There is nothing in the world like the International Black Theatre Festival, held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and presented by the North Carolina (NC) Black Repertory Company. The biennial festival, formerly known as the Black Theatre Festival, ran July 27 to August 1 this year and was a who’s who of theater, as well as of TV and film, as Winston-Salem filled to capacity with celebrities everywhere. You had veteran thespians like Antonio Fargas, Jerome Preston Bates, Ralph Carter, Bernadette Stanis, Phylicia Rashad, and too many others to name in this beautiful city. For six days and nights, people could come together and attend over 100 theater productions by companies from all over the world.
Among the 16 companies represented were the North Carolina Black Repertory Company; BNS Productions; CDM Global Performers; Crossroads Theatre Company; Love Productions Records, Lucid Life, Inc.; New Federal Theatre; Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company; Pure Life Theatre Company; Echo Theater Company; Ensemble Theatre; Rayloc Group LLC; Robey Theatre Company; and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. Two New York-based companies were represented with productions: the New Federal Theatre with “Blooming in Dry Season” and Layon Gray American Theatre Company with “Searching for Willie Lynch.” A complete listing of the productions that were featured at the festival and details about all the offerings can be found at ncblackrep.org.
This year’s event was co-chaired by thespians Angela Robinson and Peter Parris. The energy throughout the entire festival was unbelievably friendly, supportive, encouraging, and uplifted the spirit to new heights.
The first VIP reception for the festival occurred on July 26 at Winston-Salem State University and it was magnificent. The room of celebrities included many theater greats, such as Broadway actress/producer LaChanze; Tony Award-winning actress Lillias White; Roscoe Orman; Jerome Preston Bates, Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre’s producing artistic director; Elizabeth Van Dyke, Broadway choreographer/director; Camille A. Brown; and NC Black Rep producing artistic director/IBTF executive producer, Jackie Alexander; and Brittany Giles-Jones, managing director of the NC Black Repertory Company, along with director Allie Woods and many others.
Many in the crowd had a great time catching up, doing the Electric Slide, and dancing to songs like “Poison.” Many attendees were adorned in the festival colors of purple and black. Everywhere you looked, groups of beautiful Black creatives were posing for pictures. Fargas took the time to speak with the AmNews and said that he has been there since the first festival in 1989. “I was here when it was Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Woodie King Jr.,” he said. “The lobby at the Marriott had August Wilson, Douglas Turner Ward, and Robert Hooks. This theater movement has been God-directed. Life is God-directed, we all have a purpose we are fulfilling. Larry Leon Hamlin fulfilled one, Robert fulfilled one, Woodie King Jr. fulfilled one. They gave us the shoulders to stand on and something to pass on to young artists.”
In addition to all of the theater that was offered, along with the public being able to participate in play readings, the festival was a “Marvtastic” time to come together as a community, hear our stories as only we can tell them, hear new works, and just take a moment to breathe and rejuvenate your spirit and soul, basking in the warm of the Black Theater company and our accomplishments. The festival reinfused our connection to each other in such a beautiful way that you couldn’t help but to be inspired. Black Theater companies coming together like this is such an amazing occasion. It is truly something that you should plan to experience in the future. Theater certainly feeds the soul, and the festival definitely will satisfy and exceed your highest expectations.
What has always been a phenomenal component of this festival is the fact that we honor our own! We give our community their flowers now! This year’s honorees at the opening night gala on July 27 at the Benton Convention Center included Phylicia Rashad, Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award; Wren T. Brown, Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award; Angelica Cheri, August Wilson Playwright Award; and Patricia McGregor, Lloyd Richards Director Award (NYTW). Living Legend Awards were presented to Walter Borden, Judyann Elder, Linda Twine, and Otis C. Williams. Outstanding achievement awards were for costume design, Dede Ayite; lighting design, Erica Lauren Maholmes; scenic design, Timothy J. Jones; stage management, Renee B. Sorrell. The Woodie King Jr. Theatre Longevity Award went to the M Ensemble Company; Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award, Tracie E. Morrison; and Tonya Pinkins Legacy Award, Alphonso Walker Jr. Special recognition awards were presented to Camille A. Brown, Christina Soriano, Elizabeth Van Dyke, and myself — Linda Armstrong. Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist Awards were presented to Noel Desire Best, Brandon Criswell, Karisma Dunn, Chadota Idda, Chelsea Gabrielle Rose, Rain Spiegel Johnson, and Autume Blair Carter.
To honor the late Woodie King Jr., the festival held a reading of his favorite play, “The Trial of one short sighted black woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae,” on Tuesday evening. The festival also honored King with an award: His widow, Elizabeth Van Dyke, presented the Woodie King Jr. Theatre Longevity Award at the opening night gala. King touched so many lives over his decades in theater. He was passionate about theater and his support of those in the business.
Levy Lee Simon, an actor/playwright, was glad to share one of his Woodie stories. “It was 2002. The Robey Theatre was producing the second play in my Haitian trilogy, ‘For the Love of Freedom — Dessalines, Blood, and Liberation.’ We were in the middle of the run when I walked up to the theater that night and saw Woodie King Jr. standing in the front. I was surprised to see Woodie because I had not seen him in a few years. I’d been out of NYC for about five years, in grad school and teaching in Iowa. We greeted each other as Black men do, with lots of love and respect. He said, ‘Man, I know you as an actor. I had to come and see what this writing was all about.’ I was stunned, but honored that the great Woodie King came to see my play. Afterward, he gave me my props and approval for my writing. Again, I was honored because his opinion meant everything to me. I invited him to come and eat with the cast and he said, ‘Oh, no, I have to get to LAX.’ It was something about the way he said it. What do you mean, Woodie? ‘I just flew out to see the play.’ I was speechless. Floored. Breathless. Yeah. That was Woodie.”
