The Negro Ensemble Company News

Jubilee Theatre's Board of Trustees with Artistic Director Ed Smith and Managing Director Benjamin Espino are pleased to announce a year of special productions to celebrate the company's 30th Anniversary season

Take Wing And Soar Productions proudly presents Steve Carter's PECONG, at the National Black Theatre, for a limited engagement, from March 12th - March 28th. Directed by award winning actor and director Arthur French, PECONG stars celebrated film, television and stage actress Phyllis Yvonne Stickney*.

Celebrate Black History Month with L.A. Theatre Works. Beginning Saturday, February 27, L.A. Theatre Works' Radio Theatre Series will air Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Lonne Elder III, starring Rocky Carroll, John Cothran Jr., Brandon Dirden, Jason Dirden, Julia Pace Mitchell, Charlie Robinson, Glynn Turman and Michole Briana White.

Following a six week sold-out run earlier this year, Brooklyn's famed Billie Holiday Theatre will present a nine week return engagement of THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF DARK ALLEY, a new play by playwright/director Jackie Alexander.

Signature Theatre Company celebrated the Opening Night performance of Charles Fuller's ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN on Tuesday March 24th, the play is the final production of Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to celebrate to opening of the production!

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, written by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson, opens tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

As part of our Emerging Playwrights Reading Series, please join us on Saturday, March 7 th , 2009 at 2:00 PM for the First Annual Douglass Turner Ward Playwriting Award, to be presented by the Negro Ensemble Company to a graduating BFA senior or MFA Graduate from the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing, the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

As part of our Emerging Playwrights Reading Series, please join us on Saturday, March 7 th , 2009 at 2:00 PM for the First Annual Douglass Turner Ward Playwriting Award, to be presented by the Negro Ensemble Company to a graduating BFA senior or MFA Graduate from the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing, the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, written by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson, will begin previews tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

The Book of Lambert opened on February 14 and continues through March 1, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration.

La MaMa e.t.c. proudly presents the World Premiere of The Book of Lambert, written by Tony Award nominated and Obie/Audelco Award winning playwright Leslie Lee. The play, directed by Cyndy A. Marion, features Lucille Lortel and Obie Award winning actor Arthur French, who recently performed on Broadway in Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate. The Book of Lambert runs from February 13th to March 1st, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration. Lambert previews on February 13th and officially opens on February 14th, Valentines Day.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

Brooklyn?s famed Billie Holiday Theatre will present the world premiere of THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF DARK ALLEY, a new play by playwright/director Jackie Alexander. The production will play a strictly limited engagement February 19 through March 22, 2009. Previews are Thursday, February 19 through Saturday, February 27. Opening night is Saturday, February 28. The performance schedule is Thursdays ? Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15-$23, with additional discounts available for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.zerve.com/BHolidayInc/DrkAlley by phone at 212.209.3370, or at the theatre?s box office at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for a staged reading of DAY OF ABSENCE, written and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. The staged reading, which is by invitation only, is part of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic works of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). DAY OF ABSENCE is the landmark 1965 play that launched the founding of the NEC.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for a staged reading of DAY OF ABSENCE, written and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. The staged reading, which is by invitation only, is part of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic works of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). DAY OF ABSENCE is the landmark 1965 play that launched the founding of the NEC.

La MaMa e.t.c. proudly presents the World Premiere of The Book of Lambert, written by Tony Award nominated and Obie Award winning playwright Leslie Lee. The play, directed by Cyndy A. Marion, features Lucille Lortel and Obie Award winning actor Arthur French, who recently performed on Broadway in Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate. The Book of Lambert runs from February 13th to March 1st, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration. Lambert previews on February 13th and officially opens on February 14th, Valentines Day. Founded by the venerable Ellen Stewart, La MaMa e.t.c. is located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & Bowery in NYC. Performances take place in the First Floor Theatre and run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm with an added performance on Wed 2/18 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $18 for adults and $13 for students and seniors and can be purchased by calling 212-475-7710 or visiting www.LaMaMa.org. The Book of Lambert depicts the lives of six lost souls hiding from society in the subterranean depths of an abandoned NYC subway tunnel. Their leader is Lambert, an African-American man who has been hurt - possibly beyond repair - by his former love, a beautiful Caucasian woman. A bright but disillusioned ex-college professor, Lambert begins writing a prophetic book on life. In an effort to guide and re-focus this wayward flock, Lambert unleashes his own identity issues while coming face to face with the demons of his past. The Book of Lambert is a telling story of how our histories can haunt us, and how we may or may not recover from them.