Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of Black and African Americans who have helped shape the nation. Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage, triumphs and adversities that are an indelible part of our country's history.
As the nation reflects on Black History Month, we want to highlight some of the amazing Black artists and creatives who are performing or showcasing their work at Walton Arts Center this spring.
If you are looking for shows to see this month to mark the celebration, we have a few suggestions:
Company
The five-time Tony Award® winning musical Company is bringing its groundbreaking musical comedy to Walton Arts Center for eight performances Feb. 20-25. In this gender-swapped Broadway revival (Stephen Sondheim originally cast the lead as a male Bobby) actress Britney Coleman plays Bobbie in the smash hit and leads the first national tour of the show.
Coleman was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Mich., where she found her love for theater early on.
“Growing up, my parents had a season subscription to a theatre in Detroit, and I think about if baby Britney had seen someone who looked like me up there doing that, it would have been a game-changer” Coleman told Broadwaydirect.com “To know it had been done would have been thrilling to me instead of questioning every step of my career and asking ‘Is there space for me?’ I’m excited to be that for a lot of little Britney’s out there.”
Coleman has found her space in theater and performed in multiple productions on Broadway including Tootsie, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Sunset Boulevard and Company where she was the understudy for the role of Bobbie in 2021.
With a sumptuous score from Stephen Sondheim, Company follows Bobbie navigating life and love in New York City as a 35-year-old unmarried woman with her coupled-up friends giving advice along the way. As Bobbie searches for answers, she discovers why being single, being married and being alive in the 21st century could drive a person crazy.
Ailey II
If you love contemporary dance, don’t miss Ailey II, founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble. The company embodies Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training and community programs for all people.
Dance Magazine calls Ailey II "second to none," and The New York Times declares, "There's nothing like an evening spent with Ailey II, the younger version of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater."
Alvin Ailey founded Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience. He established the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (now The Ailey School) in 1969 and formed the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble (now Ailey II) in 1974. Ailey was a pioneer of programs promoting arts in education, particularly those benefiting underserved communities. Throughout his lifetime, he was awarded numerous distinctions, including the Kennedy Center Honor in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America.
Truly an inclusive company focused on outreach and accessibility, Ailey II is known worldwide for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s finest emerging dance talent with passion and creative vision. Sylvia Waters was selected by Ailey to be its founding artistic director, and she helped Ailey II to flourish into one of the most popular modern dance companies, combining a rigorous touring schedule with extensive community outreach programs. This outstanding group will perform on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 pm.
Featuring Black artists and their stories on our stages is not limited to February, so make plans now to see these shows this spring.
Jackie Venson
Rising star Jackie Venson’s wicked guitar solos and radiating glow has everyone taking note. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Venson has traveled the world playing to crowds both as a headliner and as support for major acts such as Keb’ Mo”, Gary Clark Jr., Aloe Blacc, Melissa Etheridge and Citizen Cope. Her blazing guitar skills and beautifully complex music connect listeners to the magic around them. For Venson, one thing she always holds true – she's going to play her music, speak her truth and spread as much joy as she can doing it. Experience this performance like no other on Friday, April 5 at 7:30 pm.
Take 6
You can spend an evening with “the baddest vocal cats on the planet,” according to Quincy Jones, when Take 6 performs as part of VoiceJam A Cappella Festival. Receiving praise from luminaries including Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald – the multi-Platinum® a cappella sextet has collaborated across genres and toured the globe with their funky grooves that bubble into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B and pop. Winners of 10 Grammy Awards®, 10 Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award and a place in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, everyone is taking note of Take 6. Don’t miss their Northwest Arkansas premier debut as the festival headliner on Friday, April 12 at 8 pm.
Ashli St. Armant is bringing her debut theatrical production, NORTH to our stage. This musical for kids and families is a moving story that explores the multi-faceted reality of Black life during the antebellum period and aims to bring out the full range of experiences of freedom seekers during that time. While acknowledging the realities of slavery, the narrative explores themes of optimism, bravery, playfulness, wonder, suspense and mystery.
NORTH
Set in the 1850s, NORTH is based on actual accounts of slave escapes through the Underground Railroad network, as well as St. Armant’s personal family history of overcoming slavery in Louisiana. This production features original musical compositions steeped in jazz and other historically Black music genres. St. Armant drew inspiration from an array of musical heroes including crooner Nat King Cole, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, the father of Afrobeat Fela Kuti and legendary lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Experience this moving and personal theatrical production on Sunday, April 28 at 4 pm.
Walton Arts Center is proud to spotlight the phenomenal Black artists and creatives who continue to shape and enrich our cultural landscape. The commemoration doesn't end in February, these performances invite audiences to join us in honoring and embracing the contributions of Black artists throughout the entire year.