The Coalition of Theatres of Color in Brooklyn (The Paul Robeson Theater of Ft. Greene and The Billie Holiday Theatre in Bedford Stuyvesant) will honor the legendary Ruby Dee — currently celebrating 60-plus years as a revered awardwinning actress and writer — at an afternoon reception at the Billie Holiday Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday, June 28.
“Ruby Dee is more than an icon, she is authentic, a role model — not just on stage, but also behind the scenes,” said Dr. Josephine English, founder of The Paul Robeson Theater, currently celebrating its 30th year.
“We are saluting Ms. Dee for her monumental impact as an artist and her tenacious vocal advocacy on behalf of the theatrical community,” added Marjorie Moon, executive director of the Billie Holiday Theatre.
Among the guest speakers will be producer Woodie King Jr., CTC’s chair, before an invited audience of Billie Holiday Theatre and Paul Robeson Theatre patrons, other distinguished community and political leaders, and luminaries of stage, film, television and radio.
Ms. Dee, an Emmy winner and Academy Award nominee, is a board member of the Billie Holiday Theatre in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and together with her late husband, the actor-writer
Ossie Davis, was instrumental in founding CTC.
The Coalition of Theatres of Color (CTC) is a non-profit community of renowned multicultural theatre arts organizations in New York State. These institutions have joined forces to ensure sustainability and longevity of theatre of color in multicultural communities. Each institution brings over 25 years of artistic achievement with critically acclaimed and awardwinning work and for nurturing the artistry of some of the world’s finest actors, directors, playwrights, producers, musicians and choreographers. New York City theatres are Billie Holiday Theatre, Black Spectrum Theatre, H.A.D.L.E.Y Players, National Black Theatre, New Federal Theatre, New Heritage Theatre, Negro Ensemble Company and Paul Robeson Theatre.
Carl Clay is vice chair, CTC, and Ms. Moon is second vice chair. CTC is supported through grants from the New York City Council and also from The New York Community Trust.