Keepers Of The Culture
Black Repertory Group Theater 3201 Adeline Street Berkeley, CA 94703 (510) 652-2120
Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott, Executive/Artistic Director
"The Theater is used as a means to uplift the individual and in turn uplift the community."
An accomplished dancer, actress, writer, producer, director and teacher, Dr. Mona Vaughn Scott has spent the last 20 years as the artistic/executive director of the Black Repertory Group (BRG) in Berkeley, California, following her late mother, BRG founder Nora Vaughn. Dr. Scott mentors actors, develops after-school programs, facilitates self-esteem building workshops and utilizes performance to reach people affected by substance abuse and violence. Dr. Scott earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University and has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout her career. She was recognized by the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre for her contributions to the arts and in 2001 received the Mayor of Berkeley, California's Commendation for Mentoring in the Arts. She was also inducted into the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame and received the Washington, DC Ambassador's Youth Award for establishing the Inner-City Youth Orchestra. Dr. Scott is also listed in Who's Who in Black America and holds a lifetime membership in Orchesis, the National Modern Dance Society's honor organization.
History & Purpose of Black Repertory Group
The Passionate Mission Underlying the Founding of the Black Repertory Group
The Berkeley Black Repertory Group (BRG) began in 1964 as a church drama club, later moving into storefront building as a community theater in South Berkeley. In 1971, the group became a non-profit corporation and received their 501 (C) (3) designation. BRG has been acclaimed for its work with youth through performing arts and for its "New Arts" program which one-act plays by new local playwrights are produced. In 1987, BRG moved into their current location which is a cultural arts center that contains a large exhibition lobby, courtyard, meeting & rehearsal space, and a beautiful 250-seat theater auditorium
with adjoining dressing rooms.
Black
Repertory Group's Mission
The Black Repertory Group's commitment to the arts and the community is the
cornerstone of our background and the basis for our beginning. Our primary mission is to be the
breeding ground for successful and talented artists in a variety of genres with
respect to the arts. Our focus is
on providing the direction and educational structures needed to enhance their
skills; and a venue that affords new talent to be showcased and critiqued by
local critics and peers. We are
equally committed to bringing leadership and commitment to the youth of our
community. Young people and the
youth workshops have always been at the heart of the Theater's mission. We offer a variety of community outreach
programs designed to introduce, educate, mentor and elevate a young person’s
skills in the arts. The BRG
speaks to local high schools and provides on-the-job training and internships
to local youth interested in Theater arts.
"Running my late parent's Theater and Cultural Center is the most revolutionary thing I've ever done; my family has always been involved in civil rights and revolutionary acts from the 'Gate' because Mom & Dad taught us to be revolutionaries early on. My mother was fierce. The power brokers at that time gave Mom so much resistance to building her new Theater in the early 1980's that, after three dates that were not met and promises not kept, Mom picketed City Hall (right outside the Mayor's office). We display her picket-sign that states: HERE I SIT, TILL BLACK REP STANDS. Needless to say, Mom received the "Approval" for construction to begin the very next day."
Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis nicknamed Birel and Nora Vaughn Keepers Of The Culture. The BRG fosters a creative environment that celebrates the artistic contributions of black artists throughout American history. With a two-fold mission, BRG provides opportunities to develop individual and young artists, and for our youth to discover a rich, black cultural heritage.
