Author Sheldon Epps and Former NFL Player Emmanuel Acho

“MY OWN DIRECTIONS: A BLACK MAN’S JOURNEY IN THE AMERICAN THEATRE”

Like many performing arts, the theatre world has struggled with a lack of diversity. The industry has pledged to change it. But the fact remains that theatre remains a predominantly white space. Tonight, we talk with renowned director Sheldon Epps about his own efforts to bring inclusion and representation to the stage. Epps was the artistic director of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse for two decades, and currently serves as senior artistic advisor at historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. His new book, “My Own Directions: A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre,” describes how his journey in the American theatre has been amplified by his experience as a Black man who has frequently been “one of the few,” “the first” or even “the only.”

EMMANUEL ACHO’S “UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK MAN”

Emmanuel Acho’s “Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man” began as engaging and intuitive conversations on Instagram. Now in a book, in collaboration with Oprah Winfrey, the former NFL linebacker and sports analyst is gathering those thoughts and answers to tackle systematic racism in America and encourage anti-racist work.