The South End's historic Cyclorama theater is gearing up for the annual Black arts showcase #HellaBlack on April 8. The sixth-ever #HellaBlack promises to be a celebration of Black artists showcasing their talents.
Founded in 2019, #HellaBlack has quickly become a beacon for Black artists in the Boston area.
“HellaBlack is liberation, freedom, our stories, our journeys, our experiences. It is a platform for all of us Black artists here in Boston to celebrate our joy and tell our stories,” the showcase’s curator Amanda Shea said on Boston Public Radio Wednesday.
Shea's curation embraces this year's theme “sacred,” inviting artists to explore what grounds them in their creativity and expression. Nine artists will take the stage ranging from dance to spoken word to aerial art.
Among the performers is drag queen Killah Croc, who’s going to be performing to a “Dream Girls” medley next Monday. They said that, even though the number of drag performers has grown so much in recent years, there are still few, small spaces to host them.
“I was able to walk into the [showcase] space for the first time a few weeks ago — and it is huge,” they said. “I’m so used to these little rinky-dink bars with a little stage, and people drinking, not really paying too much attention — well, unless I’m performing, ’cause I’m great at what I do — but ... it’s such a huge space.”
Another standout performer is aerial artist Ky Bernard, who demonstrated one of her talents on Boston Public Radio on what’s known as a Lollipop Lyra — a freestanding pole with a giant hoop on top.
She noted that although there are not a lot of Black aerialists in New England, it didn’t stop her from pursuing aerial art.
“Once you find your passion ... there's going to be so many ups and downs, but you keep pursuing it, and allow the journey to unfold for yourself,” Bernard said.
As anticipation builds for the event next Monday, Shea encourages attendees to “expect the unexpected.”
Watch Amanda Shea, Killah Croc and Ky Bernard on Boston Public Radio:
