Story and Photos by Alex Del Cueto
February is Black History Month which is a time to honor Black history. The Blac Theater Festival was created by Misa-Love Smith and Laila De La Rosa to give Black members of the acting conservatory an opportunity to do weekly performances highlighting Black actors and Black stories.
“A big part of the Blac Theater Festival is that you get typecast in roles at this school,” said Ed Ventura, junior actor and the director of the Feb.15 performances. “We wanted to explore their depth of humanity more.”
On Feb. 15, Ventura directed the actors in the scenes, “BLKS” by Aziza Barnes, “Sunset Baby” by Dominique Morisseau and “Tambo & Bones” by Dave Harris.
“BLKS” tells the story of a group of black women navigating womanhood and being a woman in New York City. This scene was chosen specifically to honor Barnes who passed away in 2024.
“Sunset Baby” is based on the lives of the Shakur family and dealing with the aftermath of Tupac’s passing. The specific scene was chosen to give actors the opportunity to explore roles they might not typically get to perform.
“Tambo & Bones” traps two hip-hop stars in a combination rap concert and minstrel show. The scene performed at this show was flipping the ideas of White supremacy. This was the only scene that included White actors.
While this show serves as a celebration for Black students, it also acts as an educational experience for White students.
“Being in a majority Black production is an experience that, as a White person, I don't often get anywhere,” said sophomore actor Thomas Robbins. “I learned that sometimes your role is taking a step back.”
This is the inaugural year of the festival, and Black actors hope to establish it as an annual event. The show ran for three weekends this month, concluding on Feb. 22.
“My Black peers seem free in a different way that I usually don’t necessarily see in class,” said De La Rosa. “I want this tradition to continue and be something we can leave to underclassmen in the future.”
Laura Woodburn (left) and Jade Cook (right) argued as a couple in “BLKS.”
Laila De La Rosa encouraged the others to take a shot with her to help with their problems.
Princess Louden (left) pointed into the audience.
Conor Picard poured a drink for his guest in “Sunset Baby.”
Noël Harris (left) and Picard (right) argued when Picard realized that Harris had an ulterior motive in speaking with him.
Harris getting upset as he is told he can see his daughter.
Sam Smalls and Imani Jones introduced themselves to the audience as Tambo and Bones in “Tambo & Bones.”
Smalls set the scene of an alternate reality Civil War universe before he gets stopped by Jones.
Heschel Bay (left) and Thomas Robbins (right) entered the scene as robots made to look like White people and to act as puppets for the scene.
Robbins stabbed a knife through Bay killing him allowing him to go through with his plan of having the robots kill White people.
Smalls and Jones attempted to turn off Robbins as he began to repeat the phrase “I’m a real person.”
Jones and Small killed the robots in order to prevent them from gaining sentience.
The cast of all three scenes bowed together at the end of the show.
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