First Annual Black Theatre Symposium
January 08, 2014
The First Annual Black Theatre Symposium, sponsored by the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and the African Continuum Theatre Company, will be held in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on March 1, 2014
First Annual UMD Black Theatre Symposium to Galvanize DC’s Black Theatre Community on Saturday, March 1
College Park, MD — Performers, playwrights, designers and scholars from across the Washington region will converge at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center for a day-long dialogue intended to challenge assumptions about race and the future of Black theatre on Saturday, March 1, 2014. Hosted by the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) and the African Continuum Theatre Company, the First Annual Black Theatre Symposium will explore the topic through panel discussions, workshops and performances and is open to anyone interested in Black theatre.
The Symposium is organized by Scot Reese, professor of theatre performance in TDPS and Thembi Duncan, Artistic Director of the African Continuum Theatre Company, and alumnus of TDPS. The event will culminate with a series of short performances by the participating universities to showcase each school’s Black theatre experience.
Here is a story about the Black Theatre Symposium on The Writer's Bloc: http://umdwritersbloc.com/2015/02/27/preview-tdps-hosts-second-annual-black-theatre-symposium/. Senior theatre major Sisi Reid is quoted:
“The symposium is a great way to build a community from students who want to get out there and from professionals who are already working. It’s a bridge between those two communities. We get to learn from them and they can see what we are bringing to the table.”
Here is another story on The Writer's Bloc about the symposium: http://umdwritersbloc.com/2015/03/01/students-professionals-gather-to-discuss-elements-of-black-theatre/
Candace Feldman, associate producer of 651 Arts, is quoted on the sustainability of hip-hop theatre:
“I think, especially when you’re talking about black art being presented and produced, it’s really important who the voice is. I think as far as sustainability goes, I think about an age of generosity. Instead of organizations competing against one another for ticket sales and audiences, we put our strengths together and create a model where it moves around so it has better access to communities.”
About the Symposium
Provocative questions about Black theatre in our culture, its dominant voices and its role in the 21st century will be explored. Topics range from musical theatre to business and branding. Among the local higher learning institutions participating in the program are George Washington University, Howard University, The American University, Georgetown University and Montgomery College. A complete list of the Symposium’s sessions can be found here.
“This is one of the first times in my memory the community of Black theatre artists in DC has truly united its creative talent in a single space,” said Reese. “The Symposium is our chance to examine the gamut of Black theatre in this region and define its direction.”
Scot Reese is Professor of Theatre Performance at the University of Maryland. His focus is Black theatre, directing and musical theatre, and his theater credits include productions from Los Angeles to New York such as Bells are Ringing, Purlie, and the world premiere of Blues Journey at the Kennedy Center. In his role at UMD, Reese has directed such Black theatre performances as Am I Black Enough Yet?, In the Red and Brown Water and recently, African Continuum Theatre Company's benefit cabaret "J's Jook Joint," a modern-day twist on the historical "jook joint" experience.
About Thembe Duncan
Thembe Duncan is an actress, playwright and director who served as lead teaching artist at Ford's Theatre for the past four years. A 15-year veteran of the DC theater scene, Duncan was named producing artistic director of the Washington-based African Continuum Theatre Company last fall.
Duncan's focus at the African Continuum Theatre is on producing high-quality theatre that highlights the range of African-American voices. She also plans to develop strong education programming.
Duncan is a 2009 graduate of UMD who earned her BA in Theatre summa cum laude.
Registration is $35 (lunch is included) and is free for students. More ticket information can be found here.
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Located on the University of Maryland campus and a part of the College of Arts and Humanities, the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) is a dynamic community of artist-scholars who advance and transform the research and practice of their art forms. The School is committed to collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship. TDPS, the School of Music and Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library share a space within the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, a premier presenting arts venue and collaborative laboratory for professional artists, teachers and students, serving the university a