Black Ensemble Theater Presents the Black Playwrights Festival This Weekend

Black Ensemble Theater presents the 15th Annual Black Playwrights Festival as part of the company's Black Playwrights Initiative (BPI). The Black Playwrights Festival will take place January 25-26, 2020 at 3:00pm at the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, 4450 N. Clark Street.

This year's Black Playwrights Festival brings four new plays to the Black Ensemble stage. Written by BPI members and developed through the BPI process, all featured scripts will receive engaging and innovative readings directed by Associate Director of Black Ensemble Theater Daryl D. Brooks.

Tickets for the 15th Annual Black Playwrights Festival are $15 and are available at the box office, online at www.blackensemble.org or by phone, (773) 769-4451. The Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center is located at 4450 N. Clark Street. Valet parking is available for $10.

The 15th Annual Black Playwrights Festival schedule is as follows:

Saturday, January 25 at 3:00pm
Grandma's Recipe

Written by Viola Bennett
Gabrielle is finally ready to learn her Grandma's famous recipe along with the history that goes with it. As she learns about her grandparents' past, she realizes just how important this recipe is.

The Real Story of Clay vs Liston 1

Written by Ervin Gardner
Is the story about the involvement of the Mafia, Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam in the fight that introduced Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) to the world stage in the early '60s.

Sunday, January 26 at 3:00pm
Homeless

Written by Lillian Mitchum
An Army Veteran with "PTSD" who gave up on life and took to the streets...

Parenthetical
Written by Audery Naomi Smith
Merry, amidst an identity crisis, feels the only way to obtain true success is to be white by association. In this exploration of self, Merry learns her worth to others, but struggles to see her own value.

The Black Playwrights Festival is part of Black Ensemble Theater's Black Playwrights Initiative (BPI), which was created in 2005 by the theater's Founder and Executive Director Jackie Taylor. The BPI develops and strengthens the playwriting skills of novice and experienced playwrights. It is the purpose of the BPI to develop potential writers for the Black Ensemble Theater and also expose the playwrights to local and national theater companies who may be interested in their work.

"Chicago has a rich and fertile community of African American Playwrights," said Taylor. "There was a need for an organization that focused specifically on these artists as it related to their unique cultural heritage. The BPI is a vehicle that brings us together as a community to share resources and nourish our skills."

The BPI also provides training, technological resources and advancement opportunities for Chicago's African American Playwrights community. Black Ensemble Theater produces approximately 15 BPI readings of new scripts per year through the annual Sex in the Summer Play Series, and the annual Black Playwright's Festival.

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