New Jersey’s arts scene continues to push boundaries, and this December, Princeton University is preparing to debut one of its most compelling theatrical events yet. The Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater and Music Theater will present When Pages Breathe: American Black/Out, an immersive lecture-performance that fuses dramatic interpretation, cultural history, and live narrative into a single, resonant experience. Running December 5–6, 2025, the production invites audiences to engage with the depth, resilience, and ongoing evolution of Black American theater.
Curated by writer, performer, and educator Chesney Snow, the event expands the university’s long-running When Pages Breathe series, known for transforming literary works into dynamic oral and theatrical performances. This new installment goes further, weaving together powerful scenes and monologues with a narrative journey that examines culture, resistance, and the persistent struggle over who gets to preserve history.
Set inside the Wallace Theater at Princeton’s Lewis Center for the Arts, the production offers an accessible opportunity for the public to experience a rare blend of scholarship and performance art. Admission is free, with tickets required through University Ticketing, underscoring Princeton’s longstanding commitment to community access to the arts.
Audiences will experience presentations of works spanning the entire lineage of Black American theater, though the specific selections remain deliberately undisclosed to preserve the impact of their performance. Each scene is curated to highlight writers and poets who have used their craft to resist erasure, confront dominant narratives, and reclaim stories suppressed across generations. The event explores how art becomes a form of cultural safeguarding, especially when historical accounts have failed to reflect the full truth of the Black experience in America.
Performances will be led by Anya Pearson and Chesney Snow, who also share directing responsibilities, with senior Destine Harrison-Williams joining the cast. Together, they will guide audiences through a blend of dramatized history and a live narrative lecture that traces the evolution of Black cultural power and its influence on American identity.
The weekend includes multiple opportunities for deeper engagement. Following the December 5 performance, audiences can join a talkback featuring playwright Gloria Majule, offering insight into contemporary Black playwriting and the ongoing work of resisting narrative suppression. On December 6 after the 2:00 p.m. matinee, a special panel brings together alumni Kelvin Dinkins Jr. ’09 and abigail jean-baptiste ’18 alongside the performers and a visiting scholar for a broader conversation about the role of theater in community organization and cultural preservation. Open captioning will also be available during the December 6 matinee, ensuring accessibility for all attendees.
For New Jersey residents exploring the state’s vibrant entertainment landscape—whether discovering groundbreaking theater, live music, festivals, or new creative voices—our curated guide to entertainment offers a deeper look into what makes the Garden State a cultural powerhouse.
When Pages Breathe: American Black/Out promises to be more than a performance; it is designed as a call to engagement, reflection, and community dialogue. Through a tapestry of literary interpretation and cultural history, the production encourages audiences to confront the forces that shape collective memory and to champion the stories that demand preservation.
