TO BE BLACK
A collection of monologues, scenes and short plays by Black artists created in partnership with Falcon Theatre.
Available to stream beginning June 11, 2021.
The Line Up
Directed by Piper N. Davis
Written and performed by Curtis Shepard
Directed by Candice Handy
Featuring *Ernaisja Curry (Rissa); Kearston Hawkins-Johnson (Tyra)
Directed by Candice Handy
Featuring*Geoffrey Barnes (George); *Crystian Wiltshire (Lenny)
directed by Piper N. Davis
Written and performed by Curtis Shepard
directed by Piper N. Davis
Featuring *Candice Handy (Linda)
The Playwrights
AJ Baldwin
The Twunny Fo’
A.J. (She/Her/Hers) is ecstatic to share her work with Cincy Black TAC as a playwright, where she was last seen acting in the "Monologues: For Us By Us" series, and the reading of "Rape Game". A.J. is a performance-based creative from Montgomery, AL, but has grown very fond of Cincinnati. A.J.'s recent acting credits include: "Theatre: A Love Story" at Know Theatre of Cincinnati, "The Wind in the Willows" (Ratty), and "The Snowy Day" (Mom) at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Regional credits include: "Lawbreakers!" (Angelina Weld Grimke/Sojourner Truth/Olivia) at StageOne; "A Christmas Carol" (Ghost of Christmas Past/Lucy) at Trinity Repertory Co.; "Intimate Apparel" (Esther) and "The Merry Wives of Windsor" (Mistress Page) at Theater at Monmouth. A proud script consultant and emerging playwright, A.J. believes that dreams do come true!
Cris Eli Blak
Sons of Liberty
Cris Eli Blak is an award winning and internationally produced writer for the page, stage and screen. His writing has won the Christopher Hewitt Award for Fiction and received a Pushcart Prize nomination. His work has been produced, performed and/or published around the world, including Off-Broadway (Urban Stages, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre), West Coast (Common Ground Theatre, Left Edge Theatre, Breath of Fire Latina Theater Company), Collegiate (Columbia University, Academy of Arts University and Wellesley College), Canada (Ryerson Community Theatre), London (The Quean's Theatre), Australia (Melting Pot Theatre), and Ireland (Eva's Echo). He is currently developing new work as a season 6 playwright with Derby City Playwrights, as part of the Under Construction 2 group with The Road Theatre and with Et Alia Theater Company. He continues to strive to create work that reflects the world that we live in, with all of its different and diverse colors, creeds and cultures through work with organizations such as TEDxBroadway and Fine Arts Forward.
Arethia Hornsby Rinfrow
My Mommy Said
Arethia Hornsby Rinfrow is a writer and the founder of God’s Finest Productions Troupe. She writes, directs and produces plays for the Cincinnati community. She also acts as a consultant to the school system to help correct bullying behavior using drama as a change instrument to enhance the learning experience of students. Her featured monologue was published in an anthology of short stories by African American writers entitled " Proverbs for the People."
Curtis D. Shepard
Unmasked; The Little Drummer Boy
(a.k.a. Curt…from Detox), is widely recognized as an actor, writer, spoken word artist, motivational speaker and founder of the grass roots, non-profit support group for dads.The goal is to encourage dads to be the highest and best versions of themselves, one experience at a time. Curtis has kept busy over the last several years touring and perfecting his two, one-man shows, ‘UnMasked’ and ‘Sidewaze Rain’ while also co-staring in Greg Stallworth’s stage play “Trapped.” Curtis is quick to tell you these two things, “My greatest joy is being CaDira’s dad" and "Love is the greatest force is the Universe.”
Derek J. Snow
I Am Not Safe
Derek Snow has been an active participant in the Cincinnati theatre community as an actor, writer, and director for over 35 years. A graduate of the School for Creative and Performing Arts, he then continued his education in New York City before returning to his hometown to attend the University of Cincinnati. After graduation, Snow began teaching dramatic arts to inner-city youth in the public school system. Snow has been with the popular physical theatre group, Performance Gallery, for the past eighteen years, which has produced an entry in every Cincinnati Fringe Festival since its inception.In addition to writing, Snow founded Missing Front Plate Productions in 2020 to amplify creative Black and Brown voices in theatre. His short plays have been produced in Atlanta, New Jersey, Cincinnati, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Sydney, Australia. He has addressed issues in his writing such as homelessness, mental health, and social justice. Snow’s latest work, “Silas, The Uninvited”, evolved out of his short piece, “The Ballad of the Dying Body”, which was an entry in the 2020 Breath Project out of NYC. He is currently developing “Silas” into both a short film and a full-length play, which follows a young Black man through four different decades inAmerica: the 1960s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2020s. Derek thanks Cincy Black TAC for their continued work toward uplifting Black creative voices and for bringing his piece to life!
Cast and Creative
Burgess Byrd
Actor - I Am Not Safe
Recent credits: "Monologues of Hope" Cincinnati Playhouse in The Park, "Say Their Names" with Pones, Monologues For Us By Us with Cincinnati Black Theatre Collective, GLORIA: A LIFE at Human Race Theatre, and THE FROG PRINCESS at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Some of her favorite credits include SKELETON CREW (Faye) with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Lena) with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, MERCHANT OF VENICE (Shylock) with UT Austin, AVENUE Q (Gary) with Showbiz Players, and the solo show PRETTY FIRE (Charlayne) with Know Theatre of Cincinnati.
Piper N Davis
Director of Unmasked; The Little Drummer Boy; I Am Not Safe; My Mommy Said
Piper N. Davis is passionate about creating and supporting art wherever she can. She is an Emmy Award-winning actress, director, cultural director and singer who has performed and toured productions throughout the United States. She has had several stage and screen roles and loves doing voice-over work. Some of her directorial and performance credits include The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats; Richie and Blanche; Family Healing; Cincinnati King; Harry and the Thief; Bare; Caroline, or Change and Open the Sky. Piper is on the WCPO 9 Community Advisory Board, a Board member of Falcon Theater (Newport, KY), a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Multicultural Awareness Council (MAC), and she serves as the Sales and Events Manager at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. She is very proud to be a native resident of Cincinnati, where she can both work and play in the city's vibrant arts scene, surrounded by artists, storytellers and makers of all kinds. Piper is grateful to God for her talents, and she sends much love and joy to Lydia J. Davis (Mommie), her family, friends, and her doggy, Izzy (Grizabella).
Geoff Hill
Actor- I Am Not Safe
Geoffrey studied at Northern Kentucky University, he is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. His work includes "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with The Drama Workshop, "Aladdin Jr." And "Black Nativity" with Cincinnati Black Theater Company and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" with Northern Kentucky University.
Geoffrey Barnes
Actor- Sons of Liberty
Geoffrey Barnes is proud to be part of the Cincinnati Black Theatre Artist Collective. Credits include: After AIDA (joint project with Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati and Cincinnati Opera), The Drunk Santa Xmas Spectacular, All the Way, Fences, Macbeth, Twelfth Night with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Hands on a Hardbody (Ronald McCowan) at ETC and Marian: or the true tale of Robin Hood at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Geoffrey holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Webster University in St. Louis as well as an MFA in acting from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of the Cincinnati School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Thank you to my family, friends and Katie for your love and encouragement.
Candice Handy
Director of The Twunny Fo’; Sons of Liberty
Actor in My Momma Said
Candice Handy is the Founder and Artistic Director of Cincinnati Black Theatre Artist Collective. Originally from Birmingham, AL, Candice received her Bachelor’s of Arts and Sciences from the illustrious Alabama State University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance, with a focus in the African American theatre experience from the University of Louisville. Ms. Handy has been a Resident Ensemble Member at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for three seasons, where she recently accepted the position of Director of Education.She is a Teaching Artist with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, where she completed the Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship. Candice is a member of the Actors Equity Association. She has played on regional stages including Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (A Christmas Carol), The Human Race Theatre (The Cake), Theatre at Monmouth (Pirates of Penzance), Island Shakespeare Festival (A Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival (Pericles, The Tempest)l. She thanks God, her family, and friends for their unrelenting support.
JeShaun Jackson
Actor- I Am Not Safe
JeShaun Jackson is a Junior BFA Musical Theatre Major at Northern Kentucky University. He was recently seen as Revita Glory, Jefferson Glory, and Darnell Nusspickle in the touring production of Church Girls:The Musical, and voiced the role of Richie in Richie and Blanche The Pod Play with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. His NKU credits include; Wyatt Frost (Originated) in The Black Boy in Pink! , Bobby/Kit Kat Dancer in Cabaret, Dr.Ehrin, Pastor Bruno, Security Guard, Gym Assistant, and Officer Kowalski in Freaky Friday:The Musical, James Hewlett in The African Company Presents: Richard III,Company Dancer in Dance 20’, and Joshua in the filmed production of Fugitive Songs. Other Credible Roles include: William Barfèe in 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee , Shrek in Shrek The Musical , and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family Musical. He is Beyond grateful to have the opportunity to work with such a stellar cast and crew. He would also like to thank his incredible family and friends. He hopes you enjoy the show!! Instagram: @_shaunjay_ TikTok: @_jeshaunjackson_
Ernaisja Curry
Actor- The Twunny Fo’
Ernaisja Curry is so proud to be a member of the Cincinnati Black Theatre Artist Collective! Since completing Cincinnati Playhouse’s Bruce E. Coyle Acting Internship, the Florida native has performed on stages across Cincinnati/Northern KY and signed with Heyman Talent Agency. When not on stage or screen, she is teaching, directing, and choreographing students as a Teaching Artist. Her favorite recent credits include The Ballad of the Dying Body from Missing Front Plate Productions, Skeleton Crew at Ensemble Theatre, and Lawbreakers at StageOne Theatre. She is eternally grateful to her family, friends, and mentors for their continuous love, faith, and support. www.ernaisjacurry.com
Kearston Hawkins-Johnson
Actor- The Twunny Fo’
Kearston is grateful to play with CBTAC! Local credits include productions with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Fringe Festival, and The Carnegie. Kearston obtained a BFA in Acting from Northern Kentucky University and received additional training at Howard University. Kearston devotes all things to The Divine and is eternally grateful for the infinite love and support from family, friends and ancestors. For more information, visit Kearstonhawkinsjohnson.com.
Crystian Wiltshire
Actor- Sons of Liberty
Crystian Wiltshire is thrilled to be working with Cincy Black TAC again! Recent credits include: The Tempest (Ferdinand), Fences (Cory), and The Winter’s Tale (Florizel) with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Kill Move Paradise (Tiny) with Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Ghost (Castle) with StageOne Family Theatre. Dracula (Harker) with Actors Theatre of Louisville. As You Like It (Silvius), Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio), Romeo and Juliet (Romeo), Henry IV Part II (Poins), and Twelfth Night (Fabian) with the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. And In This Corner... Cassius Clay and Hamlet in Kentucky Shakespeare’s co-production with StageOne Family Theatre.