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. When justice fails us, we all do time. Other celebrities in attendance included: Keith David (Greenleaf), Ted Lange - the most famous bartender (The Love Boat), Petri Hawkins-Byrd - one of the most recognized bailiff (Judge Judy), Darnell Williams ("Jessie" All My Children). Anchored by an 80-member orchestra and a 50-voice choir composed of both professional and amateur singers from multiple African American churches and choral ensembles in New York, this not-to-be-missed event features new musical works including New York premieres by Carlos Simon and Joel Thompson paired with new commissions from Toshi Reagon, Jason Michael Webb, and Lelund Thompson created to honor our present need for a collective space of remembrance. He also led the audience in singing the Black anthem, Lift Every Voice And Sing. 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. 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". 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". But the ancestors are callingtransporting her through the music and fractured memories of her past on a spiritual journey of reconciliation. RSVP & Get Reminders on Facebook. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. For the safety of our audiences and staff, all ticketholders and attendees of this event must provide proof of vaccination in order to enter the theater. 2007. stream Moderated by Dominique Rider. And who chooses solitary confinement? She formed the Educational and Industrial Training School for Negro Girls in Daytona, Fla. Later she had a distinguished public life. 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. Chartered/Metro buses transported theater-goers to the various event locations making it convenient to enjoy the moment without worrying about how to get there. Please email info@nationalblacktheatre.org with any questions. Some of the plays and events were held at two hotels in central Winston-Salem, but many of the 30 theatrical productions were on stages all over townin schools and universities, churches, and arts centers. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. 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.. 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. 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. We are currently working remotely with a reduced staff due to COVID-19. National Black Theatre Festival is back She was 76. You can reserve your tickets here. As the recipients of the Stckemarkt Commission of Work, we are currently developing a new piece for Schauspiel Dortmunds 2022/23 season. (An early version of fake news.). Emmett was lynched by two brothers after allegedly offending a white woman in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. Awards: Drama Desk from Delaware State University and The Theater Projects One-Act competition 2015 Best Play and Audience Favorite. Among them, we much enjoyed the high energy performances of the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe of Sarasota, Florida. The trumpets and trombones of the Carver High School band blasted first, followed quickly by the drum-beats of the Otesha Creative Arts Ensemb, The 2021 National Black Theatre Festival, based in Winston-Salem, has been postponed until August 2022, the North Carolina Black Repertory Com. Presented by the National Black Theatre, Apollo Theater, and American Composers Orchestra as part of the Carnegie Hall Afrofuturism Festival. 2021 National Black Theatre. <> I am eagerly waiting for the 17th biennial NBTF in 2021. Ariel, the sole female performer, is a sizzling dancing and singing talent. 2019 Tony winner Andre De Shields has been attending The National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) in Winston-Salem, N. C. since 1995. The Movement: An A Cappella Musical was named the 2019 Best Musical at the New York Theater Festival and indeed, is a serious and deeply rewarding experience. From his childhood friend to a dude hes never met, Curtis life sentence has been placed on us all. Serving as its executive director, Hamlins goal in creating the Festival was "to unite black theatre companies in America to ensure the survival of the genre into the next millennium. A moving conversation between Anne (Frank) and Emmett (Till), somewhere in memory. By: Nancy Bishop - Aug 09, 2019. [5] In addition to over 100 theatrical performances, highlights of the Festival are the Opening Night Gala, the Readers' Theatre of New Works, the Youth/Celebrity Project, International Colloquia, the International Vendor's Market, a poetry slam, and various workshops and seminars. It lived up to its theme: An International Celebration and Reunion of Spirit. Now, in its 16th season, the festival returns to Winston-Salem aka the black theatre holy ground with this years co-chairs veteran actress Margaret Shug Avery and Broadway sensation Chester Gregory. For more information, please visit www.kalaross.com IG: @kalaross, Carla R Stewart is elated to make her National Black Theatre debut as Orpah. It has produced the National Black Theatre Festival bi-annually for the past thirty years. Photos: 2019 National Black Theatre Festival's Opening Night Gala. The 16th biennial National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF) has come to an end. You will see a "sea" of exuberant attendees who have traveled from near and far to celebrate Black theaterat its very best. Since 2019 is the year of song, the festival committee chose a larger number of musicals than usually to be performed this time. 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 . She is truly the nucleus that keeps this well-oiled machine running. There was a problem saving your notification. A room is dedicated to Emmett Tills life and death at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, in Washington, D.C. These were sobering performances among many celebrations. Notes and references [ edit] ^ "National Black Theatre Festival History Page". "We want to volunteer. Women of Soul, by the Black Ensemble Theater from Chicago, Illinois, was produced by Jackie Taylor, who started the very successful company in 1976. 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. Education: He holds a BA in journalism from Delaware State University and an MFA in playwriting from New York University and has studied the Fornsian Method with playwright Migdalia Cruz. Delve deeper into our exploration of identity with this evening of performance and conversation curated by National Black Theatre, and conceived and directed by Dominique Rider. NY Phil Bandwagon 2 is a series of four weekend-long festivals across New York City, May 7-30, 2021. The six-day festival is a vacation destination and a source of great pride for black theatergoers. Thanks for the report. How do perceptions of beauty and desirability shape ones existence? The Jamaican Legend Would Have Turned 78 Today. Website Design and maintenance by BerkSites [-] Berkshire Website Design, "Astrid, your mater-of-fact description of what you experienced was enough to cause me a bit of regret, tinged with envy, at having missed what sounded like a terrific, moving experience. If youre a filmmaker, an actor, playwright, etc., you can submit your play for the festival. This is a rousing and toe-tapping concert-as-play with a thin story line comparing modern music to the soul music and talents of the 1950s and 60s. As the originators and attendees declare"This Is Holy Ground!" The 2022 NBTF will be held August 1-6, 2022, with celebrity co-chairs Lisa Arrindell and Petri Hawkins-Byrd . [2], The first Festival attracted 10,000 people and offered 30 different performances by 17 of Americas best professional black theatre companies. The colorful and snazzy costumes and slick choreography add to the quality of the production, created and directed by Nate Jacobs. Adrienne D. Williams is Harlem born storyteller. Wendell Jordan has a BFA from Howard University & has been an active member of SAG/ AFTRA for 20+ years. Friday, October 6, 2023; 6p-10p (Rides and Harvest Garden Only) Saturday, October 7, 2023; 10a-10p. Bethune was born in South Carolina in 1875 to parents who were former slaves. Juicy is a queer, Southern college kid, already grappling with some serious questions of identity, when the ghost of his father shows up in their backyard, demanding that Juicy avenge his murder. Aaron has been featured in a Chapstick commercial, NBCs Next Caller and is a veteran member of New York Citys Off-Broadway hit Stomp also supporting lead in National Black Theatres production of Dreaming Zenzile. x}rWTmKnI0fG*ZK>7A5w?[ MgSAvOOOw|u3?jgKR _D3N.{'{x B The play: Anne & Emmett has been and will continue to tour schools and college audiences nationwide. 2031 National Black Theatre WayNew York, NY 10035Temporarily closed. WINSTON SALEM, N.C. Larry Leon Hamlin, the late founder of The National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., would likely have described the 2019 event using a favorite word he coined - "marvtastic," a combination of "marvelous" and "fantastic." Thats a standard policy for most theater critics. A limited number of after-festival session tickets will be sold on site, day of 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. Japan has still not fully acknowledged those crimes. Later that evening, the stars continued to shine bright at the formal gala, held at the Benton Convention Center. Anne and Emnett Image courtesy Langhart Productions. Grounded in the dynamic legacy of Shirley Chisholm, this digital series features micro-commissions from Ngozi Anyanwu, Hope Boykin, Mahogany L. Browne, Dane Figueroa Edidi, Candice Hoyes, Val Jeanty, and Dianne Smith. When the stars come outthere is magic in the air. 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. Charles appeared as Daddy Warbucks, in Annie, at The Alabama Shakespeare Festival and performed Ntozake Shanges From Okra to Greens at The National Black Theatre Festival in North Carolina. 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. We are proud to do this on a NATIONAL scale bringing NBTs visionary founder Dr. Barbara Ann Teers pedagogy to even more communities around the country. - Sade Lythcott, CEO of National Black Theatre. A rousing concert tribute to soul music. It declares sexual abuse and rape the most insidious War Crimes that can since be prosecuted. The play is a powerful story of brutality toward women during wartime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the year 2000. 2019 National Black Theatre Festival July 29 - August 3 An International Celebration & Reunion of Spirit Micki Grant %PDF-1.7 "Mr. Marvtastic". We are indeed on "holy ground". While both were about interesting historical characters, the Mary Mcleod Bethune production is far superior as theater. ", * Email address required for verification and does not appear with comments. I talked to my fellow theatergoers as we waited to enter a theater or during intermissions. What does it mean to be beautiful? 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. The 2019 NBTF was held July 29-August 3, 2019, with celebrity co-chairs Margaret Avery and Chester Gregory. 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. After placing Top 24 on American Idol he was sent on a world tour sponsored by the US Armed Forces, where he performed for thousands in England, Italy, Holland, Germany, France, Korea, Kuwait and Japan. During that time . Hall is earnest in his characterization of Washington, but his style and many of his transitions are erratic. There she was, as she put it, a saloon-keeper: Chez Bricktop, and invited the biggest American performers, musicians, singers and acts from the 1920s to 1960s. IF they are still available, you can purchase your tickets at the INFORMATION TENT which will be located just after you enter the main gates on your left. The world has read Anns diary in many languages, millions of times over. Whose appeal is heard? 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. . Several funding sources reduced support and the budget for the Festival was left with a $300,000 deficit. NY Phil Bandwagon 2 is a series of four weekend-long festivals across New York City, May 730, 2021. Written and performed by international music sensation Somi Kakoma, this world premiere musical is an electrifying portrait of a revolutionary artists singular voice and vision. <> This event is free and fun for the entire family! These young protesters played their part in moving the Civil Rights agenda forward. N_x2vE[?k/NoS3 |7e5'^`^C/BG 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. A meteor named Mei-Ann Chen had an impact on Charlotte Symphony and its subscribers that was simply electrifying. 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! This season is reflective of our listening and desire to produce unique and diverse offerings that lean into art as a healing tool to anchor our resilience. See photos of the cast! 3 0 obj Ann was 15 when she died and Emmett was just 14. Workshop ProductionBy TyLie ShiderDirected by Adrienne D. WilliamsCo-production with Chelsea Factory. 5 and Bach's Orchestral Suite No.2 on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. at P.E. None of this would have been possible without the visionary, the late Larry Leon Hamlin, who started the festival in 1989. Born in 1856Virginia, he was the last generation born into slavery. I have been in "awe" all day beginning with the noon-day press conference spearheaded by Media Relations Director, Brian McLaughlin. 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. NOVEMBER 9-13, 2022THE CHELSEA FACTORY547 West 26th StNew York, NY 10001. I regret that I didnt see it then or a later Eclipse Theatre production. Her audience was very responsive. 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. 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. We were truly welcomed as minorities during the festival, which does have a small percentage of non-black theatergoers from Winston-Salem and nearby towns and cities. That's exactly how the opening day of the National Black. 2) Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be! These questions and more are examined by playwright Nissy Aya, poets Mahogany L. Browne and Diane Exavier, vocalist and librettist Joshua Banbury, and performance artist Nia Farrell. As a culmination to our Founder's Month 2022 celebration, we are excited to host an NBT@Home panel discussion that uplifts this seasons theme, A Ritual of Repair. Founded in 1989, the festival has become an integral part of the life of the city, and goes way beyond just the shows themselves - with free workshops, a film series . 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. And to the leaders and executive team of the North Carolina Black Repertory Theatre that host the NBTFhats tipped to Artistic Director, Jackie Alexander and Executive Director, Nigel Alston. We saw one other musical The Movement: An A Cappella Musical by LEAP, Artists LIVE! Drawn to the wonderment and joyful vibration, Amal will be led through the streets of Harlem down 126th Street to the entrance of Marcus Garvey Park on 120th Street. - Finally, all nine singers and actors performed a golden (gown) tribute to Aretha Franklin. 2022 Hours of Operation. 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. 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 . 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. Critically-acclaimed playwright James Ijames reinvents Shakespeares masterpiece with his new drama, FAT HAM. 1 0 obj Those were the productions that I saw last week during the Winston-Salem, NC National Black Theatre Festival. It wasnt unusual. National Black Theatre Festival. This season of work is exceptionally meaningful as NBTs return to in-person programming is forged out of a vision to amplify the needs of our community at this catalytic moment in time. The White House issued statements at first denying the dinner took place and later saying that the Roosevelt women had not been present. See photos of the cast! Shanee Karriem, of Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble, 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. Leslie Uggams, speaks after receiving the Sidney Poitier Lifelong Achievement 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. Corey McIlwaine (center), director with Carver High School's marching band, plays the sousaphone with Carlton Davis (front), assistant director, and student Tre Flectcher 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. Michael Colyar dancers with the performers 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. Margaret Avery and Chester Gregory, celebrity co-chairs, 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. Jashon Hampton, a recent graduate from Carver High School, plays with the marching band 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. D.D. We did wish for better sound engineering in setting the balance of band against vocals. THE NATIONAL BLACK THEATER FESTIVAL: Non-stop black theater at its best is on view all this week. Image courtesy Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. More than 50 celebrities can be expected to attend the Festival during its run. John Hauser Southern graciousness and easy conversations were shared everywhere. 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. 2019 National Black Theatre Festival July 29 - August 3 An International Celebration & Reunion of Spirit Danny Glover Jully Black is getting floods of support after receiving nasty hate mail from those who don't agree with her national anthem switch up during an NBA All-Star Game performance earlier this month . MOBILE UNITS SUMMER OF JOY will be a pop-up experience in New Yorks open spaces with three key community and performance elements. The Japanese Army forced young women, from occupied countries, Korea, China and Indonesia into sex slavery as so called Comfort Women. These crimes lasted from 1931 to 1945, where an estimated 200,000-400,000 women became forced prostitutes. A rousing concert tribute to soul music. Despite that caveat, Anne and Emmett is a stirring and interesting story. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. [6], The 2009 NBTF was held August 38, 2009, with celebrity co-chairs Ted Lange and Wendy Raquel Robinson. 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. % 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. Its theme was "An International Celebration and Reunion of Spirit". Established in 1989, the festival is a lifelong dream and manifestation of its founder, Larry Leon Hamlin, a.k,a. A five-man band was on stage, behind the seven musical performers. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the volunteers who eagerly shared hospitality and devoted countless hours to make this enormous event a success. Bus schedules will be available at NBTF hotel lobbies. His widow, Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, is executive producer of the NBTF and chair of the board of directors of the theater company. Each time I attend this great mecca, I walk away mesmerized. 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. Angelou served as the Festival's first chairperson, and other prominent African-American performers lent their professional and financial support. 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.