10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.

STORYTELLING FESTIVAL (#48 & #49M)
(From across NC)
Skilled Griots spin a yarn of Black folktales while African drumming and dancing transport listeners through time and sometimes to a familiar family memory.
Appropriate for all ages.
Presented by NC Association of Black Storytellers.
(M.C. Benton Convention – Lower Level) - $7 

12:00 p.m.

NATIONAL YOUTH TALENT SHOWCASE (#50)
The next generation of successful Black Entertainers take to the stage and reveal you’re never too young to shine with excellence.
Coordinated by Sharon Frazier.
(M.C. Benton Convention – Lower Level) - $10

Purple#=3 p.m. Matinee 
Black#= 8 p.m. Evening

3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.

MAD AT MILES: A Black Woman’s Guide to Truth  
(#51M & #52E)
North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC)
Follow three women as they evolve from abusive relationships into a life of their creation shaped by strength, peace and their own voice.
Written by Pearl Cleage.
NBTF Fringe
(RJR Black Box) - $25 

8:00 p.m.

DON’T BOTHER ME, I CAN’T COPE (#53E)
North Carolina Black Repertory Co. (Winston-Salem, NC)
See Monday, August 3
(UNCSA Stevens Center) - $42 

 

THE RETURN (#54E)
Artscape (Cape Town, South Africa)
See Tuesday, August 4
(Arts Council Theatre) - $37

 

 

SINGLE BLACK FEMALE (#55E)
Black Spectrum Theatre Company (Queens, NY)
See Tuesday, August 4
(Wake Forest #1 – The MainStage Theatre) - $37

I AM WHO I AM (#56E)
Black Ensemble Theatre (Chicago, IL)
This musical traces Teddy Pendergrass’ riveting rise to stardom. And how his unquenchable love of music moved him from a crippling accident to a transformative career in and out of the spotlight.
Written by Jackie Taylor.
(K.R. Williams Auditorium)- $42 

WOMYN WITH WINGS (#57E)
Flow Theater (Columbus, OH)
Three women portray the dynamic stories of women bucking chauvinistic stereotypes, disagreeing on social issues and turning bitterness into betterness. In the end, they radiate the truth of womanhood…one who is strong, and is to be valued and respected.
Written by James Chapman.
&
BLACK MAN RISING
Obsidian Media Group (New York, NY)
Celebrating the strength, wisdom and fortitude of black manhood, this choreoplay deals with rising above expectations, establishing a sense of self, and honoring the ancestors. 
Written by James Chapman.
 (WSSU – Anderson Center)- $37

 

BANANAS (#58E)
Do It Yourself Productions (Los Angeles, CA)
Paris, France 1961.  A one-woman theatre cabaret on the colorful and outspoken life of Josephine Baker. She broke the rules and a nation loved her for it. Accompanied by pianist Aeros Pierce. 
Written and performed by Sloan Robinson.
&
SPEAK OF ME AS I AM
Music Sketches (Los Angeles, CA)
Paul Robeson comes alive during this musical, explaining the reasons for his life and the high price he paid.
Written and performed by KB Solomon.
Larry Leon Hamlin Solo Performance Series
(Wake Forest #2 – The Ring Theatre) - $37 

IN THE CONTINUUM (#59E)
St Louis Black Repertory Company (St. Louis, MO)
An African American teen girl and a Zimbabwe newsreader are worlds apart but united by the diagnosis of HIV. Breaking their suffocating isolation propels them into new vibrant realities. 
Written by Nikkole Salter and Danai Gurira.
(UNCSA #1 – The Thrust) - $37 

 

ASCENSION (#60E)
Robinson Williams Productions (Yonkers, NY)
Ruth and Jacob are deeply in love. But their dreams are soiled by a rape, a secret, a birth, a murder. This mystery is tangled with obsession, possession and the freedom to love.
Written by Cynthia G. Robinson.
UNCSA #2 – The Catawba) - $37 

 

NAPPY JOURNEYS (#61E)
Hurrey-Up Stage & Filmworks (Pensacola, FL)
From sculptured designs to intricate waves, ‘black hair’ has always been fertile ground for cultural commentary and socio-political identity.
Written and performed by Ayinde Hurrey.
(Salem College – Shirley Recital Hall) - $37 

 

IT AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT THE BLUES (#62E)
Crossroads Theatre Company (New Brunswick, NJ)
African chants to Southern Spirituals to the soulful croons from the Delta to Chicago--this rousing musical traces the roots of the Blues--an American cultural treasure. Originally conceived by Ron Taylor.
(Reynolds Memorial Auditorium) - $42 

 

WHO WILL SING FOR LENA? (#63E)
Lions & Butterflies Artswork (Tulsa, OK)
On March 5, 1945, Lena Baker made history as the first and only woman to die by electrocution in Georgia’s electric chair “Old Sparky”. Her crime--killing a white man.
Written by Janice Lee Liddell, Ph.D.

&
ZORA
3 Girls on a Wall Productions (New York, NY)
Zora Neale Hurston was one of the most celebrated figures to emerge from the Harlem Renaissance.  Outspoken, spirited and gifted, she was ahead of her time.  Written by Laurence Holder. Performed by Kim Brockington. 
Larry Leon Hamlin Solo Performance Series
Celebrity Performance
(Reynolda House Museum of American Art) - $40

 

 A HANDSOME WOMAN RETREATS (#64E)
Li’l Magic Productions (Los Angeles, CA)
Unhappy and plagued by panic attacks, Kim attends a ten-day silent meditation retreat to find peace. Join her as she travels a funny, sometimes painful journey of self-discovery. 
Written and performed by Kim Wayans.
Celebrity Performance
(Summit School – Loma Hopkins Theatre) - $40 

Wisteria & HOPE: The Poetry of Experience (#65E)
A multimedia performance featuring the poetry of Kwame Dawes, original music by Kevin Simmonds and a musical ensemble. Wisteria tells the story of life under Jim Crow segregation, as recalled by African American women of Sumter, SC. HOPE: Living and Loving With HIV in Jamaica presents the human face of an epidemic. Stories of despair and loss turned into resilience, hope, and grace.
Written and performed by Kwame Dawes with orchestra.
 (Salem College – Hanes Auditorium) - $25 

THE UNSUNG DIVA (#66E)
Cultural Odyssey (San Francisco, CA)
&
MUSIC FOR ONE HAND CLAPPING
Cultural Odyssey (San Francisco, CA)
See Wednesday, August 5
(Salem College – The Drama Workshop Theatre) - $37 

Celebrity Reception

10:30 p.m.
(Marriott Hotel)