Black Acting Methods

Black Acting Methods seeks to offer alternatives to the Euro-American performance styles that many actors find themselves working with.-
A wealth of contributions from directors, scholars and actor trainers address afrocentric processes and aesthetics, and interviews with key figures in Black American theatre illuminate their methods. This ground-breaking collection is an essential resource for teachers, students, actors and directors seeking to reclaim, reaffirm or even redefine the role and contributions of Black culture in theatre arts.-

Sharrell D. Luckett is Assistant Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies Scholarship at Muhlenberg College. Tia M. Shaffer is Theatre Director and Fine Arts Chair at South Atlanta High School in Atlanta Public Schools. She also serves as Director for Youth and Children's Ministries at Zion Hill Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA.

Order of Offerings FOREWORD: The Blessing by Molefi Kete Asante ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION: The Affirmation by Sharrell D. Luckett and Tia M. Shaffer Methods of Social Activism OFFERING 1 The Hendricks Method Sharrell D. Luckett and Tia M. Shaffer OFFERING 2 SoulWork Cristal Chanelle Truscott OFFERING 3 Nudging the Memory-Creating Performance with the Medea Project: Theatre for Incarcerated Women Rhodessa Jones OFFERING 4 Art Saves Lives: Rebecca Rice and the Performance of Black Feminist Improv for Social Change Lisa Biggs Methods of Intervention OFFERING 5 Seeing Shakespeare through Brown Eyes Justin Emeka OFFERING 6 Ritual Poetic Drama Within the African Continuum: the journey from Shakespeare to Shange Tawnya Pettiford-Wates OFFERING 7 Remembering, Rewriting, and Re-Imagining: Afrocentric Approaches to Directing New Work for the Theatre Clinnesha Sibley Methods of Cultural Plurality OFFERING 8 The Hip Hop Theatre Initiative: We the 'Griot' Daniel Banks OFFERING 9 Kadogo Mojo: Global Crossings in the Theatre Aku Kadogo OFFERING 10 #Unyielding Truth: Employing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Kashi Johnson and Daphnie Sicre Reflections from Distinguished Practitioners OFFERING 11 Rituals, Processes, and/or Methods from Distinguished Practitioners Judyie Al-Bilali, Timothy Bond, Sheldon Epps, Shirley Jo Finney, Nataki Garrett, Anita Gonzalez, Paul Carter Harrison, Robbie McCauley, Seret Scott, Tommie 'Tonea' Stewart, Talvin Wilks OFFERING 12 Words of Wisdom from Distinguished Practitioners Judyie Al-Bilali, Timothy Bond, Walter Dallas, Sheldon Epps, Shirley Jo Finney, Kamilah Forbes, Nataki Garrett, Anita Gonzalez, Paul Carter Harrison, Ron Himes, Kym Moore, Seret Scott, Talvin Wilks APPENDIX: Recommendations for Acting/Performance Programs that Seek to Provide Equitable Training END NOTES LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS INDEX