Junebug Productions is a professional African American arts organization located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, Junebug's mission is to create and present artwork of the highest quality that encourages and supports African Americans in who are working to improve the quality of life available to themselves and others who are similarly oppressed and exploited.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Junebug Productions, the company will tour several of Mr. John O'Neal's award winning plays from the Junebug Jabbo Jones cycle, together with a new "Junebug" play featuring acclaimed spoken word artist and musician, Hollywood, in the title role. This new play, "Trying to Find My Way Back Home", tells of the struggles of a young African American man trying to juggle his desire for fame with his new-found understanding of the importance of working for social justice. The plays may be presented together over several days or alone. For 2010-2011 we are featuring "You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at Its Cover", starring Mr. O'Neal, and "Trying to Find My Way Back Home", starring Hollywood; together these plays present a strong multi-generational look at our recent past and contemporary life.

With 45 years of touring theater in its past, Junebug Productions is truly an American Masterpiece of theater, bringing the history and struggles of African American people from slavery days to the present alive on stage with great humor, insight and compassion.

Junebug Productions currently has 10 plays in its repertoire, three of them inter-cultural collaborations. For the past 30 years, the company has toured the U.S. and performed internationally. John O'Neal, Junebug's artistic director, co-founded the Free Southern Theater in 1963 as a cultural arm of the southern Civil Rights Movement. A vital legacy of the Movement is the recognition that the greatest subsidies required for the development of culture usually come from the artists themselves. Therefore, Junebug Productions has evolved a working style based on collaboration among creative artists, managers, presenters and community organizations who share a commitment to similar goals and a desire to maximize resources.

This year marks not only this very special anniversary, but also the inaugural year of The Free Southern Theater Institute, an educational program focusing on community based, grassroots performing arts development.

Public performances, community-based workshops, and long-term residencies
Availability: General