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This season, we open with The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith, a musical that dramatizes the turbulent story of the legendary “Empress of the Blues”. Following will be Mr. Rickey which highlights segregation and integration in the baseball league. The House That Will Not Stand illustrates the issues of complexion within the Black community, while Take the Soul Train to Christmas celebrates the rich musical history of Black people. Then, we will have Blueprints to Freedom which portrays the struggle of Blacks in the LGBT community, specifically during the WW II and Civil Rights era, and afterwards, Crowns: The Gospel Musical explores and traces the tradition of hats back to African rituals and slavery. Lastly, August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean projects the importance of history and freedom, while AIDA will end the season with cultural differences between warring nations that must find common ground.
Since 2006, Hattiloo has honored playwright August Wilsons contribution to Americas literary canon by producing one of his plays each season. We stage celebrated musicals such as The Wiz, Aint Misbehavin, and Dreamgirls, along with traditional plays like For Colored Girls Who Have Considered SuicideWhen the Rainbow is Enuf, A Raisin in the Sun, and The Colored Museum.
At Hattiloo, we value and celebrate the cultural diversity and rich history of Memphis and the Mid-South region. As a Black repertory, we focus on works written by andor about African-Americans. We frequently partner with other arts organizations and nonprofits in collaborative projects that expand and diversify audiences. In the recent past we have collaborated with Ballet Memphis and The Dixon Gallery and Gardens.
We maintain a robust slate of free community education and outreach programs as part of our “ArtReach” initiative, including live theatre staged in neighborhoods across the city, symposiums, panel discussions, and festivals. We also offer free, year-round youth programming, including Hattiloo Childrens Theatre and Camp Awareness. Our productions and outreach programs are designed to complement each other in pursuit of our mission, serving as a lens into African-American culture for thousands of citizens, and as a gateway to the arts for thousands more.