Through a Mobilization for Youth theatre program, The New Federal Theatre was founded in 1970 by Woodie King Jr. in the multi-ethnic area of lower east side of Manhattan. The company received its original funding from a small grant by the New York State Council of Arts and by the Henry Street Settlement. While the first season was conducted in the St. Augustine Church basement, construction of the Louis Abrons Arts Center was completed in 1974 through the Henry Street Settlement. The administrative offices of New Federal Theatre moved back to St. Augustine's Church in 1996 while the company continues to work out of the Louis Abrons Art Center where it holds productions and training programs. Today, the New Federal Theatre maintains acting and playwriting workshops for their students at the Dewey Cultural Center located on St. Nicholas Avenue in New York City. The Department of Cultural Affairs recently cut its $15,000 funding to the New Heritage Theatre Group, the New Federal Theatre, and the Negro Ensemble Company, which the companies intend to appeal.
The New Federal Theatre brings the enjoyment of live stage to minorities in the Lower East Side as well as in the greater Metropolitan surroundings. The companies existence has brought numerous up-and-coming actors, designers, directors and playwrights to national attention in their fields. "New Federal Theatre's mission is to integrate minorities and women into the mainstream of American theatre by training artists for the profession, and by presenting plays by minorities and women to integrated, multicultural audiences-plays which evoke the truth through beautiful and artistic re-creations of ourselves."
Playwrights
The playwrights listed below developed their voices in African-American theatre through the Federal Theatre Company. Notable playwrights are Ntozake Shange, Ronald Milner, and Richard Abrons.
Richard Abrons - The Brothers Berg, Whose Family Values!, Every Day a Visitor
Marcia L. Leslie - The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman Vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae
Robbie McCauley - My Father and the Wars
Ronald Milner - Urban Transitions, Defending the Light, Checkmates,
Ntozake Shange - For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf,
Howard Simon - James Baldwin
Clarice Taylor - Spermegga
Samm-Art Williams - The Dance on Widows' Row
Productions
The list of playwrights above developed their voice with the assistance from the New Federal Theatre, yet not all plays written by these individuals were performed by the company. The productions listed below were performed by the company at a few different locations in New York City.
Production of Black Girl by Jennie Elizabeth in 1971
Production of The Taking of Miss Janie by Ed Bullins in 1975
Production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange in 1976
Production of It's Showtime by Donald Thomas Evans in 1976
Production of Long Time Since Yesterday by P.J. Gibson in 1985
Production of James Baldwin: Soul On FIre by Howard Simon in 2000
Critical reception
In the New York Times, David Dewitt described a 2000 production of James Baldwin: A Soul on Fire in the Abrons Art Center that the as "...a technically modest production; a silk bedspread and scarf-covered lamp are the most telling set pieces". Despite minimal set production, Dewitt found the biographical play of Baldwin was acted out "...with humor, style and raw emotion, it embraces its chosen territory with enthusiasm." On February 16, 1997, Lawrence Van Gelder saw a production of Do Lord Remember Me at the Kaye Playhouse between Lexington and Park Avenue. Noting all of the cast as "veterans of previous productions of ", Gelder found of their performance: "Oral history may not be malleable into shapely and convenient drama, but it rings with unshakable truth".
