Center Theatre Group News & Blogs

Meet Playwrights Aja Houston and Rosie Narasaki

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:27:00 -0800

Q: If someone were to write a back-of-the-book bio about you what would it say?
Rosie Narasaki (she/her): I think I'd want to be one of those very mysterious people that had no biographical details in their bio, and it would be something like “Rosie lives in the woods with her shih tzu.'' I don’t live in the woods, but I do have a shih tzu!
Aja Houston (she/her): Aja is a very eccentric, nomadic playwright from Everywhere, USA who wishes that in another life she could be Kendra the Vampire Slayer meets She-Ra (the OG 80’s version) meets the Yellow and Green Power Rangers.
Rosie: I loved the Pink Power Ranger. But I wish I could honestly say I liked the Yellow Power Ranger, because I’m pretty sure in whichever iteration of the Power Rangers I was watching, she was Asian, but I like pink a lot and I probably had some internalized racism going on.
Aja: I think you shouldn't feel like you have to necessarily dig the character of your cultural identification. They’re like, “Look, we've given you this fictional character…this is a Latinx, Asian, Black character, aren’t they cool? You should love them because they look like you!” Just because they look like me doesn’t mean I have to vibe with them because obviously each culture is not a monolith.

Q: On the topic of representation, both of your plays are focusing on aspects of identity. How do you navigate wanting to write for your communities but knowing you can’t write for everyone?
Aja: I don’t necessarily feel any pressure that I have to write for the entire Black community because like I just said, we're not a monolith. There’s so much beauty and freedom in that. I tell Black stories, but I am not telling every Black person’s story. I don’t have any delusions that everyone in my community will see my work and go, “Yes, I identify with that,” and that's cool. Because I don’t necessarily respond to or identify with other Black plays that I see. However, I can still appreciate it as a piece of dramatic art. It's just maybe not an experience that I know, and that’s fine! I don’t write from a place of “I need to write to represent everyone from my community” because it’s simply not conducive to my artistic process. I write from a place of “This is a story I would love and need to tell.”
Rosie: I feel similarly. This is corny but it's true: there's universality in specificity. So, I can’t be trying to write something that’s going to please a whole community that’s not even monolithic. Experiences are going to be different for everyone.

Q: How has living in Los Angeles affected you as a person and your craft as an artist?
Rosie: I’m pretty much an L.A. native. I’ve lived here since I was three. I grew up on the west side in Venice and Santa Monica and I still live here now. It’s affected me in a lot of ways. The theatre community here is scrappy. And that’s what I was raised on, seeing things in a Black boxes, mainly 99-seat theaters in L.A. and that has really shaped my view on what you can do with however little money. I also saw shows at Center Theatre Group growing up.
Aja: I wasn't joking when I said in my bio earlier that I am from Everywhere, USA. Wherever my mother is, is home. I was born in Vegas, but I grew up in Oklahoma City, Rochester, New York, Madison, and New Jersey. My mom was actually born and raised in South Central L.A. so I did live here for a little while as a kid. I came back to L.A. from New York City in 2016 for grad school. New York’s really cold and it's really busy in a Battle Royale kind of way and I was tired of not being able to get enough sun on my skin. So, there’s something about being here, I don’t know if it's like the vitamin D, but I feel happier and freer to actually explore more in my work.

Q: What is your relationship with Center Theatre Group?
Rosie: When my parents first moved to Los Angeles, they were understudies on a show at the Mark Taper Forum. They didn’t want to get a babysitter so they asked if they would be allowed to bring me to the shows. So, they would bring me, and I would take a nap on the Equity cot in the dressing room. But every night, my mom would wake me up because I wanted to watch my favorite scene which was the scene where one of the actresses would dance with scarves. It was the play The Waiting Room by Lisa Loomer. The character had died, and was taking her foot bindings off and she was doing a dance with the scarves from her feet. I loved it, so I made my mom wake me up every night to watch it. I think I was four. And then I went as that character for Halloween! That’s the first play I remember seeing and it influences me still.
I also acted in The Last Firefly (A Kabuki Fable) produced by Artists at Play as part of CTG’s Library Play Reading series. That was so much fun because it was a story written like an original folktale by Naomi Iizuka. And that’s kind of inspiring me as I write my piece because I love that play a lot.

The cast of 'The Last Firefly (A Kabuki Fable).'

Aja: When I was going to USC for grad school, a way for me to see free theatre, being a broke student and all, was to write reviews for the Annenberg media website. I went and reviewed plays such as Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by August Wilson, Good Grief by Ngozi Anyanwu, and Lackawanna Blues by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. But Head of Passes by Tarell Alvin McCraney, with Phylicia Rashad, was the best production I ever saw at CTG. She was transcendent—and I did start as an actor, so just watching her act was a master class. She’s a beast.
Then, when I got the opportunity to come on as a teaching artist, I jumped on it. I love teaching, especially teaching writing. I love the opportunity to work with CTG along with Jesus—he’s awesome. Having people take their personal stories and create monologues or short plays has been an amazing journey—just witnessing people, from high school students to adults twenty-one and over, gain the confidence to be brave with their work as writers. It’s been a pleasure.

Q: What inspires your writing?
Rosie: I’ve always really loved romantic comedies. The community play might have some elements of that. I love seeing people be people, misunderstandings, trying to figure out why people do things, and what it means—that drives a lot of my writing. I’m also learning now that I love historical fiction and history, so that’s been something I’ve been exploring too. Also, my parents both inspire my writing a lot because I grew up watching them. They’re both actors and my father’s a playwright and his writing directly inspired me too.
Aja: Nothing that I write is a throwaway. I always write to really explore certain themes and issues within the Black community. However, I don’t write “issue” plays. My stories are about the very human things of love, loss, and struggle. But by the very fact Black bodies are politicized in this country, the very fact that I am asserting our humanity, race will always be intrinsic to my work.
I always start with “What do I want to talk about? What do I want to explore?” and then I think about how to approach it using my magical realism aesthetic as a writer. It always has to be a bit left of center. How do I want to come at this in a different way? I do explore a lot of different themes such as Black love. Black love is very revolutionary when it comes to the arts and media representation of it. All love is complex, but to really see a loving relationship flaws and all between two Black people is so beautiful and needs to be seen more.
I've explored the sanctity of life especially in regards to state-sanctioned violence against Black people and how our right to live should not be a political thing. It's a very human thing of “We deserve to live, and it is our right to live full stop.” It shouldn’t be politics, right? That's always what hurts me the most, the fact that is even a question.
That’s why I want my writing to make you extremely uncomfortable. If I explore certain themes, such as state-sanctioned racial violence, I want you to actually be challenged and continue thinking about it and what needs to be done. I don’t want to let anyone off the hook with a kumbaya moment at the end of the play that hasn’t been earned by our society.

Q: Anything else you want to share with us?
Rosie: I’m excited to be working on this project and I’m excited to show it to people!
Aja: I feel the same. I’m excited, and it's going to be great.

The Magic of 'A Christmas Carol' Lives On

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 12:14:00 -0800

From musicals to stage plays to miniseries and films, adaptations of A Christmas Carol continue to be produced, performed, and patronized. During Christmastime, homes are decorated, specialty dishes are made, carolers sing, photos are taken with Santa, gifts are purchased, and A Christmas Carol is enjoyed. Charles Dickens’ classic story of a community’s hope and one man’s redemption, remain at the heart of the holiday.

A Christmas Carol, a story about the miserable Ebenezer Scrooge, was first published in London in on 1843 by Chapman & Hall. Dickens, already a well-established author at the time, was said to be inspired to write this story after a visit to the Field Lane Ragged School, one of several establishments for London’s homeless children. A Christmas Carol became an instant hit, selling out just four days after hitting bookstore shelves. It’s a tale that has been remixed and remastered more times than one can count, but continues to be a fan favorite celebrating the true meaning of the Christmas season.

From film adaptations like Marley’s Ghost, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooged, and The Man Who Invented Christmas, the story of a miserable old man who believes Christmas is a “hum-bug,” before encountering three ghosts who change his life, continues to enchant audiences across the globe on screen and stage. This beloved narrative, most especially, has had decades long staying power in the theater. By 1844, just a year after the book was published, dramatizations of A Christmas Carol began to appear on the London stage. One of them, A Christmas Carol, Or Past Present and Future, even received a personal endorsement by Dickens himself. By the 19^th century, yet another adaptation would take root and quickly become an audience favorite. John Copeland Buckstone premiered Scrooge at London's Vaudeville Theatre in October 1901. The play was adored by many and became the inspiration behind the first film iteration of the classic story. R.W. Paul’s film Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost, was the earliest known film adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

One of the most famous stage adaptations of A Christmas Carol, was a musical adaptation by American composer, Alan Menken. The musical played at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden, from 1994 to 2003. Fresh off of his Academy Award wins for Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, Menken was given freedom to assemble a dream team of collaborators to work with on this project. His team included choreographer Susan Stroman, late British stage director Mike Ockrent, and Tony-nominated Once on This Island lyricist Lynn Ahrens. During the ten years at the Garden, a host of luminaries played Scrooge, including Terrence Mann, Tony Randall, Hal Linden, Roddy McDowall, F. Murray Abraham, Frank Langella, Tim Curry, Tony Roberts, Roger Daltrey, Jim Dale, and the full cast featured over 100 performers. This production also inspired a television film adaptation of the same name that premiered on the NBC television network in 2004. The production had its London debut in 2013, and subsequently held a concert at the London Musical Theatre Orchestra.

Tony-winning playwright, Jack Thorne’s (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) 2017 adaptation is the most recent commercially produced iteration of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. The Tony Award®-winning production, originally conceived and directed by Matthew Warchus, now creates a new holiday tradition for families around the globe. Thorne’s adaptation premiered at the Old Vic in London in November 2017 for a limited run, and returned during the holiday seasons in 2018 and 2019. Following its success in London, the play made its Broadway debut at the Lyceum Theatre in November 2019. The production won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Adaptation and recently took home five 2020 Tony Awards including, Best Original Score (Christopher Nightingale), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Rob Howell), Best Costume Design of a Play (Rob Howell), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Hugh Vanstone), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Simon Baker). Now in 2021,

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 12:14:00 -0800

Jack Thorne’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol is staged unlike any other version of this story before it. The critically acclaimed, Tony Award®-winning production, originally conceived and directed by Matthew Warchus, is as beautiful and enchanting as you would expect a holiday extravaganza to be. Warchus wanted to transform this iteration of A Christmas Carol into an opulent immersive experience. This traditional story comes to life with Rob Howell’s shadowy set and costume designs, and from the first ring of the handbell woven delicately into the music composition created by Christopher Nightingale and accentuated by Simon Baker’s illustrious sound design to the orange hues bursting from multiple small lanterns hung across the ceiling fashioned by lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone, this production of a beloved holiday tale has taken on an identity and dark beauty of its own.

When one imagines the perfect Christmas story, lights and music are abundant and finely intertwined. Both Nightingale and Vanstone worked together with Warchus to create a version of this production that was both opulent and true to its legacy, yet particularly minimalistic and unconventional. “Scrooge doesn’t even have a bed,” Vanstone says of the set’s more stripped-down nature. Vanstone, who builds lighting design concepts after reading a script, was able to create an atmosphere with lights in order to compensate for what needed to be pulled away from Howell’s creatively bare set design. “We all know Scrooge is a dark story, because it's about confronting your demons. Matthew had said at the very beginning that we've got to bear that in mind,” he explains. “And of course, he wanted also to delineate the three ghosts, and for them to have different worlds. Immediately, it's a story from dark to light.” This production’s array of colors used in Vanstone’s lighting design serves the eyes luxury and grandeur that enhances a rather dark stage. “For the scene with the Fezziwigs, it's all about warmth and open-hearted behavior. When something is warm and makes you feel good, then I create a warm, softer light from a firelight angle,” Vanstone explains of his design. “Then when Marley arrives, that's full-on horror story. It’s your worst nightmare. I created more of that cold, green-y blue that makes people think of misery, dank, and nasty places.”

Vanstone has a long history with A Christmas Carol that goes far beyond this production. He developed lighting inspiration for this play from A Christmas Carol pop-up book he read as a child, and rediscovered when he first received the call for this project. “All these scenes came out of the page. I can't tell you how atmospheric that book is. The memory of that [book] and getting it out again was a big influence,” he expressed. Vanstone also worked on, and drew inspiration from a production of Scrooge: The Musical, written by Leslie Bricusse. “That one had lots of magic effects, and flying in it, and all sorts of stuff. But I had a trial run with that one. In a way, I was saying, ‘Well, it's not that one. So, what's the simplest version of it I can create.’" Though Vanstone designed a more pulled back version of that 1992 musical, this production’s lighting design is anything but simple.

In the case of Nightingale, he created most of the score during the play’s early developmental process and then fine-tuned the music during the show’s rehearsal period. “In the first readthroughs you get a flavor of a production and a smell of it and how stylistically it should sound,” he said. “Early on I knew I wanted the score to sound like very old-fashioned chamber music and have a folk element, which is why the orchestration includes a piano, a violin, a clarinet, and a cello.” He does admit it did get quite complicated to create music for the more emotional parts of this play. “The hardest bit [to create] was the big scene in the second act, when Scrooge and his coffin come on, and he goes to the Ghost of Christmas Future and sees his destiny and what's going to become of him if he carries on the way he is,” he details. “Bob comes up to the coffin and Belle comes up and they all talk so sadly about him and he suddenly realizes what is happening. And then young Ebenezer jumps on the coffin and there's a scene where he looks at Scrooge and looks at what he could have been. It’s a very complex scene and I found that it was quite daunting to write and particularly scary, because, I didn’t want to screw up such beautiful writing.” Though both men admittingly found it to be a task to create a new experience for a legendary holiday show, under the direction of Warchus, this production swept the play design categories at the 74th Annual Tony Awards. A Christmas Carol won five awards including, Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design, and that is no Christmas miracle.

Meet Gregg Daniel of 'The Duat'

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 13:35:00 -0700

Actor Gregg Daniel (HBO’s Insecure) currently appears in The Duat by playwright Roger Q. Mason and director Taibi Magar as part of our series Not a Moment, But a Movement, in collaboration with Watts Village Theater Company and The Fire This Time Festival.

Filmed live at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and available on demand through August 12, 2021, The Duat follows Cornelius Johnson (Daniel), a former FBI COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program) informant as he awakens in the Egyptian afterlife. While he awaits judgement, Cornelius struggles to come to terms with his family history and his own troubling role in the civil rights movement at UCLA in the late 60s.

Daniel is no stranger to the stage or Center Theatre Group, having been part of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone at the Mark Taper Forum in 2013 and appeared in works with South Coast Repertory, Pasadena Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, among others. He spoke with us about his work on The Duat, working on a Digital Stage production, and the impact of Not a Moment, But a Movement.

Q: How would you describe this new play by Roger Q. Mason?

“The Duat is a story of reconciliation and redemption. The character I play, Cornelius Johnson, has effectively died and entered a realm (the Duat) where he is to be judged for actions taken while living. The caveat being, Cornelius must first confess his culpability in an act which left two Black men dead. The humanity in Roger’s story emanates from the fact that Cornelius must reconcile with himself, first and foremost. The deity who is to judge Cornelius is just a backdrop to a man who must face his own weaknesses and admit his shortcomings. It’s in offering his confession that Cornelius might discover his own self-worth and achieve redemption.”

Q: How did you first become involved with this production?

“I’ve known Center Theatre Group’s Associate Artistic Director Tyrone Davis for a number of years. And I’ve seen Roger’s work at L.A. theatres for some time. The two gentlemen approached me about working on The Duat. I was stunned by its honesty, intelligence, and use of rhythm in the language. However, I was very hesitant about doing a solo performance piece (with choreography no less.) Both Roger and Tyrone were extremely patient and supportive. They allayed my doubts regarding my ability to access this character. Calling it a solo piece is bit of a misnomer since I’m working onstage with a very versatile and talented percussionist, David Leach. The project turned out to be one of the most gratifying artistic experiences I’ve had all year. I continue to thank Roger and Tyrone for trusting me.”

Q: Are there elements of The Duat that personally resonate with you?

“I’m a child of the sixties. I recall the excitement of the Black Power Movement as well the danger inherent in raising our collective voices in protest. Like so many Black Youth, I wanted to be somebody while society at large wanted to deny me my humanity. Cornelius Johnson made decisions based on an overwhelming need to belong. I, too, wanted to belong when I was coming of age, however, in a racist society that sees Black men as a constant threat, how does one achieve a place of safety and self-worth? Ironically, I don’t believe my struggle in the 1960s was any different from the struggles faced by men and women of color today. The times have changed, but the struggle continues.

“I think my biggest takeaway was understanding that the act of forgiveness is not only fulfilled when we seek it from others, but the greatest hurdle to self-acceptance is also being able to forgive oneself.”

Q: What was your experience filming a project for our Digital Stage any different than working on film and television?

“The Duat is created to be a solo performance piece, which was something I’ve never done before on stage, film, or television. I admire performers who do solo work but didn’t think I’d be joining those ranks. I was pleasantly surprised at how elated I was to be on a stage again. The kinetic energy a performer creates on a stage or in front of a camera is revelatory. What made it a fulfilling experience was feeling the attention, support, and energy of everyone in the theatre. It might not be something an actor notices in a larger ensemble cast, however when you’re alone on stage you feel the quality of attention and detail from everyone and everything around you.

“While we may title it Digital Theatre, I see it as the best of what both stage and screen can offer. Like a stage play, we rehearsed the material for weeks, collaborated with a director, designers, etc. What was interesting and unique was bringing in a knowledgeable production team to capture the intimacy of the stage with multiple cameras.”

Q: Can you talk about Not a Moment, But a Movement and how it resonates for you as a performer?

“I’m grateful that being a participant allowed me to be exposed to a generation of BIPOC artists that are very different from the ones I came of age with. There are generational differences between me and many of the performers who have thus far graced the program. Learning about these artists, their stories, their struggles, and absorbing how they shape their art is hugely stimulating. I dare say I admire each one and learned much from them.”

Q: What was it like for you as an artist throughout this pandemic? How have you been holding up?

“I’m the Artistic Director of an L.A.-based theatre company, Lower Depth Theatre (LDT).Throughout the pandemic, LDT worked hard to find ways to curate new programming, engage a multitude of creative artists (playwrights, directors, actors), and reach an audience who might not have attended one of our productions physically but could attend our work virtually. In other words, I kept busy. Once we accepted what the obstacles were to live theatre because of shutting our doors, the only solution was to find alternative ways to create new platforms in which to share our art. Yes,I regret losing work as many creative artists did, however, the down time did afford me a chance to reflect on what I do, why I do it and the urgency to keep doing it.”

Rediscovering Los Angeles with '32 ACRES–a soundwalk'

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 11:51:00 -0700

After a year and a half of our theatres being dark, we’re slowly transitioning back to live performances. For Marike Splint and Center Theatre Group, that transition involves a pair of your best headphones, a specially designed mobile app, and a trip to Los Angeles State Historic Park. 32 ACRES–a soundwalk for the Los Angeles State Historic Park, an experience spearheaded by Dutch French-Tunisian theatre artist Marike Splint in collaboration with Center Theatre Group and UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, uncovers the secret history of the city hidden in the Los Angeles State Historic Park through the power of technology, sound, and contemplation. The experience begins after downloading the custom-built app, arriving to the park, and putting on your best set of headphones. From there, Splint, along with the atmospheric composition consisting of sounds of the park by Jonathan Snipes, guide you through the trails, bringing to light the perspectives of the city that are hidden in plain sight.

“Los Angeles is a fascinating city,” said Splint. “What I find compelling about L.A. is that you have to peel layers away to read the city—oftentimes the stories don’t appear at the surface. The city lives in a constant tension between this hidden past and its perpetual focus on the future. So, when you observe something for a longer time, you will begin to see things you do not see at first sight.” This project was crafted specifically for this moment—to gently nudge audiences back to the theatre after a period of isolation. “The first idea came about when I began talking with Center Theatre Group in November about a sound experience in public space that would facilitate this segue from experiencing performance online to in-person. We knew it would be hard for audiences to be immediately ready to return to a live performance,” said Splint. “It’s an invitation to not look at theatre on your screen anymore. You actually go out and experience something among other people. It’s a way to do something that asks you to be physically present without the concern that may come from returning to larger audience groups.” As a site-specific theatre artist, her solution was to bring people to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. But it’s not just live theatre that Splint invites you to rediscover—32 ACRES is also about getting audiences familiar with the city they occupy.

The name 32 ACRES derives from the 32 acres of public space granted for the park. The space sits in Chinatown and runs adjacent to the Metro Gold Line, with views of Downtown L.A. on one side and the Los Angeles River on the other. Although there were other places that were in consideration, Splint mentioned that from the project’s inception, it was always intended for this park. “Since I’ve known the park, I've been fascinated by it. For me it’s sort of a metaphor for L.A. as a whole,” she said. Ultimately, its location, accessibility, and history were what made the Los Angeles Stage Historic Park a perfect fit—a very rich site to create from and in.

“I’ve worked on a lot of soundwalks, but the combination of this site, the technology, and the team really makes 32 ACRES stand out from other projects I’ve done,” said Splint. The process from idea to launch not only included a lot of walking around the park and conversations with rangers, historians, and even archaeologists, but also included the development of a brand-new app created specifically for this experience. “There’s always the issue of pace. If you want to linger somewhere, you are immediately out of sync with the audio if it’s an mp3 file,” she explained. “So that’s how we began the conversation of creating the geolocated app, so that it doesn’t matter if you’re walking fast or slow—you will hear the content when you get to a certain place and it will transition seamlessly.”

Splint also explained that it was important to create an immersive experience for the user. “What I usually try to do with my work is to slightly shift the perspective on our everyday life and help people see things that they are used to passing by. When I create, I think from the eyes of the audience—the eyes are the cameras and I find ways to ‘edit’ what they are seeing through sound. Sometimes I describe what I do as V.R., virtual reality, without the V.” Video games were ultimately what inspired the immersion technology used to create 32 ACRES, as the team used a video game engine to build the app. “In video games, you’re constantly surrounded by sound and are fully immersed in that world and experience,” she said. “32 ACRES applies that video game functionality to the real-life environment.”

Through the truly immersive quality, Splint invites audiences to learn about and acknowledge the space they occupy, not only as patrons, but also as Angelenos. “One of the most urgent questions theatre can ask is how we live together as a community and how we inhabit the city together. I want to ask those questions in the actual environment where these questions are at stake.”

Experience Marike Splint’s 32 ACRES now at the Los Angeles State Historic Park by downloading the mobile app.

Out of the Shadows and onto the Stage

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:25:00 -0700

Despite his birthplace and citizenship status, Alex describes himself as “an Angeleno through and through.” Although he grew up in a city where the Latinx/Chicanx culture and community thrives, he never identified with it. Instead, he found himself through hip hop and acting. “You will see a lot of poetic vibes and feelings in all of my writing, whatever the medium. Everything I do comes with some sort of poetic expression.”

Although the playwright became a DACA recipient in 2013, his life turned around in 2016 when the Trump administration began enforcing stricter immigration policies. Around the same time, Alex was in Guatemala on Advance Parole taking care of his ailing grandfather, unsure of whether he would be able to return to the U.S. once the travel ban was reinstated. “I remember calling my artistic family at the time and telling them that I am in Guatemala and I may not come back. I remember asking, ‘What can I offer in exchange for me to come back home?’ And I made myself and my God a promise: ‘If you allow me to come back home, I will tell this story.’ And then I came back home.” Alex would ultimately tell that story through

Although this is the digital premiere of WET, Alex has been developing and touring this show for nearly four years. “I wrote the first draft, which was just a set of bullet points, and I put them on a music stand and just started narrating.” Since then, the show has made its rounds in festivals and venues across the country, changing and evolving with the times.

Over the past few years, with heightened political rhetoric around immigration and borders, Alex has found that this play resonates differently during different political administrations—although, not necessarily in the way he wanted it to, as deportations and violent immigration policies continue to be enforced. “One of the worst things about this whole situation is that when this play started, there were over 14 million people who didn’t have citizenship. And now there are 11 million. What happened to the other 3 million people?” he asked. “My parents immigrated because they were surrounded by drugs and violence—a direct result of United States imperialism. What is the difference between me and someone who is a citizen? Nothing—except for the privileges and rights that are denied to undocumented individuals.” And, along with the crushing weight of immigration policy, the pandemic put a halt to the show and the industry at large.

“The pandemic has caused me an incredible amount of fear. I am surprised that I survived, and that I am still here. Having lived the life of being an undocumented immigrant, I still carry that fear of being taken away from my home,” Alex said. “It was really difficult to get work. Our industry almost died—and God bless the artists and the innovators who adapted quickly to the situation and started to create work digitally. It just goes to show how innovative, creative, resilient, and strong our community is.”

Before Alex decided to bring WET to Center Theatre Group’s Digital Stage, several organizations had asked the playwright to digitize it, but he always declined. However, after appearing in Luis Alfaro’s Oedipus El Rey for the Digital Stage in October 2020, he jumped at the opportunity. “For me to work at the Kirk Douglas Theatre was a dream come true,” he said. “I thought it would be awesome to film my solo show here, especially with its history and connection to Los Angeles. I’ve always loved the work at Center Theatre Group, and I’m grateful that the organization is actively making an effort to diversify the work that has been presented despite being one of the gatekeepers in the industry. We are currently going through a revolution of sorts in the theatre, and there is this surplus of work that needs to come out. I’m grateful to people like Associate Artistic Director Tyrone Davis who can see the power of presenting these stories.”

The collaboration process between Alex and Center Theatre Group was expansive, beyond what he was accustomed to on many of his other original works. Alex is used to steering the wheel when it comes to his performances, so being on a film set with a full crew, production team, and artistic directors was exciting and new.

“It was such an incredible process to have a full team of people committed to realizing the vision of the production,” Alex said. “All I had to do was show up and be an artist. That was both terrifying and refreshing—terrifying because I wasn’t in control of everything and had to put trust into my team and the organization. I have to remember that I had to work really hard to get to this point and remind myself that I had to put trust into others to help tell this story. I’m really proud of myself for being able to get to that point.”

WET is

Center Theatre Group expects to launch a search for its next Artistic Director later this summer. The organization is committed to ensuring this search process aligns with its core values and commitment to equity, diversity, access and inclusion. An announcement on the search firm and timeline will be made shortly.

Ritchie’s professional career in the theatre began in 1979 when he ran a follow spot at New York’s Village Gate for a production of One Mo’ Time. The following season, he became a production stage manager on the off-Broadway production of Forty-Deuce at the Perry Street Theatre before moving to Broadway in 1981 for Candida starring Joanne Woodward in the title role at Circle in the Square Theatre. Over the next 15 years, he worked as a stage manager for more than 50 shows on and off-Broadway, including productions at Lincoln Center Theater, Circle in the Square, Circle Rep, the New York Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, City Center and the National Actors’ Theatre.

In 1996, Ritchie became Producer of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Under his leadership, the theatre’s mission successfully evolved toward a diverse repertory of new plays, American premieres, major revivals and rediscoveries of American classics, and the development and presentation of new works by Eric Bogosian, Alfred Uhry, Cheryl West, Donald Margulies, Albert Innaurato and Eduardo Machado. Among the many accolades during Ritchie’s tenure, Williamstown Theatre Festival received the 2002 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Ritchie was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on October 17, 1957, and attended Assumption College. He has been married to actress Kate Burton since 1985 and they have two children, a son and daughter, Morgan and Charlotte.

Make a tribute gift in honor of Michael Ritchie today.

Meet the Playwrights Behind the Community Stories Project

Center Theatre Group — Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:31:00 -0700

As a direct response to the pandemic interrupting Center Theatre Group’s community programs such as our free workshops and library play reading series, Community Partnerships Director Jesus A. Reyes devised a virtual solution—the Community Stories project. “All in-person community programs have taken place at sites throughout Boyle Heights, but the online community was one I’ve been interested in tapping into and growing for a long time,” said Reyes. “When we all had to stay indoors and do our work from home, it was the perfect opportunity to expand virtually.”

To continue supporting the local creative community throughout the shutdown, we invited over 30 local L.A. theatre artists to create stories for their own communities. “These programs have always been designed with community members and local artists in mind,” said Reyes. “Working with the artists during the pandemic was a no-brainer—it was a way to get money into their pockets and keep them creating. It’s the artists who not only shine a light on necessary issues, but also lift us up from our doldrums.”

What resulted from this collaboration was a vast collection of content that ranges from the daily life of a theatre artist during the shutdown to a series of short exposés on the history of queer food and stage makeup tutorials.

We recently sat down for a conversation with three of our commissioned playwrights— Diana Burbano (Essentials), Julie Taiwo Oni (Bola Blue-Eyes), and Judy Soo Hoo (Sandi Koto of the San Gabriel Valley)—to discuss their stories and find out what inspired their creativity during this prolonged shutdown.

What part of the city do you live in?

Julie Taiwo Oni: I live in Inglewood. I’ve lived here for a year now and I love it. I’m from Bakersfield, so not too far away, but I’ve lived in LA about half of my life now so I practically feel like I’m from here.

Diana Burbano: I am living in Downtown Long Beach—getting everyone vaccinated! I was born in Colombia and I came to this country with my parents when I was very young. We’ve lived all over—we actually landed in Cleveland, but mostly grew up in San Jose in the Bay Area.

Judy Soo Hoo: I live in Del Rey, near Paco’s Tacos. I'm originally from New Mexico, about two hours from Albuquerque. Whenever I go back I bring back green chile.

Who are some of your favorite playwrights/storytellers?

Diana Burbano: One of my absolute favorite people I’ve learned a lot at his knee is José Cruz Gonzalez, who has been a champion and an amazing writer. I’ve known him since I was about 17 years old when I auditioned for one of his plays at the Hispanic Playwrights Project. He’s had a huge influence on me because of the discipline—he gets up at this crazy hour of the morning and writes for three hours every day before the sun comes up. He still does it, even though he’s retired. Luis Alfaro is also one of my favorites, not only for his beautiful work, but also for his magnificent advocacy. And I’m really into Caridad Svich right now! I’ve been tearing into her work—I just love how expansive and nonrealistic, and world-crashing it is.

Judy Soo Hoo: One of the first plays I saw and read was Wakako Yamauchi’s And the Soul Shall Dancec. It is a beautiful coming-of-age story about a young Japanese girl. It was one of the first plays I read and loved—so character driven, and the moments were so small but impactful.

Julie Taiwo Oni: Right now, my answer is definitely August Wilson. Back in the day, I wasn’t as into him because I saw myself as a super experimental type, and I was really into Suzanne Lori-Parks during grad school. But now, I’m into Wilson’s characterization, celebration of Black culture, and I’ve really gotten into monologue-writing. I love the way he incorporates monologues and cohesive dialogues. He’s my number one right now. I saw that the August Wilson Monologue Competition just happened and it was exciting!

What type of stories or characters do you write about? Why?

Judy Soo Hoo: I am making a conscious effort to write about female leads, of whatever age, because I want them to be part of the fabric of the American experience. Right now, I’m writing about the teenage years because it reflects how I grew up. I make a conscious effort of writing strong female leads that are from communities on the margins.

Julie Taiwo Oni: I share that mission right now. In the past few years, I’ve been writing female leads. Thematically, I have been trying to put my Nigerian and American heritage in conversations with each other, which was my inspiration behind Bola Blue-Eyes.

Diana Burbano: I mostly write female Latina leads. If there is a white male character, there is always a specific reason for it. I’m working a lot right now and thinking about colorism in the Latinx community and how being a white Latinx gives me privilege.

What is your relationship with Center Theatre Group and our Community Partnerships program?

Diana Burbano: I have had the opportunity to teach through Center Theatre Group’s Community Partnerships program. We used to teach musical theatre and I am looking forward to doing that again—singing together is one of the greatest joys. I’ve also had my play Linda, which went up in the library, and I also did Chisme y Queso in an East L.A. bar with amazing improv actors. They acted on the bar! I was also in the L.A. Writers Workshop, which has helped me a lot.

Julie Taiwo Oni: I previously worked with Center Theatre Group. I interned there in the Literary office. More recently, I did The Hotel Play with Playwright’s Arena which was produced in partnership with Center Theatre Group.

Judy Soo Hoo: My relationship with Center Theatre Group goes back to Luis Alfaro when he was leading the Latino Theatre Initiative, when I submitted a bunch of plays to him. I had a couple readings and I loved his notes and he saw things that I never saw. This is my first time with Community Partnerships. When I was with Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, did a couple plays at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) and I thought that the intersection between the Latinx and Asian communities was great.

How did your play come about?

Diana Burbano: Essentials is about young essential workers in Santa Ana, CA. It's all based on true life and high school students I teach. The kids haven't been in class, and the disparities just become so much clearer. A lot of them didn’t have internet, or the hot spots, and they aren’t feeling great and have been under a lot of stress. I wanted to write something about them about the young kids who were hired for these “non-skilled jobs” and put light on their story.

Julie Taiwo Oni: When I found out about Community Stories project, Jesus wanted me to do an adaptation, but I wanted to do something original. I was inspired by this story I had seen about a Nigerian man who had left his family because the mother and her children had blue eyes. I did a lot of research on the real story and fabricated my own scenario and placed them in Los Angeles—putting African stories in an American context. Bola Blue-Eyes is a monologue about the older sister telling her baby sister about their life and why their dad left.

My friend in Jamaica is the voice actress, but the fulfilling the visual component was the most difficult part. I ended up reaching out to a Nigerian illustrator in the UK, and we ended up collaborating and putting everything together. It became this sort of global project, which wouldn’t have happened otherwise. That was a really fun part of the experience. I also collaborated with Nathan Singh who directed.

Judy Soo Hoo: When I was thinking about the play, I wanted the L.A. energy—that East L.A., San Gabriel Valley energy. Sandi Koto of the San Gabriel Valley came to be because I saw these photos of Japanese-American baseball players. Baseball was a popular pastime, but also segregated because they were Japanese. I was also inspired by the US women’s soccer team because they were taking a stand for equality in athletics. I wanted a young Asian lead and wanted her to cross boundaries and gender expectations in a lot of ways. I grew up playing softball for one year—badly—but I really like the way softball players pitched and throw, and I watched Bad News Bears several thousand times and hated all the guys—so that was also part of the inspiration. I was really fortunate to find Julianna Stephanie Ojeda as director because she wanted to have an active part in the play and do animation and a soundtrack with her friend Slim. It was an amazing collaboration between a ton of creatives and actors.

What was it like for you to live in this unprecedented time and work on a play?

Julie Taiwo Oni: I feel like I’ve been writing more over the past year than before. There’s so much in the news right now, not just pandemic related. I’m getting all this information and my response is, “I need to write about that.” I’ve been working from home and I have a 16-month-old and that’s been hard. But I’ve been writing whenever I have the chance. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to work on different projects at this time because I can channel some of those frustrations into something creative.

Judy Soo Hoo: I’ve been watching so many different works from around the world. In terms of Community Stories, I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity for other people to see work they wouldn’t be able to see because of proximity and greater accessibility. It feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Diana Burbano: When we discussed writing a play, I wanted to give voice to these essential workers in some way because I was hearing all my friends who are giving their lives on the line so you can eat. We need to go to the source and talk to these people because they are Black and Brown, and because they don’t have the same access to PPE. Having this platform to do it was really helpful for me.

Did you discover something new about yourself or your writing?

Julie Taiwo Oni: I’m used to my work being presented by actors in physical spaces. I learned that I depend a lot on the element of the live performance. It’s a completely new world to me to use a voice actress and use video as a platform to tell my story. I question whether people will be able to process everything without the actors in a live setting, but the digital realm was a really interesting challenge that taught me a lot.

Judy Soo Hoo: I realized that collaboration doesn’t have to be in person, it can be digital. It’s harder and takes more work, but the collaboration really worked. This was a new experience for me in terms of not really knowing how the play was going to turn out, but I trusted the process because it was new.

Diana Burbano: Something important I learned is to listen. When you really listen or get corrected for misgendering someone or something like that, your first reaction is how you were raised, and your second reaction is how you’ve learned to deal with situations. There is a lot of humility to asking for people’s stories and honoring them by sharing them without being exploitative.

Watch Essentials, Bola Blue-Eyes, Sandi Koto of the San Gabriel Valley, and more Community Stories for free on our Digital Stage.

Meet the 2021 Sherwood Award Winners: D’Lo and Mikaal Sulaiman

Center Theatre Group — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 20:46:00 -0700

D’Lo and Mikaal Sulaiman will each receive the full $10,000 prize given annually to nurture innovative and adventurous theatre artists working in Los Angeles. D’Lo is a solo-based theatre performer-actor-writer-comic that makes and collaborates on work for and about the QTBIPOC community, to create healing spaces for the community through story and laughter. Mikaal, who originally hails from Rochester, NY, has been working as an artist that creates across sound, music, writing, and directing for live and recorded content for the last 20 years in Philadelphia, London, New York City, before settling in his current home, Los Angeles.

We are so excited to welcome D’Lo and Mikaal into our Center Theatre Group community of artists. As the 2021 winners, they are now inducted into an exciting cohort of Los Angeles theatre artists dating back to 1996, which includes recent recipients Mat Diafos Sweeney, Kristina Wong, Hana S. Kim, Pablo Santiago, Ann Cross-Farley, Robert O’Hara, and more. Help us give a warm welcome to our newest Sherwood Award recipients and learn more about their work and creative process as we celebrate their tremendous achievement!

Tell us about the project you highlighted in your Sherwood Award application. What inspired you and what is the message behind your work?

D’Lo: The show I highlighted was a piece called To T, or not To T, which is about my personal journey through the decision to take testosterone, my relationship with my Appa (father), and my exploration of what "beautiful" masculinity could look like—a masculinity that aligns with my feminist and queer politics. I was inspired by the general lack of concern or interest with queer and trans BIPOC folks—specifically those who exist outside of the mainstream connotations of “being gay.” I wanted to shed light on how queer peoples' freedom is what liberates others—so I created a comedic trilogy to share my journey as a trans Tamil Sri Lankan American, my experience transitioning into queer adulthood and my trans-ness as a feminist, and share the lessons I learned about vulnerability in communities where intimacy is hard won and hard fought against.

Mikaal: I presented a work in development called Project Black Plague, a headphone sound performance experienced as a clandestine presentation that reveals a comprehensive diagnosis and trial-tested antidote for racism through deep epigenetic research. This program presumes that we are currently amidst a great Black Exodus and all of the violent Black Death is occurring by design—you know, light fare. I created it when I was trying to process all of the Black Death that continues to happen in America; trying to metabolize it emotionally, spiritually and politically. Project Black Plague is the result of that.

What is your creative process? Has COVID affected your process and the way in which you would traditionally present your art? Have you found any silver lining?

Mikaal: I am an introvert, so this time has been helpful for me to think more deeply about my project and find new layers. I've also started creating in other mediums like podcasting—it's the perfect melding of my sound and writing work. I can't believe I never thought of it before. It's called Black Enso Podcast, which you can check it out on most podcast platforms.

D’Lo: The content of my solo shows is 100% from my lived experiences and topped off with 100% theatre magic. My creative process is to live life and to engage meaningfully in the relationships I value, with the people I love, learning and growing with(in) my communities of chosen and blood family. It also includes me unlearning behaviors that don't serve me as I move to more solid, compassionate ground for myself. In COVID-19, my creative process has included creating filmed pieces online and outside, instead of creating work for live performance and theatre. My creative process of theatremaking has changed and forced me to think even deeper about the questions that I'm exploring in the third play of the trilogy.

How did you discover the Sherwood Award and what urged you to apply?

D’Lo: I’ve known about the Sherwood Award for over a decade, and I applied this year knowing that I had a strong portfolio to present. Patricia Garza, Center Theatre Group’s former Line Producer of Special Artistic Projects, also encouraged me to apply. I am so grateful for her.

Mikaal: I was actually nominated by the incomparable Robert O'Hara. I've been a big fan of his directing since I saw the original Slave Play at New York Theatre Workshop. When someone like that encourages you to apply for something like this, it's a no brainer. I'm glad I did.

What does this award mean to you? How will you use the award to support your future artistic endeavors and aspirations?

Mikaal: Despite living in L.A. for seven years, not many people know that I exist. My hope is that by receiving this award I'll be able to be woven into the fabric of the Los Angeles creative community more deeply and be exposed to more collaborators and opportunities.

D’Lo: Receiving this award means that I am being recognized, affirmed and celebrated for being a queer, trans artist of color who has made significant contributions to the world of theatre. I also know it's a blessing to even be alive during this time to work on new projects, and I'm humbled that this award will allow me the privilege of imagining new ways to expand my live performance through VR technology.

How would you describe the arts and theatre scene in Los Angeles compared to other theatre cities like New York and Chicago?

D’Lo: My personal understanding of L.A. is that while there is incredibly deep and beautiful theatre created by local communities of immigrants, refugees, queer, BIPOC and other marginalized folks, that work doesn't get featured or funded easily (if at all). Every playwright or actor has gotten the hint that the money is in the TV/Film industry, even though theatre might be their passion. Because they are working at smaller theatres that don't have commercial prospects like Broadway, there's less financial sustainability in theatre. I do wonder what would happen if L.A. became the place where writers and theatremakers felt they could receive the support they need to build a long-lasting theatre career.

Mikaal: Los Angeles is a unique place for theatre because there is a lot of space. I really admire a lot of the immersive theatre that happens here. I've been fortunate to work with the likes of Annie Saunders and her team at Wilderness on an epic immersive project for Asics. I'm also a fan of artists who use the influence of cinema into their productions. I worked with Lars Jan and his company, Early Morning Opera, on his project called The Institute of Memory (TIMe) along with the projection artist, Pablo N. Molina. The design of that production was cinematic and theatrical all at the same time. I think that's the edge that L.A. has on other theatre communities.

Over the last year, the entire theatre community has had a huge transformation, both due to the pandemic as well as a call to action by BIPOC theatre practitioners across the country. Where do you hope to see Center Theatre Group making changes, and what do you want to see from us in the future?

Mikaal: I hope they continue to seek guidance and leadership from the BIPOC artists in L.A. Listening is important but being willing to be led is even more important—trusting that the BIPOC artists know what their community needs and what type of productions and content their greater community would be most inspired and excited by. None of the changes will be quick fixes. They shouldn't be, but I hope it's not just cosmetic but fundamental change that will give way to a new theatre community in Los Angeles as we progress past the lockdowns.

D’Lo: The uprisings were a big part of 2020, and many institutions paid attention to the changes that were being asked by BIPOC in every field—but paying attention isn't enough. The issues of representation and racial inequity in theatre has persisted since its beginnings, and though it's hard to change the way "things have been", it’s not impossible.

I hope that Center Theatre Group and other arts institutions put more attention and money into the careers of L.A.’s BIPOC playwrights, writers, and artists, and that they do it through a less transactional model. Developing careers and resourcing BIPOC artists and establishing deeper relationships with theaters of color are crucial for not only the next generations of immigrant/BIPOC communities but for theatre in general. All institutions should be daring in their efforts to engage with and market to non-white communities. If audiences don't reflect the city, it's a problem. There is a whole world of theatremakers of color in L.A. who are ready to create change with their art.

What is next for you in your artistic journey?

D’Lo: Currently I'm writing two plays, co-writing a film, and will be working with Center Theatre Group again later this year. I am also starting my "legacy work" of co-creating a QTBIPOC theatre/film production company that pairs young artists with mentors.

Mikaal: Create, create, create.

In Not a Moment, But a Movement, 3 Theatres Join in the Pursuit of Elevating Black Artists

Center Theatre Group — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 13:57:00 -0800

In January, we premiered Crowndation: I Will Not Lie to David, the first episode of a new program, Not a Moment, But a Movement, on our Digital Stage presented in partnership with Watts Village Theater Company and The Fire This Time Festival. This play-reading series was spearheaded by Center Theatre Group’s Associate Artistic Director Tyrone Davis and aims to create an interdisciplinary collaboration that celebrates Black voices and to explore the intersection between art and social justice. “I didn’t anticipate Not a Moment, But a Movement to be the name of the series,” Davis said. “It was just the idea—this wasn’t just something we were going to do once. We’re just contributing to this movement that has been going on for as long as I can remember.”

Davis wanted to tell Black stories with the people who have already been laying down the groundwork for Black theatre in America. He wanted to utilize the power of Center Theatre Group’s platform to amplify Black stories, artists, and organizations like Watts Village Theater Company and The Fire This Time Festival that have already been telling these stories. “I wanted to show that folks, especially those from marginalized communities, have a place at Center Theatre Group and will be taken care of and cultivated as artists.”

The combination of Center Theatre Group’s platform and the innovative artistic visions of Davis, Watts Village Theater Company’s Co-Artistic Director Bruce Lemon, and The Fire This Time Festival’s Artistic Director Cezar Williams, along with the cast and creative team brought Crowndation to life—but to make it all come to fruition has been challenging. The digitization of theatre has forced the industry to not only quickly adapt to the new virtual landscape, but also learn how to create art that stands out amongst the surplus of digital content already flooding the medium. “The shift has been painful and has come with a lot,” said Lemon. “But Black people are good at finding something in a sea of terror and turning it into joy and taking advantage of these opportunities.”

In addition to upheavals caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the theatre industry at large is reconciling with its racist past and present. In the summer of 2020, in response to the Black Lives Matter protests, BIPOC theatremakers (We See You White American Theatre) from around the country released a set of demands to white theatre institutions calling for equity and anti-racism in the American theatre. Williams, director of Crowndation, recalled how predominately white theatre institutions would reach out to Fire This Time for a “partnership” that was by design exploitative in nature. It wasn’t until the murder of George Floyd that Williams noticed a change in the way that these institutions communicated and behaved. “They can be sensitive. They can be equitable and treat us like we matter,” he recalled. “So when Tyrone reached out to me, the idea really moved me. We can partner with an organization like Center Theatre Group and work in concert with each other and try to merge these cultures together to create amazing art. We haven’t mastered everything yet, but I’m proud of the way we’ve come together to pull this off.”

Although Crowndation closes on the Digital Stage at the end of March, Davis, Lemon, and Williams all agree that the partnership will continue. Not only are there two more not-yet-announced shows slated to stream as part of Not a Moment, But a Movement, but the trio is also creating an enduring support system between institutions of all sizes to amplify the work of Black artists in a space that often neglects them. “I’m excited for the Black artists who are just hopping into it and those who have been in it, that they have these new routes to get the shine that they deserve,” said Lemon.

Introduced by Vanessa Williams and hosted by Lemon, the first episode of Not a Moment, But a Movement features Angelica Chéri’s one-person play Crowndation; I Will Not Lie to David starring Sheria Irving, paired with the music of Jessica Lá Rel and the work of visual artist Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle and is available through March 22, 2021.

Learn more about Center Theatre Group’s social accountability actions in a dedicated section of our website, where we continue to enumerate our progress towards becoming an anti-racist organization and reflect on the ongoing steps we are taking and planning. While not an all-inclusive list, it is an ongoing collection of our actions and plans shared in the spirit of transparency.

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What part of the city do you live in?

Who are some of your favorite playwrights/storytellers?

What type of stories or characters do you write about? Why?

What is your relationship with Center Theatre Group and our Community Partnerships program?

How did your play come about?

What was it like for you to live in this unprecedented time and work on a play?

Did you discover something new about yourself or your writing?

Meet the 2021 Sherwood Award Winners: D’Lo and Mikaal Sulaiman

Tell us about the project you highlighted in your Sherwood Award application. What inspired you and what is the message behind your work?

What is your creative process? Has COVID affected your process and the way in which you would traditionally present your art? Have you found any silver lining?

How did you discover the Sherwood Award and what urged you to apply?

What does this award mean to you? How will you use the award to support your future artistic endeavors and aspirations?

How would you describe the arts and theatre scene in Los Angeles compared to other theatre cities like New York and Chicago?

Over the last year, the entire theatre community has had a huge transformation, both due to the pandemic as well as a call to action by BIPOC theatre practitioners across the country. Where do you hope to see Center Theatre Group making changes, and what do you want to see from us in the future?

What is next for you in your artistic journey?

In Not a Moment, But a Movement, 3 Theatres Join in the Pursuit of Elevating Black Artists

Q: Anything else you want to share with us?
Rosie: I’m excited to be working on this project and I’m excited to show it to people!
Aja: I feel the same. I’m excited, and it's going to be great.