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Crossroads Theatre facts for kids

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Crossroads Theatre is an American theater group located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It focuses on telling stories about the Black American experience and the wider African community around the world. Since 2019, Crossroads Theatre has been based at the modern New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

About Crossroads Theatre

Crossroads Theatre is a special Black theater company. Its main goal is to celebrate the rich culture, amazing art, and powerful voices of people of African descent. The company was started in 1978. It even won a big award, the Regional Theatre Tony Award, in 1999!

How It Started

The story of Crossroads Theatre began with two friends, Ricardo Khan and Lee K. Richardson. They met while studying at Rutgers University. After finishing their studies in 1977, they decided to create their own theater company in 1978.

They got help from another theater, George Street Playhouse. They also received money from a government program called CETA. This support allowed them to start performing in New Brunswick. Crossroads Theatre quickly became New Jersey's first professional Black theater. By 1985, it was doing very well. It had 1,300 people who regularly bought tickets to their shows!

The company wanted to attract audiences from all backgrounds. At first, they mostly put on older, well-known plays. But by 1985, Lee Richardson, one of the founders, wanted to focus on new stories. He said, "it's time to focus on the new."

In 2000, the theater had to stop its shows for a short time. But Rick Khan, one of the founders, came back to help. With his efforts and help to pay off debts, Crossroads Theatre was able to open its doors again.

Important Plays

Since it began, Crossroads Theatre has put on over 100 plays. Many of these were brand new shows by African and African-American artists. Some of their most famous world premieres include:

  • The Colored Museum: This play started at Crossroads in 1986. Millions of people later saw it on TV as part of "Great Performances."
  • Spunk: Another important play by George C. Wolfe.
  • Jitney: A play by the famous writer August Wilson.
  • Fly: This play, about the Tuskegee Airmen, premiered in 2009.
  • It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues: A musical about the history of the blues.
  • Black Eagles: A play about the brave Tuskegee Airmen of World War II.
  • Sheila's Day: This show brought together six South African and six African-American women. It toured the US, Britain, and South Africa!
  • The Darker Face of the Earth: The first play by former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove.
  • Nomathemba: A musical created with Joseph Shabalala, the leader of the Grammy-winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
  • Two Hah Hahs and a Homeboy: Written by and starring the famous actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, along with their son, Guy Davis.

Awards and Legacy

In 1999, Crossroads Theatre received a very special award. The American Theatre Critics Association, along with other theater groups, gave them the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. This award recognized their 20 years of amazing artistic work.

More than 50 new plays have been shown for the very first time at Crossroads. These plays were written by many talented artists. Some of these include:

Crossroads Theatre is also a member of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.

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