SPECIAL EVENTS

The Ensemble Theatre hosts its tenth annual Tenth Annual Heart of the Theatre community appreciation celebration, Treasures from the Heart March 28 at 3p.m. in The Ensemble Performance Centre.

"This year we offer Treasures from the Heart, a program comprised of diverse artists and disciplines finding expression in song, dance, spoken word, and dramatic interpretation," says Eileen J. Morris, Artistic Director for The Ensemble Theatre. "We are giving recognition to the fact that at the heart of every organization is the people who support it."

Treasures from the Heart encompasses 18 acts including: celebrity tributes to Billie Holiday and Michael Jackson; performance of scenes from the Alley Theatre's I, Barbara Jordan, and Pulitzer Prize-winning works like: Top Dog/ Under Dog by Suzan-Lori Parks and Beloved by Toni Morrison; a presentation of musical reflection will highlight songs by Bob Dylan and Louis Armstrong; and poetic proliferations by award-winning poetess Vanessa German and Houston spoken word artist Joseph "Joe P." Palmore.

The performance will bring together artists who have performed in some of the theatre's past shows in addition to some of Houston's local talents like: Joshua Bolden (The Wiz); Kedrick Brown; Henry Edwards (Radio Golf, The Wiz); Melanie Finley (The Wiz); Terren Gamble (Top Dog /Under Dog); Vanessa German (TSU Honors); Tommie Harper (Ain't Misbehavin, The Wiz); Cheray Josiah (One Monkey Don't Stop No Show, Sty of the Blind Pig); Shaunyce Omar (Constant Star, The Wiz); Joe Palmore (The Man Who Saved New Orleans, Livin' Fat); and Roenia Thompson (Constant Star, The Wiz).

Heart of the Theatre is an annual celebration hosted by The Ensemble Theatre board of directors and staff in which the theatre pays homage to its subscribers and general community of supporters. This event offers a special performance outside of the regular mainstage season as a way of saying thank you for their support of the organization. Over the past two years acclaimed celebrity artists including Charles "Roc" Dutton and Ella Joyce have participated in the celebration with exclusive performances drawing thousands of guests.

The Ensemble Theatre's 2009-2010 Season is sponsored in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and Texas Commission on the Arts. Continental Airlines is the exclusive airline sponsor for The Ensemble Theatre.

The Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and to enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. The theatre is known as the only professional theatre in its region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience. In addition to being the oldest and largest professional African American theatre in the Southwest, it also holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theatres that owns and operates its facility with an in-house production team. Board President Emeritus Audrey Lawson led the capital campaign for The Ensemble's $4.5 million building renovations that concluded in 1997.

The Ensemble Theatre produces a main stage season of contemporary and classic works devoted to the portrayal of the African American experience by local and national playwrights and artists. The theatre's Performing Arts Education program provides educational workshops, Artist-in-Residence experiences and live performances for students both off-site and at the theatre. Through its varied programs, The Ensemble Theatre benefits an audience and artistic constituency of approximately 65,000 people annually.