Melessie Clark, a graduate of Point Park University and a professional actor, knew she wanted to be a performer from a young age. (Photo by Kaycee Orwig/PublicSource)
by Renee Aldrich, PublicSource
August Wilson’s vision of Pittsburgh in plays like “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson” brought his native Hill District to stages across the world.
But though Wilson is a defining voice, his work is only one part of a rich community of Black playwrights, directors and actors with roots in the city.
Founded by Vernell Lillie in the 1970s, the Kuntu Repertory Theatre hosted playwrights like Rob Penny in its run of nearly 40 years. The New Horizon Theater, dedicated to fostering Black arts, hosted its first production in 1992, followed a decade later by Mark Clayton Southers, who founded the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company to support local talent.
And Pittsburgh natives like Billy Porter, Lamman Rucker and the late Bill Nunn, among many others, have earned broad acclaim for their roles on stage and screen. While success often has a component of luck, it also depends on dedication and community support.
Pittsburgh’s Black theater community continues to cultivate new artists who are hoping for — and who’ve achieved — recognition far outside the city. What does it take to be successful as an actor, and how do performers handle uncertainty and rejection? The stories of three young actors show the path from early inspiration to roles on the professional stage.
Nia Woodson
Nia Woodson, 16, made her professional debut in fourth grade as Raynell in August Wilson’s “Fences.”
Nia and her family live next door to Southers, and he asked Nia’s mother if her daughter could play the role. That was the beginning of a young life of art, music and theater.
“She was young, but I knew she was special, and I made the invitation to her mom because I felt she could do it,” Southers said.
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