Milwaukee Black Theater Festival starts Saturday
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre will open its season Aug. 23 with the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, a virtual collaboration with local Black theater groups and artists.
Centered on three full-length play readings, the festival will be hosted online at the MCT website Aug. 23Sept. 12.
The plays include:
“Kill Move Paradise,” by James Ijames. Four Black men who have been killed find themselves in the afterlife with many questions, including some provocative ones for the audience watching them. Directed by Mikael Burke.
“Stew,” by Zora Howard. Three generations of Tucker women gather in the kitchen to prepare a large annual feast, with ingredients that include both love and simmering resentments. Directed by local actor-producer-director Malkia Stampley.
“Home,” by Samm-Art Williams. A young North Carolina farmer goes to prison rather than violate his moral code by serving in the Vietnam War. When he gets out, he tries to make a new life. Directed by Sherri Williams Pannell, artistic director of Bronzeville Arts Ensemble. Chiké Johnson, Malkia Stampley and Nadja Simmonds will perform in this reading.
Williams Pannell performed in the cast of In Tandem Theatre’s production of “Home” in 2004. The Broadway production was a Tony Award nominee.
Black Arts MKE, Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, Lights! Camera! Soul! and MPower Theater Group are working with MCT to produce the festival.
Pending union agreements and local health and safety protocols, MCT plans to perform and record the readings on the Cabot Theatre stage at the Broadway Theatre Center.
The festival also will include locally
created music, spoken word and interviews.
Festival passes will be valid for one week of virtual access, with each of three play readings available to view once during that time, at the viewer’s convenience. Passes will cost $34.97 for general admission, $14.97 for artists and students. Visit milwaukee chambertheatre.org.
In a related announcement, Skylight Music Theatre will present “From Skylight With Love: A Concert for Unity,” a free online performance, which will stream online, beginning at 7 p.m. Aug. 23. It will be available through Sept. 12.
The concert will feature local and regional Black artists who have performed at the Skylight. Williams Pannell will direct, with music direction by keyboardist Christie Chiles Twillie. While admission is free, registration is required. Visit skylightmusictheatre .org/unity.
Milwaukee Black Theater Festival replaces the previously announced season-opening production of “Passing Strange,” which MCT says it can’t perform safely under current coronavirus pandemic conditions.