Classix was created to explode the classical canon through an exploration of Black performance history and dramatic works by Black writers. We define these classic works as plays by authors of African descent from around the world that speak profoundly to the times in which they were written and resonate deeply with our own. Classix engages artists, historians, students, professors, producers and audiences to launch these plays into the public imagination and spark productions worldwide.

Classix began in 2017 as a series of staged readings in collaboration with the Martin E. Segal Center. In 2019, Classix worked with Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA) to produce an ongoing series of readings. The first reading in this series, Alice Childress’s Wedding Band, was shared in February 2020. A full production of the play was produced in New York in 2022.

Classix engages the larger narrative of these plays through conversations with historians and theatre makers on its podcast series, social media platforms, and in live events; educational outreach; new writings and analysis; and an archive of information on its website.