(New York, NY) – Black Theatre United (BTU) is thrilled to announce that they will commemorate the rich history of Black American culture and music, across genres and eras, for a memorable Juneteenth Celebration as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City Festival on Thursday, June 19, 2025 and the inaugural BTU Design Expo in partnership with the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on Friday, June 20, 2025, which marks the culmination of the Black Theatre United Designers Initiative. 

As part of Lincoln Center’s fifth annual campus-wide Juneteenth celebration, Black Theatre United presents an artistic exploration of the evolution of the country’s oldest commemoration of the end of enslavement—from the very moment of freedom to the celebratory holiday that it is today. This transcendent free performance at Damrosch Park conceived by BTU Founders Michael McElroy and Lisa Dawn Cave and directed by Schele Williams will highlight African American music weaving its evolution through the progression of Juneteenth status as national holiday today. Hosted by BTU Founder Tamara Tunie, with appearances by BTU Founders LaChanze and Wendell Pierce, audiences can expect multidisciplinary performances that uplift and inspire, including movement pieces created by Ayodele Casel, Darrell Grand Moultrie, spoken word by Mel Chanté, and music performances featuring Matthew Whitaker, Norm Lewis, Capathia Jenkins, Darius de Haas, Lillias White, Brian Stokes Mitchell, J. Harrison Ghee, and Broadway Inspirational Voices under the direction of Allen Rene Louis. BTU aims to highlight local vendors as part of this program including Pooka Pure & Simple – a line of natural bath and body products, created with care and intention – and IScreamry LLC – delivering a truly premium homemade ice cream experience, featuring unique and exotic Caribbean-inspired flavors that bring a refreshing touch of the tropics to every scoop. In partnership with A Juneteenth Celebration with Black Theatre United will be held on Thursday, June 19 from 7:30-9:00PM at Damrosch Park - Amsterdam Avenue and West 62nd Street as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City. Preceding the performance is a multidisciplinary event on Hearst Plaza, curated by Carl Hancock Rux. Click here for more information. 

In partnership with New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the BTU Design Expo will provide access to up and coming and early career designers in the theater industry through panels, discussions, presentations, demonstrations, portfolio review, and the latest information on research within the many fields of field. Participants will be announced at a later date. The Design Expo is free and open to all and will be held on Friday, June 20 from 11:00AM-5:30PM. Check in begins at 10:30AM and registration is required to enter the event. Click here for more information and here to register. The registration deadline is Wednesday, June 4.
Black Theatre United will offer scholarships to ten students to attend the Design Expo. 

Click here for details on how to apply. The application deadline is Friday, May 23. 

The Black Theatre United Designer Initiative is the brainchild of founding members Lisa Dawn Cave (Broadway Stage Manager), Carin Ford (Broadway Audio Engineer), and Michael McElroy (Broadway Performer and Arranger). Centering BTU’s mission of developing programming and providing pathways for up-and-coming artists, this new initiative focuses on all the various fields of design. Lisa Dawn, Carin and Michael assembled over thirty Broadway designers in scene design, lighting design, costume design, wig/hair design, makeup design, sound design, projection/video design, and special effects design, to create a BTU Design Think Tank. The Design Expo marks the culmination of the Black Theatre United Design Initiative aimed to inform and educate marginalized and underserved artists about the world, people and opportunities for designing in the theater. 
Please Note: Damrosch Park will host the Juneteenth Celebration. The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will be closed that day in observance of Juneteenth. 
For more information visit www.BlackTheatreUnited.com. 

WE ARE BLACK THEATRE UNITED 
On the heels of a watershed moment in American society, Black Theatre United was formed in 2020 by a passionate group of theater professionals committed to ensuring advances in their beloved theater community. BTU’s mission is to provide access for underserved up-and-coming artists, pathways for art makers, and opportunities for industry professionals historically marginalized within the theater world and beyond. 
As members of the Black theatre community, our voices are united to educate, empower, and inspire through excellence and activism in the pursuit of justice and equality. We will tell our stories, preserve our history, and ensure the legacy of Black theatre as American culture. 
Passionate and committed, BTU’s founding group of actors, directors, musicians, writers, technicians, producers and stage management includes: Lisa Dawn Cave, Darius de Haas, Carin Ford, Capathia Jenkins, LaChanze, Kenny Leon, Norm Lewis, Audra McDonald, Michael McElroy, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Wendell Pierce, Billy Porter, Anna Deavere Smith, Allyson Tucker, Tamara Tunie, Lillias White, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Schele Williams, and Vanessa Williams. 

ABOUT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 
Since 1965, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has been dedicated to enhancing access to its rich archives of dance, theater, music, and recorded sound—to amplify all voices and support the creative process. As one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research centers—and one of the world’s largest collections solely focused on the performing arts—the Library’s materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, film screenings and performances. The collection at the Library for the Performing Arts includes upwards of eight million items, notable for their extraordinary range and diversity—from 11th-century music, to 20th-century manuscripts, to contemporary hip-hop dance. This year, the Library for the Performing Arts celebrates its 60th anniversary with a range of programming and special exhibits.