BLACK CREEK RISIN' Staged Reading to Be Presented by Negro Ensemble Company

The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc., in association with Blackgical Productions LLC, MPTP Productions INTL, will present a special staged reading of Black Creek Risin', a new Southern drama written by New York Times bestselling author and playwright LaDarrion Williams, MPTP Productions INTL, and directed by Marishka S. Phillips. The reading will take place Monday, August 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM at 59E59 Theaters 'Theatre B' (59 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022).

Set deep in the Louisiana bayou at the dawn of Prohibition, Black Creek Risin' follows Mama Jakes, a formidable Black woman determined to protect the juke joint she built with her own hands. As Prohibition threatens her livelihood, she turns to bootlegging to keep her family and community afloat. But when old loves resurface, dangerous secrets are revealed, and violence erupts, she must decide whether to continue carrying the weight of everyone around her - or finally choose herself.

The staged reading features an acclaimed cast led by Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Keith David, alongside Felicia Boswell (two-time Helen Hayes Award winner, Emmy Award winner, Grammy Award nominee), Jason Lyke (Law & Order, American Soul), Nora Love as Hoochie, and Los Angeles-based actress Nicolette Ellis.