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WINSTON-SALEM — Ted Lange gained fame for playing the hospitable bartender Isaac Washington on the television sitcom “The Love Boat.”

In August, Lange will play another ambassador-style role off-screen, as a celebrity co-chairman of the 2009 National Black Theatre Festival.

That role means “encouraging people in the community to come out and see theater,” Lange said Monday at a news conference to announce this year’s festival highlights.

He will share co-chairman duties with actor Wendy Raquel Robinson, best known as high school principal Regina Grier on the sitcom “The Steve Harvey Show” and as Tasha Mack on “The Game.”

This marks the 20th anniversary of the biennial festival created by Larry Leon Hamlin, who passed away in 2007. It’s also the 30th anniversary of his N.C. Black Repertory Company, which continues to produce the festival.

Lange first acted in a festival play in 1993 and continued to act and direct there. He told supporters gathered at the downtown Marriott why he came back.

“You got to see what was happening in black theater in all sections of the country,” he said.

This year will feature 116 performances over six days.

Nearly 40 black theater companies from across the country — and one from Cape Town, South Africa — will perform new works and classics in 17 Winston-Salem venues.

Several will star celebrities such as Kim Wayans (of TV’s “In Living Color”), Ella Joyce (“Roc”), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (“The Cosby Show”), John Amos (“Good Times”), and Charlene Tilton (“Dallas”).

Robinson, co-chairwoman, will star in “Extremities” with Dorien Wilson.

Among colleges selected to perform is N.C. A&T, which will present “Mad at Miles: A Black Woman’s Guide to Truth.”

The festival will enhance activities for teens with a dance contest, gospel choir and fashion show.

Other events include midnight poetry jams, a networking showcase, readers’ theater for new plays, storytelling festival, vendor’s market and workshops.

The festival also will feature the first Larry Leon Hamlin solo performance series of historical biographies.

On Monday, soap opera actor Kim Brockington presented an excerpt from one of the series’ eight shows, playing writer Zora Neale Hurston in “Zora.”

Many at Monday’s gathering evoked Hamlin and his signature superlative, “Marvtastic,” in their tributes.

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines described how the festival brings the city thousands of visitors and worldwide attention.

“Thank goodness for Larry Leon Hamlin,” Joines said, “for bringing this idea to our city and making it work for 20 years.”
 

Contact Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane at 373-5204 or dawn.kane@news-record.com