Louis Gossett, Jr., Ed Wheeler, Timothy Douglas, Dominique Morisseau, Ron Himes, Ron Simons, Thelma Pollard, Mabel Robinson, Gregory Horton, Allie Woods, Antoinette Tynes, Ed De Shae, Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones-Harvey, Corey Mitchell, Cleopatra Solomon, Wilbert T. Jenkins and More to be honored at the Opening Night Gala of the 2017 National Black Theatre Festival on July 31

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Obba Babatunde and Anna Maria Horsford will serve as Celebrity Co-Chairs for the 2017 National Black Theatre Festival, July 31 – August 5 in Winston-Salem, NC.

Connect with the Marvtastic passion, splendor and valor of the African and the African American cultures as Black Theatre takes center stage in Winston-Salem, NC over six exciting days.

Opening Night Gala

Opening Night Gala

July 31 @ 5:30 pm

|$265

Purchase tickets through NCBRC office.

The Opening Night Gala of the 2017 Black National Theatre Festival takes place at  the Salem Ballroom – The Benton Convention Center 301 West Fifth Street, Winston Salem, NC. 

Please contact the NCBRC office to purchase ticket(s) for this event.

5:30 pm	Opening Night Gala $265 (#1) Tickets $265 per person, $2,650 per table seating (10)
6:30 pm	Celebrity Procession with NBTF Co-Chairs, Obba Babatunde and Anna Maria Horsford
6:45 pm	Awards Presentation 2017 NATIONAL BLACK THEATRE FESTIVAL® HONOREES Sidney Poitier Lifelong Achievement Award Louis Gossett, Jr. Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award Ron Himes Emerging Producer Award Ron Simons August Wilson Playwright Award Dominique Morisseau Lloyd Richards Director Award Timothy Douglas Living Legend Award Thelma Pollard • Mabel Robinson Ed Wheeler • Allie Woods Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design Gregory Horton Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design Antoinette Tynes Outstanding Achievement in Scenic Design Chris Cumberbatch Outstanding Achievement in Stage Management Ed De Shae Theatre Longevity Award Paul Robeson Theatre, Buffalo, NY Special Recognition Award Stephen Byrd • Alia Jones-Harvey Corey Mitchell • Cleopatra Solomon The Negro Ensemble Company The Late Walter Marshall (In Memoriam) Marvtastic Philanthrophy Award Wells Fargo Theatre Arts & Humanitarian Award Wilbert T. Jenkins
9:00 pm	Five Guys Named Moe An exuberant musical tribute celebrating “The King of the Jukebox,” singer and bandleader Louis Jordan. This exhilarating musical, set to Jordan’s iconic jump blues/jazz score is sure to “Let the good times roll!” Location:  Steven Center at University of North Carolina School of the Arts
10:00 pm	Celebrity Reception Mix and mingle with the honorees, celebrity guests and other theatre patrons Location:  Marriott Hotel

Festival History
Founded in Winston-Salem by the late Larry Leon Hamlin in 1989 and hosted by the North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NCBRC), NBTF is a biennial event with a purpose of uniting black theatre companies from around the world and ensuring the presence of this phenomenal genre. Mr. Leon Hamlin described the experience as “MARVTASTIC,” a combination of marvelous and fantastic! With the support of Dr. Maya Angelou, who served as the Festival’s first Chairperson, the National Black Theatre Festival was born. The ’89 Festival offered 30 performances by 17 of America’s best professional black theatre companies. It attracted national and international media coverage. According to The New York Times, “The 1989 National Black Theatre Festival was one of the most historic and culturally significant events in the history of black theatre and American theatre in general.” Over 10,000 people attended. Today that number reaches well over 65,000 attendees.

Ten years prior to starting the National Black Theatre Festival, Larry Leon Hamlin founded another black theater movement in Winston-Salem that is still present today. The North Carolina Black Repertory Company is the state’s first professional Black theater company. NCBRC is committed to introducing diverse audiences to Black classics, the development and production of new works, improving artistic quality, and sustaining Black theatre internationally. NCBRC was founded with the purpose of providing theatre professionals the opportunity to earn a living through their craft.

NCBRC presents three to four productions annually featuring members of its ensemble or through collaborations with other theatre companies from around the country. The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration and the holiday presentation of Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity have become two of the Company’s staples. The critically acclaimed NCBRC production, Mahalia, Queen of Gospel (written and directed by Mabel Robinson, the company’s Artistic Director) was a National Black Theatre Festival showcase performance.