Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin. Mrs. Hamlin, who passed away January 3, was the Chairwoman of the Board of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company and the Executive Producer of the National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Mrs. Hamlin’s late husband, Larry Leon Hamlin (1948-2007), founded the National Black Theatre Festival. After his death, Mrs. Hamlin took over the leadership of the event.
The history of Nate Jacobs and Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is indelibly linked with the Festival. After appearing there as his comedic alter ego, Aunt Rudele, and developing the character with Mr. Hamlin’s help, Nate has staged WBTT productions every year of the biennial Festival since 2013. The 2021 Festival was postponed due to COVID-19; it has been rescheduled for August 2022.
The six-day celebration of African American theatre draws some 65,000 people to Winston-Salem. The 2019 Festival, the largest one to date, brought an estimated $10 million to the local economy and featured WBTT’s production of Soul Man.
In addition to her contributions to the Festival and the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, Mrs. Hamlin was also the first African American and the first woman to serve as Director of the Forsyth County Public Library System. She worked for the libraries for four decades.
On February 3, 2020, Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, celebrated the NC Black Rep’s National Black Theatre Festival® (NBTF), Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang and TCG’s arts advocacy at the federal level during a festive evening at the Edison Ballroom in New York.
Nate Jacobs, Founder & Artistic Director of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, had this to say about the loss of his friend: “Another one of God’s beautiful angels has flown back to heaven. Mrs. Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin was one of the most remarkable women I have been blessed to know. She and her husband, Larry Leon Hamlin, have indelibly empowered my life with their mentorship and support over my journey! They have also help to bring hundreds of black professional theater organizations to national prominence. We love you, Mrs. Hamlin, and will cherish the legacy you and your amazing husband have left with us!”
Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin leaves a lasting imprint on the arts and culture of her community and the national Black theatre.
Inside the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival Gala with André De Shields
Backstage Pass with Lia Chang 