Black Theater Advance: A Salon Inspired By Catalyst

The one-day salon event Black Theater Advance intends to advance the findings of NBT’s Catalyst program’s most recent iteration, Catalyst: Seeding Permanence for Black Theatre and the New Vanguard. These preliminary findings and critical frameworks provide a jumping-off point for artists, scholars, directors, cultural strategists, and audience members in attendance to imagine what the future of Black performance could be. Anchored by keynote speeches and intimate fireside chats with Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ain’t No Mo’ creator Jordan E. Cooper, and former Vice President and Artistic Director of Social Impact at The Kennedy Center Marc Bamuthi Joseph, the day also includes active working sessions led by award-winning actor and dramatist Nikkole Salter and theatrical ceremonialist, culture worker, public scholar, and entrepreneur Ebony Noelle Golden as well as creative offerings from vocalist and composer Imani Uzuri and multidisciplinary musician Samora Pinderhughes, among others. Salon topics include: how artistic leaders are navigating and reshaping institutions; strategies for sustaining Black theater’s radical potential; building out a Bill of Rights for Black 2 Thompson Arts Center at Park Avenue Armory | 643 Park Avenue at East 67th Street Theater; intergenerational dialogue across artistic and institutional divides; and bold visions for transformation in the field.