The New Heritage Theatre Group records consists of playbills, broadsides, flyers, playscripts, correspondence and printed matter relating to the organization's productions and events from 1965-2015. Of particular note are original playscripts and production materials for the South African musical "Sarafina!" (1988-1991) and flyers and announcements for a play reading series entitled "Voices of Griots" (1991-1996). There is also a biographical file for Roger Furman.
Under the leadership of Roger Furman, the New Heritage Repertory Theatre (NHRT) was established in 1964. Furman, a playwright, director, actor, and lecturer, began his career in the 1940s at the American Negro Theatre (ANT) in the 135th Street Branch Library. NHRT produced over 35 plays including "Strivers' Row," written by Abram Hill, co-founder of ANT.
In 1983 Voza Rivers, a co-founding member of NHRT, music and theatre producer, took the helm and reorganized the organization and expanded the Theatre's scope and reach internationally. Currently, the newly named New Heritage Theatre Group is comprised of three program divisions: the Furman Theatre Repertory, a workshop for budding playwrights, the New Heritage Films and Harlem Wood Film Festival, and IMPACT Repertory Theatre, established by Jamal Joseph in 1997 and focuses on youth performance and activism.
The New Heritage Theatre Group records consists of playbills, broadsides, flyers, playscripts, correspondence and printed matter relating to the organization's productions and events from 1965-2015. Of particular note are original playscripts and production materials for the South African musical "Sarafina!" (1988-1991) and flyers and announcements for a play reading series entitled "Voices of Griots" (1991-1996). There is also a biographical file for Roger Furman.
Gift, Voza Rivers, 2015
This finding aid was updated by Allison Hughes. (2021 January 8)
American Negro Theatre records; Also located at; Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division