Thembi Duncan – Arts Administrator

I am the Director of Arts Engagement and Education at Shea's Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY.

ARTS ADMINISTRATION BACKGROUND

Young Playwrights' Theater

I served as the Creative Programs Director of Young Playwrights' Theater in Washington, DC for two years.

YPT's Mission:

Young Playwrights’ Theater inspires young people to realize the power of their own voices.

By teaching students to express themselves through the art of playwriting, YPT develops students’ language skills, and empowers them with the creativity, confidence and critical thinking skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. YPT honors its students by involving them in a high-quality artistic process where they feel simultaneously respected and challenged and by engaging professional theater artists in producing student plays for the community.

African Continuum Theatre Company

I served as the Producing Artistic Director of African Continuum Theatre Company for three years, where I directed all organizational and fiscal management. Highlights include the Black Theatre & Dance Symposium at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland (currently bi-annual), J's Jook Joint, and Blaze of Horns (annual 10-minute play festival).

Black Theatre and Dance Symposium

I am a founding producer of the Black Theatre Symposium at the University of Maryland. Along with UMD Theatre faculty member Scot Reese, I created an annual convening of professionals, academics, and students to discuss the past, present, and future of Black Theatre.

Ford's Theatre

I served as Lead Teaching Artist at Ford's Theatre for six years.

My areas of teaching expertise are drama, oratory, and creative writing. I’ve taught students from Kindergarten through 12th Grade, incarcerated students, students with special needs, English language learners, adults — pretty much everyone. I also have several years of experience conducting professional development workshops and residencies for classroom teachers and teaching artists. Workshop offerings include Drama for Social Justice, Women in the Civil War, Langston Hughes & The Harlem Renaissance, and skill-based workshops such as Beginning and Advanced Acting, and Scene Study.

Much of my most rewarding and exciting work as a teaching artist has been during my service as Lead Teaching Artist at historic Ford’s Theatre. There, I was able to explore and share my interest in American history, while building long-term relationships with excellent teachers from across the United States.