Harlem9, the collaborative producing organization composed of Black theatre professionals, presents its annual festival online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. 48Hours in...™Harlem streams August 20–24, beginning at 7 PM ET each evening on Veeps.com. Check out a trailer for the event above.
The festival brings together six playwrights, six directors, and 18 actors, including A Strange Loop star Larry Owens and choreographer Raja Feather Kelly. Penning the pieces are playwrights are Keith Josef Adkins, Brittany K. Allen, Tracey Conyer Lee, Nadine Mozon, jeremy o'brian, and L. Trey Wilson. Kelly directs one piece, as do Marjuan Canady, nicHi douglas, Malika Oyetimein, Logan Pitts, and Dominique Rider.
The roster of performers includes Owens, Toni Stone star April Matthis, Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew, Eric Berryman, Kaaron Briscoe, Ashley Bufkin, Brandon E. Burton, Shavanna Calder, Broderick Clavery, Rasheda Crockett, Patricia R. Floyd, Freddie Fulton, Ashley N. Hildreth, Manu Kumasi, Javon Q. Minter, AK Murthadha, David Ryan Smith, and D. Woods.
The new plays were written in 48 hours July 17–19, then rehearsed and recorded during an additional 48-hour period July 24–25.
For this year's festival, playwrights were inspired by the same six Black plays from 48 Hours in...'s. inaugural year: Zooman and the Sign, The Colored Museum, Day of Absence, Funnyhouse of a Negro, Dutchman, and Black Terror.