The Classical Theatre Of Harlem To Receive $75,000 Grant From The National Endowment For The Arts

The Classical Theatre of Harlem has announced it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $75,000.00.

This grant will support CTH's free summer production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Carl Cofield, which will transport audiences into a world of magic and mischief at the height of the Harlem Renaissance. In total, the NEA will award 958 Grants for Arts Projects awards totaling more than $27.1 million that were announced as part of its first round of fiscal year 2024 grants. 

“The NEA is delighted to announce this grant to The Classical Theatre of Harlem, which is helping contribute to the strength and well-being of the arts sector and local community,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “We are pleased to be able to support this community and help create an environment where all people have the opportunity to live artful lives.”  

“We are thrilled and incredibly grateful for the National Endowment for the Arts' significant increase in support for our 25th Anniversary Season, and look forward to applying this funding to art that will draw over 20,000 people to our neighborhood and generate half a million dollars in economic activity.” said Producing Artistic Director, Ty Jones. “Public funding for the arts is essential to making this possible.”

This funding will enable CTH to 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 New York City's only Shakespeare in the Park production this summer season. 

The 2024 CTH season will also include the following performances: 

• January 29, 2024 from 7-9 PM: ICONS El Barrio Lives, an evening of performances by Hiram Delgado, Reynaldo Piniella, and Broadway sensation Kara Young at The Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance. ICONS is a podcast series of personal monologues based on figures from the Harlem Renaissance curated and directed by CTH's Literary Director, Shawn Rene Graham. We are proud to launch our 2nd season with a focus on Hispanic and Latinx voices. ICONS 2: El Barrio Lives! explores the rich history of East Harlem, by commissioning six writers of Latinx descent to breathe life into lesser known figures from Latin America and the Caribbean, whose impact on the Harlem community from the early part of the 20th century, resonates today.
• February 1, 2024: Young Gifted and Black Performance featuring Edward W. Hardy, Kaden Kennedy, Roen Jones, and Boubacar Diallo, hosted by New York Life. PRIVATE EVENT
• May 23, 2024: Hold ‘Em In Harlem, a benefit poker tournament supporting The Classical Theatre of Harlem's year-round programming. Mix, mingle, take part in a silent auction and play Poker and other games with special guests and friends. Tickets available at CTHNYC.ORG on March 1st, 2024.
• July 6 - 28, 2024: A Midsummer Night's Dream (free) at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater at Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem. Directed by Carl Cofield, CTH's 25th Anniversary Production transports Shakespeare's classic tale of love and magic to the height of the Harlem Renaissance.
• September 2024: Bryant Park Picnic Performance (free)
• September 2024: The Getty Villa and Classical Theatre of Harlem present the world-premiere production of Memnon, written by Will Power and directed by Carl Cofield, bringing the story of Ethiopia's powerful king to life as he answers the call to defend Troy. This Homeric episode, once a staple of the ancient Greek and Roman epic tradition, had been forgotten—until now. 

For more information on other projects included in the NEA's grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) is an American theatre company that tells stories through the lens of the African diaspora. CTH combines original adaptations, music, and dance to present great classics of world literature and contemporary works that will stand the test of time. Since its founding in 1999, CTH has presented works ranging from traditional classical playwrights (Anton Chekhov, Euripides and William Shakespeare) to established 20th-century playwrights (August Wilson, Langston Hughes and Jean Genet) to new plays by emerging playwrights. CTH also proudly provides theater-based training and live theater experiences to Harlem youth and their families through its arts education program, Project Classics. The organization incorporates other theater-related programming including Future Classics, Playwrights' Playground, and Revisited Classics to engage new audiences, invest in artistic development and give exposure to emerging creators.   

The company serves over 20,000 live audience members per year. Its online offerings have drawn over 500,000 viewers. To learn more, visit https://www.cthnyc.org/.

 

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