Hattiloo Theatre Turns 20: Inside Season 20 and the Milestone Year Ahead

Hattiloo is the only freestanding Black repertory theatre in the five surrounding states, and it's been Memphis' cultural home for Black theatre since Ekundayo Bandele founded it in 2006. The name itself is personal.  It comes from Bandele's two daughters, Hatshepsut ("Hatti") and Oluremi ("Loo"). The theatre opened in a small storefront in the Edge District, and by 2014, after an $4.3M capital campaign, it moved into its current home on Cooper Street debt-free, with a $500K endowment behind it. Since then, Hattiloo has added a technical theatre center, a residential space for guest artists, and a reputation as one of the most sought-after Black theatre resources in the country.

But the real draw is the room itself. No matter how much support grows, the theatre stays intimate. Hattiloo is small enough that the audience feels the actors' emotions and each other's reactions at the same time. After the final bow, the cast comes out to the lobby to greet the audience, and select performances now include talk-backs where guests can ask the director and actors questions directly.

Hattiloo isn't just marking 20 years with a plaque. The theatre built an entire slate of new programming and a capital campaign around the milestone.

Bridging Worlds: An International Black Theatre Festival. This is the biggest new addition to Season 20, Hattiloo's first Pan-African theatre initiative, launching the next 20 years of global collaboration. Three acclaimed international companies are bringing exclusive two-week residencies to Memphis: Nordic Black Theatre from Oslo, Norway; Jos Repertory Theatre from Jos, Nigeria; and Market Theatre from Johannesburg, South Africa. Alongside performances, the visiting artists will lead workshops, masterclasses, and public discussions, connecting Memphis to a global conversation about Black storytelling.

A Stage for What's Next. Hattiloo also launched a capital campaign to transform underused space on its campus into new cultural hubs: a Second Stage (an 88-seat second theatre), Culture Box (a black-box venue for live music and spoken word), Café Loo (a community gathering space with local chefs and artisans), plus a bar, retail shop, and engraved pavers for supporters. 

Twelve productions. International premieres. Musicals, classics, and a Shakespeare retelling in Memphis slang. Here's what's on stage this season.

Speak, Salvation, Speak — August 14 – September 6, 2026 

Written by Ekundayo Bandele and starring Harry Lennix (The Blacklist, The Matrix sequels, The Five Heartbeats), this family drama follows a Pentecostal father, his son who's chosen a different spiritual path, and the mother caught between them. Once a year, father and son are pulled into the same strange dream — one that keeps reaching for something unfinished in their family.

From Footlights to Spotlights: Black Theatre's Path — September 22, 2026, at the Orpheum Theatre 

Staged at the Orpheum on the anniversary of Hattiloo's founding, this sweeping performance timeline honors Black theatre's history in Act I, then spotlights the visionary Black artists creating today — many with deep Memphis roots — in Act II.

Bridging Worlds: An International Black Theatre Festival — October 2 – November 8, 2026 

Three international companies, three residencies:

• Poverty Slaps, But We Slap Back Harder (Nordic Black Theatre, Oslo) — October 2–11. A raw, funny celebration of survival and the courage to dance even when the music stops.
• Death Road (Jos Repertory Theatre, Nigeria) — October 16–25. A play by Sefi Atta dedicated to the Chibok schoolgirls, following a street hawker raised as a yan dauda and confronting identity and resilience.
• Amaxelegu (Market Theatre, Johannesburg) — October 30 – November 8. A provocative new three-hander about a young couple, the woman who cleans up after them, and love in the time of non-monogamy. Parental advisory.

Elf the Musical Jr. — November 20 – December 6, 2026 (Hattiloo Youth Theatre) 

Buddy the elf discovers he's actually human and travels to New York to find his birth father — and remind the city what Christmas is about. Family-friendly and performed by Hattiloo's youth company.

Black Nativity — December 11 – 13, 2026, at the University of Memphis 

Langston Hughes' 1960 classic gets a fresh spin for Hattiloo's 20th anniversary, powered by gospel music, dance, and the Hattiloo Mass Community Choir.

A Holiday Juke Joint — December 17 – 20, 2026 (donor exclusive) 

A cabaret-style montage of dance, song, and music from Memphis' most talented artists — reserved for Hattiloo's "20 for 20" donors.

The Colored Museum — February 12 – March 7, 2027 

George C. Wolfe's provocative, darkly funny satire gets a one-of-a-kind staging: Hattiloo transforms its entire building into a walk-through living museum, with performers appearing as "statues" in exhibit spaces before coming to life around you. No seats, no traditional stage — just the anniversary season's most immersive night out.

Simply Simone — April 9 – May 2, 2027 

A tribute to Nina Simone — child prodigy, jazz superstar, civil rights activist — told through the songs and story of one of the 20th century's most singular voices.

Macbeth is a Mane — May 14 – June 13, 2027 

A bold Memphis retelling of Shakespeare's tragedy, performed by Memphis youth in the slang and rhythm of the city, proving Black youth voice is as lyrical and worthy of the stage as anything in the classical canon.

Twenty years in, Hattiloo is still the same intimate room with a global reach it's built toward all along. Whether it's date night, a night out with the family, or a new tradition in the making, this is the season to go.

Season 20 subscriptions are on sale now — general subscriptions ($200) run through August 18, 2026, and flex subscriptions ($250) through December 5, 2026. You can also check out Hattiloo's programs or audition to be in a show.

Know before you go: 37 South Cooper Street, Memphis Shows Thursday & Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. General Admission: $20–$35 | Students/Seniors/Military: $18–$32

Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and visit hattiloo.org for tickets and the full Season 20 calendar.