Georgia Southern Celebrates Three Decades of African American Theatre

April 20, 2015

The Georgia Southern Theatre and Performance program will present “Celebrating Three Decades of African-American Theatre,” a weeklong celebration with exhibits, performances, roundtable discussions and special guests beginning Monday, April 27.

The inspiration for the event is the kickoff for the Mical Whitaker Scholarship for the Study of African American Theatre. Whitaker is a professor emeritus at Georgia Southern, an active theater presence in the area and is the director of the Averitt Youth Theatre program at the Averitt Center for the Arts in Statesboro.

Before coming to Georgia Southern, Whitaker worked in various theater roles in New York, was the producer of the radio show “The Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee Story Hour,” and co-founded the Lincoln Center Everyman Street Theatre Festival. He will be joined by a number of faculty, alumni, students and special guests during the celebration.

Among the special guests are award-winning Hollywood producer Charles Johnson, whose credits include “NCIS,” “JAG” and “Redwings,” and film and television actor Bob Gossett, who is known for roles in “The Closer,” “Arlington Road,” “The Net” and several other titles. Guests also include a wide range of alumni, actors and artists eager to share their experiences.

The events for the weeklong celebration are as follows:

• Monday, April 27, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – Multimedia exhibit in the Center for Art and Theatre
• Thursday, April 30, 1-2 p.m. – Panel discussion, “The Role of Mical Whitaker’s Everyman Theatre Company in Today’s Theatre Environment” at the Center for Art and Theatre
• Thursday, April 30, 3:30-4:45 p.m. – Panel discussion, “Being a Working African American Theatre Artist” in Sanford Hall, room 1002
• Thursday, April 30 and Friday, May 1, 7 p.m. – “An Evening of One Acts” at the Black Box Theatre in the Center for Art and Theatre
• Friday, May 1, 1:30-2:30 p.m. – “Life as an Actor” with Bob Gossett in Sanford Hall, room 1002
• Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. – “Life as a Producer” with Charles Johnson in Sanford Hall, room 1002
• Saturday, May 2, 7 p.m. – Special Revue Performance hosted by Bob Gossett, directed by Georgia Southern alumna Krystal Dawn Tift at the Center for Art and Theatre

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 125-degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement. Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered and hands-on approach to education. GeorgiaSouthern.edu.