In August, 1955, 14-year-old Emmett Till was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi when he was accused of whistling at Carolyn Bryant, a white woman who was a cashier at a grocery store. Four days later, Bryant’s husband Roy and his half-brother J.W. Milam kidnapped Till, beat him and shot him in the head. The men were tried for murder, but an all-white, male jury acquitted them. Till’s murder and open casket funeral galvanized the emerging Civil Rights movement. Bryant recanted her story in 2017, admitting that the court testimony she gave more than six decades prior was false and stating “Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him.”

“As America is now being challenged to face its racist history, I can think of no project more worthy,” says Fountain artistic director Stephen Sachs. “In addition to being the 65th anniversary of the murder, Aug. 28 also marks the 57th Anniversary of the historic March on Washington in 1963, and a 2020 march on Washington is being planned this year, on that date, as well.”

Part history, part mystery and part ghost story, Bayeza’s lyrical integration of past, present, fact and legend turns Emmett’s story into a soaring work of music, poetic language and riveting theatricality. The Fountain’s 2010 West Coast premiere was twice extended and won a combined total of 14 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, Ovation, Backstage and NAACP awards for production, direction, playwriting and ensemble.  Bernard K. Addison, Rico E. Anderson, Lorenz Arnell, Adenrele Ojo and Karen Malina White will reprise their roles for the online reading, with Shirley Jo Finney again at the helm.

The Whitefire Theatre presents  Black Voices, a Livestream Solo Theatre Festival hosted and curated by Juliette Jeffers.

Evenings featuring the work of women are:

“Judgment Day”
Juliette Jeffers,  Writer & Performer
September 12, 2020 7pm (PST)

African-Americans have been struggling since the first slaves were brought to the United States in 1619. From Nat Turner to Alton Sterling, there has been much progress, but the struggle still continues. Why has God allowed this to happen? What if God was held responsible for all of the injustices that African-Americans have endured? “Judgment Day” is a very powerful piece that questions God’s motives. It questions our faith. It is daring. It is raw. It is thought provoking. It infuses fictional characters with non- fictional and the past with the present. Ultimately leaving us to ponder free will, destiny and culpability.

“Release and Let Go” Hosted by Juliette Jeffers
Oct 4, 2020 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

“The Pan Story”
Emilie Borde, Writer & Performer
The Pan Story sheds light onto the late great Hugh Borde who was a famous Trinidadian steel pan drummer. He was a pioneer of his time and was appointed the leader of the Tripoli Steel Band in 1951. They traveled all over the world and an opportunity to open for Liberace took their band to a different level!

“Mama”
Saudia Rashed, Writer & Performer
Saudia uses her Black Girl Magic to tackle the ups and downs of motherhood. She gathers her strength from Wonder Woman, Michelle Obama and Beyonce along the way.

“Walk Good: A Jamerican Journey”
Roxanne Beckford, Writer & Performer
How the littlest Head Girl at St. Andrews Preparatory in Kingston, Jamaica became a driver in a presidential motorcade for the leader of the free world…after pit stops as beauty queen, a mother of four, and an actress.

“Chrissy Meth”
Crystal Bush, Writer & Performer
Oct 9, 2020 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

In Chrissy Meth, a motherless child, growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago, she finds herself into a deep drug addiction. She finds hope and begins to put the pieces back together. She explores and challenges beliefs surrounding race and sex identity while showing that it’s never too late to come back and find one’s self-worth.

“Sistas Speak!”
Oct 10, 2020, 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

An Evening of Spoken Word, Rap & Song featuring Juliette Jeffers/Host & poet, Jacqueliyn Brown Benefield/Singer, Amara Granderson/Poet, Frexinet Johnson/Rapper, Ocea Lei/Poet, & Candace Nicholas Lippman/Poet

“Poison Gun”
Dee Freeman, Writer & Performer
Oct. 17, 2020 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

Based on events when she was 6 years old, Dee was best friends with her granddaddy Archie and living a carefree life in rural Louisiana.  Her world is turned upside down when her grandparents are murdered and she becomes a key witness in the investigation.  Her granddaddy told her a secret she promised never to tell, but the lead investigator, a manipulative racist cop, wants that secret to be revealed.

“Through My Eyes”
Angel Guice, Writer & Performer
Oct. 25, 2020 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

Following the journey of a young woman who was once upon a time filled with so much love but allowed her circumstances and the distractions of this world to detour her from her ultimate purpose. She battles with herself and God about who she thinks she is until she is stripped of everything she has, she finally surrenders, and her creator shows her that she was created to spread love to all who are broken and to shed light to all those who are in dark places.  She reveals the different parts of herself through her world, through her eyes!

“Evolution of a Love Addict”
Natasha McCrea, Writer & Performer
Oct. 23, 2020 7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

A sneak peek into the mind of a woman on a funny electric ride through the world of dating, divorcing and the lessons learned while finding the Love that really matters. Fasten your seat belt and enjoy the Ride!

“Mamaisms”
Sonia Jackson, Writer & Performer
Nov. 8 , 2020  7pm (PST) Click Here for Tickets

Old-Fashioned Wisdom for a New Generation and a roller coaster of universal themes about grandmas, mamas, children and mothering. Sonia’s grandma guides a multi-generational cast of characters of little children playing, teens discovering, mamas tending and more to tell the stories that make us think about how to parent well and how to just be thoughtful, mindful and kind in life.

A Walk in My Neighborhood: A New Audio Experience piece created and recorded by acclaimed Stage Director Katie Lindsay, available for an audience of one.

October 15 – November 1
Thursdays – Sundays
9am – 11:30am – one audience member every 15 minutes Duration of Walk – 1 Hour

Start Times on each date: 9:00am 9:15am 9:30am 9:45am 10:00am 10:30am 10:45am 11:00am 11:15am 11:30am

No performances Saturday, October 24 Added performance Wednesday, October 21

In accordance with current guidelines for COVID-19 all audience members and crew are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.

Katie Lindsay has been taking a walk in her neighborhood every day since the Quarantine began. And she would like to share it with you. Just you. This is a walk for you and Katie at a specific time in a specific place. You’ll meditate together on the present moment, the landscape, and history. Katie will share some stories with you. She will be present with you, but you will be walking alone. See this neighborhood in Los Angeles with Katie. Take a walk with your friend and see the world through her eyes.

A Walk in My Neighborhood is a guided walk through the neighborhood of Atwater Village and along the LA River with audio, where audiences listen to the intimate thoughts and ramblings of their friend Katie. It’s one on one immersive quarantine theater. The walk is an offering to take a breath, ground in the surroundings, and connect to the present moment. The audience is invited along Katie’s journey to notice the land she now lives on, connect deeply to its history and present, and make her own contribution to it by telling her story.

A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to organizations that support Indigenous Leadership and Organizing, including NDN Collective. “NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms. Together, we decolonize and transform systems while providing tools and strategies for Indigenous self-determination and movement-building.”

Written, Directed & Performed by Katie Lindsay

Assistant Director – Samantha West
Sound Designer – Andrea Allmond
Collaborator – Marnina Schon

Dramaturgy Consultant – Lauren Ludwig
Producer – Jessica Hanna

Location
The walk is located in Atwater Village, near North Atwater Park. Audience members will receive the exact location upon ticket purchase.

WHAT:
A Mexican Trilogy, Part 3: Charity — The Latino Theater Company presents an archival video showing of Part 3 of Evelina Fernández’s acclaimed trilogy. The final chapter in the story of the Morales family takes place in 2005 Los Angeles following the death of Pope John Paul II. Filled with music, humor and a pinch of magical realism, A Mexican Trilogy is the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s Ted Schmitt Award and is published by Samuel French.

WHO:
• Written by Evelina Fernández
• Directed by José Luis Valenzuela
• Starring Esperanza America, Robert Beltran, Evelina Fernández, Sam Golzari, Kenneth Lopez, Sal Lopez, Julio Macias, Xavi Moreno, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez, Elia Saldana, Olivia Delgado Young
• Choreography by: Urbanie Lucero
• Musical Director: Rosino Serrano
• Scenic Design by François-Pierre Couture
• Costume Design by Carlos Brown
• Lighting Design by Pablo Santiago
• Sound Design by John Zalewski
• Projections by Yee Eun Nam
• Prop Master: Michael Navarro
• Presented by The Latino Theater Company

WHEN:
• STREAMING: Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET thru Thursday, Oct. 29 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
• A follow-up, online conversation with the artists will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET and stream for 10 days.

HOW:
Streaming at www.thelatc.org/

TICKET PRICE:
FREE