Motown the Musical), Nia Holloway (
Douglas Lyons
Dominick Totino Photography
During fall 2020, co-executive producers John Sloan III and David Carroll put out a call for new work. Over 200 writers, composers, and lyricists submitted work with six plays selected for in-person performances that were filmed for audiences to enjoy at home.
The plays are
20/20 by Carollette Phillips and Edmund Alyn Jones,
Makin' Bond by Louis Johnson,
Metaphor In 3 Acts by Maria A. Judice,
Mothers Boyfriend Is An Ass by Shashone Lambert Short, and
Dear Lil' by Morgan Heyward. Several cabaret concerts were also offered.
âA global pandemic jeopardized the future of the theatre world, but in Detroit, we used the opportunity to innovate and reimagine the stage for a virtual world,â said Sloan. âIâve been a performing artist for 22 years, and I have never been more inspired by the innovations being made in the industry than I am right now. We have an opportunity to not only show the diversity of perspectives within American theatre but also the diversity of perspectives within the Black community itself.â