Oversoul Theatre Collective Relaunches Improvisational Theater Workshop in New Bedford

A powerful tradition of Black theater is returning to New Bedford as Oversoul Theatre Collective, Inc. reintroduces a community driven improvisational theater workshop rooted in decades of artistic history, cultural set-determination, and collective storytelling. Working in cooperation with 3rd Eye Unlimited, Oversoul's Griot's Corner workshop invites aspiring actors, spoken word artists, performers, and creatives from across the region to help build a new theater ensemble dedicated to the narratives of Black and Brown communities. The workshop began on February 10th but is accepting new members on a rolling basis until March 10th.

Oversoul Theatre Collective traces its roots to 1994 in Mashpee, emerging from the legacy of New African Company, Inc. in Boston, New England's oldest continuing professional Black theater company. Founded in 1968 by the late actor, director, and educator James Spruill alongside Gustave Johnson, New African Company embraced the motto "Theater for the People," committing itself to producing high quality theater by, for, and about Black people while offering professional training opportunities to community members.

In 1997, Oversoul brought that mission to New Bedford through a youth theater initiative that met in the basement of the Greater New Bedford Boys & Girls Club. The program staged performances at cultural hubs such as the Tiki Room at the Cape Verdean Ultramarine Band Club, the Unitarian Church, and UMass Dartmouth. Earlier that same year, Oversoul assisted with a community production of Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls... before launching "The Studio," an improvisational youth theater program built on the New African Method. Developed during the 1970s and 80s under NAC Artistic Director Lynda Patton, the method blends professional actor training, elements of System and Method Acting, and Brecht's Alienation Affect with educational practices designed to strengthen reading, writing, critical thinking, and communication skills.

The Studio helped nurture a generation of New Bedford artists. Among those who passed through its doors as teenagers were hip hop artists Siah Law and Tem Blessed, spoken word artist Iva Brito, and vocalist Bishop the Shadow Man. Now, Oversoul aims to cultivate the next wave of performers by returning to its improvisational roots.

The renewed program, led by multi award winning playwright, director, and arts educator Mwalim, meets Tuesday nights at 8pm at 3rd Eye Unlimited, 230 Union Street in New Bedford. Open to all community members, the workshop focuses on collaborative creation, ensemble building, and performance development. Participants will work together to create an original performance piece scheduled for presentation in May, while laying the groundwork for a long term theater ensemble dedicated to producing both classic works and new original stories.

"Theater began as improvisation," Mwalim explains. "It wasn't until the Greek adopted Egyptian ritual and added written speeches that poets and eventually playwrights were part of the process. We're returning to that communal origin point; storytelling shaped by the people who live it."

The initiative stands firmly within a larger historical lineage. From the African Grove Theatre founded in 1821, to the touring Lafayette Players of the early twentieth century, to the creative explosion of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s, Black theater has always been a vehicle for cultural expression and self determination. Oversoul's return to New Bedford seeks to reconnect that legacy with local voices, particularly within the city's rich Black, Cape Verdean, Caribbean, and Latino communities.

Organizers emphasize that the goal is not simply to produce plays, but to reclaim storytelling autonomy. Rather than waiting for outside institutions to frame their narratives, participants are invited to build a space where their lived experiences guide the work.