"...the Billie Holiday is both a neighborhood jewel and one of the nation's premier black playhouses." —Daily News
Billie Holiday Theatre, Inc. (BHT) was founded in 1972 by Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (Restoration), a community development corporation whose mission is to be the catalyst for the progressive improvement of the quality of life for the people in Bedford Stuyvesant. BHT strives to do its part by producing three to four major productions each season along with presenting a series for children and/or teens as well as featuring special programming for the entire family to commemorate holidays such as Kwanzaa or Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday or celebrate the lives of other historical figures whose lives are significant to our community.
Billie Holiday Theatre strives to produce and present productions and programs so dynamic in their relevance, content and connection to our community that a positive transformation begs to take place. Many years ago, a play that originated at BHT was transferred to Broadway. This was quite a milestone at the time, because it was the first time (as cited in the New York Times) that 50% of the financing for a show came from the Black community--unheard of prior to Inacent Black. It was a play whose message positively transformed and galvanized the community to action. Hence, the Billie Holiday Theatre winner of Obie Awards (Excellence Off Broadway) and Audelco Awards (Excellence in Black Theatre) states its mission as:
To present professional theatre in a manner which enlightens, uplifts and entertains the African/Caribbean American community
To sustain a working environment in which the talented and trained artist can fully develop and explore his craft.
Many of today's successful actors, writers and designers developed their craft on the Billie Holiday Theatre's stage. Actors such as Samuel L. Jackson, Debbie Allen, Tichina (Chris' mom on Everybody Hates Chris) Arnold, Bill Cobbs, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Carol Woods, Elaine Graham and Ebony JoAnn to name but a few. The great political satirist/comic, Dick Gregory made his theatrical comeback after twenty years on the BHT stage. BHT audiences were also treated to the reunion of Good Times stars Ralph Carter and John Amos; the legendary William "Smokey" Robinson had his first musical theatre production, Raisin' Hell, produced at BHT; notable authors whose first plays were produced at BHT are: Samm Art Williams, long before his Tony Award nominated play, Home; lyricist for the classic To Be Young, Gifted and Black, the late Weldon Irvine delighted BHT audiences with his musicals Over Forty, The Vampire and the Dentist, and Young, Gifted and Broke; John Henry Redwood honed his first play at BHT before his commercial Off-Broadway staged play, and HBO special Old Settler; Victor Willis and Alex Briley met and performed at BHT eight months prior to forming The Village People; bassist extraordinaire and producer for Miles Davis and Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller performed under Weldon Irvine's direction in BHT's pit band.
The New York Daily News calls the Billie Holiday Theatre "a neighborhood jewel and one of the nation's premier Black playhouses." The Crisis calls the Theatre "An unsung institution of our own distinction which produces some of the best dramatic productions in the country, a monument — more deserving than the great white way."
"A gem in the Brooklyn community." —Our Time Press
"A true Brooklyn landmark." —Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President
GO Brooklyn
"An unsung institution of our own distinction which produces some of the best dramatic productions in the country, a monument — more deserving than the great white way." —The Crisis
Executive Director and Producer Marjorie Moon
Resident Stage Manager Avan
Assistant to the Producer Jonada R. Burson
Business Manager Carrie C. Reyes
Wayne C. Winborne, Chairman
Ruby Dee
Colvin W. Grannum, Esq.
Marjorie Moon
Marjorie Thomas-Inniss
Antonia Yulle Williams
Lester W. Young, Jr. Ed.D.
The 2011–2012 season is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; NYC Council Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations, James Van Bramer, Chair; also supported by Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and the Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts Advantage Initiative. The Billie Holiday Theatre, Inc, is a proud member of the Coalition of Theatres of Color (CTC).
Many of our past funders are listed on the page of seasons they supported. Visit the our archives for more information about previous seasons.
Marjorie Moon
Executive Director and Producer
MARJORIE MOON is Executive Director and Producer of the AUDELCO and Obie award-winning Billie Holiday Theatre — position she has held for more than thirty years. Most recently, Ms. Moon directed Sassy Mamas and Steal Away as well as Judi Ann Mason's Storm Stories, Lorey Hayes' Power Play and Bless Ji JaJa's M. She also directed Bless Ji Jaja's Barberdashers and Birth, Celeste Bedford Walker's Reunion in Bartersville; White Chocolate by Samuel L. Kelley, Leslie Lee's Spirit North and John Henry Redwood's Acted Within Proper Departmental Procedure.
Additionally, during her tenure, she has directed productions that include Weldon Irvine's Young, Gifted and Broke, Smokey Robinson's Raisin' Hell (co-directed] and Brothers and Sisters, Husbands and Wives. Ms. Moon also directed the latter production starring Ella Joyce (Roc) and Count Stovall (All My Children) at Houston Texas Music Hall. Ms. Moon has produced more than 150 productions including the regional touring productions of Lotto and Over Forty in venues that range from Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall to Washington, D.C.'s Warner Theatre and Historic Tacoma Theatre, Baltimore's Lyric Opera House, Philadelphia's Plays and Players. She produced Good Black Don't Crack at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. On Broadway, Ms. Moon co-produced Inacent Black starring Melba Moore.
After earning her MFA from Temple University, Ms. Moon joined the Speech and Drama Department at Hampton (Institute] University. She later served as adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College. Ms. Moon is the proud recipient of the Larry Leon Hamlin's Producer Award at the National Black Theatre Festival.
