Founder's Letter

Greetings,

We have been very busy, educating ourselves and working toward strengthening our capabilities and skills to better support GloHTAP's mission, goals and objectives. Because of the commitment of a small, entirely volunteer staff, we've been able to present our community with quality artists such as: renowned classical solosit, conductor, director, composer and recording artist, Jean Ronald LaFond; Roscoe Orman, who plays the beloved Gordon on Sesame Street; Sharron Miller’s Performance Workshop Ensemble, Tiokasin Ghosthorse & MATOU, a celebration of Native American and Maori (New Zealand) musical traditions, Tony Award winning actress Trazana Beverly, Tootie Heath and Cornell West.

Global Heritage Theater Arts Project was founded in 2002 in order to address the problem, as I see it, of racial polarity. There is, existing in the Maplewood/South Orange area, a unique ethnically diverse population, many of whom are visual and performing artists. I believe that there should be made available cultural opportunities and environments in which residents can learn more about each other in order to prevent a possible return to involuntary racial segregation.

I became involved in the Maplewood/South Orange community upon moving to the area in 1984. I volunteered for several theatrical PTA productions in which my own children performed. As a board member of ArtsMaplewood and having performed in local productions of Music for Kids, Performers Café, Art for Kids and The Maplewood Cultural Heritage Festival, I experienced first hand how powerfully the arts connect people.

Now in our sixth year of presenting, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for your past support and invite you, with renewed energy, to help us make our 2008/2009 season a great one.

Ahmondylla Best

Founder