Description
Young, Gifted, and Black is Obsidian Theatre’s arts training program dedicated to supporting Black theatre practitioners in non-performance disciplines. This six-month intensive explores Black diaspora theatre and performance aesthetics through a decolonial and intersectional lens. Participants will benefit from ongoing mentorship, masterclasses, and apprenticeships, culminating in an ensemble creation devised, directed, and designed by the YGB cohort.
We are dedicated to empowering and elevating artistic leaders. We envision a future where Black production professionals are abundant and integral, significantly enhancing our theatre community with their expertise.
The 2024/2025 Program goals are as follows:
- Develop Black Production Specialists: Focus on training directors and designers for theatre.
- Create a Decolonial Culture of Arts Practice: Foster an environment that challenges colonial paradigms within the theatre community.
- Explore African and African Diaspora Theatre Aesthetics: Investigate and incorporate performance aesthetics beyond Western theatrical paradigms, emphasizing the unique and powerful traditions of African and African diaspora theatre.
- Connect Established and Emerging Black Arts Practitioners: Facilitate mentorship and networking opportunities to build a supportive artistic community.
- Enhance Black Theatre Excellence: Encourage the development of unique perspectives and methodologies in theatre-making.
The Young, Gifted, and Black program will support emerging leaders in Directing and Design, including Set, Costume, Lighting, and Sound. We are welcoming five participants into the 2024/2025 cohort: one director and four designers.
This is a PAID training opportunity. Each participant will receive $400 per week during part-time phases and $800 per week during full-time phases.
Application Details
To apply, you must:
- Self-identify as Black
- Have an existing practice and/or strong interest in developing skills within one of the following disciplines – Directing, Costume Design, Set Design, Lighting Design, and/or Sound Design
- Be available between January and June 2025 (exact dates TBD)
Application requirements:
- Artist statement (1 – 2 pages)
- Please tell us about yourself and your artistic practice – be sure to articulate the specific discipline you are interested in developing with YGB (Directing, Costume Design, Set Design, Lighting Design, or Sound Design)
- Please describe how you relate to being Young, Gifted, and Black within your artistic practice (ie: young-in-career, unique lens on theatre, growth without the need to mute cultural identities)
- Resume / CV
- Headshot
- Support material
- Directors and Designers: please include audio and/or video reel between 5 and 10 minutes, and/or 5 – 10 image files
Application Deadline: Monday, September 16, 2024 @ 12:00 PM EST
More information is available on their website: https://www.obsidiantheatre.com/young-gifted-black-program/.
Questions? Reach out to daniel jelani ellis at op@obsidiantheatre.com.
