The National Black Theatre is a non-profit cultural and educational corporation, and community-based theatre company located on 5th Avenue in Harlem , New York .
23-455: NBT may refer to: Arts and media [ edit ] National Black Theatre , New York, U.S. National Black Theatre (Australia) (1972–1977), Sydney, Australia Nature Biotechnology , a scientific journal Navbharat Times , an Indian newspaper Never Been Thawed , a 2005 American film The Next BIG Thing , a singing talent contest hosted by Radio Disney Nothing But Thieves ,
46-691: A British rock band Organizations [ edit ] National Bank of Tajikistan National Book Trust , a publishing house under the Indian Ministry of Education National Broadcasting Services of Thailand , formerly Radio Thailand and Television of Thailand North Bristol NHS Trust , a hospital group in England. Transport [ edit ] Norbiton railway station , London, National Rail station code Norse Atlantic Airways , ICAO code NBT Science and technology [ edit ] Natural bobtail , an animal's tail which grows short or
69-559: A bachelor's degree in dance education from the University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , and immediately travelled to study dance with Antoine Decroaux in Paris , France, and with Mary Wigman in Berlin , Germany. Her sister, Frederika Teer, was a Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Field Secretary (organizer) in the north and mid-South from 1960. She and Genevieve Hughes were the first women to hold
92-579: A city block of property in Central Harlem on a major business corridor at 125th Street and Fifth Avenue. The National Black Theatre was the sponsoring developer for a 64,000 square feet (5,900 m ) real estate project that became the first revenue-generating Black Theatre Arts Complex in the country. Teer had an early marriage to actor Godfrey Cambridge (1962–65). After that union ended, she had two children with Michael Adeyemi Lythcott: Michael F. "Omi" Lythcott and Barbara A. "Sade" Lythcott , CEO of
115-511: A lucrative and successful acting career, receiving numerous accolades, including a Drama Desk Award and several Obie Awards . Between 1961 and 1966, she continued to perform on and off-Broadway , as well as in television and film. Teer grew disillusioned with the negative stereotypes she came across in her quest for responsible acting roles, making an exception to appear in the 1969 motion picture Slaves . In 1963, she co-founded The Group Theatre Workshop with Robert Hooks , which later became
138-525: A successful institution of African-American theater. By 1986, the theatre was recognized as one of the most important arts institutions in America by President Ronald Reagan . Former New York State Governor Mario Cuomo acknowledged The National Black Theatre as "one of New York State’s greatest cultural treasures and resources and a cornerstone for the revitalization of 125th Street." Barbara Ann Teer Barbara Ann Teer (June 18, 1937 – July 21, 2008)
161-507: Is a non-profit cultural and educational corporation, and community-based theatre company born out of the civil rights movement to tell the stories of black theatre that did not often have a home in mainstream theatre. Based in the Harlem neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan , NBT was founded in 1968 by actress, director, producer, Dr. Barbara Ann Teer . Dr. Teer founded
184-460: Is missing NetBIOS over TCP/IP , a computer network protocol Neurophysiological Biomarker Toolbox , a computing toolbox used in biology New Breeding Techniques , a genetic engineering technology Nitro blue tetrazolium chloride , a chemical compound used in immunology Sodium bismuth titanate , a relaxor ferroelectric material Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
207-561: The Negro Ensemble Company . Arguing for independence from the white-dominated mainstream, she wrote in a 1968 article in The New York Times : We must begin building cultural centers where we can enjoy being free, open and black, where we can find out how talented we really are, where we can be what we were born to be and not what we were brainwashed to be, where we can literally 'blow our minds' with blackness. In 1968, with
230-445: The Tony award -winning musical Kwamina , which was choreographed by Agnes de Mille . Teer performed in the film version of Ossie Davis 's stage play Purlie Victorious . After a knee injury in 1962, Teer switched her primary artistic focus from dance to theatre. She studied with notable actors including Sanford Meisner , Paul Mann , Lloyd Richards , and Phillip Burton. Teer crafted
253-608: The African ancestry and for black self-expression. The NBT produced plays that were dedicated to raising the consciousness of the African-American community by crafting a distinct departure from White theatrical conventions. As Teer wrote in a critical essay, "You cannot have a theatre without ideology, without a base from which all of the forms must emanate and call it Black, for it will be the same as Western theatre, conventional theatre, safe theatre." Notable productions performed at
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#1732851634530276-582: The NBT included Ritual, Change! Love Together! Organize! A Revival, Five on the Black Hand Side, The Believers, Softly Comes a Whirlwind, Whispering in Your Ear, and A Soul Journey into Truth. Distinguished artists that have performed at the NBT include Nina Simone , Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni . After Teer died in 2008, her daughter Sade Lythcott took over as CEO and to this day continues her leadership over
299-470: The NBT with a goal of creating a "massive cultural and artistic movement to create people culturally literate." Teer viewed the African-American community as one that was in desperate need of an African cultural education. The company committed itself to representing and establishing "a black theatrical standard -- a standard based on black lifestyle." Teer turned the theatre into a cultural incubator that provided shows and workshops to help promote respect for
322-631: The National Black Theatre (NBT). In addition to her role as a pioneer of Black theatre that reached beyond America, she developed a methodology taught exclusively at the National Black Theatre called "TEER: The Technology of Soul." In 1974, Teer founded the Children's School for the Development of Intuitive and God-Conscious Art (CSDIG). Teer wrote, directed and produced ritualistic revivals (plays) and interactive artistic reviews. She purchased
345-686: The afternoon of 15 July 2009, the State Supreme Court justice ruled that the Applebee's chain is not allowed to move into the building with the National Black Theatre. In 2021, the theatre announced that it would replace its building with a twenty-one-story one that contained housing, retail and a new theatre space that will open in 2024. Over the course of more than 300 productions, the National Black Theater has earned more than 45 AUDELCO Black Theatre Excellence Awards, and continues to be
368-529: The cultural integrity mission that the theatre promoted. This was a condition she included when she signed the real estate partnership agreement with Nubian in 2002 when the theatre was threatened by foreclosure. Justice Walter B. Tolub, a judge for the New York County Supreme Court (Civil), ruled that leasing part of the building to Applebee's would be violating the contract between the two parties, National Black Theatre and Nubian Partners. On
391-407: The emerging cultural consciousness of the African experience, Teer decided to found a new theatrical institution committed to cultural transformation, social change, and historical innovation within African-American communities. Leaving a career, and following in the activist footsteps of her older sister Fredrica (who had been an organizer with Eldridge Cleaver and Stokley Carmichael ), Teer founded
414-407: The property to Nubian Partners, which operated multiple retail outlets within the building. In April 2009, Nubian Partners signed a lease with Apple-Metro which is an Applebee's Franchisee. The franchise was planning to take on a lease in the building the National Black Theatre was located. Ms. Teer brought forth the case in early 2008, shortly before her death, arguing that Applebee's did not promote
437-598: The theatre. It is one of the longest continually operating Black theatres in the United States. Once Sade Lythcott took over the role as CEO, one of the first challenges that was faced was the threat of the foreclosure of the theatre. NBT was involved in various disagreements in regards with surrounding business including with the Applebee's franchise. These disputes had since been resolved. The disputes has resulted in an over $ 10 million debt including their previous debts but
460-480: The title NBT . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NBT&oldid=1173611910 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages National Black Theatre The National Black Theatre (NBT)
483-675: The title. Following her international travels, Teer came to New York City , where she pursued a career as a professional dancer. She studied with Alwin Nikolais at the Henry Street Playhouse and Syvilla Fort (Katherine Dunham Technique). She toured with the Alvin Ailey Dance Company , Louis Johnson Dance Company and the Pearl Bailey Las Vegas Revue. In 1961, Teer made her Broadway debut as dance captain in
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#1732851634530506-614: Was an American writer, producer, teacher, actress and social visionary. In 1968, she founded Harlem 's National Black Theatre , the first revenue-generating black theater arts complex in the U.S. Teer was born in East St. Louis, Illinois , to Fred L. and Lila B. Teer, well known as dedicated educators and community leaders. Early in her life, Barbara demonstrated extraordinary gifts and talents. At 15, she graduated from Lincoln High School in East St. Louis. At 19, she graduated magna cum laude with
529-541: Was relieved when Baltoro Capital Management took over in the spring of 2012. Since then, the management company has promised to keep the theatre rent-free even if the building was ever sold. While the theatre originally rented its space on 127th and East 125th Streets, Teer purchased the 8,000 square foot theatre in 1969 at 9 East 125th street. In 1982, the NBT expanded to a 64,000 square foot complex that housesd two theatres, classrooms, and an African and Nigerian art gallery. In 2002, Barbara Ann Teer sold 49 percent of
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