Sit down for an informal and compelling chat with Winston-Salem-based NC Black Rep Artistic Director Jackie Alexander as the award-winning playwright-director talks about the history of the acclaimed company and the importance of sharing the black experience on the stage. A native of New Orleans, Jackie Alexander is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, former Artistic Director of The Billie Holiday Theatre in New York, and current Artistic Director of North Carolina Black Repertory Company, producers of The National Black Theatre Festival. His debut novel, Our Daily Bread, was published by Turner Publishing in the fall of 2012. His debut feature film Joy was awarded Best Feature Film by the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, and also earned Best Actor and Best Screenplay honors for Jackie on the festival circuit. The OBIE and AUDELCO Award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre in New York devoted its entire 2010-2011 season to Jackie’s work; commissioning him to write three new plays and making him the only playwright in the storied history of the theatre to receive that honor. In 2018, the Black Theatre Network (BTN) honored Jackie with the Presidential Pathfinder Award at its yearly conference in Memphis, Tennessee. The award is presented to an artist or an institution that illuminates a path to innovations and new concepts in Black Theatre.

This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned performance by the NC Black Repertory Company as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about NC Black Rep: https://ncblackrep.org/

Available via YouTube, appsummer.org

Our second Hemp Hangout is here, and we’re excited to get together! Outdoor Event, Rain or Shine This free, family friendly, monthly event is a great opportunity to learn and sample our products, enjoy live music, and play fun games to win sweet prizes! Stay tuned to this page for band and vendor announcements! As the world slowly begins to open back up, we are continuing to practice conscious sanitary and safety measures; this outdoor event is the perfect opportunity to safely gather, within social distancing guidelines, and bring some fun back into our lives

Called “a master of the genre” by The New York Times, Sarah Jones is a Tony® and Obie Award-winning performer and writer known for her multi-character, one-person shows (Broadway hit Bridge & Tunnel, originally produced by Oscar® winner Meryl Streep, and her current, critically-acclaimed show Sell/Buy/Date). Renowned as “a one-woman global village,” she has given multiple mainstage TED Talks garnering millions of views, and performed at The White House for President and First Lady Obama.

This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by Sarah Jones as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about Sarah Jones: @yesimsarahjones

Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org

Steinway artist Julian G, commonly referred to as “Pianist with the Hair” because of his distinctive look, is a renowned classical pianist and composer, who performs all over the world, in prestigious venues from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Singapore’s Symphony Stage, and has been featured on radio and TV in North America, Europe, and Asia. A classically trained pianist, Julian captivates his audience not only with his technical precision but also with his Woody Allen-ish wit. Julian invites his audience to abandon all preconceived notions about classical concerts. On stage he presents a program that includes classical standards, Tango transcriptions, and his own compositions. In between pieces, he engages the audience by sharing his personal stories, anecdotes from the lives of composers, and his home remedies for jet-lag.

This special preview performance is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by Julian Gargiulo as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about Julian Gargiulo: http://pianistwiththehair.com/home.html

Available via Facebook Live, appsummer.org

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Pre-registration required; event will expire at 6pm on Sunday, July 26.

While the COVID-19 pandemic prevented National Players from traveling the U.S. and completing Tour 71, that didn’t stop America’s longest-running theatre company from bringing theatre to their fans. Through this recorded preview performance of Shakespeare’s female-driven comedy As You Like It, which combines classic elements of romance and hidden identities, NP continues its mission of making theatre more accessible. In this classic romantic comedy about gender roles, losing oneself, and discovering oneself anew, Rosalind, banished from the only home she’s ever known, assumes the identity of a man and escapes to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia and their fool Touchstone. While there, they run into other exiled folks from the old court, including the dashing and brave Orlando, who won Rosalind’s heart prior to her banishment, but he was too tongue tied to express his love in return. Determined to woo him, Rosalind persuades Orlando in her male disguise to win her heart. For only if Orlando loves her as a man will Rosalind know he truly loves her. National Players meld classic language with contemporary staging of Shakespeare’s imaginative tale about city folk venturing into the woods.

To learn more about National Players: https://www.olneytheatre.org/national-players/about-national-players

Available exclusively via Eventbrite; register at appsummer.org

The Emerson String Quartet has maintained its status as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles for more than four decades. “With musicians like this,” wrote a reviewer for The Times (London), “there must be some hope for humanity.” The quartet has made more than 30 acclaimed recordings, and has been honored with nine Grammys® (including two for Best Classical Album), three Gramophone Awards, the Avery Fisher Prize, and Musical America’s “Ensemble of the Year” award. The quartet collaborates with some of today’s most esteemed composers to premiere new works, keeping the string quartet form alive and relevant. The group has partnered in performance with such stellar soloists as Reneé Fleming, Barbara Hannigan, Evgeny Kissin, Emanuel Ax, and Yefim Bronfman.

This special preview is scheduled in conjunction with the planned appearance by the Emerson String Quartet as part of the festival’s 2021 season.

To learn more about Emerson String Quartet: http://www.emersonquartet.com/

Available via YouTube, Facebook, appsummer.org

Since their formal introduction to American audiences in 1997, The Kruger Brothers’ remarkable discipline, creativity and their ability to infuse classical music into folk music has resulted in a unique sound that has made them a fixture within the world of acoustic music. The honesty of their writing has since become a hallmark of the Wilkesboro, NC-based trio’s work. In their ever-expanding body of work — Jens Kruger (banjo and vocals), Uwe Kruger (guitar and lead vocals), and Joel Landsberg (bass and vocals) — The Kruger Brothers personify the spirit of exploration and innovation that forms the core of the American musical tradition.

To learn more about The Kruger Brothers: https://www.krugerbrothers.com/

Available via Facebook Live, appsummer.org

Teen – (grades 6-12)