New Federal Theatre

New Federal Theatre A creative haven
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Throughout the day, we will be sharing quotes from some of our producers past and present on Woodie King, Jr.He is with ...
08/30/2026

Throughout the day, we will be sharing quotes from some of our producers past and present on Woodie King, Jr.

He is with us today, and we look forward to honoring him in this way.

Our next quote is from one of the Founding producers of Harlem9, Jonathan McCrory. Jonathan is currently the Executive Artistic Director of Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s National Black Theatre in Harlem.

“You pinned me as a Torch Bearer for Black Theatre, placed a physical object on me that would pass on a part of your legacy, commitment, fortitude, and love onto me. Love for the craft and love for our people love for the culture and love for gathering. You never gave up on exploring and embodying the possibilities of the craft to shift and change lives. Thank you for changing my life and not just being a mentor, a pioneer, or any of your crowned titles — yet for being my friend. Thank you for the years of deep friendship and for allowing me to see the kind of doors I can blaze wide open when I lead with my truth. Here is to your flame, lit through the generations you have given a part of your life to, and like shards of a diamond, given so generously all of us the inheritance to claim our wealth, to own our story.”
Founding Producer, Jonathan McCrory Jonathan McCrory

Tonight we gather with 30 new artists to honor our king.This will be the first year that his physical presence will not ...
08/29/2026

Tonight we gather with 30 new artists to honor our king.

This will be the first year that his physical presence will not have the opportunity to attend, but his spirit is here, in the community we have built and in stories that will be told.

“Woodie King Jr. didn’t just produce plays—he championed Black artists and stories with unwavering commitment for over 50 years.

New Federal Theatre is a home for voices that mainstream theater marginalized. Honoring Woodie feels urgent: we’re the generation who benefited from his vision, and we have a responsibility to keep that door open for the next.”

~Sandra D Sandra
Co-Founder and Harlem9 Producer



See you soon.

Your playwriting journey starts here. ✍🏾🎭Ready to turn your ideas into a play? New Federal Theatre’s Playwriting Program...
08/27/2026

Your playwriting journey starts here. ✍🏾🎭

Ready to turn your ideas into a play? New Federal Theatre’s Playwriting Program offers a complete path for writers—from mastering the 10-minute play, to developing a full-length draft, to having your work shared with an audience.

Over the course of the program, you’ll learn, write, revise, develop, and grow alongside a community of playwrights.

YEAR 1:
📅 Fall: Oct. 12–Dec. 14, 2026
📅 Spring: Feb. 8–May 17, 2027
🕕 Mondays | 6–9 PM
💻 Online
💰 $525 for the full program
📩 [email protected]

We’re intentionally keeping the cost low to make playwriting education more accessible.

Registration is open now through October 5! Shoot us an email at [email protected]

Come with an idea. Leave with a play.
Start where you are.

TheatreEducation EmergingPlaywrights NYCTheatre WritersCommunity WriteYourPlay

💜 Congratulations to our Producing Artistic Director, Elizabeth Van D**e, on her Special Recognition Award at the Intern...
07/30/2026

💜 Congratulations to our Producing Artistic Director, Elizabeth Van D**e, on her Special Recognition Award at the International Black Theatre Festival. 💜

Celebrate an icon with us! Happy Heavenly Birthday, Woodie King Jr. ❤️
07/27/2026

Celebrate an icon with us!
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Woodie King Jr. ❤️

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of Woodie King Jr.—director, producer, mentor, advocate, and founder of New Federal T...
07/27/2026

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of Woodie King Jr.—director, producer, mentor, advocate, and founder of New Federal Theatre.

His journey from Mobile to Detroit to New York became a lifelong commitment to creating opportunity for artists whose voices deserved to be heard.

For more than 56 years, his vision has transformed American theatre and enriched countless lives.

Now, that legacy is ours to carry forward.

The greatest birthday gift we can give Woodie is ensuring New Federal Theatre continues to be a home for bold storytelling and the next generation of artists.

Become a Monthly Sustainer by signing up on our website or through the link in our bio.

“He made a place for us.”

Let’s come together to keep that place alive.

2 more days until Woodie’s birthday!We also want to congratulate International Black Theatre Festival on their 2026 fest...
07/25/2026

2 more days until Woodie’s birthday!

We also want to congratulate International Black Theatre Festival on their 2026 festival beginning on Monday. The IBTF will honor Woodie King Jr. with a reading of “The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae”. New Federal Theatre produced the play back in 1999 at the National Black Theatre Festival.

Let’s all do our part in honoring Woodie’s legacy by becoming a Monthly Sustainer.

07/24/2026

3 days until we celebrate our founder!

On July 27, Woodie King Jr. was born in Mobile, Alabama. As a young boy, his family relocated to Detroit, Michigan, where he would come of age during a pivotal moment in American history.

Detroit exposed Woodie to a thriving Black cultural community and the realities of segregation and inequality. Those early experiences shaped his lifelong belief that theatre could be a powerful force for justice, education, and social change.

Determined to create change through the arts, Woodie King Jr. moved to New York City in the 1960s, where he became immersed in the city’s dynamic theatre scene and the emerging Black Arts Movement.

He recognized that too many Black artists and playwrights lacked opportunities to tell their stories on their own terms.

Rather than waiting for those doors to open, Woodie decided to build a new one.

His vision would soon become New Federal Theatre.

You can help ensure that vision continues to flourish by becoming a Monthly Sustainer through our website or the link in our bio.

Audio for this video is from an interview conducted by Emmitt H. Thrower.

07/23/2026

4 days until Woodie’s birthday! 🎉

Alabama born.
Detroit raised.
New York made.

Become a Monthly Subscriber before July 27th!
Sign up through the link in our bio or at newfederaltheatre.com

5 days until we celebrate the birthday or our founder, Woodie King Jr. The greatest tribute we can give Woodie is ensuri...
07/22/2026

5 days until we celebrate the birthday or our founder, Woodie King Jr.

The greatest tribute we can give Woodie is ensuring the institution he built continues to thrive for generations to come. Become a Monthly Sustainer by signing up on our website or through the link in our bio.

No amount is too small. Dedicate $5, $10, or $50.

He made a place for us. Together, let’s keep that place alive. ❤️

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C/O WP Theater, 55 West End Avenue, Flr. 1, Unit 2 (Admin. Office)
New York, NY
10023

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Monday 11:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 11:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 11:30am - 5pm
Thursday 11:30am - 5pm
Friday 11:30am - 5pm

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