KST's Freshworks Residency Program Invests in Pittsburgh's Emerging Artists

Kelly Strayhorn Theater will support performances in progress from local artists through the theater’s ten-week Freshworks residency program. In the program’s 11th year, KST will present two shows: Yusef Shelton (Ys1)’s Barbershop Talk on Friday & Saturday, October 4 - 5, at 7:30 pm, transports the audience into the heart of Black barbershop culture with music. On Friday & Saturday, November 1 - 2, at 7:30 pm, Arnita Simone’s Heavy Is The Crownhonors the beauty of Black hair and the Black diaspora through dance. Immediately after each performance, the audience is encouraged to respond to the work and share feedback with the artists at a post-show discussion.

Each season, KST incubates two Freshworks performances by artists based in the greater Pittsburgh region. The theater provides artists with planning support and guidance, studio space, production staff, lighting and sound design, an honorarium, and a resource budget. In weekly meetings, artists exchange ideas with KST’s Programming team and receive administrative and technical support across various departments. Facilitating a space for the first iteration of the artist’s project to develop as they collaborate with others is at the heart of the program.

Ys1 and Simone learned about Freshworks through their past engagement with KST’s programs and felt drawn to apply. Ys1 previously participated in Fully Expressed: The Lyricist's Journey (2022) as a Hip-hop artist. Simone has been a teaching artist for the Adult Jazz Heels class at KST's Alloy Studios in partnership with PearlArts and has also collaborated with Fall 2023 Freshworks artist Andraya Rand-Mathis. Ys1 and Simone have grown creatively inside the KST community over the years and are now bringing their ideas and experiences to the next level.

“After working with both Ys1 and Arnita Simone in various capacities over the past two years, as a next step in our relationship and their career trajectory, the residency allows for a more focused developmental period towards building a new production, which the artist can continue to incubate on their own or in collaboration with KST following the residency. The program helps lay out the steps towards a sustainable career,” said Ben Pryor, Programming Director at KST. 

The 2024-2025 Freshworks application cycle attracted a record number of applicants, marking the most interest KST has seen since the program’s inception in 2013. Recent Freshworks artists have explored themes like internet culture, self-care, and ancestral memory. This season, KST is pleased to present two new works by Ys1 and Arnita Simone that coincidently complement each other and reflect on aspects and histories of Black hair culture in different artistic forms.

Barbershops have long been centers of economic prosperity and societal transformation, serving as safe havens for Black folks and homes for the early hip-hop scene. Through original live music, spoken word, and dance, Barbershop Talk by Ys1 immerses the audience in Black barbershop culture, bringing to life the candid conversations and shared experiences that make these spaces transformative.

Heavy Is The Crown is a celebration of African American culture and the beauty of the Black diaspora. In this contemporary dance performance in progress, Arnita Simone explores the interconnected, sacred histories of Black hair traditions, honoring them while educating audiences about the fascinating origins and revolutionary applications of these styles. 

KST’s Programming Manager Sarah Gilmer facilitates the program: “Both performances honor Black culture, specifically relating to hair, and invite audiences to engage with some of the rich histories and communal practices that shape the Black experience. I’m excited for us to explore and celebrate the strength, identity, and vulnerability brought forth in these new works by artists from Pittsburgh.”

To post a comment, you must register and login.