Black Empire Productions

07/10/2026

⏰The countdown is on! We're less than ONE MONTH away from kicking off another incredible season of Arts Amplified's City Center Live!

🔥For three full months (every Thu, Fri, & Sat Aug 1st - 0ct 31st) City Center at Slack Plaza will come alive with family friendly FREE music, dance, theater, culinary experiences, and visual arts celebrating the incredible talent found right here in our community.

❤️A heartfelt thank you to the City of Charleston, WV for its continued support and commitment to making arts and culture accessible for everyone. We're also grateful for the amazing local artists, performers, makers, and artisans we're honored to collaborate with throughout the season.

🎯Whether you're coming into town for the live music, delicious food, inspiring art, family-friendly entertainment, or simply to enjoy the energy of downtown Charleston, there's something for everyone at City Center Live.

Which event(s) are you most excited for this season? Tell us in the comments! We can't wait to celebrate with you!

02/18/2026

02/18/2026

West Virginia State University hosted a free educational presentation Tuesday on the history of Black theater.

More: https://www.wsaz.com/2026/02/17/black-theater-history-event-wvsu/

02/13/2026

I’m excited to present the history of black theatre at West Virginia State University🎭

Come learn about the transformative power theatre has, honor the trailblazers, and discover what comes next!

Join us this Tuesday for The History of Black Theatre, presented by Stuart Frazier, founder of Black Empire Productions. This event features selected monologues and an in-depth look at Black theatre’s impact, followed by a catered reception in the Art Gallery.
📅 Tuesday, February 17, 2026
🕧 12:30–1:15 p.m. | Davis Fine Arts Theatre
🥧 Reception: 1:15–1:45 p.m. | Art Gallery

02/10/2026

Shuffle Along is a landmark 1921 Broadway musical that played a pivotal role in launching the Harlem Renaissance. It was the first major hit on Broadway to be written, directed, and performed entirely by African Americans.

The show featured music by Eubie Blake, lyrics by Noble Sissle, and a book by the comedy duo Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles.

The production launched the careers of legendary performers like Josephine Baker, Paul Robeson, and Florence Mills.

Its most enduring hit is “I’m Just Wild About Harry,” which later became the campaign song for President Harry S. Truman in 1948.

02/07/2026

The Black Arts Movement (BAM), active from 1965 to roughly 1975, was the cultural, artistic, and aesthetic arm of the Black Power movement. Initiated by Amiri Baraka in Harlem, it aimed to create politically charged, accessible art—poetry, theater, and visual arts—that promoted Black self-determination, pride, and liberation, often described as a “second Harlem Renaissance” with more radical, nationalist, and socialist views.