The Theater · Our Main Stage Since 2000
Stories of Black Life, Told on Our Stage
ABCT is an intergenerational theater company. Most of our seasons are carried by seasoned New Orleans actors in the work of August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and new plays, alongside the young artists coming up behind them.
God’s Trombone, 2010
- 104+Productions
- 10 of 10August Wilson plays staged
- 25+Seasons
- 50,000Lives touched
Coming Next
Coming Soon · World Premiere
Irma Meets Etta at the Dew Drop Inn
A new musical play by Anthony Bean
It’s 1965, and New Orleans soul singer Irma Thomas meets blues and soul singer Etta James backstage at the famous Dew Drop Inn. In this imaginary tale, you will laugh, cry, sing and dance in the aisles to the hits made famous by these legendary queens of soul and R&B, as they battle over an old New Orleans tradition: who goes on first?
Dates and tickets will be announced soon. This past summer, our young company premiered ON DA BLOCK!
What We Stage
Since the spring of 2000, Anthony Bean has built a home for the Black American story in New Orleans: classic dramas, comedies, musicals and original plays, many written right here.
Our actors range from first-timers trained in the Bean Method to New Orleans legends, sharing the stage across generations.
- DramasReflections, Misery, A Raisin in the Sun
- ComediesJar the Floor, Steal Away
- MusicalsThe Color Purple, Simply Irma, The Phyllis Hyman Story, The Bodyguard
- PlaywrightsAugust Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Tennessee Williams
- OriginalsI’d Rather Be Rich, Say Amen, Irma Meets Etta at the Dew Drop Inn
Faces of Our Stage
- Carol SuttonThe Member of the Wedding, 2009
- Harold X. EvansA Christmas Carol, 2014
- Irma ThomasSimply Irma!, 2015 · playing herself
- Gail GlapionSteal Away, 2001
- Gwen Foxworth & Will Williams Jr.FENCES, 2006
- Oliver ThomasReflection: The Oliver Thomas Story, 2011 · playing himself
On Our Stage
- For Colored Girls, 2012
- Crowns, 2009
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, 2013
- The Color Purple, 2015
- God’s Trombone, 2010 · Donna King
- The Old Settler, 2006
25 Years in Two Minutes
The ABCT play compilation: highlights from our productions.
All Ten Plays
The August Wilson Century Cycle
ABCT has staged all ten of August Wilson’s plays, one for each decade of the 20th century. In 2018 the theater received the August Wilson American Century Cycle Award for completing the cycle.
Explore the Theater
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Past Productions
Every ABCT show since 2000, with posters and photos, season by season.
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Awards & Recognition
The August Wilson award, the Big Easy Awards, the Ambies and civic honors.
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Box Office
Tickets through Eventbrite, PayPal or at the door. Box office hours, prices and policies.
See You at the Theater
Be first to hear about our next production
Call (504) 862-PLAY (7529) or email info@anthonybeantheater.com