Negro Ensemble Company

The Negro Ensemble Company is a New York City-based theater company. Established in 1967 by playwright Douglas Turner Ward, producer/actor Robert Hooks, and theater manager Gerald Krone, the company focuses on themes in "black life".

In 2005, the ensemble was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. [1] [2]

Notable alumni

• Mary Alice
• John Amos
• Angela Bassett
• Avery Brooks
• Charles Brown
• Adolph Caesar
• L. Scott Caldwell
• Godfrey Cambridge
• Rosalind Cash
• Bill Cobbs

• O. L. Duke
• Judyann Elder
• Giancarlo Esposito
• Antonio Fargas
• Laurence Fishburne
• Al Freeman, Jr.
• David Alan Grier
• Moses Gunn
• Jackée Harry
• Sherman Hemsley

• Kene Holliday
• Samuel L. Jackson
• Erik Kilpatrick
• Cleavon Little
• Marcella Lowery
• Debbi Morgan
• Garrett Morris
• Denise Nicholas
• Roscoe Orman
• Phylicia Rashad

• Larry Riley
• Roxie Roker
• Esther Rolle
• Richard Roundtree
• Cotter Smith
• Clarice Taylor
• Denzel Washington
• Lynn Whitfield
• Victor Willis
• Hattie Winston

Current News

The Historic Negro Ensemble Company will celebrate its repertoire of work ranging from The First Breeze of Summer by Leslie Lee, Home by Samm-Art Williams, and Zooman and the Sign by Charles Fuller this 2008-2009 Season. The season is being produced by Signature Theatre Company in New York City.

External links

• Negro Ensemble Company website
• [3]
• [4]