Congo Square Theatre Company presents second season of
popular digital sketch comedy show
Hit ‘Em on the Blackside
free online starting
Friday, October 29, 2021
Congo Square Theatre’s radio drama
The Clinic
will remain online through October 31
CHICAGO (October 18, 2021)—Congo Square Theatre Company (Congo Square), one of the nation’s -premier African American theatres, is proud to present the second season of its popular Hit ‘Em on the Blackside sketch comedy series. The cast and crew up the ante in season two by bringing back memorable characters from season one for an exciting crossover story that spans 12 new episodes. Plus, new characters and storylines are introduced, all with deliberate nods to social themes including justice and equality, cancel culture, and what it means to be a hero. Season two promises to be as thought-provoking and ‘in your face’ as ever.
As in season one, season two of Hit ‘Em on the Blackside features Congo Square’s award-winning African American ensemble. The series is created and directed by Congo Square Ensemble Member Anthony Irons and stars Ensemble Members Ronald L. Conner, Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston Jr. along with friend of Congo Square Tiffany Addison. Malcom Banks is director of photography. This season’s guest stars include Congo Square Ensemble Member Daniel Bryant, Lili-Anne Brown, Kasey Foster, Jeff Kursys, Ron OJ Parson, Xavier L.G. Irons, and Xaiden Irons, with original music by KayB Studios.
The online series posts weekly webisodes for free viewing on the company’s social media and YouTube pages and Hit ‘Em on the Blackside webisodes are compiled into a full show on Congo Square’s website. Watch parties will enable fans to enjoy the entire series together, virtually, on December 10, 2021.
The first six episodes of Hit ‘Em on the Blackside season two will be released starting on Friday, October 29 with a new episode dropping every week on Nov. 5, Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Nov. 26, and Dec. 3. On December 10, all the new episodes will be compiled into a single video for the virtual watch party, hosted on Congo Square’s YouTube page. An additional six episodes will start airing in May 2022 to complete the second season.
Episodes from season one of Hit ‘Em on the Blackside are being re-released on Congo Square’s YouTube channel; check out all twelve episodes of Hit ‘Em on the Blackside season one on YouTube.
In other Congo Square news, its 2021-22 season opener, the old-fashioned radio-drama, The Clinic, will continue streaming online through October 31. The Clinic follows the journey of Dr. Latisha Bradley who is changing the world with a life-altering discovery that was meant to help all but only helps some. Dr. Bradley not only has to deal with changing the future of medicine but betrayal and matters of the heart. Directed by Ensemble Member Daniel Bryant, the cast includes Ensemble Members Aimee K. Bryant, Aaron Todd Douglas, Tracey N. Bonner, Will Sims II, and guest artist Jonathan Perkins. The Clinic can be streamed by visiting congosquaretheatre.org/audio-series; suggested donation is $10.
For more information on Congo Square’s 2021-22 entire season, visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.
About Congo Square Theatre Company
Congo Square Theatre Company is an ensemble dedicated to producing transformative work rooted in the African Diaspora. We are a haven for artists of color to challenge and redefine the theatrical canon by amplifying and creating stories that reflect the reach and complexities of Black Culture. Congo Square is one of only two African American Actors’ Equity theatre companies in Chicago. Founded in 1999, Congo Square aimed to provide a platform for black artists to perform and present classic and new work that exemplified the majesty, diversity, and intersectionality of stories from the African Diaspora.
Congo Square has risen to become one of the most well-respected African American theatres in the nation. Previously mentored by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson, Congo Square would go on to cultivate talents such as playwright Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), who penned the 2006 Jeff nominated play Deep Azure, and playwright Lydia Diamond, who penned the massively successful Stick Fly, a critically acclaimed play that explores race, class, and familial friction. Stick Fly ultimately ran on Broadway and is currently being developed into a full-length series for HBO with Alicia Keys serving as a producer. Congo Square also produced the widely praised Seven Guitars, which would eventually go on to win top honors for best ensemble, best direction, and best production at the 2005 Joseph Jefferson Awards. This would earn the theatre company the distinction of being the first African American theatre company to receive such an honor.
Congo Square’s Educational Programs bring the impact of theater to young audiences. Its outreach programs, CORE (Curriculum Objectives Residency Enrichment), and CAST (Congo After School Theatre), present and teach theater arts by providing classroom and after-school residencies that provide Teaching Artists to build upon already established Chicago Public Schools literature and art curriculums. CORE and CAST impact students and schools located on the South and West sides of the city
For more information about Congo Square Theatre Company, please call 773-296-1108 or visit www.congosquaretheatre.org.
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