The success of Childress’ works and their resonance with the public allowed her to bring Harlem’s first all-union Off-Broadway contracts into practice. In 1949, Childress began her writing career with her first play, Florence, which she directed and starred in, and which reflected many themes that would be prominent in her later writing: the empowerment of Black women, interracial politics and working-class life. In 1939, Childress began studying Drama at the American Negro Theatre (ANT) and performed for the company for 11 years, appearing in multiple productions, including Phillip Yudan’s Anna Lucasta which moved to Broadway and became the longest-running all-Black play in Broadway history. Childress’ grandmother encouraged her to pursue her talents in writing and acting from a young age.

Originally from South Carolina, Childress moved to Harlem, NY at the age of nine to live with her grandmother, the daughter of a slave.

Alice Childress (1916-1994) was an American playwright, novelist and actress well known for her poignant stories centering on the lived experiences of Black Americans. She received her MFA in Acting from The New School for Drama and her BS in Mathematics from Spelman College. Save Your Soul”, “Everything Absolutely” and “But Rosita, I love you” to name a few. For film she’s appeared in shorts “Honk for Jesus. Her TV credits include The Equalizer, American Rust, The Blacklist, Eye Candy, and The Knick. Regionally she’s worked at Chicago Shakespeare Theater as Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Two River Theatre in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars (Ruby) and King Hedley II (Tonya), The Geva Theatre Center: The Magician’s Daughter (Miranda), The Portland Center Stage (Oregon) JAW Festival: three girls never learnt the way home (Edith), Baltimore Center Stage: Skeleton Crew (Shanita), The Guthrie: The Bluest Eye (Pecola), where she was named one of the Top 10 Actors of the Decade in The Star Tribune (Dec 2019), TheaterWorks Hartford: Sunset Baby (Nina), a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Repertory Theatre: The Last Tiger in Haiti (Rose) and Northern Stage: Its a Wonderful Life, a radio play (Mary) and The Mountaintop (Camae). Some of her New York City credits include the Off-Broadway production of Charly Evon Simpson’s new play sandblasted (Angela) co-produced by Vineyard Theatre and WP Theatre, FAT HAM (Opal, short term u/s), an audio play Retreat (Constance), Blacken the Bubble (Kanese), A Raisin in the Sun (Beneatha) and various festivals including The Fire This Time, 48 Hours in… Harlem, NY Fringe, and Samuel French.

Brittany Bellizeare (CYNTHIA) is a native of Philadelphia who currently resides in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

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