BLACK LIVES, BLACK WORDS Set for Bush Theatre

Artistic Directors of the Future (ADF) present Black Lives, Black Words, a presentation of eight fifteen-minute play readings from eight black British playwrights in the city of London. This play series is tied in with a shared project initiated by the award -winning American playwright Reginald Edmund, who produced the USA premiere in Chicago in July 2015. Black Lives, Black Words aims to explore the black diaspora experiences in some of the largest multicultural cities in the world, Chicago, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Baltimore and London to investigate the question 'Do black lives matter today?'

Staged in two of the largest multicultural cities in the world, both with a history of race rioting, damaging reports in the media and institutionalised racism, the second event in the series aims to shed light on how issues such as these have impacted those who understand, live and work in these communities and most importantly, what can be done to resolve these issues. ADF hopes that by providing a safe space for many voices to be heard it will empower others to engage in the discussion and encourage a collaborative approach to change. The plays aim to address contemporary political, socio-economical and cultural transatlantic black experiences allowing for creative critical appraisal.

Black Lives, Black Words opened on 28th July at the Greenhouse Theatre, Chicago establishing a dialogue within the community and local press including the New City Stage newspaper. The conversation is now being transferred to the Bush Theatre in London coordinated by Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, Director of the Artistic Directors of the Future initiative of which all of the directors featured are associates. This event will subsequently be followed by a selection of Black Lives, Black Words plays touring to theatres in Baltimore, Cleveland, Minneapolis and Washington DC.

Black Lives, Black Words in London includes the following playwrights: Oladipo Agboluaje, Gbolahan Obisesan, Firdos Ali, Max K, Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, Trish Cooke, I.K Ssebandeke and Theresa Ikoko.

PRESS CONTACT

For further information please contact Stephen Pidcock or Philippa Redfern at The Corner Shop PR:

stephen@thecornershoppr.com / philippa@thecornershoppr.com / 0207 831 7657

About ADF

Supported by the Young Vic Theatre and Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme the ADF initiative was set up in 2014 and currently has a core membership of over 50 BAME directors and a growing mailing list of 200 BAME directors. So far, ADF has gained the support from Royal Court Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Lyric Hammersmith, Unicorn Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Bush Theatre, Red Room and Tamasha Theatre Company in addition to the Young Vic Theatre. Individuals who support this initiative include Madani Younis, Kwame Kwei-Armah, and Topher Campbell.

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