Mission. To entertain, educate, enrich and empower communities of artists and audiences by developing and producing new and original works about the African-American experience and its legacy. The company derives its name, “Juneteenth” from the traditional African-American holiday, June 19, 1865, when slaves in the western territories learned of their freedom.
Goals: 1) To provide creative opportunities and mentoring relationships for artists, especially African Americans and women, marginalized by mainstream arts. 2) To promote theatre art as a force for social change, 3) To promote theatre as a career choice for African-Americans, especially women and youth.
Objective: 1) To enhance ethnic-specific theater in New York City.
Services and Programs: The company produces in partnership at the Nuyorican Poets Café in the East Village on Manhattan’s Lower Eastside. A season consists of two MainStage productions, November and March, and a two-week festival in June of readings and short works. Preferred plays themes are: (1) 19th Century experience, (2) Harlem Renaissance Era, (3) Caribbean/Native American influences, (4) contemporary issues and youth, and (5) images of women. The submission period is December 15 - March 15.
The company also produces a BOLD JOURNEY Tour of bio-dramas and cabarets that plays at both traditional and non-traditional venues.
JLTNews is a monthly e-newsletter. To subscribe email juneteenthlegacy@aol.com
Funders: National Endowment for the Arts, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Dramatists Guild Fund and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, NY Humanities Council.
Memberships: ART/NY, Drama League, Network of Ensemble Theaters, Southeast Theatre Conference.
Accomplishments: AUDELCO 2010 nominee for “OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE” performance and COSTUME DESIGN, August Wilson’s Women. 145 plays about the African-American experience and its legacy developed and produced since its founding in 1999; over half written by women, and several transferred to regional and off-Broadway theaters.
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