The next National Black Theatre Festival will be in midsummer 2021. Originally created and curated by The New Black Fest under the artistic direction of Keith Josef Adkins, Hands Up is a response to the police shootings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri among other young Black men and women over the years, including Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice and more. Soon, Orpah, the award winning Soul singer, will arrive to record her live Gospel album in the church. Friday, October 6, 2023; 6p-10p (Rides and Harvest Garden Only) Saturday, October 7, 2023; 10a-10p. [6], The 2009 NBTF was held August 38, 2009, with celebrity co-chairs Ted Lange and Wendy Raquel Robinson. It was trulymagical. The White House issued statements at first denying the dinner took place and later saying that the Roosevelt women had not been present. Born in 1856Virginia, he was the last generation born into slavery. Uploaded by The Authentic Self: Black Body & Identity Now. Sound artists and composers Mendi + Keith Obadike engage in a virtual conversation on their musical satelliteRingShout, screen a companion video work, and discuss their music, art, and literature collaborations. Stewart is an AMDA alumni with Broadway credits including: The Color Purple revival, Tina the Tina Turner Musical. John Hauser on March 10, 2019, 2019 National Black theatre festival Kickoff Press Conference and announcement of the celebrity Co-Chairs, There are no reviews yet. endobj "Mr. Marvtastic". Ms. Uggams was a child star who later starred in her own television show, The Leslie Uggams Show, in 1969. 2019 In 2020 Amanda led as the CEO and Artistic . 2031 National Black Theatre WayNew York, NY 10035Temporarily closed. The North Carolina Black Repertory Co. is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in our City of Arts and Innovation. I hope to see some of these productions grace the stage of Broadway or receive Tony Awards somedaythey are truly worthy of the honor. National Black Theatre Festival, 2019 Winston-Salem, North Carolina,7/29-8/3 By: Astrid Hiemer - Aug 12, 2019 - / 4 National Black Theatre Festival Now 30 Years Old The North Carolina Black Repertory Company was founded forty years ago, in 1979, in Winston-Salem. Awards: Drama Desk from Delaware State University and The Theater Projects One-Act competition 2015 Best Play and Audience Favorite. (A most impressive Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, headquarters of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem, houses three theaters.). Marcellus can be found hosting weekly at a local Burlesque and live music restaurant Duane Park Amongst singing all New York City, directing showcases, tap dancing, acting, and serving as a vocal coach, Aaron is Founder and Creative Director of The Marcellus Collective and CEO of Surrender To Love LLC; a foundation that finically supports music & arts programs and feeds hungry bellies. I spent much of the week in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, attending the week-long 16th biennial National Black Theatre Festival, which presented 30 plays and musicals from black theaters in 16 states and South Africa.. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, N.C. Black Rep postpones 2021 National Black Theatre Festival for a year. Yes , Ruined, is a play worth seeing, no matter who will produce it in the future. The Schomburg Center and the National Black Theatre in collaboration with the New York Philharmonic presents artists and scholars in conversation about art, identity, and issues of beauty as part of the Philharmonics Authentic Selves: The Beauty Within Festival. The National Black Theatre Festival will stage plays, have poetry readings, screen films and hold workshops frmo July 29 to Aug. 3 in Winston-Salem. A news release from the North Carolina Black Repertory Company said Hamlin died on Monday. You can cancel at any time. While both were about interesting historical characters, the Mary Mcleod Bethune production is far superior as theater. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Black_Theatre_Festival&oldid=1121052088, Tourist attractions in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 November 2022, at 07:11. What a "full" and "fabulous" day I have experienced. Regional: Hop tha A, Feeding Beatrice, Actually. <> The 16th biennial National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) has come to an end. The original music and arrangements ofDreaming Zenzilewere made possible through theFrench American Jazz Exchange, a joint program ofFACE FoundationandMid Atlantic Arts Foundationwith generous funding fromCultural Services of the French Embassy,Doris Duke Charitable Foundation,SACEM,Institut Franaisand theMinistere de la Culture et de la Communication. Contact UsDonatePrivacyCareersSite Credits. It has produced the National Black Theatre Festival bi-annually for the past thirty years. A rousing concert tribute to soul music. The lively panel was made up of Sprinkle-Hamlin and four NCBRC staff members. The NBTF is one of the most historic and culturally significant events in the history of black theatre and is produced by The North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NCBRC) in Winston-Salem,. We saw one other musical The Movement: An A Cappella Musical by LEAP, Artists LIVE! by Lauren Van HemertPhotos by Martha Wade Steketee and Jay Handelman This summer, the top black theater companies from around the world convened in Winston-Salem, N.C. for the 16th National Black Theatre Festival. Monroe Auditorium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. Sunday, October 8, 2023; 10a-10p It lived up to its theme: An International Celebration and Reunion of Spirit. Ann died in 1945 in Bergen-Belsen, a concentration camp in Germany, after the family had been reported hiding in Amsterdam for two years. The National Black Theatre Festival is a one-of-a-kind experience that's not to be missed when it returns to Winston-Salem in 2021. The North Carolina Black Repertory Company was founded forty years ago, in 1979, in Winston-Salem. Some of the honorees for the evening was as mentioned before, Ms. Leslie Uggams (Sidney Poiter Lifelong Achievement Award), Art Evans (Living Legend Award), and Pearl Cleage (August Wilson Playwright Award). Her latest performances were with Harlem9 and 54 Below. Tylie Shider is a 2019-20 Playwrights' Center Jerome Fellow. [7], The 2011 NBTF was held August 16, 2011, with celebrity co-chairs Lamman Rucker and T'Keyah Crystal Keymh.[8]. According to The New York Times, "The 1989 National Black Theatre Festival was one of the most historic and culturally significant events in the history of black theatre and American theatre in general." Over 10,000 people attended the inaugural event. Known best for his role as Deacon Claybourne on the hit television show NASHVILLE, Charles Esten was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and grew up in Alexandria, VA. After starting his acting career in Los Angeles, he was pleased to make his theatrical debut in London, portraying Buddy Holly in the . <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 13 0 R 14 0 R 15 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Over the years, black arts and theater celebrities who have provided professional and financial support have included August Wilson, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Pearl Cleage, Savion Glover and Leslie Uggams. Kala believes that if you match your hard work with your faith, any dream is possible. In January 2019, "Canfield Drive," a portrait of two reporters with opposing viewpoints in Ferguson, MO, following the 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown, premiered to sold-out audiences in St. Louis and travelled to the National Black Theatre Festival in August of that year. 2023 Travel Noire. A moving conversation between Anne (Frank) and Emmett (Till), somewhere in memory. * Email address required for verification and does not appear with comments. If you need help getting around, transportation will be available to theatre venues from designated festival hotels throughout the festivals duration. So proud to be a African American who loves the Performing Arts. As an educator, she has taught and directed on the faculties of The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale, Juilliard Drama Division, Tisch Graduate Acting Program, Hunter College, City College of New York, Syracuse University, Brooklyn College, NYU Gallatin School, Marymount Manhattan College, and the American Academy of Dramatic Art. But the ancestors are callingtransporting her through the music and fractured memories of her past on a spiritual journey of reconciliation. Click here for more information about our COVID safety policies. It was a university production, directed by a theater professor, and considered part of the NBTF fringe series. Many thanks to agents at HCKR IG:@mzzzruth @Nutchocheese James 1:17, Charles E. Wallace, is excited to, finally, be working at The National Black Theatre after being neighbors for over twenty years. The North Carolina Black Repertory Co. is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in our City of Arts and Innovation. Southern graciousness and easy conversations were shared everywhere. GET TICKETS. 5 and Bach's Orchestral Suite No.2 on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. at P.E. I can truly say that each could earn a shot on Broadway, a great testament to the theater companies, producers, playwrights, and directors working behind the scene to develop such works of "excellence". The play: Anne & Emmett has been and will continue to tour schools and college audiences nationwide. The highlight of the press conference was seeing Andre De Shields, who is celebrating 50 years in theater and is the 2019 Tony Award winner for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his role as Hermes in Hadestown. At the end of the symposium, which focuses this year on the complex topic of suffrage, the partner organizations will announce the names of the commissioned artists. All rights reserved. Monday, July 18, 20226:00pm ETStream below or via NBTs YouTube channel, CHELSEADEE HARRISONChelseaDee Harrison is an interdisciplinary creator, artivist, and arts educator. The North Carolina Black Repertory Co. is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in our City of Arts and Innovation. Sometimes I had a chance to visit with fellow bus riders (free service between venues provided by the festival). After the discussion on the negative reaction to his dinner at the White House, Hall comes out made up in blackface, performing as a minstrel show dancer and sometimes covering his face with a newspaper carrying words from the vicious commentary. Traveling far and wide, the 12-foot puppet will explore The Sounds of Harlem welcomed by the drumming students of the Harlem School of the Arts and The Kotchegna Dance Company. Critically-acclaimed playwright James Ijames reinvents Shakespeares masterpiece with his new drama, FAT HAM. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Broadway: Macbeth. The African American theatre and their public are alive and well! Emmett was lynched by two brothers after allegedly offending a white woman in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. Dina Vovsis direction guides Abrams strong acting. Each transition is made with simple costume or accessory changes and adjustments in posture, movement and voice. Her audience was very responsive. On October 16, 1901, the new President Theodore Roosevelt invited his adviser, Booker T. Washington, to the White House to dine with the Roosevelt family. Each day will begin with the National Black Theatres Stage for Healing and Resilience, co-produced by The Public Theater and National Black Theatre in continuation of a relationship that dates back to the 1960s. He believed that African-American theatre was important and was able to make his dream a success.[4]. Although I wasn't able to see ALL the playswhich would have been an impossible feat because of all of the activities available, I had the opportunity to attend several that were entertaining and made significant impact: And there you have itmy wonderful and spectacular theatrical experience at the 16th biennial National Black Theatre Festival. Contact UsDonatePrivacyCareersSite Credits, Walk with Little Amal & The Sounds of Harlem, NBT@Home presents A Ritual of Repair Panel Discussion, The Gathering: A COLLECTIVE Sonic Ring Shout. The play introduces Anne Frank (played by Hannah Church) and her story of the Holocaust in scenes alternating with the story of Emmett Till (Enoch King), the Chicago boy murdered in Mississippi. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 2019. But this dinner brought a storm of vicious criticism, especially by Southern politicians and newspapers. The 16th biennial National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) rolls out the purple carpet July 29 - August 3, 2019 in Winston-Salem, transforming North Carolina's city of arts and innovation into a. Each time I attend this great mecca, I walk away mesmerized. One of our ATCA programs was a session on the Living History of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company and the National Black Theatre Festival, moderated by Lynn Felder, a local arts journalist and ATCA member. Whats different is Juicy himself, a sensitive and self-aware young Black man trying to break the cycles of trauma and violence in service of his own liberation. - Blackstone River Theatre is located at 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, R.I. (401) 725-9272 Andre gave the press conference attendees a fourth phrase of his formula for success in addition to the three he gave during his Tony acceptance speech: "1) Surround yourself with people who eyes light up when they see you coming! In the interim, there is a boycott, the threat of a foreclosure, and a sororal feud over whose voice is on the demo that launched her career. His wife, Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, the executive producer, has gracefully and skillfully taken the reigns and guided this ship to a glorious experience of theater, music, film, dancea full-blown explosion of The Performing Artsaccented in purple. Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. Adams, a member of the Winston-Salem city council, makes an entrance during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. A drummer performs during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Hattie Winston speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. A dancer performs during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. 2019 Black Theatre & Arts Festival; a 15-day Multidisciplinary Arts Festival celebrating extraordinary stories by people of African descent.This year's festival has an exciting menu of more than 150 provocative and ground breaking performances, by local and national artists, writers, filmmakers and musicians. [3], The NBTF has been successful, but not without difficulties. The culminating event, a large gathering, showcase, and celebration of the commissions, will take place on May 16, 2020 in the Armorys Wade Thompson Drill Hall and historic rooms. One of the aspects of the festival that impressed me the most is the community support given by the city and citizens of Winston-Salem. View Event Retreat Thu, Nov 19, 2020 Sun, Nov 22, 2020 Google Calendar ICS When justice fails us, we all do time. Singer songwriter, vocal coach, musician, dancer, actor Aaron Marcellus was born and raised in Atlanta and has been entertaining crowds around the world for 25 plus years. During WWII in Europe civilian women were raped by certain groups of soldiers. 100 Years | 100 Women will launch on February 15, 2020 as part of the Armorys annual Culture in a Changing America symposiuma day-long event hosted throughout the institutions historic period rooms, featuring conversations, performances, and salons led by artists, activists, scholars, and civic and cultural leaders. We are also introduced to Annes beloved father and Emmetts strong and determined mother, who decided to have his mangled face and body presented in an open casket funeral in Chicago. The Soul Men are five color-coordinated male dancers of varied sizes and ages. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). As the recipients of the Stckemarkt Commission of Work, we are currently developing a new piece for Schauspiel Dortmunds 2022/23 season. It was truly a collaborative effortthe meeting of the minds. Officials with NBTF kicked off this historic festival on Monday, March 21, by announcing celebrity co-chairs for this year's festival, Lisa Arrindell and Petri Hawkins-Byrd. The festival is produced every two years in Winston by the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, a 40-year-old theater company founded in 1979 by the late Larry Leon Hamlin, whose memory we observed in a moment of silence before each performance. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. She attended a seminary on scholarship and then attended what is now Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. They share their life-stories in earnest and occasionally in lighthearted dialogues and banter, until we see the murder scene of Emmett - just heartbreaking minutes! The National Black Theatre Festival is returning to Winston-Salem this summer after a pandemic hiatus. web pages Based on the life of Miriam MakebaBy Somi KakomaDirected by Lileana Blain-CruzChoreography by Marjani Fort-SaundersA co-production with New York Theatre WorkshopAt her final concert, South African musical legend and activist Miriam Makeba delivers the performance of her life, raising the conscience and the consciousness of a people. 2031 National Black Theatre WayNew York, NY 10035Temporarily closed. Eventually, their two stories merge somewhere in memory and the young people converse about their histories, dreams and deaths. Recognized by AARP as an Age Disruptor, I have an ageism-busting TEDx Talk and an age-affirming solo show which broke a 30-year box office record at the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival in . African-American festival in North Carolina, "National Black Theatre Festival History Page", "Larry Leon Hamlin, 58, Dies; Promoted Black Theaters", "Black Theatre Family Holds Biannual Reunion; A firsthand report from the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C.", "A Six-Day Bash Celebrates Black Theater", "National Black Theatre Festival Home Page". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She is also a tenured Teaching Artist with the New Victory Theater and has facilitated arts workshops with the Kennedy Center, the DC Commision on the Arts & Humanities, Broadway Advocacy Coalition, New York City Department of Correction, and survivors of human trafficking and their families. Walk with National Black Theatre on Monday, September 26 at 3pm in our celebration processional beginning at the State Office Building at 125th and Adam Clayton Powell as we show Amal the unforgettable pulse of our vibrant community of Harlem! on the Internet. 2019 National Black theatre festival Kickoff Press Conference and announcement of the celebrity Co-Chairs Skip to main content Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. IG @mrwallacecharles. The upcoming 2021/2022 season includes 3 New York Premieres and 2 brand new digital commissions! While realizing that we might have been missing the cultural significance of this, my colleagues and I were puzzled by the meaning of this chilling action. Hall is earnest in his characterization of Washington, but his style and many of his transitions are erratic. A meteor named Mei-Ann Chen had an impact on Charlotte Symphony and its subscribers that was simply electrifying. Richarda Abrams, playwright and actor, fully becomes her character, an educator and civil rights activist, from child, to teen, young woman and older woman. Amanda's Freelance directorial work has toured to London, Edinburgh, Canada and the National Black Theatre Festival in North Carolina, USA Amanda served as Co-Artistic Director of Hidden Gems with Marcia Layne a Black Female led Theatre company based in the North of England from 2009 - 2014. . I am excited about the rest of the week festivities that include stage readings - one being a world premiere of the upcoming production, Maya, by Nambi E. Kelley, theater industry workshops, film showings, youth activities/showcases, spoken word, Broadway-style playsand so much more. TV: Inventing Anna (Netflix). The National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) is a biennial festival celebrating African American contributions to culture. Ross recently made her Broadway debut in the Tony nominated revival of For Colored Girls. 2019 National Black Theatre Festival July 29 - August 3 An International Celebration & Reunion of Spirit Dick Gregory 1989 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, who succeeded her late husband as board chairman and executive producer of the National Black Theatre Festival, has died. She would like to extend her gratitude to Tylie Shider, the NBT production team and cast, Sujotta Pace, and Hudson Artists Agency. The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) held its annual meeting there in conjunction with the festivals biennial staging. While Children's Theatre of Charlotte continues to celebrate its 75th season, it recognizes that 75 years ago, this past August, India was split into two countries: India and Pakistan. The festival was planned for Aug. 2-7 this summer, but will be rescheduled for Aug. 1-6, 2022, the North Carolina Black Repertory Company announced Tuesday. The star-studded gala gets underway with a vibrant parade of powerful African drummers and dancers followed by a grand and royal procession of more than 40 celebrities of stage, television, and film. Wendell Jordan has a BFA from Howard University & has been an active member of SAG/ AFTRA for 20+ years. None of this would have been possible without the visionary, the late Larry Leon Hamlin, who started the festival in 1989. Make sure you pack black-tie attire because there will be a gala awards ceremony on opening night. (read more about this author), Jinkx Monsoon Announces 'Everything at Stake' Tour Dates, Photos: Meet The Cast Of POTUS At Charlotte Conservatory Theatre, Review: BRUCH VIOLIN CONCERTO at Charlotte Symphony, 2023 BIPOC Playwrights' Festival Now Accepting New and Original Works. What a smashing success! This is the 30th anniversary of NBTF and the 40th anniversary of the theater company that started it, The North Carolina Black Repertory Company, led by Executive Director, Nigel Alston and Artistic Director, Jackie Alexander. Actor/writer/director Fedna Jacquet most recently starred as Passenger 1 in the critically acclaimed Lee Daniel's production of Ain't No Mo for its Broadway and Off-Broadway runs. to Front Page Section. You can follow her on IG @thatuppitygirl, at her website, or at linktr.ee/ChelseaDee, TA-NIATalia Paulette Oliveras and Nia Farrell, collectively Ta-Nia, a theatre-making duo committed to challenging the limits of theatre to create unapologetically Blk spaces of liberation. The show was written and directed by Daryl Brooks, who staged solo memories of the Young Josephine Baker, Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, Donna Summers, Janis Joplin and others. According to The New York Times, The 1989 National Black Theatre Festival was one of the most historic and culturally significant events in the history of black theatre and American theatre in general. Over 10,000 people attended the inaugural event. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Celebrities and conference performers shared the podium to greet the press to include the incomparable actress/singer Leslie Uggams, who is the honoree of the Sidney Poiter Lifelong Achievement. The North Carolina A&T State University presented Ruined, a powerful and demanding play by Lynn Nottage. Chelsea Factory is a nonprofit incubation and presentation space for artists and community groups focused on performing and visual arts, food, fashion, spoken word, audio/podcasts, civic services and tech. It declares sexual abuse and rape the most insidious War Crimes that can since be prosecuted. Presented by the National Black Theatre, Apollo Theater, and American Composers Orchestra as part of the Carnegie Hall Afrofuturism Festival. Whose appeal is heard? RSVP & Get Reminders on Facebook. She is truly the nucleus that keeps this well-oiled machine running. 5 and Bach's Orchestral Suite No.2 on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. at P.E. x}rWTmKnI0fG*ZK>7A5w?[ MgSAvOOOw|u3?jgKR _D3N.{'{x B The soul-stirring production includes a live jazz band playing original music and reinterpretations of Makebas remarkable catalog. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. There was a problem saving your notification. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}360556N 801455W / 36.09875N 80.24863W / 36.09875; -80.24863. Dubbed the "Black Theatre Holy Ground," NBTF is. He also led the audience in singing the Black anthem, Lift Every Voice And Sing. I've always been drawn to black music and musicians; the syncopation, the flatted thirds, fifths and sevenths of the blues, the full throated singing and the essential ingredient of soul. That's exactly how the opening day of the National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) in Winston-Salem feltmajestic and magical. Dancers perform during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Carlton Davis, assistant direction with Carver High School's marching band, plays the sousaphone, during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. People dance during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. A dancer on stilts performs during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Rosemary Harris is recognized during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, executive producer of the National Black Theatre Festival, speaks during the NBTF's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Winston-Salem's Mayor Allen Joines speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Winston-Salem's Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Nigel Alston, executive director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Jackie Alexander, artistic director of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Harold Wheeler is recognized during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Bill Cobb laughs during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Petri Hawkins Byrd dances before speaking during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Xavier Pierce speaks after receiving the Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Fay Hauser speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Andre DeShields speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Rhodessa Jones speaks after receiving a Special Recognition Award during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Frenchie La'Vern speaks after receiving the Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Kamilah Forbes speaks after receiving the Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Ted Lange speaks during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Art Evans plays a harmonica after receiving a Living Legend Award during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Michele Shay speaks after receiving the Lloyd Richards Director Award during the National Black Theatre Festival's opening night gala on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, N.C. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.