Spectrum Theatre Company Presents a Staged Reading of JUNETEENTH CHRONICLES by Abena Edwards

Spectrum Theatre Company presents a staged reading of Juneteenth Chronicles by Abena Edwards from June 16th-17th at The AISD Performing Arts Center. This new play will inspire, enlighten, and forever alter audience member's view of Juneteenth, the official Emancipation Holiday.

To create Juneteenth Chronicles, local playwright Abena Edwards carefully collected passages from over 250 interviews with former slaves who survived to recount their stories for the Federal Works Projects Administration (WPA) Program in 1937. Anecdotes from former slaves, aging 79 - 100-years-old, are combined to weave a poignant tale of hardship, triumph, fear, and hope infused with resilience, wisdom, dignity, and humor.

The staged reading will be directed by Crystal Bird Caviel and feature a cast of extremely talented actors, including Roderick Sanford and John Christopher.

The Spectrum Theatre Company creates professional productions that promote artistic excellence through thought provoking stories of the human condition as seen through the spectrum of the African American experience. The company was born out of a need to create art that impacts the social and cultural norms facing the diverse populations in Austin. In the summer of 2013, four of the city's leading Black actors met to begin exploratory conversation about how the unique stories from the African American perspective could be interwoven into the fabric of the Austin theatre scene. This group of veteran thespians included Dr. Billy Harden, Carla Nickerson, Janis Stinson, and Jacqui Cross. This powerful representation of African American theatre experience quickly began to open up endless possibilities of thought as to how the Black experience could be magnified throughout the community.