Rhonda Preston News

Black Ensemble Theater will open its 50th Anniversary Season with the return of the celebrated musical The Jackie Wilson Story, written and directed by Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor.

The Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago has revealed the 2025 Black Excellence Awards, honoring and celebrating Chicago theatre, dance, music, film, literary, and visual artists. Learn more!

Black Ensemble Theater is presenting the World Premiere of Elvis Was a Black Man Named Joe written and directed by Jackie Taylor. See photos and video here!

Black Ensemble Theater has announced Elvis Presley was a Black Man Named Joe, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater’s Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. 

Black Ensemble Theater will present the world premiere musical revue as part of the 2024 Season of Affirmation: Protection – Hitt Records, written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater’s Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks. Learn more!

Black Ensemble Theater will present special performances of Living in the Light, starring Bernard Lilly Jr., and an extension of the hit musical revue Blue Eyed Soul Sung By Brown Eyed People. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.

Black Ensemble Theater’s has announced their 2023 Season of Excellence: REJUVENATION. The Season will begin with a tribute to one of the most successful groups in the history of music—the recipients of 7 Grammy Awards—Earth Wind and Fire.

Black Ensemble Theater’s Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor announces the 2022 Black Playwrights Festival from April 26-30, 2022, featuring works by Viola Bennett, Jill Ross, Lillian Mitchum, Reginald Williams and Dwight Neal, curated and directed by Black Ensemble Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks. 

WOMEN OF SOUL delivers the kind of high-energy tribute that makes up the best kind of revue, and the songs are irresistible.

Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, Managing Director Shane Murray-Corcoran, and Executive Producers Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon announce the cast and creative team for the next Mainstage production of the 2021-2022 Mercury Theater Chicago season, Women of Soul, featuring a special tribute to Aretha Franklin.

Black Ensemble Theater announces Ladies, Living and Loving Life by Black Ensemble Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor and Rhonda Preston, directed by Jackie Taylor and starring Rhonda Preston and Arzula Gardner. 

Black Ensemble Theater Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor announces Jackie Taylor's Soul of A Powerful Woman (Her To Save The World), now in its eighth year. The virtual one-night fundraising event to benefit Black Ensemble Theater will be live on May 23 at 6:00 p.m. on Facebook and Youtube.

The acclaimed Black Ensemble Theater, led by Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, is celebrating the 2020 Holiday season with The Black Ensemble Virtual Holiday Extravaganza, written and directed by Producing Managing Director Daryl D. Brooks.

Eleven world premiere plays and musicals seen first by Chicago audiences were among those receiving nominations by the Jeff Awards, announced today. A total of 192 nominations were made in 34 categories that honor Chicago Equity theatrical productions that opened between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. During the 2018-19 season, Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 132 Equity productions offered by 43 producing organizations and from these openings, 112 productions were a?oeJeff Recommendeda?? and eligible for award nominations.

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Women of Soul, (With a Tribute to the Queen) written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks. Women of Soul will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, beginning October 20, 2018 with an unlimited run.

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Women of Soul, (With a Tribute to the Queen) written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks.

Black Ensemble Theater is adding two additional weeks to the run of Rick Stone the Blues Man written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. Rick Stone the Blues Man will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, now through September 9, 2018.

Black Ensemble Theater continues its 2018 Season (Movers and Shakers) with Rick Stone the Blues Man written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor. Rick Stone the Blues Man will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, July 14 - August 26, 2018. 

Black Ensemble Theater concludes the 2017 Season (The Dance Theater Season) with Sammy: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr., written and directed by Black Ensemble Theater Associate Director Daryl D. Brooks, with choreography by Rueben D. Echoles. Sammy: The Story of Sammy Davis Jr. will be performed at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago, December 9, 2017 January 21, 2018.

Through the struggles, trials and tribulations of those who fought and fight against oppression and racism, The Black Renaissance is a musical and historical depiction of the African American experience in a racist America that will uplift, inspire and motivate all of us to create a world where racism cannot exist.