The acclaimed Black Ensemble Theater, led by Founder and CEO Jackie Taylor, celebrates 44 years of musical theater excellence in Chicago with an unforgettable online gala filled with joy, exuberance and pure excitement. The Legacy Continues: Together We Are the Change, A Musical Celebration Eradicating Racism will be a virtual telecast on Facebook Live, VON-TV on Apple TV and ROKU on Friday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Visit www.blackensembletheater.org to register for free for the event or to purchase a sponsorship. To inquire about sponsorships, contact Tynnetta Qaiyim at 773-754-3914 or tqaiyim@blackensemble.org.
The event is chaired by James and Esther Bryan with a special message from Dionne Warwick. Proceeds from the event will fund Black Ensemble Theater’s award-winning productions, which have a cross-cultural audience of more than 55,000 people a year and their transformational educational outreach programs that serve more than 10,000 inner-city youth annually. Black Ensemble is dedicated to helping create a world that is free and healed from the devastating disease of racism.
“This has been a difficult year for the Black Ensemble Theater. Our Gala comes at a time of new urgency as we are all reeling from the effects of the pandemic and the civil unrest that has permeated the air,” comments Jackie Taylor. “Our work has made a difference. You can see it annually in the diverse audience of 55,000 that attend our productions rooted in the foundation of eliminating racism and through our five outstanding education that help to transform 10,000 youth a year into strong, independent, and positive individuals. The Gala is a celebration of our work and we invite everyone to celebrate with us and to help us raise funds to fulfill our mission.”
The BE Gala 2019 is proudly sponsored by Jim & Esther Bryan, Allstate, Hyatt, BMO Harris Bank, Dona & Sam Scott Foundation, Liz & Don Thompson and Cleveland Ave, LLC, and VON-TV.
Black Ensemble Theater’s Board of Directors is led by: Founder & CEO Jackie Taylor, Chairman Tyronne Stoudemire (Hyatt Hotels Corporation), Vice Chairman Alan Bell (Charity & Associates),
Treasure Jason Stapleton (Bank of America), Ron Redd (BMO Harris Bank), Andrea Zopp (World Business Chicago), and James Bryan (retired Old World Industries) and Nicholas Yassan (Rany Management).
About Black Ensemble Theater
Black Ensemble Theater (BE), Founded in 1976 by the phenomenal actress, producer, and playwright Jackie Taylor, has grown from a small community arts organization to a vibrant nationally and internationally renowned arts institution. A leader and innovator in the African American and mainstream arts communities, Black Ensemble Theater is recognized as one of the most diverse theaters in the country, producing excellent musical theater. On November 18, 2011, BE celebrated the Grand Opening of the Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center, the theater’s first permanent home located at 4450 N. Clark Street, in the heart of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.
The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater is to eradicate racism and its damaging effects upon our society through the utilization of theater arts. BE is the only theater in the nation whose mission is to eradicate racism. We utilize theater and educational outreach programs to bring races together in a community which embraces similarities and fosters dialogue, understanding and acceptance
For more information about Black Ensemble Theater, visit www.BlackEnsembleTheater.org or call 773-769-4451.