Recognized as the oldest African-American producing theatre in the nation, Karamu House is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and featured in the Smithsonian’s African-American Museum. Legendary artists including Langston Hughes, Ruby Dee, Robert Guillaume, Ron O’Neal, Bill Cobbs, James Pickens, Jr., Vanessa Bell Calloway, and Imani Hakim have been associated with the 104-year old “place of joyful gathering” (the meaning of “Karamu” in Swahili.) Oberlin College graduates Russell and Rowena Jelliffe opened the Playhouse Settlement in 1915 to offer a place for people of different races, religions, and economic backgrounds to come together through the arts. As the community became predominantly African American, Karamu responded with programs geared to their needs and interests. We are experiencing a revival of theatre excellence, yet maintaining tradition and leveraging a future for Karamu. Our renaissance is evidenced in our sold-out performances and highly regarded reviews. Karamu is cited as one of Cleveland’s top four treasures. We want to continue this momentum by providing state of the art experiences for wider and larger patronage. We know to continue and sustain the growth we must create new and independent revenue opportunities. The next phase of renovations provides several opportunities for creating sustainable revenue streams. We need you to plant the seed of investment in our future.
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