Twenty-five plays will be read in the series, spanning the beginning of the Black Theatre Movement in the 1960's up to the present day. Highlights are set to include Ntozake Shange's for colored girls…, Talvin Wilks' Tod, the Boy Tod, Adam P. Kennedy and Adrienne Kennedy's Mom, How Did You Meet the Beatles?, Amari Baraka's A Recent Killing, Lonne Elder's Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Laurence Holder's When Chickens Come Home to Roost and Zora, Suzan Lori-Parks' TopDog/UnderDog, James Baldwin's The Amen Corner, Charles Gordone's No Place To Be Somebody, Alice Childress' Wedding Band, Lynn Nottage's Crumbs from the Table of Joy, Pearle Cleage's Flyin' West, Ed Bullins' In the Wine Time and more. Trezana Beverly, who won a Tony Award for her performance in the original Broadway production of for colored girls…, will direct the reading of it here. Other scheduled directors include Talvin Wilks, Imani, Clinton Turner Davis, Allie Woods and more. Casting for the readings has not been announced. Readings will take place at the Castillo Theatre Fridays at 7:30 PM and Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM, and at the National Black Theatre Sundays at 2 PM and 7 PM and Mondays at 7:30 PM.

The Castillo Theatre is located at 543 West 42nd Street. The National Black Theatre is located at 5th Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets. For more information visit newfederaltheatre.org.