In 1932, four Harlemites fleeing racial injustice and the Great Depression won roles in a Soviet-financed film. By presenting itself as a more radical alternative to organizations like the NAACP during the Great Depression, the Communist Party’s outspoken solidarity was a powerful draw. In the USSR, the Harlemites chase dreams denied them in the US, but when they uncover a devastating secret, they must escape with their lives.

Company of Angels presents the premiere of “Red Harlem,” written by playwright Kimba Henderson. “Red Harlem” opens at Boyle Heights’ Company of Angels in Los Angeles.

“Red Harlem” highlights the true story of the Communist Party’s 1930s recruitment efforts, focusing on a never-completed propaganda film with Black Harlem performers, written by Langston Hughes and shot in the Soviet Union. The play explores how race, class, nationality, and politics shaped both the film's creation and the performers' experiences, revealing the complexities and consequences of their involvement in this virtually unknown bit of history.

Red Harlem runs Saturdays at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. from Feb 14 to Mar 15. Tickets are $10–$30. Blackout Night on Feb 21 offers $20 tickets, including a beverage and snack, to support black theater. Company of Angels is located at the Legacy L.A. Campus in Boyle Heights, 1350 San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA 90033. Free ample parking is available.

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Langston Hughes returned to the United States. His ashes are interred beneath the lobby floor of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York Public Library) in Harlem, New York City, under the “Rivers” cosmogram in the Langston Hughes Lobby.

Read More: Langston Hughes' Moscow Movie