Red Harlem

Based on true events when the Communist Party courted African Americans in 1932 by championing their civil rights and opposing racist injustices, four Harlemites fleeing racial injustice and the economic fallout of the great depression, win roles in a blockbuster film financed by Joseph Stalin. Once in the Soviet Union, they pursue the dreams denied them in the US, but when they discover the country is hiding a devastating secret, they’ll be forced to escape it with their lives. Company of Angels presents the premiere of Red Harlem, written by playwright Kimba Henderson. Directed by Bernadette Speakes, Red Harlem opens February 14 at Boyle Heights’ Company of Angels, with performances continuing through March 15. Red Harlem takes place during the historic time in history when the Communist Party’s campaign attracted thousands of new Black members during the great depression, presenting itself as a more radical alternative to organizations like the NAACP.