On Monday night September 13th the legendary Frank Silvera Writers' Workshop held it's 27th annual open house at the new home of the Harlem Theatre Company located in Harlem's Sugar Hill (473 west 150th St. between Amsterdam and Convent Avenues). Fresh from the National Black Theatre Festival held in Winston Salem North Carolina (Aug. 2-Aug. 8), Garland Lee Thompson, Executive Director of FSWW, moderated an astute, eclectic panel of Black thespians. Participating on the panel were WBAl radio talk show host, Playwright, David D. Wright, Playwright Ed Shockley, President of the Philadelphia Dramatist Center, Actress/Director/Playwright, Carmen Mathis, former actor and Executive Director of the Harlem Theatre Company, James Pringle.

 
Actress Christine Campbell commenting during the FSWW Open House discussion at the Harlem Theatre Company.

Eager to propel Black theatre into the 21st Century Mr. Thompson engaged scores of supporters in a lively, intense, thought provoking, sometimes animated conversation about the future of Black theatre in America. David D. Wright spoke of his experience as the author of the dance drama "Oshun" (The Goddess of Love) which was featured as a main stage production at the festival. Ed Shockley expressed his concerns about creating good collaborations between the artist and other performing arts groups, as his organization PDC is actively engaged in Philadelphia. Carmen Mathis described her debut experience as a playwright . Her one woman show entitled "30 Years In The Life of Cleopatra Jackson" was part of the National Black Theatre festival's Readers Theatre Series. As the host of the new facility James Pringle welcomed members of the theatre community to the new HTC space.

 
Elaine Johnson, Harlemlive Advisor, taking notes during the panel discussion.

Preparing for the 1999-2000 season FSWW continues as one of the leading playwright developing and emerging writers theatre programs in Harlem. FSWW continues to receive funding support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in addition the workshop has received a new recognition grant from the Manhattan Boro President's Office for the production of "Oshun". According to Mr. Thompson, dwindling funding and the closing of a number of performing companies and spaces facilitated the new partnership with FSWW and HTC that sends a clear signal to the community for the future survival of the performing arts in Harlem.

James Pringle, Executive Dir. of HTC	Carmen Mathis, FSWW Open House Panelist

In the audience joining the spirited and resourceful forum was noted New York producer, Woody King , Jr. of the New Federal Theatre, Tunde Samuels, producer at the National Black Theatre, Beth Turner, publisher of "Black Mask" a national Black theatre magazine, Grace L. Jones, Board member of the Audience Development Committee Inc. (Audelco) and producer/host of the cablevision show "Growing with Grace", Dr. Jo Tanner, Ph.D., head of Queens College 's Black theatre program who spoke about her productive experience of having her play "Drama Mama" (The Life of Anita Bush) read at the festival, Kenneth Hansom, former production stage manager for the hit Broadway show "Smokey Joe's Cafe" was also in the house to celebrate this post festival event along with actor Tod Davis who appeared for nine years in the soap opera General Hospital. He was celebrating his recent return from the festival in the production of "Oshun". Recollections from actress Christine Campbell and playwright Vanessa Spencer about the life of the late actress, Lorenzo, were given. Ms Lorenzo, who will be sorely missed, made her final appearance at the festival in Ms. Spencer's play, "Still Such a Thing As Love". The Harlem Theatre Company"s new space was full with scores of other New York based playwrights, actors and directors.  

This event opens the 1999-2000 season for FSWW as well as for the continuance of the Monday Reading Critique of N.Y. Plays. For further information E-mail Playrite@ artswire.org or visit the FSWW web site at http://www.artswire.org/~playrite.