Ron Himes, the Henry E. Hampton, Jr. Artist-in-Residence in the Performing Arts Department (PAD) in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, will receive the Black Theatre Network Lifetime Award during the organization’s 2023 national conference, which takes place in St. Louis July 20-23.
Himes, a WashU alumnus, is founder and producing director for The St. Louis Black Rep, one of the nation’s largest and most respected African American theater companies, now celebrating its 47th season. In conjunction with the conference, The Black Rep and the PAD will present a special one-weekend-only production of “Fly,” the award-winning one-man dramatic comedy starring Joseph Edwards, in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre. Set on a Brooklyn rooftop, “Fly” follows a man who believes he will receive the power of flight during a rare celestial event. Tickets are available at theblackrep.org.
The Black Theatre Network, founded in 1986, supports professional and personal development across the full range of theater professions, academic institutions and professional and community theaters. This year’s conference, titled “Afrofuturism: Envisioning Black Theatre,” will feature a mix of panels, conversations and performances exploring narratives for the 21st century and beyond. For more information, visit blacktheatrenetwork.org.
