May 11, 2026

National Black Theatre will present a one-day event featuring multidisciplinary micro-commissions developed through its Alternative Learning & Social Impact Department. Artists including Lynn Nottage, C.A. Johnson, Franchesca Harper, Eisa Davis, Crystal Lucas Perry, Regina Taylor, and Xenobia Bailey will create works inspired by figures such as Carmen De Lavallade, Ruby Dee, Zora Neale Hurston, Louise Evan Briggs-Hall, Jewelle Gomez, Gertrude Hadley Jeannette, and Micki Grant. The event will be directed by amani meliyah.

Sarah Jones: AMERICA, WHO HURT YOU?

Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
University of Oxford

Friday, May 22 – Saturday, May 23, 2026

National Black Theatre will co-commission and co-produce a new theatrical work by Tony Award-winning playwright and performer Sarah Jones, directed by Eric Ting. America, Who Hurt You? expands on Jones’ podcast and explores questions of identity, power, and storytelling in America through a range of characters drawn from across 250 years of history. Post-performance discussions will feature Oxford scholars including Professor Kirsten E. Shepherd, Dr. Nicole King, Professor Anthony G. Reddie, and Professor Patricia Daley.

Amy Sherald: AMERICAN SUBLIME

Central Park, Delacorte Theater
New York, NY

Monday, June 22, 2026

A theatrical exploration inspired by Amy Sherald’s body of work, originally exhibited as American Sublime, will be presented with live performance excerpts and a conversation with Sherald and director Zhailon Levingston. The project is developed in association with National Black Theatre, Jeffrey Seller, Thomas Kail, and JamRock Productions.