The Martin E. Segal Theater Center presents
Women of Theatre, New York
At the Segal Theatre Film and Performance Festival 2024
A film by
Juney Smith
Documentary
Online / In-Person This film will be available to watch online on the festival website May 16th onwards for 3 weeks.
About The Film
Country
United States
Language
English
Running Time
106
minutes
Year of Release
2023
The extraordinary story of the beginning of the artistic life, artistic journey and careers of theatre artists that were a part of the foundation of Black Theatre in New York City. Their acting, directing and writing helped build, repute and sustain The Negro Ensemble Company, New Federal Theatre and The Billie Holiday Theatre to name a few of the Black Theatres that began in the 1960's and exist now in the 21st Century. These theaters along with other Black Theatres in New York City helped develop the majority of today's Black movie and television stars. Women of Theatre, New York powerfully speaks.
Executive Producer Glynn Turman, Written and Directed by Juney Smith Starring Elizabeth Van Dyke, Petronia Pale, Joyce Sylvester, Elain Graham, Kim Weston Moran, Terria Joseph, Perri Gaffney, Linda Armstrong, Peggy Alston
About The Artist(s)
JUNEY SMITH
BIO
Juney Smith is a native New Yorker and graduate of LIU Brooklyn. He is a veteran actor, director, writer and producer of stage, screen and television. As an actor on stage he acted in classic plays and portrayed the roles of Walter Lee in Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”, Oscar Madison in Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” and Solly Two Kings in August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean”. Mr. Smith’s most recent television credits include, “FBI”, “Law &Order SVU”, “Blue Bloods”, “The Breaks” and as far back as, ER, “Mash”, “Growing Pains”, “Hill Street Blues” “Highway to Heaven”, ”Matlock”, “and beginning with “The White Shadow”. On film, he Co-Starred as “Sgt. Phil McPherson” opposite Robin Williams and Forest Whitaker in the comedy classic “Good Morning Vietnam” Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as” Det. Tom Wyler” in the action classic “Lethal Weapon 2”, as “Chief” in “Friends and Romans” and as Nestor in the upcoming A24 production “A Different Man” opposite Sebastian Stan.
The former Artistic Director of 4 theatre companies from 1979 to 1998 “The Renaissance Drama Company and Mattie Theatre Company, New York and “Rainbow Connection Drama Company and Rebirth Drama Company in Los Angeles where he directed over 100 plays including; “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf”, “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men” “Livin Fat” and “Twelve Angry Men” In 1988 he wrote the stage play “The Nation” (A story of the Nation of Islam).
After completing an intensive film making program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Mr. Smith transformed the stage play into his first feature film in 1992 “The Nation”
In 1999 along with partners formed the movie production company “Drummond and Smith Entertainment Inc. and later renamed Rainbow Media Group, Inc.
He has written, directed, and produced 37 feature films (22 Narrative films and 15 Documentaries films) where all the films are distributed on Blu Ray and DVD in the major retail stores online at Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Amazon and Streaming markets such as, Peacock, Prime Video, Tubi, Vudu and Hoopla worldwide.
In 2018 he partnered with legendary actor Glynn Turman and his company Backyard Ventures, Inc in pursuit of producing documentary films about Black Performing Artists and Black Performing Arts Institutions.
Log on to: juneysmithfilms.com to see the library and viewing information.
Get in touch with the artist(s)
and follow them on social media
juneysmithfilms.com