Pressed

Washington University’s Black Anthology Presents: Pressed
When: February 2nd at 7 PM and February 3rd at 2 PM and 7 PM.
Where: Edison Theater with tickets available for purchase starting on January 18 at Edison Theater or at edison.wustl.edu
Cost: $12 or $10 (with a student ID or for groups 10 or more)
Black Anthology, the longest-standing cultural production at Washington University, is dedicated to telling stories from across the Black diaspora. This year’s production explores the notion of respectability politics. Black Anthology is a student-written, choreographed, directed, and designed production with the goal of leaving the audience wrestling with questions of their own. Ryan Wilson—producer of this year’s show—remarks, “I joined Black Anthology in the fall of 2020 as a First-Year Intern as a way to interact with students in a time when it felt [like] opportunities to connect with my peers were few and far between. After four years of involvement, I am so grateful for all the knowledge, experiences, and connections I gained as a member.
Black Anthology is excited to present this year’s show, Pressed, for students, faculty, and the greater St. Louis community. Sarah Aliche, who is making her directorial debut, notes, “"Black Anthology has been a blessing I didn't know I needed. Black Anthology provided me with the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself, and seeing just how many students and members of the St. Louis community are impacted by the show yearly is nothing short of positively overwhelming."
Each year, Black Anthology partners with a local organization to raise awareness and much needed support. During the weekend of the production, Black Anthology will be showcasing its 2024 partner, Employment Connection. Employment Connection is a United Way member agency that provides prepares ex-offenders, recovering substance abusers, the homeless, high school dropouts, women on welfare, U.S. veterans, and non-custodial fathers for the world of work.
Ryan Wilson continued, “I am proud of this group and all the hard work it does year after year. I have so many emotions swirling inside of me knowing my time is coming to an end, but I mostly feel excited for our community to see the fruits of all our labor!”
Black Anthology invites the Washington University and Saint Louis communities to experience the culmination of this year’s hard work by the Black Anthology community and celebrate the inspirations of Black artistry and creativity.
ABOUT BLACK ANTHOLOGY
Black Anthology was founded by Marcia Hayes-Harris in 1989 to provide a means of celebrating the history and progress of African-Americans. Since its creation, the program has been completely student-run, from script to set and costume design. As Black Anthology has grown, it has evolved from performances of compilations centered on pertinent literature to a full-length scripted play featuring music and dance performances about the Black experience locally and globally. Even with the changes in show format, Black Anthology remains dedicated to its purpose, and through achieving these goals, the program continues to thrive.

Event Type: Community Event
When: Friday, February 02, 2024 at 07:00 PM
Location: Edison Thearte
Neighborhood: City-Wide
Ward: Many Wards
Admission: Charge. $12 ticket cost
Contact: black.anthology@gmail.com
Contact Phone: