Black Playwrights: 50th Anniversary Special Event
Directed by Awotunde Judyie Al-Bilali, Gilbert McCauley and Dr. Priscilla Maria Page, Curated by Dr. Priscilla Maria Page
October 27 & 28 at 7:30 p.m.
In the Curtain Theater
$15 general admission, $5 students and seniors
The UMASS Department of Theater marks its 50th anniversary with an evening celebrating Black theater-makers whose bold work has appeared on our stages. We will honor Black creativity with staged readings and a conversation on Black creativity, past, present, and future. Over three deozen plays by Black playwrights have been producted at UMass Theater since its creation; we are proud to present selections from the following featured works:
New Black Math by Suzan-Lori Parks
Pork Chop Wars by Laurie Carlos
sash & trim by Djola Branner
spell #7 by Ntozake Shange
Infants of the Spring by Ifa Bayeza
My People from Love, Langston by Langston Hughes
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone by August Wilson
To Be Young, Gifted, and Black by Lorraine Hansberry
Blues for Mr. Charlie by James Baldwin
Ohio State Murders by Adrienne Kennedy
Baltimore by Kirsten Greenidge
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Unfinished Women…by Aishah Rahman
Hell in High Water by Marcus Gardley
Lydia on the Top Floor by Terry Jenoure
Crossing John at the Crossroads by Gilbert McCauley
Content advisory: use of racial slurs and descriptions of racial violence.
Read our program, which includes credits as well as information about the event.
Tickets for all events EXCEPT Flamingo Murmuration and Fringe Fest '23 are sold through the Fine Arts Center Box Office (call 1-800-999-UMAS or visit the website).
Season and group discounts available through the Fine Arts Center Box Office.
UMass Theater follows UMass Amherst weather cancellation and COVID policies; please visit our website for details.