The WordPlayers Theatre Company of Knoxville offers two entertaining and educational programs particularly appropriate for upcoming Black History Month.

Knoxville Freedom Stories and Songs is a 56 minute film which chronicles the history of the local black community beginning in the post Civil War era. The song/story collection narrates the old layout of the town and the population movement that created the Knoxville we know today. It recounts the proud stories of prominent figures of the times, and features songs which local musicians were creating to express their response to the world around them, a world where post-war steps forward were met with Jim Crow steps backward. These are stories of celebration and stories of lament. These are stories of Knoxville. The film is available to stream for your class, church, or civic organization.

From Feb. 13 to March 10, 2023, The WordPlayers will tour Althea & Angela, by Todd Olson. This play is available to be performed in schools and other facilities in East TN. In 1955, Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton were world-ranked tennis players yet no one wanted to partner with them in women’s doubles. Post-War America was still very segregated and the tennis world was still very anti-Semitic. Eight years after Jackie Robinson had broken the color line in major league baseball, the tennis world lagged behind, clinging to its country club roots. Althea, a black woman from Harlem, and Angela, a Jewish woman from Liverpool, were outcasts in two nations. So they decided to join forces outside their own country. What happened then made history.

Anyone interested in booking either of these projects, should contact The WordPlayers by email: [email protected] or by phone: 865-539-2490. For more information about The WordPlayers, please visit www.wordplayers.org.