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Black Southern Playwrights Take Center Stage
Essay
Black Southern Playwrights Take Center Stage
by Amelia Parenteau
27 April 2023
Dare To Dream with Cris E. Blak
Video
Dare To Dream with Cris E. Blak
Playwright Cris E. Blak Shares How his Dream of Writing and Premiering Sons of Liberty Became a Reality
Friday 16 June 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Defiance of Dandelions Pre-Show Talk
Video
The Defiance of Dandelions Pre-Show Talk
Featuring Playwright, Philana Imade Omorotionmwan, and an Invited Member from the Community
Friday 2 June 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana
event poster for Dare To Dream with Cris E. Blak.
Dare To Dream with Cris E. Blak
Video

Dare To Dream with Cris E. Blak

Playwright Cris E. Blak Shares How his Dream of Writing and Premiering Sons of Liberty Became a Reality

Friday 16 June 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Cris Eli Blak is an emerging Black playwright whose work has garnered him recognition from The Negro Ensemble Company, Kairos Italy Theater, Austin Film Festival, Barrington Stage Company, TEDxBroadway, and Ignition Arts. Here he sits down to share how his dream of writing and premiering Sons of Liberty became a reality.

event poster for The Defiance of Dandelions Pre-show Talk.
The Defiance of Dandelions Pre-Show Talk
Video

The Defiance of Dandelions Pre-Show Talk

Featuring Playwright, Philana Imade Omorotionmwan, and an Invited Member from the Community

Friday 2 June 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

A pre-show discussion featuring playwright Philana Omorotionmwan and an invited member from the community cover important themes that are present during The Defiance of Dandelions.

Event poster for the plenary with Ericka Dickerson-Despenza.
Plenary with Ericka Dickerson-Despenza
Video

Plenary with Ericka Dickerson-Despenza

We Will Dream: New Works Festival

Friday 19 May 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

2021 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist Ericka Dickerson-Despenza speaks at the André Callioux Center for the We Will Dream: New Works Festival.

event poster for Dare to Dream with Playwright, Philana Omorotionmwan.
Dare to Dream with Playwright Philana Imade Omorotionmwan
Video

Dare to Dream with Playwright Philana Imade Omorotionmwan

Playwright Philana Imade Omorotionmwan Shares How her Dream of Premiering The Defiance of Dandelions Became a Reality

Friday 5 May 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Philana Imade Omorotionmwan is writing to save her body and spirit from a world that seems hell-bent on destroying them. She sits down to share how her dream of premiering The Defiance of Dandelions became a reality.

Event poster for a pre show conversation about where the suga still sweet.
Where The Suga Still Sweet Pre-Show Talk
Video

Where The Suga Still Sweet Pre-Show Talk

A Pre-Show Discussion Featuring Playwright Brian Egland and an Invited Member from the Community

Friday 28 April 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Playwright Brian Egland and an invited member from the community cover important themes that are present during Where The Suga Still Sweet.

Global Majority Intimacy Directors Reception event poster.
Global Majority Intimacy Director Reception Keynote by Kaja Dunn
Video

Global Majority Intimacy Director Reception Keynote by Kaja Dunn

We Will Dream: New Works Festival

Friday 28 April 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Hosted by Intimacy Coordinators of Color, the Global Majority Intimacy Director Reception is a gathering of stage and screen intimacy professionals, artists, educators, directors, and producers to connect, learn, and inspire. Keynote by Kaja Dunn.

Two performers embracing in the middle of the stage.
Black Southern Playwrights Take Center Stage
Essay

Black Southern Playwrights Take Center Stage

27 April 2023

Amelia Parenteau introduces the We Will Dream: New Works Festival, a festival showcasing new plays by Black playwrights originating from or working in the American South.

Event poster for HBCU Theatre Summit.
HBCU Theatre Summit’s “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black” Monologue Showcase
Video

HBCU Theatre Summit’s “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black” Monologue Showcase

We Will Dream: New Works Festival

Saturday 15 April 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Featuring monologues by HBCU college students. The HBCU Theatre Summit is for Black theatre students as they navigate the world of the arts.

event poster for a pre show talk with playwright brian egland.
Dare to Dream with Playwright Brian Egland
Video

Dare to Dream with Playwright Brian Egland

Brian Egland Shares His Journey to Producing Where The Suga Still Sweet

Friday 14 April 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Playwright Brian Egland, sits down to share how his dream of premiering Where The Suga Still Sweet became a reality.

Event poster for HBCU Theatre Summit.
HBCU Theatre Summit’s Keynote Speech by Actor Doug Spearman
Video

HBCU Theatre Summit’s Keynote Speech by Actor Doug Spearman

We Will Dream: New Works Festival

Friday 14 April 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Keynote speech delivered by actor Doug Spearman (Noah's Ark). The HBCU Theatre Summit is for Black theatre students as they navigate the world of the arts.

event poster for a pre show conversation on drapetomania.
Drapetomania Pre-Show Talk
Video

Drapetomania Pre-Show Talk

Featuring Playwright M. D. Schaffer

Friday 31 March 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

A pre-show discussion featuring playwright M.D. Schaffer and an invited member from the community as they cover important themes that are present during Drapetomania.

event poster for dare to dream with m d schaffer.
Dare to Dream featuring M.D. Schaffer
Video

Dare to Dream featuring M.D. Schaffer

Playwright M. D. Schaffer Shares How their Dream of Writing and Premiering Drapetomania Became a Reality

Friday 24 March 2023
United States

M.D. Schaffer (they/they) is a queer, non-Binary, African American writer born in Houston, Texas and currently residing in New York City. Their previous works include F***in’ Howard Phillips with the JaYo Theatre Company, Hotel On Fremont at The Lewis Center for the Arts, and A Rodeo Clown with the Obsidian Theatre Festival.

event poster for black film festival new orleans with we will dream virtual festival.
New Orleans Black Film Festival Awards
Video

New Orleans Black Film Festival Awards

WE WILL DREAM: New Works Festival

Sunday 19 March 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana

Hosted by Mark Caesar featuring the Glaspy Experience, the Black Film Festival of New Orleans (BFFNO) is a multi-day event designed to celebrate independent films and filmmakers. Through BFFNO, creatives have a home that advances African American cinema and cultivates local film and television in classic New Orleans style.

Screenshot of a zoom meeting.
From Awareness to Action: Facilitating Change in the American Theatre
Essay

From Awareness to Action: Facilitating Change in the American Theatre

13 June 2022

Lauren E. Turner, producing artistic director of No Dream Deferred, sits down with Amelia Parenteau to discuss their recent experiences in anti-racist facilitation work through No Dream Deferred’s service, Equity and Justice for Institutional Change.

event poster for Open Channels—a Caribbean Theatre Workshop from Santiago de Cuba & New Orleans Canales Abiertos—un Taller de Teatro Popular del Caribe desde Santiago de Cuba y Nueva Orleans.
Open Channels / Canales Abiertos 2021
Video

Open Channels / Canales Abiertos 2021

A Caribbean Theatre Workshop from Santiago de Cuba & New Orleans / Canales Abiertos—un Taller de Teatro Popular del Caribe desde Santiago de Cuba y Nueva Orleans

Thursday 8 July 2021
Cuba

The Stone Center for Latin American Studies and The Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institute and The New Orleans Center for the Gulf South of Tulane University (New Orleans, LA), and Estudio Teatral Macubá presented Open Channels livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 8 July 2021 at 10 a.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / 9 a.m. CDT (New Orleans, UTC -5) / 7 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles, UTC -7).

black woman in dress stands with arms out in front of uniformed police officers
Black and Blue 2020: Art / Activism / Transformation
Video

Black and Blue 2020: Art / Activism / Transformation

Artists, activists, and the New Orleans Police Monitor reflect on the life of Yvonne Bechet and using stories to build social movements

Monday 5 October 2020
New Orleans, Louisiana

The Yvonne Bechet Theatre Project presented a panel discussing issues raised in the play Black and Blue livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 5 October at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

tryptych of performers on stage
Open Channels—a Caribbean Theatre Workshop from Santiago de Cuba & New Orleans
Video

Open Channels—a Caribbean Theatre Workshop from Santiago de Cuba & New Orleans

Canales Abiertos—un Taller de Teatro Popular del Caribe desde Santiago de Cuba y Nueva Orleans

Thursday 9 July 2020
Santiago, Cuba

CubaNOLA Arts Collective, Cuban and Caribbean Studies Institute at Tulane University, and Estudio Teatral Macubá present Open Channels, a live learning encounter for popular theatre artists, scholars, students, teachers, and audiences of Caribbean culture. The three-hour online inaugural event was held in Spanish and English, Thursday 9 July 2020 at 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / 2 p.m. CDT (New Orleans, UTC -5) / 12 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles, UTC -7) livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv.

woman with flowers and branches titled The Weeping Woman's Contrived Posture
Livestreaming the National Performance Network Annual Conference 2019
Video

Livestreaming the National Performance Network Annual Conference 2019

from New Orleans, Louisiana

Tuesday 10 December - Friday 13 December 2019
New Orleans, Louisiana

The National Performance Network presents their 2019 Annual Conference livestreaming from New Orleans on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv from Tuesday 10 December to Friday 13 December 2019.

lauren e. turner seated at a table
The American Theatre Was Killing Me
Essay

The American Theatre Was Killing Me

Healing from Racialized Trauma in an Art Workspace

18 November 2019

Amelia Parenteau speaks with Lauren E. Turner about racialized trauma in American theatre, Lauren’s experience with it, and healing.

a group of actors onstage
Adapting to a New Normal in Jeune Terre
Essay

Adapting to a New Normal in Jeune Terre

29 September 2019

Playwright Gab Reisman discusses writing a play about climate change and moving toward a model of collective accountability and civic action.

three different frames of a dancer
New to New Orleans / Venant d’arriver à la Nouvelle Orléans
Essay

New to New Orleans / Venant d’arriver à la Nouvelle Orléans

Three Theatremakers’ Impressions on Parades versus Protests / Les impressions de trois femmes de théâtre des parades et des manifestations

23 May 2019

Amelia Parenteau, along with theatremakers Eva Doumbia and Marie Houdin, explores the similarities and differences of parades and protests.

three actors onstage
That Blue Sky with Stephanie McKee of Junebug Productions
Podcast

That Blue Sky with Stephanie McKee of Junebug Productions

From the Ground Up Podcast Episode #6

1 April 2019

In episode six of the From the Ground Up podcast, Jeffrey Mosser interviews Stephanie McKee about the history of Junebug Productions, and how they look to "that blue sky" to imagine what is possible for the future.

Black and Blue
Essay

Black and Blue

Dramatizing the Life of a Pioneering Policewoman

26 October 2017

Theatre journalist Jim O’Quinn writes about eighty-three year old Yvonne Bechet, whose life and work inspired a new play about policing and racial justice in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Enter Leviathan
Essay

Enter Leviathan

Staging Moby Dick in the Deep South

20 July 2016

Corey Bradberry’s theme and production considerations for staging Moby Dick for a contemporary audience in the deep South.

Jody Christopherson’s Spin on Greencard Wedding
Essay

Jody Christopherson’s Spin on Greencard Wedding

1 March 2016

Marcina Zaccaria on Jody Christopherson’s Greencard Wedding at Dixon Place in New York City.