1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Barbara Ann Teer Biography (1937-)

Addresses: Office: c/o The National Black Theatre, Nine E. 125th Street, New York, NY, 10035.

SIDELIGHTS: "In 1973 Ms. Teer received a Ford Foundation Fellowship tovisit seven African countries to further her research. She spent four monthsin Western Nigeria acquainting herself fully with the Yoruba culture and religion. Ms. Teer has visited Nigeria 7 times and considers it to be her 'second home.' She wanted to discover the science of spirit and the secretof Soul. She along with her performing company of 35 people continued their research in South America, the West Indies, Haiti, bars, the Apollo Theatre and numerous churches in Harlem. The National Black Theatre has performed in Trinidad, Guyana, Western Nigeria and throughout the United States. Because of[its] cultural contributions to the City and State of New York, Mayor Koch and the Government of New York State proclaimed May 7, 1979 as 'National Black Theatre Day.' ... in Harlem ... on the corner of 125th Street and Fifth Avenue she is developing an educational and cultural facility: The National Black Institute of Theatre Arts, dedicated to demonstrating the material wonders of high technology and the magnificence which flows from the cultural sound called Soul."

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

director, actress, dancer, writer

Birth Details

June 18, 1937

East St. Louis, IL

Famous Works

• Principal Stage Work, Acting/Dancer
• Kwamina, 54th Street Theatre, NY, 1961; Bella Belafunky, Raisin' Hell in the Son, Provincetown Playhouse, NY, 1962; The Living Premise, Premise, NY, 1963; Violet, Home Movies, Provincetown Playhouse, NY, 1964; Funnyhouse of a Negro, Theatre Company of Boston, 1965;Prodigal Son, Greenwich Mews, NY, 1965; Mary, Day of Absence,St. Mark's Playhouse, NY, 1965; Clara, Who's Got His Own, American Place Theatre at St. Clement's, NY, 1966; Jean Biggs, The Experiment, Orpheum, NY, 1967; Slaves, 1968; Angel Levine, 1969; Where's Daddy, 1969.
• Principal Stage Work, Directing
• Founder, executive producer, National Black Theatre, Inc. 1968; Ritual, National Black Theatre (NBT), 1971; Change! Love Together! Organize!A Revival, NBT, 1972; A Soul Journey into Truth, NBT, 1974; The Believers, off-Broadway; Softly Comes a Whirlwind, Whispering in Your Ear, NBT, 1978; Five on the Black Hand Side, 1970; (television)--Me and My Song; "The Ritual," Soul, 1970; guest lecturer, Positively Black, 1976; writer, co-producer, film--Rise: A Love Song for a Love People.
• Major Tours
• She has toured with the National Black Theatre to Haiti, Bermuda, Trinidad, Guyana, South Africa, Nigeria.
• Principal Film Appearances
• Gone Are the Days, 1964; The Pawnbroker, 1965; The Group, 1966; The Slaves, 1969.
• Principal Television Appearances
• A Carol for Another Christmas; Camera Three; Kaleidoscope; The Ed Sullivan Show; Black Journal.
• Articles Published
• "The Black Woman: She Does Exist." New York Times, 1967; "We Can Be What We Were Born To Be." New York Times, 1968.