WS Chronicle

The City of Winston-Salem has officially been transformed into Black Theatre Holy Ground, as thousands of people from across the world descend upon the the City of Arts and Innovation for the 2024 International Black Theatre Festival. 

Founded by the late Larry Leon Hamlin, The National Black Theatre Festival debuted in1989 as a celebration of African American theater and those who continue to push the culture forward. The festival was started as an international outreach program, and the new name reflects Hamlin’s vision of bringing Black actors, writers, directors and others with invested interest in Black theater from across the world, together. 

Although the name has changed, the mission remains the same. 

This year’s festival, held July 29 – Aug. 3, features more than 120 theatrical productions with a variety of new works, premieres and Black classics. If the on-stage productions aren’t for you, other popular events like the International Vendors Market, Film Fest, Midnight Poetry, International Colloquium, the National Youth Talent Showcase, TeenTastic and several others will be returning this year, along with a few new attractions. Throughout the week there will also be several free workshops, seminars, open discussions, and other events designed to celebrate Black theatre and Black culture. 

The festival officially began with the Opening Night Gala held at the Benton Convention Center on Monday. The star-studded event is always a highlight of the festival. It gives locals and tourists a chance to rub elbows with stars they’ve only seen on TV and in movie theaters, and some of the biggest names in the industry who work behind the scenes. 

On the evening of the Gala, Carver High School Marching Band welcomed guests as they entered The Benton. After dinner, guests left their tables and lined the middle aisle to get a good view of the procession of stars led by African drummers and performers Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble and festival celebrity co-chairs Tamara Tunie and Clifton Davis.  

The gala doubles as an awards ceremony where actors, playwrights, directors, and other creatives are celebrated for their contributions to preserving Black theater. Following the welcome and greeting from Tunie and Davis, city officials and others, the awards ceremony officially got underway. 

Over a dozen different awards were presented during the ceremony including the Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented to actor, producer and activist Robert Hooks. Although most people probably know him for his work as an actor, those in the theatre world celebrate Hooks as one of the founders of The Negro Ensemble Company, which helped launch the career of hundreds of Black artists. 

Others award winners were: Living Legend Award, Larry Marshall; Theatre Arts & Humanitarian Award, Lynda Blackmon; Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award, Mark Clayton Southers; Sylvia Sprinkle Hamlin Rolling Award, Eljon Wardally; August Wilson Playwright Award, Marcus Gardley; Lloyd Richards Director Award, Liza Mitchell; Outsanding Achievement Stage Management, Lisa Dawn Cave; Outstanding Achievement Costume Design, Mylette Nora; Outstanding Achievement Lighting Design, Jason Lynch; Theatre Company Longevity Award, Ricardo Kahn and Crossroads Theatre. 

Special Recognition Awards were presented to Alton Fitzgerald White, Stanley Wayne Mathis, Erica Ja-Ki, and Teresa Eyring. 

Following the awards ceremony, the New Heritage Theatre Group performed the stage play “Love Warrior,” which highlights the power of the human spirit to triumph over immeasurable trauma through intimate stories, poetry, song, dance, and multi-character transformation.  

As the crowd made their way out of the Benton Convention Center on Monday night, several smaller groups could still be heard discussing the stars they recognized during the gala. Stephanie Joyner from High Point, who is attending her first festival, said the Gala had her excited about the rest of the week. “I’ve heard about the festival but never had a chance to come, so I’m very excited. It’s only been one day; but it’s been an amazing experience,” Joyner said. 

When discussing the festival, celebrity co-chair Tamara Tunie, who first gained an international following in the role of medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner with 23 seasons on Dick Wolf’s legendary NBC series “Law and Order: SVU,” referred to the biennial event as a “Reunion of Spirit.” 

“This is one of the most significant events in Black theater,” Tunie said. 

For more information on the International Black Theatre Festival, including a list of productions and scheduled events throughout the week, visit https://ncblackrep.org/international-black-theatre-festival/ or download the International Black Theatre Festival app from Apple App Store or Google Play.