Negro Ensemble Company News

Magic Theatre (Loretta Greco, Artistic Director and Cierra Cass, Interim Managing Director) announced today the complete cast of Mfoniso Udofia's World Premiere In Old Age, the Company's first production of 2019. In Old Age will be directed by Victor Malana Maog. Previews begin on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at Magic Theatre's Fort Mason location (Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd., Building D, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94123), with a press opening on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets range from $15 - $75 and are on-sale now at MagicTheatre.org.

A frequent creative fixture of Los Angeles Theatre, as well as, in theatre communities nationwide; Gilbert Glenn Brown will next be sharing his acting acumen and gravitas on the Garry Marshall Theatre stage reprising his role of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Katori Hall's Olivier Award-winning THE MOUNTAINTOP, beginning February 6, 2019. I managed to catch Gilbert for a few moments between juggling his many acting commitments to answer a few of my queries.

Actor and emerging producer Malinda Logan presents the forgotten, but deeply regarded psychological play MY SISTER, MY SISTER at 124 Bank Street Theater in the West Village. Public performances are Today, January 4th at 7pm, Saturday, January 5th at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday, January 6th at 4pm. An industry exclusive performance will be held Monday January 7th. Tickets for public performances are $10 and can be purchased at mysister.brownpapertickets.com.

Following the success of The New York Times critic's pick The Tricky Part by Martin Moran, The Barrow Group, under the leadership of Co-Artistic Directors Seth Barrish and Lee Brock and Executive Director Robert Serrell, continues its 2018-2019 season with the world premiere of AWAKE, written and directed by K. Lorrel Manning.

Actor/Director Charles Weldon, who was Artistic Director of The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) since 2005, died December 7 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, NYC. He was 78.

Actor and emerging producer Malinda Logan presents the forgotten, but deeply regarded psychological play MY SISTER, MY SISTER at 124 Bank Street Theater in the West Village. Public performances are Friday, January 4th at 7pm, Saturday, January 5th at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday, January 6th at 4pm. An industry exclusive performance will be held Monday January 7th. Tickets for public performances are $10 and can be purchased at mysister.brownpapertickets.com.

AUDELCO announced the winners of the 2018 Viv Awards last night, honoring Black Theatre in New York City.

Meghan Lantzy will become the new General Manager at Signature Theatre (Paige Evans, Artistic Director; Harold Wolpert, Executive Director; James Houghton, Founder), the company announced today. Ms. Lantzy comes to Signature from Lincoln Center Theater, where she has worked for more than 12 years.  

Signature Theatre will partner with American Theatre, the national magazine for the American professional not-for-profit theatre published by Theatre Communications Group, on a new series of panel discussions covering subject matters relevant to theatre audiences and practitioners. All panels, which are free and open to the public, will take place at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

The Broadway production of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, a new play by Aaron Sorkin, starring Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch, begins previews tonight, Thursday, November 1. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Three Cat Productions presents the world premiere of the The Holiday Radio Show: 1943 at the Chicago Park District's Berger Park Coach House Theater at 6205 N. Sheridan Road (Edgewater by Granville el stop on Red Line). 

AUDELCO has announced the nominees for their 2018 'Viv' Awards, honoring Black Theatre in New York City.

29th Street Playwrights Collective New Work Series presents a staged reading of TOM & TED GO TO THE RACES, written and directed by Edgar Chisholm, on Monday, November 5, at the Bernie Wohl Center, 647 Columbus Ave, at 7:30pm. The reading is free and open to the public.

American Bard Theater Company presents the New York City premiere of You Wouldn't Expect, a play written by Marilynn Barner Anselmi examining the staggering truths about the coercive influence of the government-sponsored eugenics program and its direct focus on poverty and race. Cezar Williams directs a cast of eight, including Cherie Danielle, Adiagha Faizah, Carl Fisk, Erin Gilbreth*, Ross G. Hewitt, Malikha Mallette, Okema T Moore*, and Atiya Yanique Taylor. Fifteen performances will be staged at The Chain Theater, 312 West 36th Street in New York City, from September 19-October 7, 2018.

The admirable goal of the All About the Drama theater group is to reproduce classics of African-American theater. Its second production currently at the Anacostia Playhouse is from Douglas Turner Ward, co-founder of the Negro Ensemble Company.

For its 29th season of making theatre on the edge, Avant Bard proudly announces three mainstage productions featuring classic comedies by Shakespeare and Moliere newly adapted for now, plus a contemporary classic by Suzan-Lori Parks. In keeping with the company's core commitment to affordability and access to timeless classics, Avant Bard also announces a new policy making Pay What You Will tickets available for every performance.

In response to overwhelming demand, Soho Rep. (Sarah Benson, Artistic Director; Cynthia Flowers, Executive Director) extends the world premiere of Jackie Sibblies Drury's Fairview, directed by Sarah Benson, a second time, through August 12. Beginning July 10, OBIE-winning performer and Elevator Repair Service company member April Matthis (Everyone's Fine with Virginia Woolf, Iowa at Playwrights Horizons) will replace Roslyn Ruff. Performances in this second extension, July 24 - August 12, are made possible by a generous grant from the Ford Foundation.

In response to popular demand, Soho Rep. (Sarah Benson, Artistic Director; Cynthia Flowers, Executive Director) extends the world premiere of Jackie Sibblies Drury's Fairview, directed by Sarah Benson, through July 22. In Fairview, the Frasier family (MaYaa Boateng, Charles Browning, Roslyn Ruff, and Heather Alicia Simms) is gearing up for Grandma's birthday, and Beverly needs this dinner to be perfect. But the silverware's wrong, the radio's on the fritz, her sister Jasmine is drinking, her husband Dayton isn't helping, her daughter Keisha is a typical teenager, and her brother Tyrone might not show up at all!

Project1VOICE One Play One Day 2018 is set with national staged readings of Pearl Cleage's Flyin' West on Sunday, June 17, and Monday, June 18. Theater companies, museums, colleges and universities around the country unite for this eighth annual theater celebration that revives and re-introduces forgotten classic plays in the American theater. Check your local listings for exact dates and times in your area.

As NYC Pride approaches, emerging Brooklyn based playwright and actor Qwalee Summers along with The PIT Theater have announced that they will present LE BLANC, a new non-linear full length play written by Qwalee Summers that explores race and sexuality alongside our American judicial, health care, and law enforcement systems from a black, All American, queer perspective. The production incorporates elements of music, art distillation, light design, and dance and will run a limited engagement, Friday, June 22 through August 6 at the Pit Loft, 154 West 29 Street in Manhattan.  More info at www.houseofleblanc.com