The International Black Theatre Festival kicks off Monday, July 27th, through Saturday, August 1, 2026, in Winston-Salem, NC, bringing an exciting lineup of theatrical plays and musicals throughout the city; workshops; seminars; Michael Colyar’s Late Night Comedy Show; celebrity guest appearances; and much more. Among the notable names expected to be in attendance are award-winning Cosby Show actress Phylicia Rashad; Joseph C. Phillips known for his role as Martin on The Cosby Show; Why Did I Get Married actor Lamman Rucker; blaxploitation film star Antonio Fargas; and Good Times actors BernNadette Stanis and Ralph Carter, among many others.
The festival will also kick off with an opening gala at the Salem Ballroom, located at the Benton Convention Center. The festival is the state’s designated event, celebrating Black storytelling, creativity, and the performing arts.
Founded in 1989 by the late Larry Leon Hamlin with long-time Winston-Salem resident Maya Angelou supporting the project at the time, through the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, the International Black Theatre Festival has grown into one of the nation’s major celebrations of Black theatre and the performing arts. The festival has since achieved international recognition and attracted acclaimed actors, theatre companies, artists, and audiences from across the United States and around the world.
Over the years, the festival has helped solidify Winston-Salem’s reputation as a major destination for Black theatre and the arts. The city is nicknamed the “City of Arts and Innovation” for its creative art hub; Moravian settlers’ artistic talent; being the first founding location for an arts council in the country; early thriving innovation businesses in the state such as Hanes and Krispy Kreme; being home to Dr Maya Angelou (one of the greatest poets of all time). The city is also home to the renowned University of North Carolina School of the Arts, which produced notable alumni including Jonathan Majors, Anthony Mackie, Danny McBride, Mary-Louise Parker, Lucas Hedges, Missi Pyle, Margaret Qualley, Jennifer Ehle, Tom Hulce, Will Patton, and Jake Lacy, among many others. As you see, the city’s arts and innovation history reinforces Winston-Salem’s reputation as a major hub for the arts.
With a successful history spanning more than three decades, the International Black Theatre Festival continues to provide a platform for established and emerging artists while giving audiences the opportunity to experience powerful stories and performances from the Black theatre community.
For more information about the festival, including the full lineup of shows, workshops, and events, click on the highlighted link to visit the official festival website.
