Call Website

AUD We are AUD - a collective of Black Artists creating ACCESS, UNITY, & DEVELOPMENT! Stand out loud!

09/17/2026

Today is National Black Theatre Day, and we are celebrating by funding the ecosystem that makes it possible.

Here's a truth people don't always think about: Black theatre in Memphis doesn't happen by accident. It happens because someone builds the room, holds the space, makes the calls, and keeps the lights on, literally and figuratively.

That's what the AUD Collective Fund is for.

Not overhead. Not "admin costs" in the boring sense. This is the infrastructure behind everything AUD does: the events, the artist development, the community conversations, the advocacy, the technology, the insurance, the supplies, the spaces we create so Black Theatre Artists in Memphis have somewhere to land and grow.

AUD is in it, building, organizing, and showing up. And that kind of work needs fuel.

Our goal this fiscal year: $5,000.

If Black Theatre has ever moved you, challenged you, or given you a place to belong, this is your invitation to move it forward.

📍 Give today: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/aud-collective-fund
Every dollar keeps the AUD alive and moving, four years and counting.

08/29/2026

We honor the legacy of three artists who shaped this community before transition.

🕊️ Dennis Whitehead-Darling.
🕊️ Lar'Juanette Williams.
🕊️ Karl "Witha K" Robinson.

They lived on stage, behind the scenes, and in rooms most people never saw. We carry them with us into The AUDBALL IV, because their ancestry stirs up celebration and grief that echos in our hearts.

Gone, but never absent from our memory, our art, and our community.

Stand Out Loud.

08/29/2026

AUD exists as a placemaker for Black Theatre Artists, creating room for development and standing as an advocate for real economic growth in this community.

Tonight, three things converge. Early bird tickets for The AUDBALL IV end at midnight. Voting for AUD'est of Them All closes at 9PM. And it's Give 8/28, a national day of giving to Black-led and Black-benefiting organizations, AUD is both.

Vote here: https://forms.gle/AwWpyBADx6zr4p6s9

Get your ticket here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-audball-iv

Give here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/audacious

Stand Out Loud.

08/28/2026

Today is Give 8/28, a national day of giving to Black-led and Black-benefiting organizations. AUD is both.

For four years, we've been a placemaker for Black Theatre Artists in Memphis, funding artists and families in crisis, building rooms for our stories to be seen, and creating nights like The AUDBALL where this community gets to celebrate itself on its own terms.

If you're able, give today. Every dollar goes straight back into this work.

Give here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/audacious

Stand Out Loud.

08/24/2026

The nominees for AUD'est of Them All are in.

These are the names our community put forward, people who opened doors in Access, brought us together in Unity, and invested in growth through Development. Some of them show up in more than one category, which means they're already in the running for Stand Out Loud, our surprise award decided by the most votes.

See someone you nominated? Someone you know? Tag them below so they see it. Help us make sure every name on this list knows they were chosen.

A note: you'll see our founder, Cleavon Meabon IV, on this list too. He's honored, truly. As founder, he's not eligible to win, this celebration is for you.

Voting is open now here:
https://forms.gle/9onqrU7KgQXStR1f7

Access
Ashundra Bernard, Brandon Ross, Chad Rhodes Sr., Charles Seaton III, Chasity Alliston, Chrysti Chandler, Claire D. Kolheim, Cleavon Meabon IV, Comedian Oscar P, Crystin Gilmore, Damien Savage, Daryl Sanford, Donald Thomas, Ekundayo Bandele, Jared Boyd, Jared Thomas Johnson, Jennifer Davis-Sithole, Justin Allen Tate, Karen Brown, Keia Johnson, Kortland Whalum, Kourtney Hughes, Marc Gill, Princeton James, Suvao Jones, Walter Person, Zalissa Stewart

Unity
Ashely K. Davis, Ashundra Bernard, Brandon Ross, Chad Rhodes Sr., Claire D. Kolheim, Cleavon Meabon IV, Courtney Murray, David Porter, Debra Brandon, Ekundayo Bandele, John Hamilton, Justin Allen Tate, Keia Johnson, Kourtney Hughes, Lar'Juanette Williams (posthumous), Mak Clayton, Micaiah Roker, Michael Adrian Davis, Nick Love, Stephen Bolton, Stormy Taylor, Ty Boyland, Valetta Brinson, Venisha Harris

Development
Ann Clarissa Perry, Brey Tilman, Cameron Ross, Cassiopeia Waller-Rayborn, Cassius McGowan, Chrysti Chandler, Claire D. Kolheim, Cleavon Meabon IV, Chad Rhodes Sr., Doc Samba, Jared Thomas Johnson, John Best, Justin Allen Tate, Karon Samuels, Keia Johnson, Leo Davis, Markevius Faulkner, Nicholas Weaver, Princeton James, Sherronda Johnson, Steve Lee, Tameka Greer, Tammy Holt, Tekay King, Thedrick Griffin

The AUDBALL IV is one week away, August 30th at Ghost River Brewing.

Stand Out Loud.

08/22/2026

The AUDBALL IV is coming, and we will name this year's AUD'est of Them All in Access, Unity, and Development.

59 Black Theatre Artists have been nominated. Nominees named in all three categories are considered Standouts, as in our slogan, Stand Out Loud, and you'll get to vote for your pick for the Standout of the year too.

Monday, August 24, we announce every name and open voting.

This community named its own. Now this community decides.

08/21/2026

Today's the day. AUD'est of Them All nominations close tonight.

If you've been meaning to nominate someone, someone who opened a door for you, someone who brought the room together, someone who invested in your growth, this is the moment. Don't sit on it.

And remember, if they show up in all three categories, they're in the running for Stand Out Loud, our surprise award decided by the most votes.

We celebrate each other because no one else is going to do it for us. Nominate before midnight.

You can nominate here: https://forms.gle/TDsRAB45HHCRLNVL6

Last call. AUD'est of Them All nominations close tomorrow.Who's shown up for you in Access, opening doors? Unity, bringi...
08/20/2026

Last call. AUD'est of Them All nominations close tomorrow.

Who's shown up for you in Access, opening doors? Unity, bringing people together? Development, investing in your growth as an artist? Nominate them.

And if someone shows up across all three, they're in the running for our surprise category, Stand Out Loud, decided by the most votes.

This is how we celebrate Black theatre artists on our own terms, in our own room. Nominations close Friday.

Nominate here: https://forms.gle/TDsRAB45HHCRLNVL6

Women’s History Month. We’re celebrating. Keia Johnson. Director. Choreographer. Vocalist. Emmy winner. American Idol al...
03/06/2026

Women’s History Month. We’re celebrating.
Keia Johnson. Director. Choreographer. Vocalist. Emmy winner. American Idol alum. Currently starring as Deena in Dreamgirls at Hattiloo Theatre.
And she’s throwing the after party of the season.

Keia’s After Party
Sunday, March 8 | 9 PM
Circuit Playhouse, Memphian Room
51 S. Cooper St.
DJ + Cash Bar
Disco Attire Encouraged

Hosted by

03/02/2026

The beautiful thing about AUD is our intergenerational make-up. Our elders offer us wisdom in exchange for innovation and we do what’s best together.

The “A” in AUD stands for “access.” Accessibility is at our core. If you notice, Sonji Fouse, AUD member, signs at most of our performance.

Afterwards people asked us what church we belonged to, which we replied, we’re a theatre troupe.

Address

3341 Southern Avenue
Washington D.C., DC
38105

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AUD posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share