This story was originally published by ArtsATL.
Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company recently announced a partnership with the city of South Fulton Department of Cultural Affairs to serve as the theater company in residence at the Southwest Arts Center for 2025.
The company will open its 2025 season at the facility with the production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” by Jocelyn Bioh, from Feb. 11 to March 9.
As a part of the partnership with South Fulton’s Department of Cultural Affairs, True Colors also will present community engagement and educational events that will be free to the public.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled with the partnership with Southwest Arts Center,” said True Colors Managing Director Chandra Stephens-Albright in a statement. “We are looking forward to engaging in a number of new projects at the center that will offer city and area residents opportunities to enjoy and be inspired by the arts.”
While the unspecified new projects are being developed, one existing program that True Colors hopes will engage City of South Fulton students is its Next Narrative Monologue Competition, a national contest for high schoolers with the finals held each year at New York’s historic Apollo Theatre. The program offers a master class that helps participants enhance their acting skills, “and we hope to include students from the city in the future,” True Colors spokesperson Bill Marks said.
In March 2009, True Colors became the first theater company to stage at the then-new Southwest Arts Center with its production of “Miss Evers’ Boys,” directed by Kenny Leon. The cast — including Jasmine Guy, Eugene Lee, TC Carson, Eric Little, Enoch King and E. Roger Mitchell — continues to work in theater and other performing arts.
True Colors became a season-to-season tenant at the facility at 915 New Hope Road SW in 2013. Now, instead of being a renter, True Colors will be in partnership with Southwest Arts Center as its theater company in residence.
“True Colors has been an artistic treasure for many years,” said John Geertsen, cultural affairs director for the city of South Fulton. “We are pleased that they will continue to bring us entertaining and thought-provoking productions.”
Credit: ArtsATL
Credit: ArtsATL
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