Black Horizon Theater
Encyclopedia
Black Horizon Theater was a community-based, Black Nationalist theater company co-founded in 1968 by August Wilson
and Rob Penny
in the Hill District of Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
, United States
.
The theater began in 1965 when a group of African-American
poets in the Hill organized the Centre Avenue Poets' Theater Workshop. Among the writers were Nick Flournoy, Charlie P. Williams, Penny, and then 21-year-old Wilson.
In 1967 Penny began to write plays, influenced by the example of the poet and playwright Amiri Baraka
, and completed two one-acts. Wilson intended to direct them. He obtained a copy of The Fundamentals of Play Directing by Pittsburgh's directing guru, Carnegie Mellon University
's Lawrence Carra
, and studied it. In 1968 Penny and Wilson began their new venture as Black Horizon Theater, modeled on Baraka's Black Arts Repertory Theater in Harlem
and Spirit House in Newark, New Jersey
, and produced the two Penny plays.
Over the next four years the company also produced plays by Ed Bullins
, Sonia Sanchez
, Baraka, and others. Wilson served as the company director and Penny was the playwright-in-residence. Other company members included Maisha Baton, Mary Bradley, Marsha Lillie, Ron Pitts, Elva Branson, Frank Hightower, Jr., Claude Purdy, and Sala Udin
.
In 1971, under the direction of Elva Branson, Black Horizon Theater mounted the first all-black theater production on the University of Pittsburgh campus, Rob Penny's Center Avenue: A Trip.
Black Horizon Theater dissolved by the mid-1970s. University of Pittsburgh
professor Dr. Vernell A. Lillie picked up its legacy, however, when she founded Kuntu Repertory Theatre
in 1975 as a way of showcasing the playwright Rob Penny
, who continued to write prolifically. The next year August Wilson brought his own early effort in playwrighting, Homecoming, to Kuntu; it was his first play to be produced by a resident company.
Wilson, Penny, and poet Maisha Baton also started the Kuntu Writers Workshop to continue the tradition of Centre Avenue Poets' Theater Workshop.
In the early 1990s, Elva Branson founded the New Horizon Theater as a tribute to Black Horizon Theater and a platform for Pittsburgh's burgeoning community of African-American theater artists. This company showcased the work of a core ogroup of actors including Branson, Jonas Chaney, Milton Thompson, Chrystal Bates, and Anthony Thompson.
August Wilson
August Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama...
and Rob Penny
Rob Penny
Robert Lee "Rob" Penny was an African American playwright, poet, social activist, and professor.-Early life:Penny was born in Opelika, Alabama on August 6, 1941. He moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Hill District as a toddler, where he was raised...
in the Hill District of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The theater began in 1965 when a group of African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
poets in the Hill organized the Centre Avenue Poets' Theater Workshop. Among the writers were Nick Flournoy, Charlie P. Williams, Penny, and then 21-year-old Wilson.
In 1967 Penny began to write plays, influenced by the example of the poet and playwright Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka , formerly known as LeRoi Jones, is an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and music criticism...
, and completed two one-acts. Wilson intended to direct them. He obtained a copy of The Fundamentals of Play Directing by Pittsburgh's directing guru, Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
's Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra
Lawrence Carra was an American professor of drama at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director of theater and television as well as a mentor to hundreds of actors and directors....
, and studied it. In 1968 Penny and Wilson began their new venture as Black Horizon Theater, modeled on Baraka's Black Arts Repertory Theater in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and Spirit House in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and produced the two Penny plays.
Over the next four years the company also produced plays by Ed Bullins
Ed Bullins
Ed Bullins is an African American playwright. He was also the Minister of Culture for the Black Panthers. In addition, he has won numerous awards, including the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award and several Obies. He is one of the best known playwrights to come from the Black Arts Movement...
, Sonia Sanchez
Sonia Sanchez
Sonia Sanchez is an African American poet most often associated with the Black Arts Movement. She has authored over a dozen books of poetry, as well as plays and children's books...
, Baraka, and others. Wilson served as the company director and Penny was the playwright-in-residence. Other company members included Maisha Baton, Mary Bradley, Marsha Lillie, Ron Pitts, Elva Branson, Frank Hightower, Jr., Claude Purdy, and Sala Udin
Sala Udin
Sala Udin, whose legal name is Samuel Wesley Howze, is a former Pittsburgh City Councilman where he represented the 6th district. Udin has been known for the voice that he gave to the primarily poor and oppressed people that he represented. Udin was succeeded by Tonya Payne in a primary election in...
.
In 1971, under the direction of Elva Branson, Black Horizon Theater mounted the first all-black theater production on the University of Pittsburgh campus, Rob Penny's Center Avenue: A Trip.
Black Horizon Theater dissolved by the mid-1970s. University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
professor Dr. Vernell A. Lillie picked up its legacy, however, when she founded Kuntu Repertory Theatre
Kuntu Repertory Theatre
Kuntu Repertory Theatre is an African-American repertory theatre based at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.Dr. Vernell A. Lillie founded it in 1975 as a way of showcasing the playwright Rob Penny...
in 1975 as a way of showcasing the playwright Rob Penny
Rob Penny
Robert Lee "Rob" Penny was an African American playwright, poet, social activist, and professor.-Early life:Penny was born in Opelika, Alabama on August 6, 1941. He moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Hill District as a toddler, where he was raised...
, who continued to write prolifically. The next year August Wilson brought his own early effort in playwrighting, Homecoming, to Kuntu; it was his first play to be produced by a resident company.
Wilson, Penny, and poet Maisha Baton also started the Kuntu Writers Workshop to continue the tradition of Centre Avenue Poets' Theater Workshop.
In the early 1990s, Elva Branson founded the New Horizon Theater as a tribute to Black Horizon Theater and a platform for Pittsburgh's burgeoning community of African-American theater artists. This company showcased the work of a core ogroup of actors including Branson, Jonas Chaney, Milton Thompson, Chrystal Bates, and Anthony Thompson.