This new theatre company is creating opportunities for Black artists …

INDIANAPOLIS — LaKesha Lorene always knew her place was on the stage.

“I started working professionally in equity theatre at eight years old at Beef & Boards,” Lorene said.

The ‘07 North Central High School graduate performed in plays, danced and sang throughout grade school.

She went on to study Music and News Broadcasting at Tennessee State University, but never stopped performing.

“As I’m continuing to still work in New York and L.A. and Chicago and Florida and all these places. My home base is Indianapolis,” she said. “Obviously I love here it. My family is here.”

But Lorene says there’s an issue here in Indy.

“There have not been a lot of opportunities for people of color and our stories,” she said.

So, she founded Naptown African American Theatre Collective last year to change that.

The theater company’s goal is educate, equip and empower the Black community and show the beauty, power and humanity of their stories.

“So many other artists that are here that are…