Opening Night to Honor Theatre Legends, Emerging Artists, and Visionaries Shaping Black Theatre
The International Black Theatre Festival (IBTF) will honor acclaimed actor, director, educator, and cultural icon Phylicia Rashad with the prestigious Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award during its Opening Night Gala on Monday, July 27, 2026, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Rashad’s extraordinary career spans stage, television, film, and higher education, with acclaimed staged performances in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean, and her iconic role as Clair Huxtable in the television sitcom, The Cosby Show.
In 2004, she made history as the first Black woman to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Lena Younger in the Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.
Named in honor of the legendary Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, Co-Chair of the 1993 National Black Theatre Festival, the award recognizes the visionaries whose artistry, leadership, and impact have transformed the performing arts and cultural landscape.
Phylicia Rashad performs in Wynton Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale with the Gateways Chamber Players, 2024. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
Rashad will headline the International Black Theatre Festival Mainstage for a one-night-only performance of Wynton Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale, with the Gateways Chamber Players. The acclaimed work reimagines the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof, blending classical music, jazz, and storytelling in a genre-defying collaboration that bridges Black musical traditions and theatrical expression.
Joining this year’s class of honorees is Wren T. Brown, recipient of the Larry Leon Hamlin Producer Award; Angelica Chéri, recipient of the August Wilson Playwright Award; Patricia McGregor, recipient of the Lloyd Richards Director Award; and M Ensemble Company of Miami, recipient of the Woodie King, Jr. Theatre Longevity Award.
The evening will also honor Living Legend Award recipients Walter Borden, Judyann Elder, Linda Twine, and Otis C. Williams; honorees recognized for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre Design and Production Dede Ayite, Timothy J. Jones, Erica Lauren Maholmes, Renee B. Sorrell; and Special Recognition awarded to Linda M. Armstrong, Camille A. Brown, Christina Soriano, and Elizabeth Van Dyke.
Celebrating the work of emerging Black theatre artists, the event will recognize Tracie E. Morrison, recipient of the Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award; Alphonso Walker Jr, recipient of the Tonya Pinkins IBTF Legacy Award; and Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist awardees Autumn B. Carter, Brandon Criswell, Chadota Idda, Chelsea Gabrielle Rose, Karisma Dunn, Noel Desire, and Rain Spiegel-Johnson.
Opening Night Gala at the International Black Theatre Festival. Photo by C. Stephen Hurst.
Weaving together performance, poetry, and music, the Opening Night Gala will feature special performances by Winston-Salem native Jimmie “JJ” Jeter of Hamilton, original poetry by playwright Angelica Chéri, a musical selection from award-winning vocalist and actor Chester Gregory, and a theatrical presentation by Kenyan artist and 2026 Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist Award recipient Chadota Idda. The event culminates with a powerhouse performance and cabaret experience of The Birthright SESSION by Matelyn Alicia.
In Black theatre’s biggest night, IBTF’s Opening Night Gala sets the stage for a vibrant week of celebration, cultural exchange, and artistic brilliance.
For tickets and event information, visit ncblackrep.org.
About the International Black Theatre Festival
Founded by Larry Leon Hamlin and produced by the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, the International Black Theatre Festival is one of the world’s premier celebrations of Black theatre and culture. Held biennially in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the festival brings together artists, scholars, students, producers, and audiences from around the world for a week of performances, workshops, seminars, and cultural exchange dedicated to the advancement of Black theatre.
Visit ncblackrep.org to view the 2026 Festival program, purchase tickets, and plan your festival experience.