Programming Highlights

Saturday, March 14, 2015 EXCLUSIVE: MNN's "Inside New York" presents a special tribute with Garland Lee Thompson Jr. to Garland Lee Thompson, Sr., and the future of the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop that his dad co-founded in 1973. Tune in to MNN!

March 12, 2015
MNN, Joan Allen, Inside NY, Garland Lee Thompson
Saturday, INSIDE NEW YORK, Garland Lee Thompson, Jr., shares memories of his dad, Garland Lee Thompson, Sr. co-founder and Executive Director of the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop and the organization's future! 
 
Hundreds of artists, and friends came out to attend and many to perform at a standing room only grand celebration of the life and legacy of Playwright Garland Thompson, Sr., a legendary fixture of Harlem's theater community.  Act 1: The Memorial Service was held at St James Presbyterian Church from 11-1AM.  Act 2: An extraordinary non-stop presentation of performances of scenes from "The Mighty Gents," "The Old Settler," "Inacent Black and the Five Brothers," and "Conversations," to name a few, ran from 3-6PM.  
 
Born on February 14, 1938 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Garland Lee Thompson, Sr., was 76 years old when he passed on November 18, 2014.  Thompson is best known to television audiences as Transporter Technician Wilson on the classic series, Star Trek: TOS (the original series). He also appeared in several other popular television series, including Bewitched and Perry Mason.
 
He co-founded the Frank Silvera Writers Workshop in 1973, along with famed actor/director Morgan Freeman, director/actress Billie Allen Henderson, and journalist Clayton Riley, as a living memorial to the life, and work of his mentor, the late actor, director, teacher and producer, Frank Silvera.
 
The Workshop has been based in the heart of Harlem, New York, for the past 40 years, and has built a long, time honored and prestigious reputation as a nationally and internationally renowned playwrights development theatre for upcoming and established artists from all over the world.
 
Thompson created the Readers Theatre Series at the prestigious National Black Theatre Festival, where he will be honored on Thursday, August 6th, Act 3: The Final Act, at this year's Festival. He was recently honored at the Harlem is...Theater Exhibition at The Interchurch Center in New York, which is currently on view at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.
 
"INSIDE NEW YORK" is broadcast every Saturday at 8:30 pm  on MNN2 and MNN.org. Get program updates via Joan Allen on  Facebook  and Twitter ( @ARTSINEWYORK ), and watch "INSIDE NEW YORK" Saturday, March 14th  at 8:30 pm  on MNN2 (TWC 56, RCN 83, FiOS 34) and  via Livestream on MNN.org .
 
Pictured: Joan H. Allen, Host of INSIDE NEW YORK and Garland Lee Thompson, Jr.
Photo credit:  Kwame Brathwaite