SARASOTA, Fla. — Sarasota's Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe is being praised by the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal for its top-flight entertainment and its messaging of inclusion and representation.
"We are dedicated, like most Black theaters in the country, to keeping the stories alive," said WBTT founder Nate Jacobs. "If you don't tell your own history, then your history is not propagated."
The theater is a source of local pride, hiring some of the best performers in Tampa Bay to tell the stories of African-American life and culture.
"These kinds of institutions continue to reiterate that Black is beautiful, and you are good, and hey, look what we did on Broadway," Jacobs said.
The current show at WBTT is "Broadway In Black," a dazzling tribute to African-American trailblazers on the stage, from composer Eubie Blake in the 1920s all the way to the latest theatrical nod to Tina Turner.
For more on the Westcoast Black Theatre Troup of "Broadway in Black," click here.
