If you have known me for any length of time, you understand my passion for the arts. Growing up in New York, I loved going to see LIVE shows at Radio City Music Hall. The excitement of seeing the Rockettes sparkle on stage with energy was simply electrifying. Throughout the years I have managed to stay close to the Arts and support them when and where I can.
I recently had the privilege of attending the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival Launch and had an opportunity to speak to the Producer and Director, Mrs. Toni Henson and here is what she had to say:
KF: Good afternoon Toni! How are you?
TH: I’m GREAT!
KF: Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to speak with me today. I understand you were raised in New York, so it’s no wonder you developed a passion for the arts. Tell me about when first caught the Broadway and Theatre bug.
TH: I was actually raised in Hillside which bordered Newark, NJ…right in the backyard of “Broadway”. Twenty-five cents would get you to midtown Manhattan from downtown Newark in those days & the streets of NY were our playground. It was nothing to catch a matinee or evening show. To us, it was a great date night…like going to the movies. Then, of course, you didn’t go unless you could get the “twofers” , which means two tickets for the price of one. Or we would try to catch a preview which was really a bargain. We never paid full price…that made it even more fun! I didn’t realize how blessed I was until I moved to Atlanta. I took it for granted.
KF: Toni, I understand you graduated from Howard University & New York University. Were you actively involved in the theatre while you studied?
TH: Not really, I was pressured to “get a real major” by my parents. So I actually studied business. But I managed to get in a theatre course while there. At NYU, I studied non-profit management. I didn’t really get to begin to study my craft until I decided I wanted to stop pleasing others & do me! That was at the age of 40…this was a milestone time for me, a time for me to come into my own. By this time I had 4 children and worked as a stay at home mom. I wanted to finally discover this part of me that I suppressed for so long. So I jumped in head first & joined the largest network of acting schools in the world, the Helen O’Grady Acting Academy (known in the US as Drama Kids). I opened the Princeton, NJ territory & trained to teach & produced under their brand. That’s when I really discovered I had a gift. So in addition to my training for Drama Kids, I started taking classes with Nick Anselmo at Mercer Co. College & then with the renowned John Basil of the American Globe Theatre in NYC.
My school grew to a staggering 17 classes per week with 2 summer camps in a few short years. I received national awards & was featured in several publications including Entrepreneur Magazine.
KF: Since you came on the scene in Atlanta 4 years ago, I understand you have two successful plays under your belt. Tell our audience a little bit about those plays.
TH: Yes. Once Upon a Dream written by Khristi Adams was a very controversial piece about a homosexual man in the church. It was funny because everyone assumed I hated gay people. It seems as though if you put gay & church in the same sentence it’s automatically adversarial. As an artist, I loved the attention! I thought it was a great intro to get my name out. I love controversy. it gives meaning to your work. It gets people talking. I love pushing buttons. I always have!
The second is my favorite Big Girls Gotta Eat, Too! . It was another slam dunk play about how we look at plus sized women in this society. This piece was written by Wanda Simmons, my sister & Melissa Blackmon. The cast is of women are jaw dropping gorgeous with unforgettable performances. They leave the audience speechless.
KF: Let’s talk about your latest venture with Launching the Atlanta Black Film Festival. What made you decide to launch this project?
TH: I wanted to provide a platform for trained artists to produce their works. We looked at the National Black Theatre Festival model held every other year in NC & we looked at the DC Black Theatre Festival model . We decided to duplicate the best of both. As we studied the logistics, we determined the DC BTF to be the most compatible to what we want to accomplish. They’ve enjoyed the success of selling over 20,000 tickets in their 2nd year of operation. That proves there is a demand for good theatre!
KF: Tell us what your vision or mission is with this project.
TH: Our mission is to retrieve & preserve the depth of the black experience by encouraging the next generation of transcending works for the continuum of theatre across the Diaspora.
KF: Can you give our audience information on the first festival this year? (I.e. location and event times)
TH: Although we are still in the planning stages, the festival will be held October 4-7, 2012. The format will include a variety of genres from traditional to urban contemporary to gospel plays. We will also include a Youth Talent Showcase, Reader’s Theatre of New Works, & an Author’s Alley.
KF: How can people support your vision Toni and contact you for more information?
TH: Our website will be live in February just visit www.AtlantaBlackTheatreFestival.org or just call 770-827-9606. We also have a Facebook fan page for updates at “Atlanta Black Theatre Festival (ATL-BTF)”
KF: What advice would you give aspiring theatre actors and producers all over the world?
TH: Get as much training as you can! Acting is a craft that can take as long as 20 years to perfect. Humans are very complex beings and the complexity of human nature takes years to comprehend to truly embody a character. Heck it takes us about 40 years just to know who we are! I’ve been doing this for 8 years & I continue to read, study & observe. You can never stop learning this art form. It’s the most beautiful thing art form, in my opinion. From actor to character to audience, it is a soul to soul connection.
KF: Thank you so much for taking time to share your vision and passion with our global network. I wish you much success and prosperity for the New Year and I pray that everyone get involved and connect with the vision of the Arts.
TH: Thank you!