A personal message to all of our friends and supporters from
Ty Jones, Board Chairman
This past year gave us many reasons to be grateful and even more reasons to be proud. Despite global financial adversities, now a sign of the times, foundations and corporations provided ongoing support, and dedicated individual donors, both new and old, stepped forward to ensure that CTH continued to thrive and grow. With perseverance, a steadfast Board and committed group of devoted volunteers, CTH again proved that your faith in us was not and will never be misplaced.
In 2011 CTH resumed its performance season with the inaugural production at the newly-renovated amphitheatre in Marcus Garvey Park at 125th Street. This past summer CityParks selected CTH to christen the newly renovated uptown performance space with our fast-paced and exhilarating Henry V. Consistent with our mission to benefit the community, all park performances were free, while additional ticketed performances were offered in partnership with the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, all to critical acclaim. For the first time in our history, CTH was the recipient of the prestigious “Outstanding New American Play” grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and in the fall of 2011, co-produced with the Hip Hop Theatre Festival, we launched the enormously successful world premiere of SEED, by Radha Blank, at the National Black Theatre, a four-week run with outstanding critical reviews. With the buzz created by SEED, Harlem re-emerged as an off-Broadway venue.
Our Future Classics reading series included Breathin’ and Hopin’ by Maximilian Gaspard, featuring Wendell Pierce and Sharon Washington, and Lift, by famed novelist Walter Mosley, featuring Frankie Faison. And as 2012 dawns, our partnership with great institutions continues with CityParks, and the Shabazz Center; our plan is to re-visit friends at Harlem Stage and NBT, and we seek to grow as a development theatre for shows with a potential for a commercial run.
None of this would be possible without you. When our entire set for SEED was destroyed by Hurricane Irene one week before previews, your financial commitments enabled CTH teams to rebuild the set so we could proceed on schedule. CTH is simply the sum power of our expanding family: artists, supporters, volunteers, donors, agencies and foundations whose combined strength and commitment ensure continued service to the Harlem community and beyond. And as CTH delivers, we’ll continue to match the faith of our donors. No contribution is too small and we will continue to make each of you proud to be part of the CTH family.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Classical Theatre of Harlem. Many blessings to you in the new year.
