claude e. sloan jr.

 

Born in Brooklyn , N.Y, claude's journey into the world theatrical was more or less a birth destiny….with both of his parents having been founding members of the American Negro Theatre, he was consistently surrounded and inspired by dynamic creative forces.

While attending Harvard University claude performed in and directed several productions at the Loeb Drama Center ; but it was in the Loeb's Experimental Theatre that he found an outlet for his true passion –performance art. claude cut his professional theatrical teeth under the tutelage of Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival Public Theatre; and continued his exploration of performance art at University of the Streets Theatre, Nuyoricans Poets' Café, Other Countries – Black Gay Men Writing, Center For The Rainbow and H.E.R.E.

His most cherished inspiration came when he met and had the opportunity to collaborate on several works with renowned playwright and artiste, Ntozake Shange (“The Bridge Party” – Ben Franklin Bridge , Philadelphia ; “Love Space Demands” – Crossroads Theatre , N.J. ).

In 1997, claude starred in the acclaimed cult film “Chocolate Babies (Winner – Best Dramatic Feature: New York Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Best Feature: Chicago Lesbian and Gay Film Festival) where he played Max Mo' Freak, the leader of a band of HIV positive drag queen terrorists.

Over the past few years claude has devoted much of his creative energies to performance writing and to bringing his theatrical direction to the world of musical performance. For 5 years he produced and hosted the weekly “Soul Gathering” with acclaimed Musical Director, Michael Raye at The Triad/Dark Star Lounge in N.Y.C. where some of N.Y.'s most gifted musicians and performers gathered for “musical church”.

It was during this period that claude met and began a most profound creative relationship with the provocative and brilliantly gifted performer, M. It is in the spirit of this inspiration that claude looks forward to a continued creative pursuit of that which questions, challenges and celebrates the wondrous mysteries that define this – our shared human condition.