Juneteenth Legacy Theatre Mission Statement
JUNETEENTH LEGACY THEATRE
Kentucky's Only Professional African American Theatre company!
Mission. To entertain, to educate, to enrich and to empower communities and artists through the telling of stories about the African-American experience in historical and contemporary contexts. 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 produce new and original works about the African-American experience and its legacy, 2) to promote theatre art as a force for social change, 3) to provide opportunities for established and emerging artists to interact; 4) to promote theatre as a career choice for African-Americans, especially women and youth, 5) to demonstrate the diversity within African-American theatre art.
Objectives. 1) To diversify the cultural landscape of Metro Louisville and to enhance the city’s cultural reputation; 2) to provide hands-on work and learning experience for youth through internships; 3) to form mutually beneficial partnerships with businesses and other arts groups; 4) to develop an archive of new and original works suitable for touring; 5) to create original works through a collaborative process.
Services and Programs. The company’s signature cultural program is the annual Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays, hosted by Actors Theatre. The Jamboree is a three-week summer festival of new play readings, and arts development workshops. Play themes are: 1) African-American 19th Century experience, 2) the pre and Harlem Renaissance Era, 3) Native American/Caribbean influences on African Americans, 4) contemporary issues and African-American youth, and 5) images of women.
The Bold Journeys Tour is a celebration of Black History and Women's Herstory Months, and features cabaret and bio-dramas about outstanding African Americans. Bold Journeys chamber productions can be presented in traditional and non-traditional venues like libraries, churches, and school auditoriums.
DARASA: A Civil Rights Tribute is an eclectic presentation of monologues and scenes from literature about the historical and modern Civil Rights Movements.
Mainstage productions are Equity Showcases presented at festivals in New York City, i.e.
International Fringe Festival, and Midtown International Theatre Festival.
Peer Acknowledgments: Star Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Arts, Pleiades Theater Company, 2005 Arts and Humanities Award, Louisville Zora Neale Hurston Festival, 2004Pyramid Award of Excellence for Diversity, Center for NonProfit Excellence, 2003Sallie Bingham Award for Social Change, Kentucky Foundation for Women, 2002.
Memberships: ART/NY, Fractured Atlas, Arts and Cultural Attractions Council of Greater Louisville, Inc., Southeast Theatre Conference.
Production History
2006/2005
Mainstage
Motion and Location, July 25 - Aug. 6, 2006 Midtown International Theatre Festival
7th Annual Juneteenth Jamboree, June 2-17, 2006, hosted by Actors Theatre
Jump Jim Crow by Henry Meyerson
Passing Ceremonies by Steve Willis
The Diva Daughters Dupree by Kim Euell
The Kitchen Garden by Marette Mollet
The Bathroom Cleaner by Elizabeth Orndorff
My Fair Gentleman by Betty Cobb Arnett
The Triangle by Antoinette Oglesby Taylor
DARASA: A Civil Rights Tribute at Big Hopp's, Jan. 22, 2006
BOLD JOURNEYS at Big Hopp's Oct. 2005
The Best of the Genius of Ray with Grenoldo Frazier & Cherita
2005/2004
6th Annual Juneteenth Jamboree, June 3-19, 2005
The Genius of Ray Pt. 1 with Grenoldo Frazier
The Genius of Ray Pt. 2 with Grenoldo Frazier
BrotherHOODS by Alan Sharpe
Mother’s Day by J.E. Robinson
Till by Ifa Bayeza
A Member of the Family by Patricia Ramsey
Remembering Ossie an original compilation by Sue Lawless, research Pat Hagedorn
BOLD JOURNEYS Tour Nov 04/Feb 2005
The Last Dust Track by Laurence Holder
Mrs. Reader by Sharon Hope
Juneteenth Cotton Club Revue by Lorna Littleway
2004/2003
5th Annual Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays, June 4-20, 2004
Caballero by James Robinson
Mrs. Reader written and performed by Sharon Hope
Bang! Bang! Bang! by Lorna Littleway
Rise Up Singing by Margo Reese
Jungle Alley Salutes Ladies of Jazz by Lillian Butler
More Than Cooking Going On In This Kitchen by Antoinette Oglesby Taylor
Lavinia Speaks by Jennie Redling
Destiny Manifested by James Gillard
Mainstage Cabaret Theatre:
Billy, Lena and The Duke: A Night of Ellington Music! by Lorna Littleway
BOLD JOURNEYS Tour:
The History of Black Music in America by Grenoldo Frazier
Juneteenth Cotton Club Revue II by Lorna Littleway
Faith Hope and Charity: The Mary McLeod Bethune Story by Samuel L. Kelley
Tall Tales and Short Sayings by Lorna Littleway
5th Anniversary Juneteenth Jamboree, hosted by Actors Theatre:
Caballero by John Robinson
Mrs. Reader by Sharon Hope
Bang! Bang! Bang! by Lorna Littleway
Rise Up Singing by Margo Reese
Jungle Alley Salutes Ladies of Jazz by Lillian Butler
More Than Cooking Going On In This Kitchen by Antoinette Oglesby Taylor
Lavinia Speaks by Jennie Redling
Destiny Manifested by James Gillard
2003/2002
Mainstage Cabaret Theatre:
Juneteenth Cotton Club Revue, concept by Lorna Littleway
BOLD JOURNEYS Readers Tour: Fall
The Last Dust Track by Laurence Holder
Faith, Hope and Charity: The Mary McCleod Bethune Story by Samuel L. Kelley
Watermelon!!! Git It While It’s Hot, written and performed by Cecelia Antoinette
BOLD JOURNEYS Tour: Winter/Spring
The Last Dust Track by Laurence Holder
Cotton to the Clouds by Cheryl L. Davis
Juneteenth Cotton Club Revue by Lorna Littleway
Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays, hosted by Actors Theatre:
Willie and Esther by James Bronson
Jingles in a Broken Tongue by Leslie Lee
Urban Transition: Loose Blossom by Ron Milner
Ira! The African Roscius by Donald Grody
A Guest of Honor by Michael Dinwiddie
Miss Amanda’s Place by Antoinette Oglesby Taylor
Young Sistas by Lorna Littleway
No More Dolls For Christmas by Erma Bush
Swee’ Pea and the Duke by Laurence Holder
Robert Johnson Trick the Devil by Bill Harris
Colorstruck by Zora Neale Hurston
Tall Tales and Short Sayings, an adaptation by Lorna Littleway based on Zora Neale Hurston folktales.
2002/2001
Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays, hosted by Actors Theatre:
Watermelon!!! Git It While It’s Hot, III written &performed by Cecelia Antoinette
Cotton Club Rhapsody (the book) by Michael Dinwiddie
The Making of Cabaret (an improvisation) hosted by Cecelia Antoinette
Faith, Hope and Charity: The Mary McCleod Bethune Story by Samuel L. Kelley
Curtain Call, Mr. Aldridge, Sir! by Ossie Davis
Black Hamlets in the Kentucky Bluegrass by Carridder Jones
Can You Hear It?/This Land is Your Land by Antoinette Oglesby Taylor
The Promise by Erma Bush
Shades of Blue by John Howell
Dancing With Demons by Don Evans
What’d Ya Do Today, Billy Joe? by Eleanor Harder
Holiday Diary by Edgar Chisholm
FU2 by Anne Hanley
Mainstage:
If You Love Me by Lorna Littleway
An Alphabet of Flowers by Elyse Nass
Readers Tour:
The Last Dust Track by Laurence Holder
Cotton to the Clouds by Cheryl L. Davis
2001/2000
Lorna Littleway’s Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays:
No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs by John Henry Redwood
Stonethrower by James Graham Bronson
And the Next Day They Changed the Water by Antoinette Taylor Ogelsby
Park by Joshua Brown
How Long Have I Been Dead Anyhow? by Carridder Jones
Defending the Light by Ron Milner
Raising Up Odessa by Jean Hill
Malinda by Nancy Gall-Clayton
Living With the Wind by Michael Bradford
Honey, Hush!: An Uprising Over Some Green by Shirlene Holmes
If You Love Me by Lorna Littleway
An Alphabet of Flowers by Elyse Nass
Mainstage:
A Collective Piss and the Devil’s Beating His Wife by Lorna Littleway
Readers Theatre Tour:
A Lady and a Woman by Shirlene Holmes
Mrs. Jones and the Man From Dixieland by Steven Sater
The Blue Vein Society by Samuel Kelley
2000/1999
Lorna Littleway’s Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays:
Barnstormer by Cheryl Davis
Mitote by Maisha Baton
Harriet Tubman Visits a Therapist by Carolyn Gage
Mrs. Jones and the Man From Dixieland by Steven Sater
Birthright by Thomas Dunn
DWB: Driving While Black by Samuel Kelley
An Affinity for Angels by Reginald Lewis
Teens Today by Arthur French III
The Last Dust Track by Laurence Holder
The Carelessness of Love by Michael Dinwiddie
Serving Two Masters by Shirlene Holmes
A Collective Piss and the Devil’s Beating His Wife by Lorna Littleway
Unquestioned Integrity: The Hill/Thomas Hearing by Mame Hunt
Mainstage:
Here Am I Send Me by Benard Cummings
Kindler Genter Nation by Lorna Littleway
Readers Theatre Tour:
Mother of Civil Rights by Belinda Boyd
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