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TheNew Federal Theatre is a theatre company named after the African-American branch of theFederal Theatre Project, which was created in the United States during theGreat Depression to provide resources for theatre and other artistic programs. The company has operated out of a few different locations onHenry Street in theLower East Side ofManhattan. Since 1970, the New Federal Theatre has provided its community with a stage and collection of talented performers to express the voices of numerous African-American playwrights.[1]
The New Federal Theatre boasts nationally known playwrights such asRon Milner (Checkmates),Ed Bullins (The Taking of Miss Janie), andNtozake Shange (For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf) as well as actors includingJackée Harry,Morgan Freeman,Denzel Washington,Debbie Allen,Phylicia Rashad,Dick Anthony Williams,Glynn Turman,Taurean Blacque,Samuel L. Jackson, andLaurence Fishburne.[2]
Through a Mobilization for Youth theatre program,[3] he New Federal Theatre was founded in 1970 byWoodie King Jr. in the multi-ethnic area of lower east side ofManhattan, New York City. The company received its original funding from a small grant by the New York State Council of Arts and by theHenry Street Settlement. While the first season was conducted in the St. Augustine Church basement, construction of the Louis Abrons Arts Center was completed in 1974 through theHenry Street Settlement.
The administrative offices of New Federal Theatre moved back to St. Augustine's Church in 1996 while the company continues to work out of the Louis Abrons Art Center where it holds productions and training programs. Today, the New Federal Theatre maintains acting and playwriting workshops for their students at the Dewey Cultural Center located onSt. Nicholas Avenue in New York City.[2] The Department of Cultural Affairs recently cut its $15,000 funding to theNew Heritage Theatre Group, the New Federal Theatre, and theNegro Ensemble Company, which the companies intend to appeal.[4]
The New Federal Theatre brings the enjoyment of live stage to minorities in the Lower East Side as well as in the greater Metropolitan surroundings. The companies existence has brought numerous up-and-coming actors, designers, directors and playwrights to national attention in their fields.[2][6]
"New Federal Theatre's mission is to integrate minorities and women into the mainstream of American theatre by training artists for the profession, and by presenting plays by minorities and women to integrated, multicultural audiences-plays which evoke the truth through beautiful and artistic re-creations of ourselves."[2]
Playwrights developed their voices in African-American theatre through the Federal Theatre Company, including such notable playwrights asNtozake Shange,Ron Milner, Richard Abrons, and others listed below.[1]
The playwrights listed above developed their voice with the assistance from the New Federal Theatre, yet not all plays written by them were performed by the company. The productions listed below were performed by the company at a few different locations in New York City.[1]
In theNew York Times, David Dewitt described a 2000 production ofJames Baldwin: A Soul on Fire in the Abrons Art Center[7] that the as "...a technically modest production; a silk bedspread and scarf-covered lamp are the most telling set pieces". Despite minimal set production, Dewitt found the biographical play of Baldwin was acted out "...with humor, style and raw emotion, it embraces its chosen territory with enthusiasm."[8]
On February 16, 1997, Lawrence Van Gelder saw a production ofDo Lord Remember Me[9] at the Kaye Playhouse between Lexington and Park Avenue. Noting all of the cast as "veterans of previous productions of [the play]", Gelder found of their performance: "Oral history may not be malleable into shapely and convenient drama, but it rings with unshakable truth".[10]