2018–19 Season

OUR POWER.
OUR GLORY.
BOLD THEATER. RICHLY IMAGINED.

As with each season of programming here at AASC, we always attempt to push the envelope a bit, stretch our imagination, make bold choices and present our works richly imagined and colorfully presented. This season is no exception!

African-American Shakespeare presents a season of colorful storytelling, inspirational tales, heroic young leaders and a neurotic, despotic king firing off commands that will ultimately lead to his bloody demise.

Bay Area favorite actress, teacher, director Elizabeth Carter will helm our opening production FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, Ntozake Shange‘s lyrical, groundbreaking Obie Award-Winning choreo-poem speaking loudly, passionately and proudly of what it means to be a woman of color in the 21st Century. This will be performed at the Taube Atrium Theater at 401 Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco.

Joining the AASC family of directors and choreographers, Mark Allan Davis will direct our family-fun-tastic faire CINDERELLA at the beautiful Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. Over the years, AASC audiences have made this special show their Christmas destination. This season, there will be more magic and surprises to bring big smiles, and to inspire and lift the spirits of Princes and Princesses young and old! Come one! Come all!

A deeply moving, action packed story of true African-American pioneering heroes comes to our stage in the spring. A member of the original cast, Artistic Director L. Peter Callender will lead the BLACK EAGLES by Leslie Lee to higher glory. Fittingly performed at the majestic Marines’ Memorial Theater, 609 Sutter Street, San Francisco, this is the story of the brilliant young Black flyers, trained at Tuskegee, who were assigned to escort duty for the White pilots in 1944 Italy. They became heroes by going above and beyond their duties for a country less than appreciative of their sacrifices. AASC is especially proud to present this West Coast Premiere!

Shakespeare‘s poetic, powerful, mystical and macabre MACBETH rounds out our season. In collaboration with The Play-On initiative begun at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, AASC is in full support of bringing this WEST COAST PREMIERE to our stage, adapted by Migdalia Cruz. With a few updates to the language creating a contemporary tone and rhythm, Migdalia Cruz has given us a new MACBETH, still rich in musicality, poetry, heart-pounding, fitful movement, weird sisters, bloody hands, ghosts, and…well, yeah…MACBETH. Be the first to see this production full of SOUND and FURY at the Taube Atrium Theater, San Francisco!

Thank you,

L. Peter Callender
Artistic Director