Overview
Selected and edited by the award-winning American playwright Reginald Edmund, who produced Black Lives, Black Words
across the US, which premiered in Chicago, July 2015. The international
project has explored the black diaspora’s experiences in some of the
largest multicultural cities in the world, Chicago, Minneapolis,
Cleveland, Toronto and London. Over sixty Black writers from the UK,
USA, and Canada have each written a short play to address Black issues
today.
"I started Black Lives, Black Words because I felt there
needed to be an opportunity for me as a playwright to speak out against
the sins committed in this world inflicted upon black bodies: Michael
Brown, Trayvon Martin, Rekia Boyd, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, and the
countless many others. This in turn caused me to wonder what other
artists were out there that possess this overwhelming desire to speak
out for the unheard voices. Companies in Minneapolis with Guthrie
Theatre, Carlyle Brown and Company, Bedlam Theatre, Freestyle Theatre,
the Million Artist Movement, in Maryland – Columbia Arts Festival,
Chicago – Polarity Ensemble Theatre, Toronto – Obsidian Theatre, Buddies
and Bad Times Theatre, and the National Arts Centre, along with many
others joined us and now, two years later we have given voice to over
sixty Black Playwrights and over a hundred performers. From city to
city, Black Lives, Black Words has remained an event that is
accessible and affordable to all. Embraced by a wide range of different
theatres that vary in capacity, playing to houses from 70 to 300
audience members. Selling out in every venue. I collected these works
showcased at BLBW events from all over in hopes that the narratives that
have been placed in here speaks to the Black Struggle, Black
Achievement, Black Love, Black Aspirations, Black Hopes, Black Dreams,
BLACK EVERYTHING. I hope that the narratives amplify the importance of
the Black Lives Matter Movement, that these plays find themselves in
theatres both community and regional, in classrooms and libraries,
church houses, and communal gathering serving as a rallying cry for
those that are artists and even those who are not that OUR BLACK LIVES
MATTER, individually, globally, and spiritually." - Reginald Edmund,
Managing Curating Producer, Black Lives, Black Words