JUSTIN’S SIDE Written by: Eureka Lewis Directed by: Ellen Valencia Featuring: Troi Coleman Alvin Christmas Ezra Knight Trailer: Katiana Weems - Editor and Gabrielle Henderson - Audio ___ ABOUT JUSTIN’S SIDE A typical day at Roman Middle School takes a drastic turn when an incident amongst classmates warrants a parent/principal meeting. JUSTIN’S SIDE opens the 1st Annual Black Motherhood and Parenting New Play Festival, a partnership between Blackboard Plays and PAAL , the Parent Artist Advocacy League. This play is made possible because of a partnership with Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Justin’s Side Streams from Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST / 4pm PST to Monday, May 24th at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST / 4pm PST. Purchase your Digital pass and Stream at bmpfest.veeps.com PAAL and Blackboard established #BMPFest to showcase the creative output of Black parent playwrights. They issued an open call in October 2020 for writers who identify as Black parents or caregivers to submit up to 10 pages of work that they would develop into a one-act. For more information on the festival visit: bit.ly/bmpinfo ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: EUREKA LEWIS Eureka Lewis resides in New York, but is a native of Detroit, MI. She's written & directed numerous plays, including (but not limited to) "Sorry If I Let You Down", "Aunt Salley's Remains", "Finally Made It", "Too Far To The Left", "The Jagged Rose" & a 10-week run of "What They'll Remember"; which received rave reviews in The Huffington Post & Broadway World. From hundreds of entries, she was twice selected a featured writer for Billie Holiday Theatre's "50IN50" writer’s series.⠀ ⠀ Her onstage credits began over thirty years ago at The Hilberry Studio Theater of @theatreanddanceatwayne , Wayne State University, in "Portraits In Black". She's also had lead or pivotal roles in "Tambourines To Glory", "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope", "God's Trombones", "For Colored Girls", "Raisin In The Sun", "In The City", "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" & "Herstory" to name a select few.⠀ ⠀ Eureka believes writing is one of the greatest platforms to evoke change.⠀ ⠀

WHAT IF...? Written by: Cynthia Grace Robinson Directed by: Mary E. Hodges Featuring: Morgan Calhoun Tonya Pinkins Trailer: Katiana Weems - Editor and Gabrielle Henderson - Audio ___ ABOUT WHAT IF...? A young woman’s need to fight for justice unleashes her mother’s fears for her child’s life. WHAT IF...? is the second new work in the 1st Annual Black Motherhood and Parenting New Play Festival, a partnership between Blackboard Plays and PAAL , the Parent Artist Advocacy League. This play is made possible because of a partnership with Bishop Arts Theatre Center WHAT IF...? Streams from Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST / 4pm PST to Monday, May 31st at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST / 4pm PST. Purchase your Digital pass and Stream at bmpfest.veeps.com PAAL and Blackboard established #BMPFest to showcase the creative output of Black parent playwrights. They issued an open call in October 2020 for writers who identify as Black parents or caregivers to submit up to 10 pages of work that they would develop into a one-act. For more information on the festival visit: bit.ly/bmpinfo ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: CYNTHIA GRACE ROBINSON Plays: DANCING ON EGGSHELLS (The Billie Holiday Theatre); PEOLA'S PASSING (New Perspectives Theatre Company); WHEN NIGHT FALLS (Eugene O'Neill semi-finalist); GOLD STAR MOTHER (EstroGenius Festival); ASCENSION (National Black Theatre Festival; NYC Fringe); THUNDER: A MUSICAL MEMOIR (NYC Fringe); NIGHTFALL (The Fire This Time Festival); ROME IN LOVE (48 Hours in…Harlem); FREEDOM SUMMER (North Carolina Black Repertory Company); IN THIS LIFE (in development); ROSES OF THE WILLAMETTE: A MUSICAL (in development); TV pilot (in development). Awards: Eugene O'Neill Theater Center Playwriting Conference (Semi-finalist); Rivers Writers Unit at The Lark; Playwrights of Color Summit/Quick Silver Theater Company; Rising Circle Theater Collective/INKTank Residency; AUDELCO Award Nominee; Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Finalist; Calvin B. Grimes Scholar-in-Residence Inaugural award (NYU); Tribeca All-Access Open Stage Inaugural award; Best New Play IRNE Nominee. Publications: SHE PERSISTED. Monologues from Plays by Women Over 40; The Book of Estrogenius 2012: A Celebration of Female Voices. ⠀ ⠀

Blackboard Reading Series Founder and Parent Artist Advocacy League - PAAL for Performing Arts Producing Director, Garlia Cornelia Jones opens our #BMPFest streams every week! Haven't gotten a chance to check out "Justin's Side" by Eureka Lewis - You have until Monday the 24th at 7pm EST / 6pm CST / 4pm PST to watch! Get your Tickets today: http://bmpfest.veeps.com PAAL and Blackboard established #BMPFest to showcase the creative output of Black parent playwrights. They issued an open call in October 2020 for writers who identify as Black parents or caregivers to submit up to 10 pages of work that they would develop into a one-act. #blackparentstoriesmatter #blackstoriesmatter