INAUGURAL VOZA RIVERS LEGACY SERIES
ANNOUNCING WINNERS OF THE OPEN-MIC COMPETITION
FIRST WINNER READING PRESENTATION
New York, NY — Harlem’s New Heritage Theatre Group (NHTG), New York State’s oldest Black nonprofit theater (est. 1964), in partnership with The City College of New York (CCNY), proudly announces the FIVE WINNERS of the VOZA RIVERS LEGACY SERIES OPEN-MIC COMPETITION for playwrights and screenwriters, as well as the dates of the winners’ full-length reading presentations.
NHTG is grateful for our esteemed panel of Open-Mic judges Voza Rivers; G. Keith Alexander, New York’s radio legend and HarlemAmerica’s Founder; Maria Grazia
Cavenaghi, international journalist and TV producer; Charlene Jean, playwright; and Jamal Joseph Jr., screenwriter and director.
The Inaugural Voza Rivers Legacy Series honors a visionary whose six-decade career has transformed Harlem and the global arts landscape. Known for his humility, generosity, and tireless dedication to emerging new talent, Voza Rivers has made remarkable contributions to theater, film, music, dance, and social justice, creating vibrant, safe, and inclusive spaces for creativity, and empowering generations of artists to share their stories both locally and globally. This annual series will carry his legacy forward by nurturing new multidisciplinary voices from underserved communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and artists with disabilities with accessibility and inclusion at its core. Rivers has received numerous accolades including Tony Award® nominations, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award (Biden), the Gandhi-King Foundation Scholarship in his name, and numerous proclamations from NYC and NYS officials.
The Voza Rivers Legacy Series producers are Irene Gandy, Amy Sprecher, Aaliytha Stevens, and Voza Rivers.
All events are free and open to the public. The RSVP link for December 15, 2025, is: VozaRiversLegacyEvent12-15-25. This reading presentation will take place at CCNY, Shepard Hall, Rm. 350, 229 Convent Avenue at 6:30pm. Audiences will include multi-award-winning producers, venue representatives, agents and actors.
This series is supported, in part, by West Harlem Development Corporation, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, the Nederlander Organization, and the Shubert Organization.
Join us in uplifting new stories, amplifying new voices, and becoming part of a living legacy of artistry and innovation.
_______________________________________
About New Heritage Theatre Group: The New Heritage Theatre Group, based in Harlem, New York (est.1964) is uniquely dedicated to uplifting vital and compelling voices and narratives from Black, Brown, multicultural, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented communities, rooted in social justice, healing, and love. Honoring the legacy of founder Roger Furman and the leadership of Voza Rivers and Professor Jamal Joseph, NHTG cultivates vibrant, inclusive audiences that reflect the rich diversity of New York City and the world. Through storytelling in theater, dance, music, film, and social justice initiatives, NHTG has fostered transformation and cultural dialogue on local and global stages, building connections between Harlem and communities in South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Japan, Cuba, Jamaica, and beyond. As a global connector and catalyst, NHTG empowers multimedia artists and engages multicultural audiences, bridging cultures and continents. NHTG’s divisions include: IMPACT Repertory Theatre (youth); New Heritage Films/Harlemwood Film Festival; and Community Works, NYC – home of the harlem is… brand. NewHeritageTheatreGroup.org. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
About The City College of New York: Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. Today more than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight professional schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. Now celebrating its 178th anniversary, CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself.
###
