African-American Collective Theater, (ACT), unveiled two, new, one-act plays Memorial Day weekend, in observance of Washington’s annual BLGBT Pride celebration.

In what has become a tradition in recent years, ACT presented "sneak peeks" at a pair of works-in-progress, by Director Alan Sharpe, that examined the lives of black gays and lesbians in contemporary Washington, D.C.

The violent, homophobic attack on a gay youth by other students at a "Historically Black College" triggered the action in "Brotherhoods". Repercussions from this traumatic incident affect students, faculty and ultimately the larger community, in a drama that featured Eric Nicholson, David Richardson, Marlon Russ and Monte Wolfe.

In "Storm Signals," Dawn Douglas, Thembi Duncan and Tanya Upshur portrayed twenty-something lesbians, who’ve spent their summer as a law firm intern, jewelry vendor and a bike messenger, respectively, in order to raise money for their upcoming semester at Howard University. Complications ensued when a disturbing revelation disrupted plans that two of the women had made to live together.

According to playwright/director Sharpe, both plays " . . . address a central mission of African-American Collective Theater, to illuminate the lives of contemporary black gays and lesbians, while providing balanced portrayals to counteract the negative images and unfortunate stereotypes prevalent in American art and media."

"Storm Signals" was presented twice at 6 and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 25^th. Two performances of "Brotherhoods"  followed immediately, at 8 and 9:00 p.m.  

The Warehouse Next Door theater space is located at 1017 Seventh Street, N.W. Washington, D.C., directly across the street from Sunday’s Black Pride Festival at the new Washington Convention Center and only two blocks from the Washington Renaissance, host hotel for 2003 Pride activities.