The Billie Holiday Theatre Reveals 2024/25 Season Lineup
This year’s programming will feature an expanded lineup to include a new music series, community focused events, and more.
By: Stephi Wild Aug. 29, 2024
The Billie Holiday Theatre has announced details for its 2024-25 season. Marking the iconic theater’s first full season under the leadership of Executive Director Shadawn Smith, this year’s programming will feature an expanded lineup to include a new music series, community focused events, dance presentations, special editions of core programs and, of course, theatrical productions uniquely curated to The Billie’s standard of excellence.
With a commitment to telling Black stories remaining at the core of its DNA, The Billie will continue to center the exploration of the Black Theater canon this season with the inaugural “Black Narrative” Theater Series featuring a mix of solo performances, one-act plays, readings and works-in-progress. Set to become a bi-annual celebration of Black theater, the new series will launch this Fall with three days of performances, readings and conversations that give voice to the African American experience. Events under the Series will include: Award-winning actor, singer and writer Daniel Koa Beaty’s critically acclaimed one-person show, Love Warrior produced by the New Heritage Theatre Group; a collaboration with The Fire This Time Festival for a special edition featuring playwright alumni to present six 10-minute plays focused on social and political issues impacting the Black community such as gentrification, Black Lives Matter, and the concept of Black love and joy; and a staged reading of works by celebrated playwrights Amiri Baraka (Dutchman) and Aishah Rahman (The Lady and The Tramp) directed by Dominique Rider, to be presented in partnership with CLASSIX - a collective of five theater artists conceived and founded by director Awoye Timpo to explore the Black performance history and dramatic work by Black writers (November 15-17).
Extending its reach beyond theater to its musical roots and in homage to its namesake - the legendary Billie Holiday - the institution’s Fall lineup will also see the premiere of the BILLIE & BEYOND Music Series showcasing next generation female vocalists and instrumentalists who are firing up the stage with a mix of jazz, R&B, gospel and more. The first performance under the series will present one of the most exciting and unique emerging artists in jazz - violinist Kersten Stevens. The six -time winner of the iconic Showtime at the Apollo will perform selections from her much acclaimed new album, QUEEN RISING (which also features performances by 8x Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride) as well as a variety of jazz inspired numbers and traditional and original worships songs.
As part of their longstanding partnership with The Billie, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE - the renowned dance company founded by the internationally acclaimed choreographer - will move toward the celebration of their 40th Anniversary season with a weekend of dance at The Billie. The weekend will include their annual concert featuring some of the company’s signature pieces such as Walking Out of Dark and Torch as well as a community dance workshop. (October 18 & 19)
The Billie’s season will kick off in September with a special town hall discussion - The Billie Community Conversation: Power of the Black Vote – along with a voter registration drive to be held on National Voter Registration Day (September 17). Voter education and registration materials to be provided by NYC Votes and National Voter Registration Day. To close out its Fall/Winter 2024 programming, the theater will present The Billie’s Holiday Experience: Remembering Home spotlighting the Caribbean immigrant communities of Bed-Stuy (December 15).
Additionally, The Billie’s multidisciplinary arts instruction program, the Youth Arts Academy (YAA), will return for a new semester on September 23rd with registration open now. YAA offers a wide range of classes, including West African Dance, Ballet, Modern Dance, Hip-Hop, Drama, and Drumming including the Sabar, Steel Pan, and Djembe taught by a world-class faculty for students ages 3 - 18 years old.
“I am so excited to present this new season to our audiences. Following the culmination of the institution’s 50th anniversary last year, we wanted to create world class programming for this season that would illustrate what’s in store for The Billie as we look toward the future as well as reinforce the theater’s legacy and role as the artistic anchor of this community,” said Smith. “From the launch of the new music series in honor of our namesake to the new theater series celebrating Black voices and stories to our continued partnership with renowned choreographer Ronald K. Brown and his Evidence Dance Company to our townhall event to encourage our community to exercise their right to vote, we remain dedicated to ensuring that The Billie continues to be the home for creating and nurturing Black narratives in the 21st century and beyond!”
FALL/WINTER 2024
Community | The Billie Community Conversation: Power Of The Black Vote
Date(s): Tuesday, September 17 - 6PM
Location: The Billie Holiday Theatre - 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tickets: Free & Open to the Public |
The Billie will launch its 2024-25 season with a special town hall event - The Billie Community Conversation: Power of the Black Vote - to be held on Tuesday, September 17th which also marks National Voter Registration Day. With the upcoming presidential election fast approaching, this day of discussion and activation is intended to foster civic engagement and voter education in the Bed-Stuy community, encourage Black voters to recognize their collective power as a voting bloc, and to galvanize eligible voters to participate in the democratic process and make their voices heard. In addition to the community discussion, the event will also include a voter registration drive with educational and registration materials provided by NYC Votes and National Voter Registration Day.
Power of the Black Vote will cover a range of topics from voter suppression and criminalization to misinformation to the organizing power of Black women to what is all on the ballot come November. The panel will be comprised of local community leaders, advocates, and activists.
Music | BILLIE & BEYOND Music Series
Date(s): October 5 and December 13 - 8PM, Doors at 7pm
Location: The Billie Holiday Theatre - 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tickets: $35 for all performances
Exploring The Billie’s musical roots and in homage to its namesake - the legendary Billie Holiday – the BILLIE & BEYOND Music Series will showcase female vocalists and instrumentalists with the first performance presenting one of the most exciting and unique emerging artists in jazz - violinist Kersten Stevens. Emerging from an accomplished classical foundation, Stevens has fostered a unique improvisational freedom that is a spirited blend of jazz, gospel and contemporary styles. The evening will include selections from her acclaimed new album, QUEEN RISING (which also features performances by 8x Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride) as well as a variety of jazz inspired numbers and traditional and original worships songs. The six -time winner of the iconic Showtime at the Apollo has performed with music greats Kim Burrell, Regina Carter, and McBride and for esteemed notables including President Barack Obama, Babyface, USHER, Ray Charles, Denzel Washington and Yanni, among others.
In December, the Series will present the Brooklyn-based outfit, The Kennedy Administration who are fast becoming known for their ability to create a sensory experience crafting modern music and weaving jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and pop into a rich musical tapestry. This dynamic collective of next level musicians are driven by powerhouse singer, Kennedy, and her musical partner, keyboardist and producer extraordinaire Ondre J, a longstanding collaborator of Gregory Porter.
Dance | Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE
Date(s): Friday, October 18 & Saturday, October 19 - 7:30pm
Location: The Billie Holiday Theatre - 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tickets: $25 for all performances |
As part of their longstanding partnership with The Billie, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE - the renowned dance company founded by the internationally acclaimed choreographer - will move toward the celebration of their 40th Anniversary season with a weekend of dance at The Billie. The weekend will include their annual concert featuring some of the company’s signature pieces such as Walking Out of Dark and Torch as well as a community dance workshop.
Theater| The “Black Narrative” Theater Series
Date(s): November 15-17
Location: The Billie Holiday Theatre - 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tickets: Tickets start at $20 for all performances
The Billie will continue to celebrate the power of Black storytelling with the launch of this new bi-annual series presenting three days of performances, readings and conversations that give voice to the African American experience. The weekend will kick off on Friday (November 15, 7:30pm) with Award-winning actor, singer and writer Daniel Koa Beaty’s critically acclaimed one-person show Love Warrior. A New Heritage Theatre Group production, the performance highlights the power of the human spirit to triumph over immeasurable trauma. Through intimate stories, poetry, song, dance, and multi-character transformation, Beaty shares his journey including a life changing visit to the plantation where his great, great grandmother was enslaved, and his enstooling as a King in Ghana.
For its Saturday, November 16, 7:30pm presentation, The Billie will collaborate with The Fire This Time Festival for a special edition featuring playwright alumni to present six 10-minute plays focused on social and political issues impacting the Black community such as gentrification, Black Lives Matter, and the concept of Black love and joy. The plays to be featured will include: Slow Gin Fits by Angelica Cheri; Panopticon by Cyrus Aaron; #LakeishaJefferson by Goldie E. Patrick; C.O.G.S. by Samantha Godfrey; The Weatherin' by Jonathan Payne; and The Sporting Life of Icarus Jones by Marcus Gardley.
On Sunday November 17, 3pm the Series will culminate with a staged reading of works by celebrated playwrights Amiri Baraka and Aishah Rahman to be presented in partnership with CLASSIX Collective - a collective of five theater artists created in 2017 by director Awoye Timpo to explore Black performance history and dramatic works by Black writers. Baraka’s Dutchman and Rahman’s The Lady and The Tramp will be performed in dialogue with one another, revealing the violence that sits underneath the surface of Back American life. Directed by Dominique Rider.
Holiday | The Billie’s Holiday Experience: Remembering Home
Date(s): December 15 - 3pm
Location: The Billie Holiday Theatre - 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Tickets: Free & Open to the Public| Registration
The Billie launches a new program to spotlight the Caribbean immigrant community of Bed-Stuyvesant. The intergenerational program will give voice to family stories, memories/nostalgia, traditions, contemporary political issues and lifestyle. An immersive day-long event using the spaces of The Billie. Program to include film screenings, performance, literary readings, art making, conversation and food.
A PREVIEW OF SPRING 2025
Theater| Black Voices Theater Series
Date(s): February, 2025
Music | BILLIE + BEYOND
Date(s): February & April 2025
Dance | Dance At The Billie
Date(s): March, 2025
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Youth Arts Academy
Recently reimagined to meet the needs of today’s youth, The Billie’s staple Education program, the Youth Arts Academy (YAA), returns for its 26th year. YAA, which has been a haven of free expression for hundreds of youth annually since its inception in 1998, offers a wide range of classes including West African Dance, Ballet, Modern Dance, Hip-Hop, Drama, and Drumming. With more robust theater programming that encourages literacy for ages 3 – 17, YAA is taught by a world-class faculty and classes include Education in Dance and Drumming Program led by Arcell Cabuag and Karen Thornton and the Pre-Professional Dance Program led by Ronald K. Brown and Arcell Cabuag.
Encompassing a 199-seat theater, state-of-the-art studios, a gallery space, and outdoor plazas, The Billie Holiday Theatre – theater home to the largest community of African Americans in the nation: Central Brooklyn – has also been home to world-class storytelling and presentations for over 50 years. Forged in the sociocultural and aesthetic kiln of the Civil Rights and Black Arts Movements, the Theatre continues to celebrate the diversity, intersectionality, and complexity of the African diaspora from around the corner and around the world with keenly honed consciousness for social justice through narrative. The Billie has been a significant platform for many Black theater artists, including Samuel L. Jackson, Ruby Dee, Omari Hardwick, Debbie Allen, Wendell Pierce, Roger Robinson, John Amos, Sonia Sanchez and more.
Comments
Videos