News
AATP in China productions, Nov. 19-20
November 2007: The University of Louisville’s African American Theatre Program (AATP) announces tickets are on sale for their Three Plays for China production. The limited seated engagement will run November 19 th and 20 th at 8 pm at the Thrust Theatre. This will be the first university theatre group to ever tour and perform in China. The group received an invitation from Dr. Zhang Lilong, Chair of the English Department in the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures. He states that he "believes that [their] forthcoming visit will be very beneficial to [their] department and university."
The selected three plays will be previewed at the University of Louisville before being performed at China’s Xiamen University and Beijing Foreign Studies University where UofL has a PhD program in Humanities. A delegation of 16 students, alumni, faculty and staff will leave for China this December 2nd and return on December 18th.
More information: African American Theatre Program to perform in China
Our Mission
As we begin a new millennium the AATP renews its commitment to staging works by new and established African American dramatists, developing a broad audience for African American theatre, and offering an in-depth curriculum that focuses on the theory and craft of acting, directing and designing for Black theatre.Through the development of theatre artists who are knowledgeable of and trained in the traditions of African American theatre the AATP contributes in a bold way to the multicultural movement undertaken by arts organizations throughout the United States.
Our Story: Past, Present, and Future
Past
The African American Theatre Program (AATP) was founded in the fall of 1993 as a special discipline within the University of Louisville’s Theatre Arts Department.
The AATP’s production record boasts four world premieres, among them a new version of August Wilson’s, The Homecoming. In addition, the AATP has offered classics by renowned playwrights such as Alice Childress, Adrienne Kennedy, August Wilson, and Charles Fuller. The AATP continues its Juneteenth Theatre Festival of New Works with staged readings of new plays about the African American experience.
Present
The AATP now offers eight undergraduate and one graduate course exploring African American theatre history, production, literature, and performance. This 30 credit hour course of study leads to a minor degree in African American Theatre or Cultural Performance (with the Department of Pan African Studies.) In conjunction with the Annual Juneteenth Festival, we now sponsor an Annual Playwriting Contest of new plays about the African American Experience. The selected plays are then produced during our Annual Juneteenth Festival. A recent addition to our department has been the the student run N.O.I.R. Ensemble (Nubian Onstage Interactive Repertory.) A fine corps of student leaders in theatreproduction, administration, performance and scholarship is developing through N.O.I.R. Ensemble. Membership is open to all UofL students interested in African Diaspora theatre.
Future
The co-directors of the AATP join with Theatre Arts faculty and students in welcoming our new Department Chair, Dr. Russell Vandenbroucke. Our vision for the future includes increasing our faculty and students, continuing to host guest artists of national acclaim and international acclaim, and in 2003-2004, a glorious celebration of the AATP's 10th anniversary.
Our Curriculum
- Acting the Black Experience (TA 322)
- Directing the Black Experience (TA 323)
- Cultural Diversity in Performance (TA 326) (CD)
- The Black Aesthetic on Stage (TA 343) (CD)
- African American Women in Theatre (TA 363) (WR) (CD)
- Black Dramatic Literature (TA 367) (CD)
- Theatre of the African World (TA 365) (WR) (CD)
- History of African American Theatre (TA 366) (WR) (CD)
All courses are 3 credits. Depending on the course, students can satisfy writing, humanities, cross-cultural, history/theory of the arts CAS requirements for general education. Because several of these classes are on a rotation and are not offered every semester, it would be wise to verify the current course offerings.
Our Collaboration and Outreach
The AATP’s ongoing relationship with the Jefferson County Public Schools has been deepened over the past two years with the initiation of a series of professional development workshops for teachers who wish to use theatre to enhance their curriculum. Additionally, students from the public schools enjoy field trips to special matinees of AATP productions.
Through our student touring group, The African American Theatre Company, the AATP provides quality programming for educational institutions, community organizations, and professional conferences.
In conjunction with the Annual Juneteenth Festival, we now sponsor an Annual Playwriting Contest of new plays about the African American Experience. The selected plays are produced during our Annual Juneteenth Festival.
Our Productions
Recent AATP Productions
- 2003-2004 Season
- 2002-2003 Season
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2000-2001 Season
- Fortunes of the Moor, by Barbara and Carlton Molette - Directed by Nefertiti Burton
- The Lion and the Jewel, by Wole Soyinka - Directed by Lundeana Thomas
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1999-2000 Season
- A Soldier's Play, by Charles Fuller - Directed by Lundeana Thomas
- Flyin' West, by Pearl Cleage - Directed by Nefertiti Burton
For more information, contact Dr. Deana Thomas at (502) 852-7682