Written and Directed by Yao Kahlil Newkirk, this short play, Queen Mary's Roundtable, is based on a real life hero in Black History, Mary B. Talbert, also the great, great, grand aunt of Yao Kahlil. In this production Mary's life as a civil right's activist is juxtaposed to that of an activist in 2020, almost 100 years after Talbert's final works. It ends during the time of George Floyd's execution and is followed by a talkback with audience members/participants.
This show is available for travel.
Cast Size: 3-6 (flex casting)
Appr. Running Time: 20-25 min. not including talkback
ABOUT B.F.T.C.
Black Feather Theatre Co. is a multidisciplinary performance collective founded by artist-scholar Yao Kahlil Newkirk, dedicated to producing provocative, socially engaged works that center the lived experiences, histories, and imaginations of the Black diaspora.
At the intersection of art, activism, and ancestral memory, Black Feather Theatre serves as a platform for performance as resistance, ritual as pedagogy, and healing as community practice. Rooted in the belief that storytelling—especially through Black bodies and voices—can disrupt silence and cultivate transformation, our productions explore themes of racial trauma, liberation theology, cultural memory, and embodied resistance.
We serve a broad and intergenerational audience of educators, artists, scholars, students, activists, and community members committed to challenging systemic injustice through creative expression. Our work engages universities, cultural institutions, and grassroots communities across the country through touring performances, residencies, workshops, and collaborations.
From intimate solo works to ensemble-driven pieces, Black Feather Theatre reimagines the stage as sacred ground—where grief can be honored, joy can be reclaimed, and futures can be rewritten.
Services
Below is a list of services offered by Black Feather Theatre Co., including keynote speaking, interactive workshops, and other creative, custom experiences.
At Black Feather Theatre Co., we offer dynamic keynote speaking engagements led by Dr. Yao Kahlil Newkirk, delivering powerful, art-centered talks on healing, embodiment, racial justice, leadership, and transformative social change.
At the crossroads of performance, social justice, and embodied healing, Black Feather Theatre Co. offers transformative workshops that use art as a tool for personal insight, collective healing, and political engagement.
Black Feather Theatre Co. offers custom residencies, performance-based trainings, consulting, and creative experiences that center healing, embodiment, and social justice through the arts.