Sade Lythcott Reveals National Black Theater's Next Chapter & Community Impact

Mick Unplugged

Realm

Education, Self-improvement, Business, Entrepreneurship

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 September 2025

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sade Lythcott is the CEO of the National Black Theater in New York City, carrying forward her mother Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s powerful legacy as founder of the institution in 1968. As a passionate advocate for Black artistry and storytelling, Sade has guided NBT through transformative times—including the COVID-19 pandemic and a major capital redevelopment project—while championing a holistic approach to theater production. Her leadership centers on honoring the dreams of her ancestors and creating spaces where Black voices, culture, and community thrive. Sade is dedicated to reimagining what theater can be, ensuring NBT remains a vibrant, innovative, and welcoming home for Black creatives, histories, and futures.

Key Takeaways:

Honoring Legacy While Innovating: Sade Lythcott centers her leadership around fulfilling her mother’s vision and the ancestral legacy of the National Black Theater, while pioneering new models like holistic producing and immersive storytelling experiences for the future.
Holistic Producing: NBT’s unique approach to theater, known as holistic producing, weaves together best-in-class artistic production with community engagement and social impact, ensuring every show supports both storytelling and civic dialogue.
Building for the Future: The upcoming redevelopment of NBT’s Harlem home represents both a physical and symbolic return "home" for Black theater artists. With new performance venues and residential spaces opening in 2027, the project is designed to be a lasting ecosystem where creatives can live, work, and serve.

Sound Bites:

"Never pray for strength, because you only get strength through struggle. Instead, I pray for grace and clarity."

"Holistic producing is best-in-class productions, dramaturgy, and community building—it’s about making you sit a little longer in the story and having real conversations together."

"When we cut that ribbon, it will be a testament—black artistry and storytelling will finally have a home, a monument to black excellence grown from generations of dreams."

Connect & Discover Sade:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sade1111/?hl=en

Website: https://nationalblacktheatre.org/

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The National Black Theater was created in 1968 in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement.
0:10.2	And today it stood the test of time of the Civil Rights Movement.
0:13.2	It stood the test of time of COVID.
0:15.7	And it is still the place to be for black arts.
0:20.1	But we have some really cool things coming up in 2027 that we're going to talk about in
0:24.0	this episode with the CEO, Ms. Shadee Lithcock.
0:27.4	I want you to pay attention.
0:28.5	We're going to talk about holistic producing.
0:31.2	We're going to talk about how you, no matter who you are, can contribute to the National
0:36.2	Back Theater.
0:37.2	We're going to get Shaw Day's
0:38.2	insights on the art of storytelling. This episode is for you. Ladies and gentlemen, I present
0:43.9	my queen, Ms. Shawdey Lithcock. Shadee, how you doing today, dear? Oh my gosh, Mick. What an
0:50.4	intro. I am great, blessed. How are you? I am honored. I am great blessed. How are you?
1:00.5	I am honored. I am humbled and just grateful to be in your presence. And I mean that thoroughly.
1:07.1	You're just someone who I've admired a long time from afar. There's so much that you have going on.
1:11.2	There's so much impact that you're making in the world. And I can't wait to talk to you about all that today. I can't wait to share with you and your listeners. Their honors really
1:17.1	all mine. So, Chadee, on Mick Unplugged, I like asking about your because, that purpose that you
1:25.2	have that's deeper than your why. And with all that you do to transform the National Black Theater,
1:31.2	I'd love to find out what's your because.
1:34.0	What's your purpose?
1:36.7	So I really believe my purpose is listening and interpreting the seeds that were planted by our ancestors.
	...

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