Winston-Salem, North Carolina, turned purple this summer as the International Black Theatre Festival brought together performers, artists, educators and theatre lovers from across the country and around the world. Among the festival’s biggest moments was the presentation of the Sidney Poitier Lifetime Achievement Award to acclaimed actress, director and educator Phylicia Rashad.
The honor was part of the festival’s opening gala, which launched the 37th edition of the biennial celebration on July 27. The 2026 festival, presented by the North Carolina Black Repertory Company, featured more than 100 performances, workshops, panels, film screenings and cultural events throughout Winston-Salem. (WUNC)
Rashad’s recognition was one of several honors presented during a week devoted to celebrating the breadth and legacy of Black theatre. The Tony Award-winning performer was also one of the festival’s headline artists, appearing in Wynton Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale with the Gateways Chamber Players. (BroadwayWorld)
A Night Celebrating Black Theatre
The gala brought together an array of artists and leaders from the theatre community. Festival co-chairs Angela Robinson and Peter Parros, both known for their work on Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots, helped lead the evening’s proceedings. (BroadwayWorld)
The festival’s awards program extended beyond Rashad. Emerging artists were also recognized through the Mabel P. Robinson Emerging Artist Awards, which provide young artists with opportunities to experience the festival, attend productions and connect with established theatre professionals. (NC Black Rep)
That emphasis on the next generation is central to the festival’s identity. The International Black Theatre Festival has long served as a meeting place for established performers and emerging artists, giving participants opportunities to perform, learn, network and develop relationships within the theatre industry. (Spectrum Local News)
Rashad’s Recognition Comes With a Full Festival Week
While the lifetime achievement honor placed Rashad in the spotlight, her participation in the festival extended beyond the gala.
She narrated Marsalis’ A Fiddler’s Tale, a jazz-infused response to Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. The July 29 performance brought Rashad together with the Gateways Chamber Players, with Damien Sneed conducting. (Gateways Music Festival)
The production was one of the festival’s featured collaborations, combining theatrical storytelling with orchestral and jazz traditions. Its inclusion also reflected the festival’s broader approach to programming: bringing together established artists, contemporary work and different forms of Black artistic expression on the same stage. (Berkshire Fine Arts)
A Festival Bigger Than One Award
The 2026 International Black Theatre Festival was not simply an awards gathering. It transformed Winston-Salem into a hub for Black theatre and the performing arts for six days, with productions and events spread across the city.
The program included works by major Black playwrights, including several productions from August Wilson’s Century Cycle, alongside musical performances, poetry, workshops, panels, a film festival and other cultural programming. The festival also introduced Holy Ground: The Legacy of the National Black Theatre Festival, a documentary examining the history and influence of the festival founded by Larry Leon Hamlin. (Forbes)
The event’s reach extends beyond the stage. Local officials and festival organizers have described the festival as a significant driver of tourism and economic activity in Winston-Salem. Organizers expected tens of thousands of visitors during the 2026 edition, with local businesses, hotels and restaurants benefiting from the influx. (WXII12)
That combination of performance, education, community and professional connection is what has helped establish the festival’s reputation as a major gathering for Black theatre artists.
For Rashad, the week offered a fitting setting for a career-spanning honor: a festival built around the same artistic community she has spent decades serving as a performer, director and educator.
And for the International Black Theatre Festival, her recognition was one piece of a much larger celebration—one that placed established stars, emerging artists and audiences together under Winston-Salem’s signature purple glow.
