The rich tradition and current state of Black Theatre is explored in this content, including discussions analyzing contemporary work and pieces honoring trailblazers. Consider starting with the Daughters of Lorraine podcast, the Journal series on the state of Black theatre, or the Journal series on Black women in the performing arts.
The Latest
Essay
Black Survival and Cyclical Fate in Hang Time
by Ciaran Short
4 June 2026
Video
Healing and Health: One Love Method Grounding Practices
A Racial-Justice Theatre Healing Session
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Podcast
LOUD Queer Youth Theatre: Sustaining Youth-Led, Adult-Supported Arts Community
by Nicolas Shannon Savard, Keyshia Pearl, Roney Jones
Centering the voices of Black leaders in theatre with the National Institute for Directing & Ensemble Creation
Thursday 8 October 2020
United States
The National Institute for Directing & Ensemble Creation presented a Black Directors Roundtable livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 8 October 2020 at 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
Join us for a conversation about curating, producing and presenting theatre and performance in the Time of Corona
Thursday 8 October 2020
United States
The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center presented Segal Talks with Sade Lythcott (NYC) livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 8 October 2020 at 9 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 11 a.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 12 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4) / 17:00 BST (London, UTC +1) / 18:00 CEST (Berlin, UTC +2).
Daughters of Lorraine Podcast hosts Jordan Ealey and Leticia Ridley interview actress Renea Brown on the interactions between Black theatre and Shakespeare, as well as her experience as a Black Shakespearean performer.
Artists, activists, and the New Orleans Police Monitor reflect on the life of Yvonne Bechet and using stories to build social movements
Monday 5 October 2020
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Yvonne Bechet Theatre Project presented a panel discussing issues raised in the play Black and Blue livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 5 October at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
Dr. Ayshia E. Stephenson revisits the 2016 Signature Theatre production of The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World, which she believes stands as a testament to why Black theatre matters and is essential to resisting white supremacy.
Inspired by the real life and impact of Yvonne Bechet, who served as one of New Orleans’ first Black female police officers
Saturday 3 October 2020
United States
The Yvonne Bechet Theatre Project presented a reading of Black and Blue, a full-length play, livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 3 October at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
Highlighting writers who have been censored and cut from the theatrical canon due to America's racial prejudices
Thursday 1 October and Friday 2 October 2020
United States
The Dramatists Guild Legal Defense Fund (DLDF) and The Dramatists Guild Political Engagement Initiative presented Banned Together 2020 livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 1 October and Friday 2 October 2020 at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
Presented by The Oaks Collective in collaboration with Regina Taylor. Short plays and conversation exploring the African-American community's relationship with the political process.
Thursday 1 October 2020
USA
The Oaks Collective presented the livestreamed of Regina Taylor's VOTE! event — which included short plays and conversation exploring the African-American community's relationship with the political process.
Part One: The History of Black Women as Political Drivers ft. Shola Lynch, Candice Hoyes, and Val Jeanty
Thursday 1 October 2020
United States
NBT @ HOME presented an "Unbought & Unbossed" Conversation livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 1 October at 3 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
with LA Writers Center's "Breathe" online play reading series
Saturday 26 September 2020
United States
LA Writers Center presented a reading of Strange Fruit: Part II by Jon Bastian as a part of their "Breathe" online play reading series livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 26 September 2020 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
A series by Seattle Rep that brings artists and community leaders together
Thursday 24 September 2020
United States
Seattle Rep presented (Re)Imagine Black Theater livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 24 September 2020 at 5 p.m. PDT (Seattle, UTC-7) / 6 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC-6) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 8 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
In this episode of the Daughters of Lorraine Podcast, hosts Jordan Ealey and Leticia Ridley discuss "What is a Black musical?" using James Baldwin's Amen Corner and Angelica Chéri's Gun and Powder.
Re-imagining performances originally created for Re-Fest 2020, CultureHub’s annual festival that brings together artists, technologists, and activists
Saturday 19 September 2020
Los Angeles, California
CultureHub LA presented a performance Re-Re-Generation livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 19 September 2020 at 7 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles, UTC -7) / 9 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 10 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
A virtual dance party with conversation in collaboration with theatre-maker and emcee Psalmayene 24
Friday 18 September
United States
Studio Theatre presented Psalm's Salons at Studio livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 18 September at 2 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 4 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 5 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
Samantha shares her #DeafWoke journey as a Black Hard of Hearing woman and professional dancer
Thursday 17 September 2020
United States
Urban Jazz Dance Company presented #DeafWoke: An Evening w/ Samantha Figgins livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 17 September 2020 at 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
A Cultural Equity Learning Community panel featuring: Sadada Jackson, Martin Henson, Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, and Michael Bobbit, with music by Precious Perez
Thursday 10 September 2020
United States
The Cultural Equity Learning Community (CELC), an initiative of Arts Connect International, presented To the arts & beyond: What does it mean to support Black Lives Matter?which livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 10 September 2020 at 3 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
A brief performance followed by a conversation about the resonance of Lockdown, a work by Cori Thomas launched at the O’Neill
Wednesday 9 September 2020
United States
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center presented Plays to Progress with Cori Thomas livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Wednesday 9 September at 3 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 5 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 6 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
The Daughters of Lorraine Podcast returns for another episode where hosts Jordan Ealey and Leticia Ridely discuss Lorraine Hansberry's life, legacy, and other works of theatre and literature.
A Celebration of Black Joy presented by LA Commons and the Leimert Park Art Walk
Sunday 30 August 2020
Los Angeles, California
LA Commons presented the 10th Annual Leimert Park Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 30 August 2020 at 2 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles, UTC-7) / 4 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 5 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
with LA Writers Center's "Breathe" online play reading series
Saturday 29 August 2020
United States
LA Writers Center presented a reading of Strange Fruit by Jon Bastian as a part of their "Breathe" online play reading series livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv beginning Saturday 29 August 2020 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
Holly Derr interviews Lavina Jadhwani about the document she created called Dismantling Anti-Black Linguistic Racism in Theatre, which offers several examples of potentially anti-Black language, such as Ethiopian, master, and minstrel; their use in Shakespeare; why they might be problematic; and possible substitutions.
Seattle-based Jasmine Mahmoud talks to New York–based Autumn Knight about Knight’s recent performance Our Water is Melted Snow, geography and audiences, and staging and presence across screens.
Teresa Coleman Wash reflects on how the current state of affairs has fueled an urgency to interrogate all systems of oppression and argues that it’s past time to stop holding Eurocentric theatres up as the pinnacle of success.
A conversation with National Black Theatre's creative team to talk about current events, uplift the legacy of NBT, reflect on Founder’s Month programming, and share visions for the future
Thursday 16 July 2020
Harlem NY United States
National Black Theatre presented The Downloadlivestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 16 July 2020 at 11:30 a.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC -10) / 1:30 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8) / 2:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 4:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 5:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).
Ashley Teague, in partnership with Carlos Sirah, Arielle Julia Brown, Mauricio Tafur Salgado, and Yazmany Arboleda, talk about their eight-year durational, grassroots engagement with the Black community of the Arkansas Delta, Remember2019.
