Review: PROUD! 2025 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre

We had the best morning hanging out with Little Rock high schoolers watching PROUD! 2025 at Arkansas Repertory Theatre Thursday, Feb. 27. Not only did I see a prfound presentation on Black History in Arkansas, but I got to witness these young minds embracing this knowledge in an artistic way that was both inspiring and thought-provoking. Seeing their engagement—whether through thoughtful discussion, or simply the light of realization in their eyes—reminded me how vital it is to share these stories.  

Co-written and directed by Tamra Patterson Calamese and Ken-Matt Martin, PROUD! 2025 was birthed from Little Rock Central High School’s AP African American Studies curriculum blending classic and original poetry with music and dance to celebrate the historically significant African American individuals and events that have shaped Arkansas’s history.  

Featuring the amazing Verda Davenport Booher and Keith Harper, along with dancer Dorse Brown and musician W. Ricardo Richardson II, these collective visionaries named many Arkansans that made a creative difference in society, with emphasis on poetry by Maya Angelou (Stamps) and songs by Al Green (Forrest City). Though the storyline pushes Harper’s character to remember Caged Bird by Maya Angelou, it was when the audience of teenagers helped Booher recite from Angelou’s poem Still I Rise that was the most powerful experience of the program. The performance was filled with passion, and the energy in the room was electric as history came alive before us. It was a morning of learning, reflection, and celebration, and I left feeling hopeful about the future in the hands of these bright young minds.  

Before the show, Calamese, who is the Director of Community, Learning, and Public Programs for Arkansas Rep, addressed the students, thanking sponsors and telling them about upcoming opportunities.  

“We cannot do what we do without very generous sponsors. So, in order for me to be able to have programs going, we have to have sponsors and grants and money so that I can offer it to you guys for free. So, we want to give some special recognition and thanks to Entergy, to the Wingate Foundation, and to the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame for funding what you will see today.”   

She continued talking about their summer internship program called High School Academy. “That is where students can apply to come and learn about all the things that it takes for us to have shows up and going. About 10% of what you see is up here on the stage, but all the other things that happen in the theater, all the things that it takes for you to get to the stage and for you guys to see something is really the majority of what theater is. So, if you are interested, you are welcome to apply on The Reps website, and it is actually a paid internship over the summer.” 

Well, that sounds like fun to me.  

Once the show was over, the cast came out on the stage for a talk back with the students. They were given the chance to ask about whatever they wanted. They asked about experience and if they had a presence online, but near the end, Music Director Mr. Richardson, who is the Director of Music at Jacksonville Lighthouse Elementary School, gave the students some solid advice. 

“For every artist, aspiring artist in this room, remember that there's always going to be as many successes as you have, there’s always going to be moments of failure, right? But do not treat failure as the end of the world, OK? Just because you skinned your knee, doesn't mean that you don't have the ability to get up. Everybody up here [on stage] has had their share of hardships in the arts. We've had to learn, and we've also had to grow, and we’re growing. So, I don't want you to ever get so complacent, to think that you are that good that you don't have to study. I don't want you to think that you're just that amazing that you don't have to put your best foot forward, but I also don't want you to think less of yourself and not see value in yourself. So, when you look in the mirror today, tomorrow or whenever you get a chance, because I know y'all need it every day, right? I want you to be comfortable and love the person that you see. I want you to be OK with who you are. Everything that you have in you, was in you from the beginning, and it's gonna push you forward, and it is wherever you wanna go, whatever you want to do, whatever your mind is set on doing -- whether you want to run lights or if you want to run a camera or you wanna sing, you wanna act, or whether you want to be the person who's in business for the theater or for entertainment company. Everybody wants to get paid, you hear me? And I want my check. However, there is more than just money, right? It is the experience, the shared experience that we have with each other and how we communicate with each other and live life together. Like most of us had never really met outside of doing this play, but when you do a work of art, there's something that binds you together, that ties you together, because we sit in the space of community together and we got to learn from each other, and we're still learning from each other. But I want to encourage you. There's nothing that you can do. There's nothing that you can't accomplish.” 

Coming up in April, the Rep will host young playwrights with their program the Downtown Playmakers Project. This is a playwriting and mentoring program, working with elementary students at MLK Elementary in Little Rock to create Original Theatre in collaboration with adult theatre artists. For more information on these educational outreach productions, email Arkansas Rep at community@therep.org.