From Footlights to Spotlights: Black Theatre’s Path

Developed by Lawrence Blackwell
September 22, 2026
Orpheum Theatre

On the anniversary of Hattiloo Theatre’s founding, we take the stage at the Orpheum Theatre to honor the journey of Black theatre. From Footlights to Spotlights is a sweeping performance timeline, celebrating its struggles, triumphs, and enduring impact.

Act I brings history to life by revisiting landmark moments in Black theatre, honoring the stories and artists who opened doors and laid the foundation. Act II turns toward the present, spotlighting the power of Black theatre being created today, including the work of visionary artists with deep Memphis roots whose voices are being heard on stages across the country. More than a performance, this event is a tribute to where we have been, a celebration of where we are, and an invitation to imagine what comes next.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS JULY 28, 2026

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC AUGUST 11, 2026

Bridging Worlds: An International Black Theatre Festival

Bridging Worlds: An International Black Theatre Initiative launches Hattiloo’s Pan-African collaborations, marking the start of its next twenty years of leadership in uniting Black theatre across the globe. This groundbreaking festival brings three acclaimed Black theatre companies to Memphis for exclusive two-week residencies: Norway’s Nordic Black Theatre, Nigeria’s Jos Theatre (Death Road), and South Africa’s Market Theatre.

Alongside powerful performances, artists will lead immersive workshops, masterclasses, and public discussions, fostering cultural exchange and dialogue. Bridging Worlds celebrates the shared Black experience across the diaspora, uniting Memphis with the global stage.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS AUGUST 11, 2026 (FOR ALL THREE SHOWS)

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC AUGUST 25, 2026 (FOR ALL THREE SHOWS)

Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder

Nordic Black Theatre – Oslo, Norway
October 2-11, 2026
Hattiloo Theatre

Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder is a raw, honest celebration of survival, where hope refuses to die, and humor becomes a weapon against despair. It’s about people who build worlds out of nothing, about the courage to dance even when the music stops. This play captures the fight for survival, success, and identity—showing that even in the darkest corners, dreams can shine bright.

Death Road

Jos Black Theatre – Jos, Nigeria
October 16 – 25, 2026
Hattiloo Theatre

Jos Theatre presents “Death Road” – a compelling play by Nigerian-American author Sefi Atta, dedicated to the Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in 2014. The narrative centers on Farouk, a street hawker raised by his mother as a yan dauda, adopting feminine mannerisms and attire. The story delves into themes of identity, societal norms, and resilience, offering a poignant exploration of personal and communal struggles in the face of adversity.

Amaxelegu

Market Theatre – Johannesburg, South Africa
October 30 – November 8, 2026
Hattiloo Theatre (Parental Advisory)

Amaxelegu is a new three-hander by award-winning South African theatre artist Qondiswa James. Premiering at Johannesburg’s Market Theatre in August 2025, the play tells a provocative, relatable story about a young couple, the woman who cleans up after them, and the messy realities of love in the time of non-monogamy. Mostly in English with some Xhosa, it’s set in an unnamed South African city and explores modern relationships through the lenses of class, gender, and upward mobility. Developed through the Market Theatre’s Play Development Programme, it marks a bold new work from one of South Africa’s rising voices.

Hattiloo Youth Theatre presents

Elf the Musical Jr.

Book by Thomas Meehan Bob MartinMusic by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Based on the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum
November 20 – December 6, 2026 (no performance on Thanksgiving)
Hattiloo Theatre 

Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human, until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh reality that his father is on the naughty list and that his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is de-termined to win over his new family and help New York remem-ber the true meaning of Christmas.

NOT INCLUDED IN SUBSCRIPTIONS

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC OCTOBER 13, 2026

Black Nativity

O Sifuni Mungu

By Langston Hughes
Adapted by Patdro Harris
December 11 – 13, 2026
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center
at the University of Memphis

Inspired by Langston Hughes’s 1960 Broadway production, this must-see musical brings the holiday spirit to life with hand-clapping, toe-tapping, finger-snapping joy for Hattiloo’s 20th anniversary. This year’s production is taken to the next level with the Hattiloo Mass Community Choir.

A heartwarming holiday favorite, Black Nativity retells the Nativity story with a fresh spin, featuring new sets, costumes, and choreography. Blending gospel music, dynamic dance, and biblical narrative, it’s a vibrant celebration powered by the booming voices of some of Memphis’ finest gospel singers.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS OCTOBER 20, 2026

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC NOVEMBER 3, 2026

A Holiday Juke Joint

Conceived by Ekundayo Bandele
December 17 – 20, 2026
20 for 20 Donors+ Only (no tickets for sale)

Celebrate this holiday season with excitement, wonder, and an energy that you can only experience in a Juke Joint. A montage of dance, singing, music, and acting by some of Memphis’ most talented artists will fill you with cheer and make you want to try to do a backflip. Whether you’re a grinch or a reveler, we guarantee you will be ready to face the hustle and bustle after experiencing this cabaret.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS NOVEMBER 10, 2026

NOT TICKETS FOR SALE 

The Colored Museum

Written by George C. Wolfe
February 12 – March 7, 2027
Hattiloo Theatre

For The Colored Museum, Hattiloo Theatre will temporarily transform its entire building into a living museum. Audiences will move room to room through stark exhibit spaces where performers appear as still “statues” inside the walls, then suddenly come to life, bringing George C. Wolfe’s provocative and darkly funny snapshots of identity into the space around you.

There are no seats and no traditional stage. You walk through the museum as each scene unfolds up close, surrounding you with satire, memory, and revelation. This one-of-a-kind transformation launches Hattiloo’s 20-Year Anniversary Season with an experience you will not just watch, but feel.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS DECEMBER 22, 2026

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC JANUARY 5, 2027

Ain’t No Mo

Written by Jordan E. Cooper
April 9 – May 2, 2027
Hattiloo Theatre (Parental Advisory)

Ain’t No Mo’ brings bold, razor-sharp satire to Hattiloo with a wild premise: all Black Americans are being flown “back to Africa” on African American Airlines, departing from Gate 1619. Led by Peaches, a fearless flight attendant, the journey moves through a series of provocative stops including a church, a clinic, a TV studio, a mansion, and a prison before arriving at the gate. Staged in the Black Box, this intimate production puts the comedy, chaos, and truth uncomfortably close.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS FEBRUARY 17, 2027

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC MARCH 3, 2027

Macbeth is a Mane

Conceived by Ekundayo Bandele
Adapted by Geoffrey Owens
May 14 – June 13, 2027
Hattiloo Theatre 

Macbeth is a Mane is a bold Memphis retelling of Shakespeare’s classic, performed by Memphis youth in the slang, rhythm, and poetry of the city. The story follows Macbeth, a loyal soldier who hears a prophecy that he will be king. Pushed by ambition and his wife’s pressure, he chooses murder to take the throne, only to be consumed by guilt, paranoia, and betrayal as everything he built begins to fall apart. By putting this tragedy in a Memphis voice, the production shows that the language of Black youth is powerful, lyrical, and worthy of the stage while creating space for young artists to be seen and heard.

SUBSCRIBER AND DONOR RESERVATIONS MARCH 24, 2027

TICKETS ON SALE TO THE PUBLIC APRIL 7, 2027