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Useni Perkins Playwright Workshop Student Showcase

Useni Eugene Perkins was a celebrated Chicago poet, playwright, youth advocate, and one of the most influential figures in Black arts and arts education. He is widely known for writing The Black Fairy and the poem Hey Black Child, works that have inspired generations of young people. Throughout his career, he combined artistic excellence with a commitment to youth development and community empowerment.

eta produced and presented several of his works, including The Black Fairy, which became one of the organization’s signature children’s productions and a cornerstone of its Showfolk children’s theater series.

“Useni Perkins’ legacy is woven into the fabric of eta Creative Arts Foundation. As a playwright, poet, educator, trustee, and champion of Black youth, his work reflected eta’s commitment to telling our stories in the first person. Through beloved works such as The Black Fairy and his decades of leadership and service, he helped shape generations of artists, audiences, and community leaders. eta proudly honors his enduring contributions to African American theater, arts education, and cultural preservation.

eta continues to honor Perkins through its educational programming, including the Useni Perkins Playwriting Workshop, which encourages emerging writers to develop their voices and tell authentic stories for the stage.

Set in 1970s Chicago, this coming-of-age story follows Jupiter Growth, a young Black dreamer who feels disconnected from reality. While he clings to a world in his mind, his family fights to pull him back down to Earth. Jupiter must eventually choose his own destiny before someone else chooses it for him.

This is a stage reading to showcase the work developed by students enrolled in eta's Playwriting class, taught by instructor Rueben D. Echoles.

Run time: 90 minutes

Pay-what-you-can

10$ donation suggested

Set in the present day, this play follows the close relationship between an aunt and her niece, Blessing. While navigating school and changing family dynamics, Blessing faces a mystery that challenges her limits and forces her to rely on others. It explores how different people cope with difficulty—through direct action, hope, or disillusioned fear.

This is a stage reading to showcase the work developed by students enrolled in eta's Playwriting class, taught by instructor Rueben D. Echoles.

Run time: 90 minutes

Pay-what-you-can

10$ donation suggested

Okoro Harold Johnson Academy of Performing Arts
Adult
Student Showcase

Okoro Harold Johnson stands as one of the foundational figures of modern Black theater in Chicago. As co-founder of ETA Creative Arts Foundation, Johnson helped create an institution that would become a vital home for Black artistic expression, education, and cultural preservation on Chicago’s South Side. Together with Abena Joan Brown, he established ETA in 1969 with a vision of creating opportunities for Black artists to train, perform, and tell their own stories.

Johnson served as ETA’s Artistic Director for approximately seventeen years, shaping the organization’s creative identity and mentoring generations of performers, directors, designers, and playwrights. His work extended beyond directing; he was a playwright, scenic designer, educator, and cultural visionary.

His classes became renowned as spaces where emerging artists learned not only theatrical techniques but also discipline, cultural responsibility, and artistic purpose. Former students and colleagues recall Johnson’s teaching as rigorous, transformative, and deeply rooted in Black cultural traditions.

One of Johnson’s most enduring accomplishments was helping build and sustain a permanent cultural home on Chicago’s South Side. eta’s facility became more than a theater; it became a gathering place, training center, and creative hub for the community. The institution’s survival and growth demonstrated that Black-led cultural organizations could own, manage, and sustain significant arts infrastructure.

Today, Johnson’s influence lives on through eta’s educational programming, including the Okoro Harold Johnson Academy of the Performing Arts, which continues to train youth and adults in the performing arts. His name remains synonymous with artistic excellence, cultural pride, and community-centered theater.