Sade Lythcott News

FAT HAM, the 2022 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, celebrated its opening night last night at The Public Theater! Go inside the celebration!

New York Theatre Workshop and National Black Theatre will present Dreaming Zenzile, based on the life of Miriam Makeba, by Grammy-nominated Vocalist/Composer Somi Kakoma, directed by Obie Award winner, Tony Award nominee, NYTW Usual Suspect & former NYTW 2050 Artistic Fellow Lileana Blain-Cruz.

The Public Theater and National Black Theatre will begin previews on Thursday, May 12 for the upcoming New York Premiere of FAT HAM, written by James Ijames and directed by Public Theater Associate Artistic Director and Resident Director Saheem Ali.

On Saturday, May 7 at 8:00 pm ET live and in-person, three major, mission-aligned organizations-the Apollo and American Composers Orchestra (ACO), with co-curation by National Black Theatre (NBT)- will present The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout.

American Composers Orchestra continues its 2021-2022 season, under the leadership of Artistic Director Derek Bermel and President Melissa Ngan, with The Gathering: A Collective Sonic Ring Shout co-presented by ACO and the Apollo Theater and co-curated with National Black Theatre in partnership with Gateways Music Festival and Harlem Chamber Players, on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 8pm at the Apollo.

Just last night, New York Theatre Workshop celebrated its NYTW 2022 Gala, honoring Artistic Director James C. Nicola, who will depart NYTW after 34 years on June 30, 2022. 

New York Theatre Workshop and National Black Theatre announced today casting, dates and ticket information for Dreaming Zenzile, based on the life of Miriam Makeba, by Grammy-nominated Vocalist/Composer Somi Kakoma directed by Obie Award winner, NYTW Usual Suspect & former NYTW 2050 Artistic Fellow Lileana Blain-Cruz.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of Laurie Cumbo as commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs. In that role, she will direct cultural policy for the city and oversee city funding for hundreds of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the five boroughs that deliver quality arts programming for New Yorkers. 

The Black Genius Foundation (TBGF) - the organization which celebrates and invests in the intellectual and creative genius of Black artists, arts professionals, and arts organizations - today announces its new Black Genius Brain Trust.

The new season includes three New York Premieres and two brand new digital commissions, as they continue to roll out culturally centered programs throughout 2021. In addition, NBT is announcing the fifth Soul Producing Resident, Jordan Flemming, who will be in residence at NBT during this upcoming season.

Rebecca Robertson, Founding President and Executive Producer of Park Avenue Armory, today announced the appointment of Tavia Nyong'o as the nonprofit cultural institution's new Curator of Public Programming.

Featuring performances and readings by: Nathalie 'Natie' Barret-Mas (The Met Museum), Staceyann Chin (Park Avenue Armory), Caridad “La Bruja” De La Luz (Park Avenue Armory), Abby Dobson (Laundromat Project), Amanda Gookin (National Sawdust), Tendayi Kuumba (Urban Bush Women), Henu Josephine Tarrant (La MaMa), Adama Delphine Fawundu (New York University), and more.

The National Black Theater is planning its next stage of life, replacing its Harlem home with a 21-story building with apartments, retail and a new theater. The new building being planned at 2033 Fifth Avenue will include 222 units of housing, an event space and a communal living room where people might eat, work and hang out; as well as 'health and wellness programming.”

Museum Hue, The Laundromat Project, and Hester Street, three People of Color-led and centered organizations in NYC, have announced their collaboration on a comprehensive online platform for New York City arts entities.

Park Avenue Armory has announced the 100 Years | 100 Women Conversation Series in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a continuation of the 100 Years | 100 Women initiative celebrating the centennial of the 19th Amendment's ratification granting some women the right to vote.

This spring, NYPopsUp, a roaming performance series geared toward revitalizing the city's arts and culture sector, will present a touring series of dance-oriented performances in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today the long-awaited return of live indoor performance across New York State will commence April 2, 2021 with the reopening of a significant number of Flexible Venues (“Flex Venues”) as part of an ongoing systematic effort to help jumpstart New York’s struggling live entertainment sector. 

The Apollo Theater announced today the line-up for its annual Kwanzaa Celebration: Regeneration Night, which brings together dance, music, and poetry to honor the seven core principles of Kwanzaa including family, community, and culture on Sunday, December 27 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

A Call for Revolutionary Theatre 2020 articles will be released every weekday for 10 days, October 19-30, 2020, on BTC's website at www.blacktheatrecommons.org. Writers include Andy Jean, Awoye Timpo, Camille A. Brown, Candace L. Feldman, Charlique C. Rolle, Claudia Alick, Harold Steward, Jamil Jude, Kamilah Forbes, and more.

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center has announced the new line-up of its new global series, SEGAL TALKS. Since the beginning in March the series featured close to 100 talks with 150 artists from 50 countries. New York, US, and international theatre artists, curators, researchers, and academics will talk daily during the week for one hour with Segal Center's director, Frank Hentschker, about life and art in the Ti