2023 SEASON
Join us this summer for our 3rd Annual Season as we present 6 new productions
June 22-25 in Detroit, and streaming online.
THE MAIN STAGE
the Boll Family Theatre, 1401 Broadway, Detroit, MI 48226
Thursday, June 22, 7PM
Friday, June 23. 2PM
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Written by
Cris Eli Black
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Directed by
K. Edmonds
THE
UNDERGROUND COLOR WHEEL
In The Underground Color Wheel, we follow the twenty-year journey of painter Ivory Nichols. Despite coming from humble beginnings, Ivory doesn't dream of being a good artist, he dreams of being a great artist. As his success grows and he begins to see his biggest dreams coming true, he finds the support of his "Ebony Mona Lisa," Ashlyn, his best friend, Enzo, and his assistant, Lorelei. As time goes by and the pressures of success weigh heavier, the line between his art and his life begin to blur, putting everything on the line.
COLOR BLIND
Can two women of different races ever be true BFFs? The strength of a 20-year friendship is tested when Angie, who is White, discovers that she and Leslie, who is Black are related. It's a fact that Angie views as another bond, but which Leslie begins to resent. Angie's cluelessness and Leslie's ability to forgive begin to help the relationship heal, but when their children become involved the gulf widens with one woman seeing a way to solidify their friendship and the other viewing it as a repeat of a sordid history.
Friday, June 23, 8PM
Sunday, June 25, 1PM
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Written by
Melanie Payne
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Directed by
Billicia Hines
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Saturday, June 24, 2PM
Sunday, June 25, 5PM
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Written by
April Amara
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Directed by
Asia Mark
(title pending)
Alive! Theatre, a small, black theatre company in Poughkeepsie, New York, is deep in the rehearsal process for a historically lauded American Classic, Only Two are Invited to Dinner. Suddenly, they receive word that the estate of the play’s legendary playwright has revoked their rights to the script after witnessing what they believe to be “a misunderstanding of authorial intent” by having an all-black cast. To save the already flailing company, artistic director Tommy enlists the help of world-renowned famous playwright, Marcel Lamareaux, to premiere his new play at Alive!, launching the theatre (and its actors) into stardom. But everything comes to head when Marcel sustains a possibly life-threatening injury in the midst of a tense workshop process and the company is left to decide how to proceed. Do they call an ambulance to save his life, damning the company in the process? Or can they come together to find a way to ensure all their big plans come to fruition… with or without Marcel Lamareaux?
and god made man
"and god made man" is an exploration of Black masculinity, and the harmful interaction which rigid gender performativity has not only on the men who subscribe to it, but those whose bodies are caught in the crossfire. In the play, 2 men (Caesar and Antony) find themselves married to the same woman; as a solution, they decide to take turns “being the husband,” exploring what it means to be a man along the way, elucidating their relationships with their “wife,” the world, and each other.
Saturday, June 24, 8PM
Sunday, June 25, 3PM
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Written by
Kay Kemp
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Directed by
Asia Hicks
THE MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWCASE
the Detroit Opera House (Chrysler Black Box) 1526 Broadway, Detroit, MI 48226
Friday, June 23, 5:30PM
Saturday, June 24, 4:30PM
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Written by
Germono Toussaint
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Directed by
Rueben Echoles
THE LAST GATEKEEPER
The Last Gatekeeper is an extended-reality enhanced, Afro-futurist, musical theater experience, inspired by the teachings of West African shaman and scholar Malidoma Patrice Somé. The term Gatekeeper refers to the indigenous belief that those who express themselves as same-gender loving (SGL) maintain the portals between the physical and spiritual worlds. They are guardians who restore balance and harmony when there is a crisis in the community. The story is set in a capital city 50 years after the apocalypse. As engagement with the ancestor realm dwindles on earth, the gates between the physical and spiritual worlds begin to close, which causes catastrophic natural disasters. Guided by Adisa and his ancestor spirits, Soku moves towards embracing his true nature, which gives him the power to re-open the gates, overthrow The Administration, and restore balance to the world.
THE OBSIDIAN CABARET
Cliff Bell's, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, MI 48226
BACK TO BLACK:
an obsidian cabaret
Back to Black: An Obsidian Cabaret
The 3rd Annual Obsidian Theatre Festival kicks off this season with a one-night only Cabaret on Opening night.Detroit Native and Award winning Poet, Ben Will teams up with Broadway star Lulu Fall and other local artists to present a fun and intimate evening of music.Don’t miss this special night filled with hits from the best of Broadway’s Black writers and musicians.
Music Direction by Brian E. Buckner
Thursday, June 22, 9PM