theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...
in
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in and the seat of government of Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Civic Square government and theatre district. Founded in 1978, it is the winner of the 1999
Regional Theatre Tony Award
The Regional Theatre Tony Award is a special recognition Tony Award given annually to a regional theater company in the United States. The winner is recommended by a committee of drama critics.
Background
Initially presented in 1948 to Robert ...
.
It is an African-American Theater focused on celebrating the culture, artistry and voices of the African Diaspora.
History
Rick Khan, Dan Irvin and Lee K. Richardson met at Rutgers University studying for their Masters of Fine Art Degree. After graduating in 1977 they founded the company in 1978 With help from George Street Playhouse and grant money from the
CETA
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a free-trade agreement between Canada and the European Union and its member states. It has been provisionally applied, thus removing 98% of the preexisting tariffs between the two parts.
...
program the theater began performing in New Brunswick and became New Jersey's first professional Black repertory theatre. By 1985, it was thriving and had 1,300 subscribers.
The company made an effort to appeal to a multiracial audience and while it started out focusing more on revivals by 1985 Artistic Director Lee Richardson was prioritizing new plays, saying "it's time to focus on the new"
In 2000 it unexpectedly ceased operations temporarily but with the return of Rick Khan and help in retiring its debt it was able to resume operations.
Since its founding, Crossroads has produced over 100 works, many of which were premiere productions by African and African-American artists.
Crossroads' world premieres include '' The Colored Museum'', which originated at Crossroads in 1986 and was then seen by millions on national public television when it was produced for WNET's "Great Performances," and ''Spunk'', both by Tony Award winner
George C. Wolfe
George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing '' Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction o ...
.
Legacy
The
American Theatre Critics Association The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) is the only nationwide professional association of theatre critics in the United States. The ATCA membership consists of theatre critics who write reviews and critiques of live theatre for print, broad ...
together with the
American Theatre Wing
The American Theatre Wing (the Wing for short) is a New York City–based non-profit organization "dedicated to supporting excellence and education in theatre", according to its mission statement. Originally known as the Stage Women's War Relief ...
and the
League of American Theatres and Producers
The Broadway League, formerly the League of American Theatres and Producers and League of New York Theatres and Producers, is the national trade association for the Broadway theatre industry based in New York, New York. Its members include theat ...
presented the 1999
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
for Outstanding Regional Theatre to Crossroads in recognition of 20 years of artistic excellence.
More than 50 new plays have premiered at Crossroads, including works by such artists as
August Wilson
August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...
,
Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in '' The West Wing'' (2000–06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus in the Showtime series ''N ...
,
George C. Wolfe
George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing '' Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction o ...
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. She originated the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1 ...
,
Ossie Davis
Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...
, Linda Nieves-Powell, former US Poet Laureate Rita Dove and South African writer/composer Mbongeni Ngema.
Productions
Since its founding Crossroads has produced over 100 works including many premiere productions by African and African-American artists. Crossroads' productions include:
* '' The Colored Museum'' (by
George C. Wolfe
George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing '' Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction o ...
), (world premiere) originated at Crossroads in 1986 and later appeared on television as one of WNETs "Great Performances"
* '' Spunk'', by George C. Wolfe (world premiere)
* '' Jitney'' by
August Wilson
August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...
.
* ''Fly'' by
Trey Ellis
Trey Ellis (born 1962) is an American novelist, screenwriter, professor, playwright, and essayist.
He was born in Washington D.C. and graduated from Hopkins School and Phillips Academy, Andover, where he studied under Alexander Theroux before at ...
and Ricardo Khan October, 2009 (world premiere)
* ''
It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues
''It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues'' is a musical written by Charles Bevel, Lita Gaithers, Randal Myler, Ron Taylor, and Dan Wheetman. It was originally produced at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts and later presented by the Crossroads Th ...
'' by Ron Taylor, Lita Gaithers, "Mississippi" Charles Bevels, Randal Myler, and Dan Wheetman.
* ''The Love Space Demands'', Ntozake Shange's choreopoem
* ''Black Eagles'' by Leslie Lee, a historic chronicle of the
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Fighter Group, 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the ...
of World War II
* ''Sheila's Day'', the cultural collaboration of six South African and six African-American women written by '' Sarafina!'' creator
Mbongeni Ngema
Mbongeni Ngema (born 1 June 1956) is a South African writer, lyricist, composer, director, choreographer and theatre producer, born in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal (near Durban). He started his career as a theatre backing guitarist. He wrote the mu ...
that toured the US. Britain and South Africa after its run on the Crossroads stage
* ''And Further'Mo'' the world wide hit musical by Vernel Bagneris
* ''The Darker Face of the Earth,'' former U.S. Poet Laureate
Rita Dove
Rita Frances Dove (born August 28, 1952) is an American poet and essayist. From 1993 to 1995, she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She is the first African American to have been appointed since the positi ...
's first play,
* ''Lost Creek Township'' by Charlotte A. Gibson
* ''Flyin' West'', written by
Pearl Cleage
Pearl Cleage (December 7, 1948) (pronounced: “cleg”) is an African-American playwright, essayist, novelist, poet and political activist.Spratling, Cassandra. "Pearl Cleage's Storied Life Cover Story." Detroit Free Press, Feb 21, 2010. ProQue ...
Olivia Cole
Olivia Carlena Cole (November 26, 1942 – January 19, 2018) was an American actress, best known for her Emmy Award-winning role in the 1977 miniseries ''Roots''.
Early life and education
Cole was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Ar ...
* ''Nomathemba'', a musical by Ntozake Shange and Joseph Shabalala, founder and leader of Grammy Award-winning South African recording artists
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of '' isicathamiya'' and '' mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album '' Graceland'', and have won ...
* ''Two Hah Hahs and a Homeboy'', written by and starring Ruby Dee together with
Ossie Davis
Raiford Chatman "Ossie" Davis (December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2005) was an American actor, director, writer, and activist. He was married to Ruby Dee, with whom he frequently performed, until his death. He and his wife were named to the NAACP ...