Life-changing theatre by and about African-Americans for diverse audiences
The mission of the New Voices Ensemble Theatre is to present the highest quality of new and contemporary works by and about African-Americans to culturally diverse audiences in the greater Seattle/Tacoma community. The New Voices Ensemble Theatre is also committed to telling authentic stories from the African-American perspective, stories that are rich in language, theme, music, and social relevance. Through highly collaborative artistic partnerships, the New Voices Ensemble Theatre will stimulate, educate, and develop a lasting interest in deeply human stories that will change lives.
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Email:
206.245.6792
info_newvoicesensemble.org
New Voices Ensemble Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
All donations made are tax-deductible.
Enjoy fine dining and live theatre under one roof! In a rare presentation and kick-off to the 2nd "Our Voices" event, the New Voices Ensemble Theatre will present an unforgettable evening of solo performances and short plays written by the ensemble and other local playwrights. The diverse collage of works weaves together autobiography, humor, passion, and drama that is sure to speak to the heart and soul of every audience member. Several plays are being featured, including the dramedy School Counselor by Tonya White , La’Chris Jordan ’s The Ghosts on Cleveland Street , and Tell Them by Dr. Linda Beed. Other featured playwrights include Marcus Anderson, Tina Austin, and Rick DuPree .
COST: $15; $20 at-the-door; $30 for "Dinner & Show"
WHEN: May 10-20, 2012
WHERE: Spitfire, 2219 4th Ave., Seattle
TIME: 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 3:00 p.m. on Sundays
Tell Them
by Dr. Linda Beed
In a one-woman presentation, Tell Them re-enacts the last day of Carol Denise McNair, the youngest victim of the 1963 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. This piece speaks to the necessity of nurturing our children toward purpose.
Journey From Spruce to 60th
by Sandra Boas-DuPree
Edwin Pratt, one of Seattle's most visible civil rights leaders, was only 38 when he was assassinated on January 29, 1969. As executive director of the Seattle Urban League, he had helped desegregate neighborhoods and schools. Journey From Spruce to 60th is a dramatic retelling of the playwright’s experience with Seattle civil rights leader Edwin Pratt and his vision to desegregate neighborhoods and schools.
School Counselor
by Tonya White
Life could be easier for 8-year-old Tina. Her mother takes more pills than she should, her brother has asthma, and the daddy that "ain't her brother's daddy" has left the family to move to Seattle. A humorous and dramatic look at a little girl's session with her school counselor.
New Voices Ensemble Theatre is pleased to announce AUDITIONS for
"A Soldier's Play" by Charles Fuller directed by Isiah Anderson, Jr.
"One of the contemporary American theatre's most forceful and original voices." - New York Times
"A powerful drama skillfully wrought." The Wall Street Journal
"A complex and rewarding play by a playwright of great sensibility." New York Post
"A work of great resonance and integrity." - Newsweek
Audition Date/Time: February 2012. Exact date/time to be announced soon.
Audition Location: TBA
Cast Breakdown:
10 African-American males, 20s-50s
2 Caucasian males, 40s-50s
Additional information:
Please bring headshot and resume to audition. Please arrive early. There will be cold readings from the script.
Rehearsals & Performance:
Rehearsals to begin: August 2012
Performance Dates: October 5-20, 2012
Performance Location: TBD in Seattle or Tacoma
Compensation:
A small stipend will be provided to actors and production crew.
Isiah Anderson, Jr. is a seasoned performer, director, actor, and teaching artist. Isiah is also a strong advocate and organizer of community arts programs that promote self-empowerment, awareness, and positive change in youth. Born to a single mother in Joliet, Illinois, and the oldest of three, Isiah began performing at the age of five. After many years of dance performances and competitions, the chance of a lifetime came by way of a solo dance performance in the Broadway production of Dream Girls in Chicago. Isiah received a standing ovation for his dynamic performance. At 13, that was all the encouragement Isiah would need to confirm what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. At the age of 18, Isiah became a single father, but he knew that he would have to leave Joliet, Illinois, if he was to offer something more for his son. With the help of family and friends, Isiah moved to Seattle and began a brand new chapter in their lives. It wasnt easy being a single parent, but all the successes and failure would provide Isiah with a burning desire to one day share with youth and others what he himself did not have.
For the last 26 years, Isiah has been the most sought after director and entertainer in the Northwest. Some of his directing credits include: The Wiz, Peter Pan, Grease, Cinderella, Uncle Willies Chocolate Factory, Soul of Beauty and the Beast , and Snow White and the 7 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, the Moore, and the Paramount Theatre in Seattle for the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Centers All Teen Summer Musicals. He also directed plays for ACT Theatres Young Playwrights Program as well as Sadie's Kitchen and Piney Ridge by local award-winning playwright LaChris Jordan.
As a comedian, Isiah has also had amazing success. He has opened for such as artists as the late Bernie Mac, DL Hughley, Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, Dick Gregory, Gerald Levert, Boyz II Men, Roger Troutman and many others. Isiah also appeared several times on Black Entertainment Television's (BET) Comic View and been a featured performer on Russell Simmons Def Jam Comedy Tour.
As an actor, some of his favorite roles have been Walter Lee in A Raisin in the Sun , Hambone in August Wilson's Two Trains Running and Ghitlow in Purlie Victorious . Isiah is blessed to be working with his new family of friends and professionals at the New Voices Ensemble Theatre, and he is excited beyond belief to begin work on their first production and one of his favorite plays - Charles Fullers Pulitzer Prize-winning play A Soldier's Play which is scheduled to open in Fall 2012.
LaChris is a poet, actress, screenwriter, journalist, and award-winning playwright who was named one of the '50 TO WATCH' by the Dramatists Guild of America. LaChris has served in many leadership positions throughout her career. She was president of the Association for Student Journalists of Color while attending the University of Washington; an Air Force ROTC cadet; Student Representative for the National Association of Black Journalists; and Owner and Producer of Alala Productions, a theatre production company. Currently, she serves on the board of the Northwest Playwrights Alliance. LaChris has also worked or volunteered with the following nonprofit organizations: Big Brothers of King County, YWCA Child Care Center, Washington Park Arboretum, Center for Urban Horticulture, and World Wide Fund for Nature.
As a theatre professional, LaChris has written more than twenty plays and screenplays including Sadie's Kitchen (2005 National Black Theatre Festival; GAP Award from Artist Trust). Her other full-length plays include Haram/Forbidden (2007 Seattle Dramatists New Play Festival; Winner, 77th Annual Writers Digest Competition), Piney Ridge (Winner, Santa Cruz Actors Theatre Festival, CA; 2009 Seattle Arts & Cultural Affairs Award), and Roses in the Water (Winner, 2010 Jewel Box Theatre Playwriting Competition for Best Original Play; 3rd Place Winner, 2009 WriteMovies International Writing Competition; and finalist for the 2009 Arts Club of Washington, D.C. National Playwriting Award). La'Chris' latest full-length play, Bettys Wish was presented in Washington, D.C. at the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center last fall as part of Essential Theatre's New Play Reading Series under the artistic direction of S. Robert Morgan of HBO's The Wire . La'Chris' work has also been seen or developed at Urban Stages, Arkansas Rep, Seattle Rep, ACT Theatre, Karamu House, Manhattan Rep, Ashland New Play Festival, Intentional Theatre, and Secret Rose Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2001, La'Chris published, Musings of an Eccentric Dreamer: An Anthology of Love Poetry , while working as a journalist in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
As an actor, LaChris has performed in well-known classics such as One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Hamlet, The Crucible, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire , and Well . In addition to acting, La'Chris is as a Teaching Artist at ACT Theatre's Young Playwrights Program (YPP). She is also a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, the International Centre for Women Playwrights, and the Theatre Communications Group. Raised in Oakland, California, and New Orleans, Louisiana, La'Chris holds a B.A. in communications from the University of Washington. She is also set to release her long-awaited debut novel The Embers of Bellevue in Summer 2012.
La'Chris Jordan, President & Co-founder
Isiah Anderson, Jr., Vice President & Artistic Director
Tina Austin, Secretary & Founding board member
Scot Runyan, Treasurer & Founding board member
Rick DuPree, Founding board member
Quincy Vidauri, Founding board member
Tonya White, Founding board member
The New Voices Ensemble Theatre is currently comprised of eight actors from the greater Seattle/Tacoma and Olympia area. Collectively, the Ensemble members have over 50 years of theatre experience and are actively involved in their local communities. The Ensemble is supported by a dedicated board of directors and committed volunteers.
Meet our artists:
Read full bio
Bio coming soon
New Voices Ensemble Theatre is excited to announce our community-based program Our Voices , designed to give public voice to some of our communities' most compelling stories. Individuals of all backgrounds and ages are invited to submit their autobiographical stories. Do you have a story you'd like to tell? We'd love to share it!
"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak."
- Audre Lorde (1932-1992) Poet, Activist, Writer
Community theatre. It means a lot of things to a lot of people. To us, community theatre is accessible and collaborative. It is vibrant and engaging. It is raw and risky, and it is all done with the local artist in mind. As a local theatre company, we want to showcase stories that speak to the everyday man and woman, stories that diverse audiences can truly relate to. But we need your help to do that. Ticket sales only cover 50% of our programming which is why donations from the community are so important.
With your donations, we can ensure that new voices are brought to the stage, voices that move and inspire. That's our commitment. We love donations and any amount is appreciated. Truly. Therefore, if you would like to make a donation to New Voices Ensemble Theatre, you can:
Donate online or via snail mail to:
New Voices Ensemble Theatre
9115 NE Country Woods Lane
Kingston, WA 98346
Sponsorship Benefits
Sponsors can earmark up to 50% of their donation towards New Voices Youth Programs which include New Voices classes, workshops, performances, festivals, and other community-related events focused on youth.
Levels of Sponsorship:
Platinum ($5,000 and more)
Gold ($2,500 - $4,999)
Silver ($1,000 - $2,499)
Bronze ($500 - $999)
Selfless Partners ($1 - $499)
Donate
Mailing Address:
T: 206.245.6792
Thank you for visiting our site! Feel free to use any of our event photos in your publications or broadcast media. Please give photography credit to Abigail Upshur.
Press contact:
La'Chris Jordan
(206) 245-6792
lachris_newvoicesensemble.org
Current Events & Shows
Auditions
The Ensemble
Win Dinner with a Show!
New Voices Spring Showcase
May 10-20, 2012
Read more information about our upcoming auditions for the 1982 Pulitzer prize-winning play "A Soldier's Play" by Charles Fuller.
Meet the Ensemble!
Join our mailing list for a chance to win dinner at Spitfire Restaurant along with a ticket to our Spring Showcase. Already on our mailing list? You're automatically entered!
One contest winner will be announced on March 15.
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