Namir Smallwood News

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 19 categories for the 33rd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 6, 2018 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST.  This year's event will be hosted by actors Laura Benanti and Jason Jones and will once again serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro and Executive Director David Schmitz proudly unveiled today the 2018/19 Season.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro announced today the addition of Celeste M. Cooper and Cliff Chamberlain to the world-renowned Steppenwolf ensemble. Cooper, an in-demand Chicago-based actor, recently performed in Steppenwolf's production of BLKS and Chamberlain, a regular on the Steppenwolf stage, was recently featured in The Minutes by ensemble member Tracy Letts.

Aziza Barnes's BLKS is often funny, often vulgar, and sometimes heartbreaking. Now in a world premiere staging at Steppenwolf, BLKS chronicles 24 hours in the lives of three young black women in their early 20s living in New York City. Barnes's playwriting is achingly real and naturalistic, while also showcasing the playwright's poetic chops. In Octavia (Nora Carroll), Imani (Celeste Cooper), and June (Leea Ayers), Barnes has given us three unique and beautifully written characters navigating a tumultuous moment in their young lives.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. BLKS began previews December 7, 2017, opening night is Monday, December 18 and the production runs through January 28, 2018 in the Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). Below, check out an interview with playwright Aziza Barnes as she talks about BLKS!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett. An uproarious and frank play, the acclaimed Chicago-based cast features ensemble member Namir Smallwood (Justin /Sosa/Dominican Dude) with Leea Ayers (June), Nora Carroll (Octavia), Celeste Cooper (Imani), Danielle Davis (Ry) and Kelly O'Sullivan (That Bitch on the Couch/White Woman). BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

In conjunction with the world premiere of BLKS by acclaimed poet/playwright Aziza Barnes this December, Steppenwolf Theatre Company has collaborated with Barnes to bring a beautiful lineup of Black artists, queer artists, women-identified artists, artists of color and their communities to Steppenwolf's LookOut Series. The BLKS Salon Series celebrates the themes and conversations sparked by Barnes's play an ingenious portrait of a day in the life of four young black women in New York City.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere production of BLKS by award-winning poet and playwright Aziza Barnes and directed by Nataki Garrett.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces full casting for its upcoming productions of BLKS by poet Aziza Barnes (December 7, 2017 - January 28, 2018); You Got Older by Clare Barron (January 25 - March 11, 2018); and Steppenwolf for Young Adults' production of The Burn by Philip Dawkins (February 14 - March 3, 2018).

A teacher struggles against the chaos of a tough inner city public school and the system that threatens her son.

Tasha Lawrence, Morocco Omari, Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, Jaime Lincoln Smith, and Heather Velazquez are featured in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Pipeline, a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, which opened just last night, July 10, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street).

In December of 2015, shortly before her excellent drama SKELETON CREW opened Off-Broadway, playwright Dominique Morisseau essayed an article for American Theatre titled 'Why I Almost Slapped a Fellow Theatre Patron, and What That Says About Our Theatres.'

Tasha Lawrence, Morocco Omari, Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, Jaime Lincoln Smith, and Heather Velazquez are featured in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Pipeline, a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, which opened just last night, July 10, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). 

Tasha Lawrence, Morocco Omari, Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, Jaime Lincoln Smith, and Heather Velazquez are featured in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Pipeline, a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, which opens tonight, July 10, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). Watch highlights from the production below!

Tasha Lawrence, Morocco Omari, Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, Jaime Lincoln Smith, and Heather Velazquez are featured in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Pipeline, a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, which is currently in previews at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street) for an opening on Monday, July 10. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Tasha Lawrence, Morocco Omari, Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, Jaime Lincoln Smith, and Heather Velazquez will be featured in Lincoln Center Theater's upcoming production of Pipeline, a new play by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, which begins performances Thursday, June 15 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). Opening night is Monday, July 10. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro announced today the addition of Glenn Davis to the world-renowned ensemble.