Nambi E. Kelley News

The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) has selected three finalists for the Francesca Primus Prize, sponsored by ATCA and the Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation. The award, presented annually since 1997, recognizes the best work by an emerging woman playwright who has not yet achieved national prominence.

The Acting Company announces the cast and creative teams for its 2019 Summer Repertory Season. Native Son and Measure for Measure will play July 14 through August 24, 2019 at the Duke on 42nd Street (229 W. 42nd Street), with opening night for both plays set for Sunday, July 28, 2019. Single tickets and subscription packages are on sale now.

The Acting Company (Founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley; Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) announced casting today for the second reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Frederick Knott's classic thriller Wait Until Dark. The reading will take place on Monday, May 20 at 7 PM at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY). Tickets are available now online at www.theactingcompany.org.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for its world-premiere production of Put Your House in Order, by acclaimed Chicago playwright Ike Holter (Lottery Day), directed by Lili-Anne Brown. The show kicks off the Playhouse's 2019/2020 season, running in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Forum June 2 - 30.

NATIVE SON, a novel written in 1940 by Richard Wright, tells the story of 20-year of Bigger Thomas, an African American youth living in utter poverty in a poor area on Chicago's South Side in 1939. While not apologizing for Bigger's crimes, Wright portrays a systemic inevitability behind them, making the case that there is no escape from his destiny since he is the inevitable product of the society in which he has lived since birth, faced by expectations imposed upon him by others tasked to teach him the proper way for a Black man to live in society. It is often said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. This is certainly the case in Wright's original story which could have been written today, given the similar news stories filling the airwaves right now involving police beatings of Black men and gun violence leading to senseless murders.

Antaeus Theatre Company's production of "Native Son," which Center Theatre Group is remounting at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of the third annual Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre, will open Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. Written by Nambi E. Kelley, based on the novel by Richard Wright and directed by Andi Chapman, "Native Son" is currently in previews and will close April 28.

Court Theatre and playwright Nambi E. Kelley have received the Prince Prize for Commissioning Original Work for 2018. Prince Charitable Trusts makes an award of $75,000 each year to a major Chicago dance, music, visual arts or theater company. When the Trust approached Court Theatre about projects that might fit their vision for the Prize, it was only natural to ask playwright Nambi E. Kelley to create an original play based on the story of Stokely Carmichael's activism and legacy for the stage. In 2014, Kelley had adapted Richard Wright's Native Son for Court Theatre in a co-production with American Blues Theatre that garnered great critical and popular acclaim. Another collaboration would build upon these successes.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 120 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the 50th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 16-20, 2019 in multiple locations throughout the Center. The Center also announced the national awardees for the KCACTF. Selected awardees and representatives will be brought to Washington, D.C. for an expense-paid trip to participate in the National Festival. These student artists from across the United States have been recognized for their outstanding work from the eight regional festivals that were held January 8 through February 28, 2019.

Black Lives, Black Words International Project, in partnership with Goodman Theatre and Artistic Directors of the Future, is proud to announce the festival line-up for "I AM…FEST: A Celebration of Women of Color in Arts, Activism and Leadership." Curated by Black Lives, Black Words Co-founders Reginald Edmund and Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, "I AM…FEST" is a first-of-its-kind international festival that shines a spotlights on female voices across the globe through three days of innovative and inspiring events.

Antaeus Theatre Company's 2018 Southern California premiere of NATIVE SON has been chosen as the third and final production of Center Theatre Group's BLOCK PARTY 2019, beginning April 18, 2019 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Nambi E. Kelley's adaptation of Richard Wright's classic novel Native Son will be reprised with its entire original Antaeus cast of nine, again with director Andi Chapman at its helm. I had the chance to ask some delving questions of Jon Chaffin, who portrays NATIVE SON's most integral character, Bigger Thomas.

Casting is set for Antaeus Theatre Company's production of "Native Son," which Center Theatre Group is remounting at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of the third annual Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre. Written by Nambi E. Kelley, based on the novel by Richard Wright and directed by Andi Chapman, "Native Son" will begin previews April 18, open April 20 and continue through April 28, 2019.

'Native Son' is a heavy drama with an important story to tell. But what makes this production really shine is Psalmayene 24's guiding emphasis on "radicalizing empathy." In Mosaic Theater Company's production, the audience isn't asked to excuse Bigger, but to try to understand him. That understanding, that empathy, it's suggested, can go a long way in ensuring that the circumstances surrounding Bigger's story can maybe be kept in the past.

"Not everyone will go home a winner" in Goodman Theatre's world-premiere production of Lottery Day by Ike Holter, which appears through April 28 in the Owen Theatre. Holter concludes his seven-play "Rightlynd Saga"-the first play of which premiered five years ago, and has been hailed as "one of the most significant literary achievements in modern-day Chicago" (Chicago Tribune)-with a raucous theatrical bash, directed by Chicago native Lili-Anne Brown. Commissioned by the Goodman and developed through its New Stages Festival of new plays, Lottery Day takes place in a Rightlynd backyard where new characters and returning characters from the saga come together to create a work about the cost of belonging and the gift of community. Lottery Day appears through April 28 in the Owen Theatre.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 21st season continues with its biennial William Shakespeare production. In 2019, the Shakespeare production is Othello running April 11 - May 25, directed by Mignon McPherson Stewart with fight choreography by Samantha Kaufman.  

Theatre of NOTE's production of 'For The Love Of (or, the roller derby play)' written by Gina Femia, which Center Theatre Group has remounted at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of their third annual Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre, blasted into Culver City with a barrage of brilliant direction, choreography, artistic style and acting. And after seeing the original production in its super-small space, I can tell you the new production soars by encompassing ever possible inch of space, thanks to scenic designer Eli Smith, with enough impressive roller derby action to make you forget not one pair of skates ever touches the floor! That marvel of perfect direction and choreography can be credited to Rhonda Kohl who has created almost constant roller derby action utilizing the movement and acting skills of her talented cast

The Acting Company (Founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley; Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) announced today complete casting for the first reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Lillian Hellman's acclaimed drama Watch on the Rhine. The reading will take place on Monday, March 18 at 7 PM at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY). Tickets are available now online at www.theactingcompany.org.

Richard Wright's iconic novel, Native Son,  streamlined into a blazing 90 minute adaptation by actor/playwright Nambi E. Kelley, will run in repertory with Les Deux Noirs: Notes on Notes of A Native Son, inspired by James Baldwin's blistening critique of Wright's controversial work. Award-winning director and playwright Psalmayene 24's stages the innovative take on Wright's masterpiece while authoring a modern reimagining of Wright's real-life meeting with Baldwin in 1953 Paris.

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the lineup for its 2019 - 2020 Season, "Then & Now".

Due to popular demand, Haven Theatre, in association with About Face Theatre, announces one additional week of performances of is hit Midwest premiere musical THE TOTAL BENT

The Acting Company announced today initial casting for the first reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Lillian Hellman's acclaimed drama Watch on the Rhine.