Obsidian Theatre Festival

03/27/2026

Some of us stand on the stage. Some of us hang the lights. And all of us are part of it.

You are part of this.

03/21/2026

WE'RE CASTING! Pick Up a Script, Turn on Your Camera, and Join the Cast. Video submissions are due TOMORROW (Sunday, 3/22, at 11:59PM) for OTF Season 6. We need you! Come through Fam! www.obsidiandest.org/casting for more info. To submit go to Bit.ly/OTF_Casting26

LET'S GOOOO!

03/14/2026

THE OBSIDIAN THEATRE FESTIVAL IS BACK FOR A 6TH SEASON — NOW CASTING

The ground-breaking, Detroit-based celebration centering Black stories and emerging Black artists is back, and we’re casting our Main Stage production SOUL OF THE SENATOR by Michael Hagins. Submissions are due by March 22, 2026, 11:59pm. (non-eq)

$350/wk. questions: email [email protected]

https://bit.ly/OTF_Casting26

12/13/2025

BLACK JOY, MAGIC, AND RESILIENCE -- Three new shows streaming now at ObsidianFest.org

Hey Family. It Is. Time.

Three worlds. One festival.

Join us at Obsidian Fest, laugh and rethink with BLACK SANTA — a comic, urgently honest classroom story about a student who declares Santa is Black and the teacher who must decide how to defend truth and a child’s courage. Celebrate young Black beauty and wonder in GOLDEN LOC, a TYA tale rooted in African mythology where Zia learns to love her locs, her power, and her story. And feel the ache and the fight in TI’MON, a dystopian musical following a Haitian boy’s search for belonging and a daring plan hatched with his doll, Eshleem.

There's something for everyone. Watch now at www.obsidianfest.org/watch

12/05/2025

Tune in Saturday, December 13th as The Obsidian Theatre Festival releases BLACK SANTA, by Aaron Mays.

Before Abbott Elementary, there was Patrice at Dartmouth Day School....Shortly before Christmas break, a third grader named Sharifa stands in front of her class and says, “Santa Claus is a black man from Detroit," sending the school into an uproar. As events unfold, Sharifa’s enrollment is placed in jeopardy, and Patrice must decide how to protect Sharifa and ultimately herself.

This hilarious comedy was part of the 4th Annual Obsidian Theatre Festival. Directed by Will Bryson and featuring Carman The Blacktress Cooper, Frank Sawa, Sean Paraventi , Sarah Stevens, and Johnathan C. Williams

visit www.obsidianfest.org and sign up now to stream. Plans start at $0!!!

08/19/2025

Today is the day - August 19th - 🧚🏿‍♂️ THE GOLDEN LOC 🧚🏾‍♀️ by Prentiss Matthews III, Directed by Asia Mark is here!!!!

Head on over to our website and sign up for streaming to watch today! 📺 https://bit.ly/joinotfstream

Check out the trailer: https://youtu.be/XYarWtcUmz4

🎭 ABOUT THE PLAY: THE GOLDEN LOC is a bold and imaginative play that explores the intersections of self-love, identity, and inner power. Inspired by African Mythology. The story centers on a little Black girl (Zia) who learns to embrace her unique locs, beauty, and magic within. The show explores Aziza Faires which are magical African Fairies who have elemental abilities. The Aziza Fairies also offer spiritual and emotional guidance to young Zia as she trains to become a Fairy protector. Will she succeed and learn to harness her power from within? We shall see. The play explores themes of Afrofantasy, Afrocentricity, Self Love, Healing, and sisterhood.

THE GOLDEN LOC Trailer is HERE! Stay Tuned for the full piece, August 19thTHE GOLDEN LOCWritten by: Prentiss Matthews IIIStage Direction by: Asia MarkDirect...

08/05/2025

🎬 Did you catch Obsidian Theatre Festival Producing Artistic Director, John Sloan III on FOX2 with Lee Thomas earlier today on The Noon talking all things Streaming...

👉🏾 Check out the segment here: https://bit.ly/otf-fox2-stream-int-aug25

Then head on over to our website and join streaming here:
https://bit.ly/joinotfstream

The Obsidian Theatre Festival, the flagship program of the GhostLight Arts Initiative (GLAI), is proud to announce the streaming release of Season 4 Feature content.

07/24/2025

This one.
Surreal.
We would be remiss not to acknowledge the passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Actor. Poet. Musician. Family Man.

The tributes are many and the sadness is deep.

Malcolm-Jamal embodied the power and creativity of his name sakes, Malcolm X and Ahmad Jamal.

He was more than an actor in a beloved and hit TV show, he was a musician, spoken word artist and more.

✊🏾Grateful for the stories he told, and the ones that will never end.

🖤

07/23/2025

... Did you watch? TI'MON is Available to Stream on YouTube AND the full piece plus the Documentary are available on our website! This is the first piece for ur 4th Season that we have made available to stream. Stay tuned for the full release schedule.

In the meantime, 📺 Watch the Doc on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/GmnM-ISByv0?si=GqEHXCnAsMt8HD0X

Ti'Mon - Musical Theatre Workshop and Development Doc Book and Lyrics by Ashlee K. ThomasMusic by Ziyan YangABOUT THE PIECE: "Ti'mon" is a dystopian musical...