Sade Lythcott News

The Apollo Theater Salon Series in partnership with Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) presented two special performances of the new musical WiLDFLOWER on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, at the Apollo Theater Soundstage. WiLDFLOWER, a full-length musical with book, music and lyrics by Jason Michael Webb and Lelund Durond Thompson, featured Broadway stars Tshidi Manye (The Lion King) and Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on this Island) performing before a packed house on both night.

The Apollo Theater Salon Series in partnership with Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) will present WiLDFLOWER, the staged concert reading of the full-length musical with book, music and lyrics by Jason Michael Webb and Lelund Durond Thompson. The performance, directed by Logan Vaughn and starring Broadway stars Tshidi Manye (The Lion King) and Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on this Island), will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 26, and Saturday, April 27, on the Apollo Theater Soundstage.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary with a series of performances throughout the city, around the country and around the world, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) is partnering with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for "In Perpetual Flight: The Migration of the Black Body" at the Schomburg Center. The 6:30 p.m. event on Tuesday, April 16, is part of Carnegie Hall's Migrations: The Making of America, a citywide festival featuring events about the journeys of people who have shaped and influenced American culture.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary as it's poised for a major capital redevelopment project of its current site, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) is taking it to the streets with a robust season of programming and partnerships that transcends the walls of its building. As a cultural anchor in Harlem for the last half century, NBT has been at the forefront of transforming lives and community through the power of theater. Through its new program, NBT Beyond Walls, the institution will now produce activities citywide, nationally and internationally. Highlights of NBT's 50th season include partnerships and programming with Carnegie Hall, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the World Famous Apollo Theater; the national tour of the critically acclaimed one-woman show The Peculiar Patriot; and the ongoing cultural exchange with the international sister institution, the National Black Theatre of Sweden, established in Stockholm in November 2018. Founded in 1968, the oldest continually run Black theater in New York City and one of America's longest continually operated theaters run by women of color will celebrate its half-century mark through October 2019.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre's announces its 50th season as it gears up for a major capital redevelopment project of its current site by launching a new programmatic arm entitled "NBT Beyond Walls". "NBT Beyond Walls" will allow National Black Theatre to work outside the confines of it's formal space, to share pedagogy and artistic offerings with various institutions, constituencies and audiences while helping NBT ignite a local, national and international presence. NBT will also utilize this program period to formalize the documentation and archiving of the institution's legacy in order to capture and preserve its contribution and impact on the field. Taking the institution on a journey beyond it's familiar walls the historic 50th Season will be the theme "Liberation: A Journey Beyond Walls," which will comprise seven signature productions and one international partnership. The international partnership is an exciting opportunity to work with the Kulturhuset Stadsteatern (National Theatre of Sweden), which is officially establishing NBT's international extension, the National Black Theatre of Sweden, opens in November of 2018.

The 3rd annual Hip Hop Film Festival was held, fittingly, at the historic National Black Theatre founded by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer who moved to Harlem in 1968 and saw that the once vibrant neighborhood was suffering from a sense of hopelessness after the losses of African American leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and desperately needed a community space and cultural arts institution that would 'be reflective of the power, grace and excellence of a people' (according to her daughter and current CEO Sade Lythcott).

The Peculiar Patriot, Liza Jessie Peterson's powerful one-woman show and scathing indictment of the criminal justice system, opened Friday to fanfare at Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) in Harlem. The show is directed by Talvin Wilks and produced by NBT and Hi-ARTS and runs through July 29. Check out photos from opening night below!

The Peculiar Patriot, the hilarious yet scathing indictment of the criminal justice system starring Liza Jessie Peterson and directed by Talvin Wilks is returning to National Black Theatre in preparation for a national tour this fall. The multimedia, one-woman show, which had its world premiere to a galvanizing, sold-out run in September, will have previews on July 9 and 10, open on July 11 and run through July 29. The show, a coproduction of Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) and Hi-ARTS, is being remounted as headlines blare with calls for tougher sentencing while governors from around the nation, including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, are working to restore voting rights to the formerly incarcerated.

On Saturday, February 17, 2018, artists, activists, academics, and community leaders will gather at the Park Avenue Armory for Looking Back | Looking Forward, a symposium of conversations, performances, salons and open studios exploring artistic, social, and political perspectives on the fiftieth anniversary of the extraordinary world-changing events of 1968. Looking Back | Looking Forward marks the second annual Culture in a Changing America gathering at the Armory, and launches the 2018 season of the Interrogations of Form series. The event is presented in collaboration with The Aspen Institute Arts Program and ArtChangeUS.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre's 49th season cedes the floor to modern-day griots with gripping, one-person tales capturing the trauma and triumph of a people. In a nod to the African tradition of the storyteller and historian who inspires and uplifts, the season is anchored by two one-person shows, The Peculiar Patriot, by Liza Jessie Peterson, a coproduction with Hi-ARTS, and Sancho by Paterson Joseph, a coproduction with Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) and Pemberley Productions. Themed "Black to the Future," the 49th season-which includes workshop productions by resident playwrights-seeks to take stock of the present and look to the past to predict and help shape a brighter future for Black people.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) has joined forces with Hi-ARTS for the world premiere of The Peculiar Patriot.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) put the spotlight on Black excellence in the spirit of joy at the ninth annual TEER Spirit Awards Gala on Wednesday, June 14.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) will put the spotlight on Black excellence in the spirit of joy at the ninth annual TEER Spirit Awards Gala at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14.

The Segal Center presents a staged reading of Feast, a theatrical exploration with vibrant music and dazzling dance of the magnificent, cross-continental Yoruba culture. Directed by Awoye Timpo. Followed by a discussion with Elyse Dodgson, International Director, The Royal Court Theatre; Sade Lythcott, CEO, National Black Theatre; and others.

The recent onslaught across the country of violence and brutality against Black people have left many African Americans feeling they are suffocating. Other people also feel battered by daily reports of intolerance and strife. In presenting Harrison David Rivers' play "Sweet," Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) invites all audiences to #TakeABreath, a rare reprieve from the headlines to explore a work of hope and promise. Featuring the talented Raelle Myrick-Hodges in her New York City directorial debut, the production has its first preview on Wednesday, October 19, and opens Saturday, October 22, running through Sunday, November 20. NBT's entire 48th season explores the theme "In Pursuit of Black Joy."

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) kicks off its 48th season with "The Alchemy of Black Joy," an exhibition of original works by renowned photographer Peter Cooper today, September 7, and the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers' play "Sweet" today, October 19. The events and productions reflect the theater company's theme this season: "In Pursuit of Black Joy."

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) kicks off its 48th season with "The Alchemy of Black Joy," an exhibition of original works by renowned photographer Peter Cooper on Wednesday, September 7, and the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers' play "Sweet" on Wednesday, October 19. The events and productions reflect the theater company's theme this season: "In Pursuit of Black Joy."

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) kicks off its 48th season with "The Alchemy of Black Joy," an exhibition of original works by renowned photographer Peter Cooper on Wednesday, September 7, and the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers' play "Sweet" on Wednesday, October 19. The events and productions reflect the theater company's theme this season: "In Pursuit of Black Joy."

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) kicks off its 48th season with "The Alchemy of Black Joy," an exhibition of original works by renowned photographer Peter Cooper on Wednesday, September 7, and the world premiere of Harrison David Rivers' play "Sweet" on Wednesday, October 19. The events and productions reflect the theater company's theme this season: "In Pursuit of Black Joy."

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) will celebrate 47 years of keeping soul alive in Harlem with the eighth annual TEER Spirit Awards Gala tonight, June 18.