In the Continuum:
the Foundation, Funding, and Future of Black Theatre
An essential conversation in the true spirit of Sankofa
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2021, 7:30 – 9:00PM
Location: True Colors YouTube Channel
As we launch into our Go Back and Get It season, join us for “In the Continuum: the Foundation, Funding, and Future of Black Theatre.” An essential conversation in the true spirit of Sankofa, as we look back to our roots of Black theatre in America and glean from the many lessons learned a vision for our future, this Community Conversation will feature leading voices and scholars, presented in partnership with Generator and Hammonds House Museum.
This special event will be streamed live via the True Colors YouTube channel, and will feature an unveiling of an original work by Atlanta artist Aaron Henderson, in celebration of our three seasons of Sankofa.
Our Panelists:
Community Conversation: In the Continuum
Jamil Jude
Artistic Director
Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company
Jamil is a highly accomplished director, producer, playwright and dramaturg focusing on bringing socially relevant art to the community. Jamil is the Co-Founder of The New Griots Festival, which is dedicated to celebrating, advocating, and advancing the careers of emerging Black artists in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area in Minnesota. Prior to joining the staff at True Colors, Jamil served as the Artistic Programming Associate at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Jamil was a participant in the Mellon Foundation funded Leadership U, One-on-One theatre residency program and previously served as the National New Play Network (NNPN) Producer in Residence at Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre Company for three seasons. He remains an Affiliated Artist with NNPN. Before joining the staff at Mixed Blood, Jamil served as a New Play Producing Fellow at Arena Stage in Washington, DC and co-founded a culturally relevant theatre company, Colored People’s Theatre.
Mr. Jude has lead productions for Olney and Forum Theatre in Washington D.C.; Curious Theatre in Denver, Colorado; Park Square Theatre, History Theatre, Freshwater, Theatre in the Round, Stages Theatre Company, Daleko Arts and Lakeshore Players in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro. Jamil has also taught and directed at Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota.
As a playwright, Jamil was the 2013/14 Jerome Many Voices Mentee at The Playwrights’ Center, where he continues the role of affiliated writer. He has been commissioned and produced by CLIMB Theatre and D.C. Black Theatre Festival.
The Recipient of the Leadership U Andrew W. Mellon/TCG (2015), Management Fellowship Nautilus Music Theater (2014/15), SDCF Observership Member (2014/15), SPARK Leadership Program Finalist (2014), Jerome Foundation Many Voices Mentorship (2013/14), National New Play Network Producer Residency (2011/12; 2012/13). Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship at Arena Stage (2009/10; 2010/11). Jamil received his Bachelors of Arts from Colgate University.
Jamil Jude (Moderator)
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Community Conversation: In the Continuum
Heather Infantry
Managing Director of Transformation Alliance, Former Executive Director of Generator, Founder of the Atlanta Task Force for Philanthropic Reparations
@onelovelore
Heather Infantry is the Founder of the Atlanta Taskforce for Philanthropic Reparations which was created in response to her public call out of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta’s exclusion of Black arts organization in COVID relief funding resulting in an unprecedented contribution of nearly $1.4M to 33 Black organizations. Heather is also the Managing Director of Transformation Alliance, a collective advancing equitable transit-oriented development as a pathway to Black prosperity. Throughout her career Heather has fostered an ongoing curiosity for people, places and ideas at the intersection of culture and equity. As a cultural worker she sits on the arts councils for MARTA, HDDC (Historic District Development Corporation) and on the board of ADAMA (African Diaspora Art Museum of Atlanta). Heather holds a B.A. in Theater from Georgia State University and an MBA in Nonprofit Management from Trinity University.
Heather Infantry
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Community Conversation: In the Continuum
Dr. Carlton Molette
Former Professor at Spelman College, Author
@AfrocentricThtr / Twitter
@afrocentricthtr / Instagram
www.Afrocentrictheatre.com
Carlton Molette (B.A. Morehouse; M.A. Iowa; Ph.D. Florida State) former professor at Spelman and several other HBCUs; Fine Arts Division Chair, Spelman; School of Communications Dean, Texas Southern; Arts and Sciences Dean, Lincoln (MO); Vice President for Academic Affairs, Coppin State (MD), and Emeritus Professor of Dramatic Arts and Africana Studies, University of Connecticut. Carlton, a junior at Morehouse, met Spelman freshman Barbara Roseburr in 1957. They married, completed graduate degrees, worked in university, community, and professional theatre, returned to Atlanta, and the Morehouse-Spelman Players premiered their first playwrighting collaboration, Rosalee Pritchett. The Negro Ensemble Company produced it in New York and revived it for their 50th anniversary season. The Morehouse-Spelman Players premiered Carlton’s Dr. B.S. Black, and later, a collaboration with Barbara Molette and Charles Mann, Dr. B.S. Black, the musical featured Samuel L. Jackson as B.S. Black and LaTanya Richardson as his wife before they were real-life husband and wife. After the play was produced in several other cities, Theatre of the Stars and Just Us Theatre co-produced Dr. B.S. Black, the musical at Atlanta’s Peachtree Playhouse and featured Jackson and Richardson in the roles they created in a building destined to bear their names.
Dr. Carlton Molette
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Community Conversation: In the Continuum
Tina Fears
Co-Founder of B.L.A.C.T., Founder of The Fearless Movement, Performer
www.tinafears.com
@TinaFears
Tina Fears is a Los Angeles, California native who is proud to call Atlanta home. Her work as an actor, singer, and dancer includes regional productions of Simply Simone, Dreamgirls, In the Heights and Memphis the Musical to name a few as well as national commercials for Walmart, Ford, Coca-Cola, The Home Depot, and Shoe Carnival. Tina has provided voiceovers for NCAA tournament events, the animated series Global Problem Solvers and Miss America Teen. Her role as Clara Ward in the Emmy Nominated National Geographic anthology series Genius: Aretha premiered in March 2021 and is now streaming on HULU. Tina takes pride in being both the show and the business. She is the founder of Stage Ready, LLC, a full-service production company that offers award-winning production management, creative direction, and memorable performance experiences across the world via diverse platforms and levels of influence. Advocacy and service are at the core of her work as a creative. She is honored to serve Black artists in Atlanta as co-founder of BLACT (Black Leaders Advocating Cultural Theatre) as well as the founder of The Fearless Movement, a philanthropic effort focused on underserved teens and young women. Tina believes that we should be FEARLESS in the pursuit of what sets our souls on fire. You can connect with Tina Fears online at www.tinafears.com or @TinaFears on all social media platforms.
Tina Fears
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Community Conversation: In the Continuum
Diana Jones Stevens
Executive Director of VIA Theatrical and Co-Founder of Jomandi Productions
Facebook: diana.stevens.773
Instagram: dianaskijump
Diana Jones Stevens, a native New Yorker, relocated to Atlanta in 1973. From High School English teacher to Information Technology professional, she along with her family founded Jomandi Productions in Atlanta. For more than 20 years they watched it grow from around her mother’s dining room table to become the third largest Black theatre company in the United States. She was an appointee to the Fulton County Arts Council for 14 years, 13 as Vice-Chair.
She is currently partnering with her brother Tom Jones as Executive Director of VIA Theatrical, a 501c(3) non-profit dedicated to furthering new theatrical projects with an emphasis on musical theatre.
Now, as a senior, she lives out her dream of dancing and performing as a founding member and Rehearsal Directress of Edeliegba Senior Dance Ensemble. They perform African, Praise, Jazz, Hip Hop, Mediterranean and Tap for audiences around the Metro Atlanta area.
Diana is one of the charter members of the East Point / College Park Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
She also volunteers her time as President of the Friends of Bowden, Inc., a 501c(3) non-profit dedicated to fundraising and advocacy for senior citizens participating at the H.J.C. Bowden Senior Multipurpose Facility.
She also enjoys making greeting cards and reading romance novels.
Diana Jones Stevens
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