Intersectional Arts and Culture-Work
My practice of culture-work, which can also be described as "bridge-work," was born out of my personal cultural legacies emerging as a tool to connect with a greater sense of freedom, wholeness, and creativity. Through this intersectional wisdom, I facilitate community building and transformation with a practice of looking to the past to move into the future, radical empathy, expansive imagining, spiritual dharma, and joyful artistic expression, central to which is the belief that every being can contribute meaningfully to the cessation of suffering for all beings everywhere, without exception.
Featured in Lilith Magazine as "Black Jewish Women Artists you should know," my art, ritual-leading, teaching/facilitation work has been featured at LAB/Shul, the Spirit of Humanity Festival, The Braid Theater, Drexel University, Kripalu Retreat Center, Jewish Voice for Peace, Project Shema, Reboot, Jewish Theological Seminary, The Make Good Project, in schools, Shuls, and many other hubs for arts, culture, and social change.
In the last 3 years especially I have been touring and traveling with groups and projects, some of which are positioned as oppositional, as a way to add deeper complexity to the landscape of my work and it's potential for nourishment and healing.
Recipient of a Covenant grant through "Exploring Black Narratives" for designing and teaching an educational unit with a program that brings Black narrative plays to Jewish day schools.Fellowships include: New Jewish Culture Fellowship, LABA NY, The Workshop, B'Yachad Educator, and Rabbinic Arts fellowship, and member of the Black Jewish Liberation Collective.
Highlights of "Story Doula" work with Fearless Communicators: "Daughters" film on Netflix press tour, "If These Scars Could Talk" book launch (uplifting formerly incarcerated women and their wisdom), "Vision into Power" cohort of change-making no-profits, created by Kerry Washington, and countless individuals I've coached for their books, brands, personal development, TED Talks and other public speaking events.
This is a "sound sculpture." A piece weaving personal loss and collective grief in the fight justice and dignity of Black lives after the murder of George Floyd. Toured to many Jewish orgs at the time.
Text: Rebecca S'manga Frank, Original sound and music: Avi Amon. Rabbinic dramaturgy: Rabbi Kendell Pinkney. (it is recommended that people wear headphones)
Culture- Workings : (select credits)
Grief Peace (monologue) "Force of Habit" (2024) at The Braid theatre, and many other spaces
Guest Artist Residency w/ Avi Amon USDAN camp for the arts (installation and musical storytelling project)
Written in Stone (art installation) Naming the Lost Covid Memorial Project NYC at Greenwood Cemetery
The Non Monog-ologues (documentary theater) The 14th st Y, Jewish Theological Seminary, and CBE (solo show)
The Blewish Dybbuk Project (play/film) The Workshop salon at the JCC Manhattan, Reboot screening
3 Questions (film) LABA LIVE
The Great Mother (culture play) Rosh Hashanah 2023, LAB/Shul Maven
Where is the Goat? (culture play) Yom Kippur 2021, LAB/Shul Maven
not all at once (audio monologue) music by Avi Amon. JTS, LAB/Shul, Avodah, Ammud, USCJ, JCC, UJA
Shakespeare than Fiction (play) NYU Tisch Freeplay. Development at Alter Theatre
A Psalm for Racial Justice (spiritual poem) Hillel International, various publications
A Psalm for Juneteenth (spiritual poem) Be’chol Lashon, various publications
I Know Nothing About Tisha B’av (essay) Lilith Magazine
Beyond Exodus (essay) Lilith Magazine
Shakespeare than Fiction (play) Alter Theatre, Freeplay Festival
Coaching:
Fearless Communicators Story Doula, Public Speaking Coach and workshop facilitator, 2020 - current.
Acting Coach (auditions, grad school auditions, scene work, Shakespeare).
Corporate Coaching and Role Play with Bi-Jingo.
Teaching:
Kriplau Retreat Center Fall Writing Series- Creative writing instructor "The Presence Palace" 2023, and 2024 Intersectional Writing," 2025 class upcoming
Make Good Project- Facilitating creative writing in Killivipen Black Women's writing retreat in Massachusetts 2023, at Kripalu 2024, "Do the Write Thing" Sunday writing at the Harlem Dream Center 2025
Exploring Black Narratives- Teaching Black plays in Jewish Day schools all over New York, and lesson planning, 2021 - current
*Recipient of a Covenant Grant
Putney Student Travel creative writing instructor, Dublin, Ireland 2022 and Castleton College, Vermont 2021
Teaching Creative Writing "Improv and Imagination" at USDAN Adult Camp 2023.
Teen Theatre Monologue Camp JCC Global, monologue writing, acting and performance, Spring 2021
Shakespeare Workshop Contra Costa School of the Performing Arts.
Directing and Assistant Directing:
A Moving Picture (29 hour reading) The Jewish Play Project
Romeo and Juliet (full production) Queen Mab Productions / Brooklyn Preserve Artspace Church, Oakland, CA
Bloom by Marco Antonio Rodriguez Quicksilver Theatre Company, Citizen One Reading Series
The Only One by Christina Nieves QTC's Playwrights of Color Retreat and “Go to the River Festival” at EST
Shakespeare than Fiction (Writer & Director) Freeplay Festival Grad Acting, NYU Tisch
Nat Turner in Jerusalem by Nathan Alan Davis New York Theatre Workshop / AD for Megan Sandberg-Zakian
Spunk by Zora Neale Hurston California Shakespeare Company / AD for Patricia McGregor
Fellowships:
The Rabbinic Arts Fellowship (current)
The Workshop inaugural cohort and alumni cohort (current)
B’Yachad Educator Fellow, 2021-2022
LABA Fellow at the 14th St. Y 2021-2022
New Jewish Culture Fellow with Brooklyn Jews 2021-2022