A Beloved Tradition Returns: The Joy, Liberation, and Unapologetic Black Spirit of ‘Black Nativity’

The stage is set once more for the triumphant return of “Black Nativity,” the celebrated holiday production originally conceived by the legendary poet and playwright Langston Hughes. Presented by Intiman Theatre starting today, Dec. 10, this revival has become a powerful annual touchstone, re-establishing a sense of community, faith, and cultural pride.

In a green room at Erickson Theatre before a rehearsal, Converge sat down with members of the production’s cast and crew whose personal experiences and insights influenced the aim and spirit of “Black Nativity.” 

Associate Director Faith Bennett Russell described the production as a retelling of the classic Christmas story from “a cultural afrodiasporic lens.” She explained that “Black Nativity’s” creative team has meticulously honored the traditional narrative while successfully “infusing it with our culture, our traditions, and sharing that with our community.” 

Associate Director Faith Bennett Russell sits in a green room before a rehearsal at Erickson Theatre.

For Russell, the show’s significance is deeply personal, providing a feeling of safety and comfort. It is a work that harnesses the power to center its audience and fills one with a sense of joy, she said. 

Russell also highlighted the profound physical and spiritual release embedded in the production's choreography, characterizing the dance aspect as a “shedding” and a “liberation,” —a jubilant celebration of cultural freedom that the performers bring to life through theatre. 

While the first act reverently maintains the scriptural structure established by Langston Hughes, “Black Nativity” choir member Deneen Grant explained that the music is new. The second act, she added, transforms from a traditional church service into a lively community sing-along and participatory experience that invites every audience member to unite with the performers.

Choir member Deneen Grant speaks with Converge Media in a green room before a rehearsal at Erickson Theatre.

Forging an intimate, familial connection between “Black Nativity” and its audience was a recurring sentiment among the company. Daezhane Day, the production’s dance captain and lead Mary, observed that “Black Nativity” holds a great deal of memory and meaning for both the company and the broader Seattle community. She characterized the welcoming atmosphere as "always feeling like it's coming to your family's house," creating a safe space where audiences can fully express themselves and to “let go and cry and shout and sing with us.” 

Day also shared one of her most cherished moments on stage: a quiet, beautiful scene where the cast sings "Mary, Did You Know?" during the peaceful moment of the birth of Jesus.

Dance captain and lead Mary Daezhane Day sits in a green room before a rehearsal at Erickson Theatre.

Co-conductor and co-director Josephine Howell emphasized that the heart of the new production lies in its authenticity and the collaborative spirit of the artists involved. For Howell, this is not merely an artistic endeavor, but an essential communal gathering. 

“‘Black Nativity’ is an experience and not a show. It is an experience and not just a performance,” she said passionately, speaking to the production’s role as a space for unapologetically Black expression. 

Co-conductor and co-director Josephine Howell sits in a green room before a rehearsal at Erickson Theatre.

Howell concluded with a stirring summation of the show's mission and its future.

“‘Black Nativity’ is an open invitation to experience our Blackness and the way we tell the story,” she said. “Black Nativity is family. Black Nativity is inspiring. And Black Nativity needs you in order to keep it going.” 

Intiman Theatre’s “Black Nativity” opens today, Dec. 10, and will play until Dec. 28, 2025 at the Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle. Get your tickets here.

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