Shades of Black Theatre Festival Opens Monday 8/24 with Mixer at Darkhorse Theatre

Seeking "to provide an artistic outlet to Nashville and surrounding cities, as well as to provide a platform for actors, directors, producers, writers and theatre enthusiasts to network and learn," the fourth annual Shades of Black Theatre Festival begins Monday night, August 24, with an opening mixer to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. (CDT) at Darkhorse Theatre, 4610 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville.

The festival continues throughout September at Darkhorse Theatre. All shows are Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. And Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. (unless otherwise indicated) Show tickets are $12 in advance; $15 at the door. For reservations and information, call (615) 781-3904. For further information, visit the website at www.shadesofblackfestival.com

Other events planned for the festival include:

August 28-30: Love Ballad, written by Michael L. Walker and directed by John B. Wiggins, presented by Dream 7 Theatre Productions. Synopsis: Love Ballad is the story of a couple who reunite after 20 years apart. After breaking up 20 years prior when Lou chose the streets over Michelle, the couple falls back in love and marries. After a year and a half of marriage, they start to realize that something is not quite right with their marriage. Love Ballad is the story of their attempt to resolve their issues. Showtimes: Friday & Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.

September 4-6: Amazing Grace. Written by Shay Youngblood and directed by Kennth B. Dozier, presented by Nairobi Cafe. Synopsis: Based on the book Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, Grace has a vivid imagination and she brings to life stories that she has read or been told by her grandmother. And the she is told she can't play Peter Pan in the school theatre because she is a little black girl. Amazing Grace bridges the gap between the traditional Nashville theatre companies by bringing together children of different ethnic groups. The play is performed by 13 girls and boys from Nashville's various ethnic communities. The lead character, Grace, is played by Jordyn Tucker, 10. Amazing Grace also features music from the CD The Sky is the Limit, a project sung entirely by the students and faculty of Buena Vista Enhanced Option School, produced by Christopher Blackmon, a teacher at Buena Vista Elementary School. It features choreography by Nomalange Eniafe, a dance instructor from Nashville School of the Arts. Showtimes: Friday & Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.

September 7: The Emerging Playwrights Reading. Staged readings of one-acts, shorts plays and excerpts from full-lenth plays. Time: 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

September 10-12: Green Honey Love. Written by Gail Wynn Huland El and Directed by Mary McCallum, presented by SistaStyle Productions. Synopsis: A play about adultery, greed and conspiracy of murder-you now, your everyday comedy! SistaSyle brings back Green Honey Love on the five-year anniversary of its world premiere in Nashville. It's a dark comedy centered around a group of five friends who allow greed, lust and betrayal to come between them over a $2.5 million insurance settlement check. It's described as "a hilarious mix of murder, deceoption and mayhem [that] turns this play into a tumultuous tale of love and betrayal with the most unexpected ending you can imagine." Showtimes: Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 12: Children's Acting Workshop. Facilitated by Jon Royal. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, September 12: Late Night Standup & Sketch Comedy Show, performed by local comedians. Admission: Donations. Time: 11 p.m.

September 12 and 13: Extremities. Written by William Mastrosimone, directed by Shawn Whitsell, presented by SistaStyle Productions. Synopsis: William Mastrosimone's 1978 play Extremities was written after extensive research in court, talking to spectators, lawyers, defendants and plaintiffs in rape cases. The play focuses on all aspects of the crime, not just the physical act, but the psychology behind it, and the emotions that accompany it. It tells the story of a young woman named Marjorie, who is confronted by a rapist (Raul) in her home and turns the tables on him, facing the latent violence in herself. Turned into a successful film in the early 1980s, Mastrosimone's drama explores the chilling boundaries of truth and violence. The unfolding events between Raul, Marjorie and her roommates--Patricia and Terry--are an examination of the primal human forces within us all.  Note: This play contains strong language and violent situations. Showtimes: Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m.
 
September 15: Short Film Showcase. Synopsis: Screening of short films by local filmmakers
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
 
September 17-20: Ebony Dreams. Written and directed by Shawn Whitsell, presented by the Destiny Theatre Experience. Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ebony escapes the harsh realities of her home life by daydreaming. In her daydreams she hops from being a black revolutionary to an African princess to a pop-singing sensation, all while learning valuable life lessons along the way that will ultimately help her cope with her real life. Showtimes: Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. And Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.

September 19: Voice and Movement Workshop. Facilitated by Jacqueline Holmes. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public
 
September 19: Words You Shouldn't Say to Brown Girls. Written, directed and performed by Melissa Gordon, presented by Tomboy in Chic Productions. Synopsis:Words You Shouldn't Say to Brown Girls is one African American woman's autobiographical account of how words were used to destroy and affirm her spirit merely on the assumption of race. What makes this show unique is hyper-awareness and criticism of how internalized racism can affect self-concept. Showtime: Saturday 3 p.m.
 
September 19: Late Night Poetry Jam. Hosted by Rashad "thaPoet" and Shawn Whitsell Synopsis: Open Mic. Featured performer: Xplicit. Admission: Donations. Time: 11 p.m.
  
September 24-26: Split Second. Written by Dennis McIntire and directed by Eugenia J. Sweeney, presented by Collards & Caviar Theatre Productions. Synopsis: Set in 1980s New York City, Split Second is a bruising contemporary story that dramatizes the crisis of conscience of an off-duty black police officer (VAl Johnson) following his fatal encounter with a white car thief. Showtimes: Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
 
September 26: Adult Acting Workshop. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free and open to the public.

To post a comment, you must register and login.