We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carlton “cj” Bell a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Carlton “cj”, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The Flourish Alabama & Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective celebrate Black Queer Pride with the Alabama premiere of “Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet” by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Directed by Carlton V Bell II
Carlton “cj”, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Carlton V Bell II is a southern, Black, & queer cultural movement worker utilizing theatre & film as a medium to facilitate liberation strategies within social ecosystems.
Making acclaim as the recent winner of the 2023 Black Lens Filmmaker Award (Sidewalk Film Festival), 2023 Cauthen Fellowship (Alabama Folk Life Association), 2023 Sara Spencer Award for Child Drama (South Eastern Theatre Conference), 2023 Barbara Whitman Award Finalist (Stage Directors & Choreographers Society), Artist Disruptor Award (The Center for Cultural Power).
Named one of Alabama’s Entertainers of The Year in 2019, as well as premiering in the CNN Docu-Series “Blind Angels”. Primarily serving as an ARTIVIST in their local community.
Member of Stage Director & Choreographers Society | Represented by Gill Talent Group
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
A few “A Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M Johnson,
The Brother Sister Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Black Acting Methods: Critical Approaches by Dr. Sharrell D Luckett & Tia M. Schaffer
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
A thriving creative ecosystem is abundant in three things: artistic development, equity of resources, and of course opportunity.
Outside of money, we have to recognize the disparities of whose projects get made. As Director of Development of Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective, a grassroots Fiscally Sponsored project of National Performance Network we have a strong institutional memory of hiring Black folx that live within the margins behind and in front of the table to ensure that those voices are in control of their own narratives. Theatre making & creative praxis for me as an artist is beyond its commercial appeal. Theatre should live in community centered rituals, rituals being defined as specific traditional actions that usher us to different phases and spiritual locations in our lifecycles.
Contact Info:
- Website: carltonvbell.com
- Other: Thebbrtc.com