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Black Arts MKE - Black Nativity (2025)
Mayor Cavalier Johnson proclaims Dec. 11, 2025 Black Arts MKE Day in Milwaukee before the opening of 'Black Nativity' by Black Arts MKE
On December 11, 2025, opening night of the 10th anniversary production of Black Arts MKE’s Black Nativity, Mayor Cavalier Johnson took the stage to proclaim the date Black Arts MKE Day in Milwaukee. “Black Arts MKE inspires creativity in 14 Milwaukee zip codes, and supports hundreds of artists,” Johnson told us.
Board chair Cory Nettles welcomed us to the Marcus Center’s Wilson Theatre. After the mayor, he introduced Barb Wanzo, who’s celebrating her eleventh year as BAMKE Executive Director. Then he introduced this production’s “dream director,” Sheri Williams Pannell. It was her first production of Langston Hughes’ 1961 musical adaptation of the Bible’s nativity story, fashioned to celebrate African American culture.
Pannell’s history of accomplishments is enormous, so it’s no surprise that her production was excellent. Much credit belongs to the extraordinary cast of actors, singers, dancers, musicians, and designers she assembled.
The show is a concert of Black music and dance styles. This was Antoine Reynolds Sr.’s ninth year as music director. The singing and musical accompaniment was world class. The talented young dancer Davien Holton choreographed. His future looks very bright.
Alive with Movement
Pannel’s direction was straightforward. In a stage alive with movement, she drew focus precisely where it was needed. Her cast was open-faced, honest, all-giving. The Wilson Theatre became a Black church; the performance a hyper-joyful service. Whether or not you share faith in the Bible, or the rituals of Kwanzaa which inspired Pannell’s second act, you can’t but believe in this artwork.
The small, powerful onstage band was largely hidden behind three lovely, altar-like set pieces that provided higher levels for actors to play from. I’m guessing Reynolds was on keyboard and synthesizer. The program names drummer Timothy Robbins and bassist Greg Collier, along with background singers Alesia Miller, Amber Gray, Deijah Jackson and Kateri Bluford.
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Ron Scot Fry’s scenic design featured huge slide projections. The first was an unpretentious mountainside village representing this show’s Bethlehem. I’ll guess it was African. Two village men entered playing ball, and four village women arrived to celebrate the “Last Month of the Year” in song.
Then, unique to Pannell’s production, Jesus entered to narrate of the story of his birth. A good-humored, clear-voiced Ernest Bell Jr. played him.
Joy to the World
Joseph and a painfully pregnant Mary arrived in search of rest. As Mary, D’Shaunta Stewart began the song “Joy to the World,” the tune we know and love. “Let earth receive her king,” she continued, now fallen to the ground. “Let every heart prepare him room.”
Singers and dancers entered and joined the action. The song of joy then segued to, “My Way is Cloudy,” led by the great voice of Brian Crawford as Joseph. “Send one angel down,” he begs. Abandoned by the villagers, Mary and Joseph hear voices: “There’s no room for you here.”
The backdrop projection transformed to a striking view of a star from inside a dirty cave with straw scattered on the ground. It’s the manger, of course. And Mary is screaming in labor. Doulas arrived with the song “There was no room at the inn for the savior to be born.” Curtained by a blanket, they assisted Mary. When the curtain dropped, she was cradling the baby in her arms.
Lighting designer Colin Gawronski filled the stage with color. It was time for big song-and-dance numbers leading to a reprise of “Joy to the World” with vocal pyrotechnics and a colorful sunrise projection.
Clap Your Hands
The music rocked. “Everybody, clap your hands, sing joy.” Lights rose on the audience, and Joseph taught us our part of the harmony. We were standing, clapping and singing “Joy to the world,” at one with the community onstage.
Then Jesus continued the story. “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful,” Mary sang. Shepherds, angels, and wisemen had their endearing numbers, singing and dancing before a projected star.
Act Two began with Marvin Hannah as a contemporary minister telling of the birth in our time of Watch Night and Kwanzaa, when “we review the blessings of the past year and bring the new year in.” As an African American, he explained that “It’s a time when we celebrate creativity.”
A church window is projected. There was a beautiful rendition of the South African national anthem. Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection was recounted. “Today,” our preacher said, “we sing his songs and glorify him.” A wide array of Black song and dance styles followed.
Finally, Alyna Williams sang, “We also look inside ourselves and see if we need any fixing.” And Ja’Kira Austin admitted, “Life is so hard. Sometimes I feel like giving up.” “You should know he was there all the time,” our preacher sang. Jesus, now called Yeshua, confirmed “I am there all the time.” The cast sang the audience to heaven with those words. Then “God be with you. Amen.”
