Lecture: Thomas Meloncon: Journey of African American Theatre

Explores the historical origins of African American Theatre, tracing its early roots from African storytelling and Ritual Performance; continuing to the founding of the first African American Theatre, to the growth of the Harlem Renaissance, and the 1960's Black Theatre Movement.
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Thomas Meloncon is an Associate Professor of Theatre in the Department of Visual & Performing Arts in the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences at Texas Southern University. A nationally known playwright and poet; he is the author of plays that have been produced nationally and internationally, and three published books of poetry. His blues musical, Johnny B. Goode, is published in Acting Up and Getting Down, an Anthology of African American Playwrights of Texas Published by University of Texas Press, edited by Mayo & Holt; and The Man Who Saved New Orleans published in Callaloo: A Journal of African Diaspora Arts and Letters published by John Hopkins University Press, edited by Charles Rowell.
Mr. Meloncon has been honored with many awards including Certificates of Congressional Recognition, Certificates of Recognition from The City of Houston, Harris County Precinct One, The Texas State Senate, Award of Artistic and Dramatic Achievement from the 65th Annual Conference of NADSA, The Lifetime Achievement Award from the 74th Annual Conference of The National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts, The Ensemble Theatre’s Heart of the Theatre Award-Salute to Texas Playwrights, A Certificate of Congressional Recognition on the Premier of The Man Who Saved New Orleans, A Bronze Medallion from the City of Houston for the Off-Broadway Debut of The Diary of Black Men, The TSU Impact Award, The Creative Writing Award from the Houston Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalist, The Community Service Award from the Houston Area Women’s Center, The Excellence in Community Health Education Award from the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, TSU COLABS Best Faculty Mentor Award and is an inductee in the Kashmere High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame.
Among his canon of plays are The Diary of Black Men, which had three tours in London, England, The Drums of Sweetwater, Johnnie B. Goode, Where were you in ’65, The Man who saved New Orleans, Sarah and Joshua: A Juneteenth Musical, The Laws of Storms, If Beds Could Talk, Christmas with Great Aunt, Four Songs in the Key of Love, Whatever Happened to Black Love, The Colored Section, Restricted Area, Their Berries are Sweeter, Freshmen Orientation The Musical, Memories: Songs of Xmas, Dreams and Decisions, The Marriage Test, Before Time Runs Out, Carlton’s Closet, Jump the Broom, and Let Yesterday Go. Mr. Meloncon’s body of work also
includes children plays: Nzinga and the Festival of Gifts, The Dream of Doors, The Tree that Grew Human, and Young Mandela; an original Radio Drama Series-The Robeson Family Chronicles, and
“EXPRESSIONS” a performing arts and education talk show.
Mr. Meloncon has been featured Poet on several notable CDs: Bubbha Thomas’ CD The Grissle II by Lightin’ Records, Poem-Turned Myself into a Drum; and Calvin Owen’s CD, Another Concept, by Sawdust Alley Records, Poem-Listen to My Song. Germany’s Tramp Records June 2016 release of it’s PEACE CHANT jazz cd includes “Ain’t Gonna Wait To Long” by Meloncon. In 1974 he recorded 400 Years and Cutback Blues on Judnell Records Label and others on Folkways Records with Rev. Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick which can be found at [e-mail].