The Classical Theatre of Harlem Announces New Board of Director Members

The Classical Theatre of Harlem will welcome Tony nominee Kara Young, Dr. Karen Jackson Weaver, and Renée Beaumont to its board of directors. Representing a cross-sector of expertise in the arts, finance, and academics, the new trustees bring diverse perspectives to CTH, whose mission is to maintain a professional theatre company dedicated to returning the classics to the stages of Harlem, create employment and educational outreach opportunities in the theatre arts, create and nuture a new, young, and culturally diverse audience for the classics, and heighten the awareness of theatre and of great art in Harlem.

“We are honored and humbled to welcome Ms. Young, Dr. Weaver, and Ms. Beaumont to our board. CTH is incredibly grateful for their commitment to the arts and the investment of time, treasure and expertise,” said Producing Artistic Director, Ty Jones. “I look forward to working in partnership with them and the rest of the board so we can focus on scaling CTH’s success as we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year in honor of Andre Braugher.”

Kara Young most recently completed the Broadway run of Ossie Davis,’ Purlie Victorious. She made her Broadway debut in two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s, for which she received a Tony nomination. She was nominated for her second Tony award in 2023 for her work in the Pulitzer Prize winning play, Cost of Living by Martyna Majok. Her other accolades include: an Obie Award and Audelco Award for her portrayal of Viola in CTH’s Twelfth Night; multiple Drama Desk nominations, the inaugural Florence Mills Rising Star Award from Black Women on Broadway and a Theatre World Award. Kara can currently be seen in Boots Riley’s I’m A Virgo for Prime Video, which earned her an Indie Spirit Nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance.  You can see her next in Nsangou Njikam’s Syncing Ink at The Apollo’s Victoria Theater in Harlem this summer. 

Private capital veteran Renée Beaumont also joins the board bringing her financial experience to engage new donors and fundraise towards CTH’s 2024 goals. Beaumont is currently a senior advisor to venture capital funds ReGen Ventures and Firework Ventures, a senior advisor to Blue Haven Initiative, as well as an advisor to BrainTrust. Additionally, Beaumont sits on the advisory board of NYU Stern's Business and Human Rights center. 

A leader in global higher education for over two decades, Dr. Karen Jackson-Weaver joins Young and Beaumont on the board of directors at CTH. Dr. Jackson-Weaver is currently the Senior Associate Vice President of Global Faculty Engagement and Innovation Advancement at New York University (NYU). Prior to this role, she was a Visiting Scholar/Dean-in-Residence at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. She is a former Academic Dean at Princeton University’s Graduate School and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and she is an alumna of the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts, Princeton University (undergraduate), Harvard University (Master’s degree) and Columbia University (PhD).  Dr. Jackson-Weaver is a lifelong creative & patron of the arts, and eagerly looks forward to supporting the initiatives of The CTH.

The three new board members will provide their unique knowledge and help CTH produce a thrilling 25th Anniversary Season, opening with a FREE Harlem Renaissance-themed production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Carl Cofield in Marcus Garvey Park in July, and the world premiere of Memnon by Will Power and directed by Carl Cofield at the Getty Villa in California in September. 

CTH will be dedicating their entire 2024 season to longtime trustee Andre Braugher, which will include Uptown Shakespeare in the Park production this summer season. The season will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance as well as CTH’s own 25th anniversary season. 

For more information about the show, and how to reserve tickets, please visit cthnyc.org.