NYC
Actor | Director
Producer | Jazz Vocalist
Rome Neal w/ Patience Higgins and the Sugar Hill Quartet
Rome Neal's Banana Puddin' Jazz
Produced by Rome Neal
Celebrating 23 years of
Banana Puddin' Jazz!
Rome Neal's Banana Puddin' Jazz is an award winning, long-standing, celebrated Jazz series in New York City that blends live music, community spirit, and audience interaction with the rich legacy of Black theatre and Jazz. Each show ends with an open mic, BPJ poem, and comes with a serving of Rome's famous, complimentary banana pudding.
Launched at the historic Nuyorican Poets Cafe in 2003, the series delivers top-tier entertainment every month, featuring world-renowned musicians, vocalists, poets, and more. The prestigious Rome Neal Shekere Award has honored many industry greats, including some now remembered as beloved ancestors.
Coming Up...
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PayPal
Cashapp: $RNBJ18
Zelle: romeneal25@gmail.com
BECOME A MONTHLY or YEARLY
SPONSOR TODAY
call Rome Neal: at 718-288-8048 for more details on how you can support.
THANK YOU FOR 23 YEARS OF MARVTASTIC SUPPORT.
Our productions are fueled by the community, by way of donations, ticket sales and monthly sponsors. Your contributions make all the difference.
Jazzy Thespians Tribute to
Woodie King Jr.
The Official Video of a Historic Jazz and Poetry Celebration of Life for Woodie King Jr., founder of the New Federal Theatre, which took place at Theater For The New City on April 27, 2026
The Reviews:
Rome Neal's Beautiful Tribute to Woodie King Jr. held at Theater For The New City in the East Village honored a man I didn't personally know. On this night, the pudding, the poem, the prayer and the people all became part of the offering. Through them I met Woodie King jr.
- Raquel Aubrey - Beacon
Rome Neal's superb Banana Puddin' Jazz tribute to Woodie King Jr.
- Don Thomas, Editor's Note, Beacon
Actor, Producer, and Jazz Vocalist Rome Neal continued the public celebration with "Jazzy Thespians," a public celebration of Woodie King Jr. as part of his Banana Puddin' Jazz series. In the words of Rome, "Woodie was not simply a King, he was a Mansa, A King of Kings, an Emperor of a Black Theatre Dynasty..."
- Dr. Brenda Greene - Our Time Press
The evening opened with libation and prayer, followed by live Jazz that carried Woodie King'sm spirit through the room. Renowned musicians including pianist Andre Chez Lewis and Patience Higgins both celebrated for their work on Broadway and Off Broadway delivered soul stirring performances
- Dr. Jennifer Pinkney Pastor, Amsterdam News
An honor to be acknowledged by Woodie King Jr.
(July 27, 1937 – January 29, 2026)
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current happenings!
Theater produced and created by African-Americans helped mold generations influenced by their performance art and helped shape cultures.
Now, a new documentary hopes to show these Black creators, past and present, seeking stages to share their voices, entertain and inform on issues in front of a live audience and other performance platforms.
On November 1, 2024, the Nuyorican closed its iconic doors for a $24 million 3-year renovation project called the "Nuyoricanstruction" phase ushering us into the next 50 years.
Rome Neal, Artistic Theatre Director / Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe
CONGRATULATIONS
to ROME NEAL
who in 2022, received the
Lifetime Achievement Award at the
AUDELCO Awards Spectacular 50th Celebration of Black Theatre Excellence!
Here's how you can help!
Sponsor Benefits:
Multiple opportunities to gain brand/product exposure.
Brand association with a respected organization.
Awareness opportunities across a thriving cross-cultural segment of consumers
High brand visibility via publicity, event and public relations tie -ins.
Participation in a history making event and to show the public that you care and support live music.
Needs Funds For:
One year of Banana Puddin' Jazz live programming
-Payment of Musicians, Director, Production Manager
-Marketing (Posters, Postcard,Flyers), printing cost
-Website, eblasts,
-Public Relations
Programming for BJP cable TV show on Brooklyn Cable Television (FREE)
-Video shoots and Editing
- Public Relations Weekly
Other Ways You Can Help:
After you've donated you can still help in other ways by telling everyone you know about
Banana Puddin' Jazz
-Pass this information on to others especially those who love jazz and have money.