New Heritage Theater Group, one of Harlem’s longest-standing Black theater institutions, will formally and publicly announce The Artist Anubis.
He is the Inaugural Artist in Residence on February 27, 2026, marking a historic institutional appointment recognizing one of Harlem’s distinctive contemporary performance voices.
The twelve-month residency, running from March 2026 through February 2027, will center on the presentation of Broken Mirror & The Ballad of Dog God Theatrical Cycle, a unified dual production series written and performed by The Artist Anubis. The theatrical cycle will include eighteen (18) performances across sixteen (16) public events, presented in May 2026 in New York’s Broadway district, including the opening performance at Jerry Orbach Theater and the primary performance run at Producers Club..
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Luther D. Isler, the Harlem-based poet, producer, and cultural leader poetically known as The Artist Anubis, is a two-time AUDELCO Award-nominated poet and performer whose work blends spoken word, solo theater, and psychological narrative into immersive performance experiences exploring identity, legacy, and transformation.
Isler’s relationship with New Heritage Theater Group began at age thirteen, when he entered its artistic community as a member of the Oscar-nominated IMPACT Repertory Theatre—a legacy he now shares across generations, as his two teenage daughters are current members of the ensemble. That early institutional grounding shaped his evolution as a performer, writer, and cultural organizer, ultimately leading to his founding of Harlem Bomb Shelter to help bridge the gap between youth development and professional artistic legacy. In 2015, as an associate producer with New Heritage, Isler presented his first original poetic theatrical work—written years earlier during his formative mentorship under cultural icon Voza Rivers. His appointment as New Heritage Theater Group’s Inaugural Artist in Residence represents both a continuation and a culmination of that decades-long artistic lineage.
“New Heritage Theater Group exists to support artists whose work reflects the cultural legacy and future of Black theater,” said Voza Rivers, CEO and Executive Producer of New Heritage Theater Group. “The Artist Anubis represents that continuum. We are proud to name him our Inaugural Artist in Residence and present Broken Mirror & The Ballad of Dog God Theatrical Cycle as part of our ongoing institutional mission.”
Founded in 1964, New Heritage Theater Group has played a vital role in developing and presenting Black theater for more than six decades. The announcement, made during Black History Month, underscores the institution’s continued commitment to preserving and advancing Black theatrical legacy while investing in the next generation of cultural leadership.
“New Heritage Theater Group represents legacy,” said The Artist Anubis. “To be named Artist in Residence here is not simply an opportunity—it is a responsibility. Broken Mirror & The Ballad of Dog God was created to meet audiences at the deepest level of human experience, and I am honored to present this work as part of New Heritage’s living artistic tradition.”
Each production—Broken Mirror and The Ballad of Dog God—stands independently while forming a unified theatrical cycle when experienced together. The Inaugural Artist in Residence appointment and theatrical cycle represent a significant contemporary theatrical undertaking and the launch of New Heritage Theater Group’s formal residency program.
New Heritage Theater Group and Community Works are welcoming institutional partners, sponsors, and individual donors to support the Inaugural Artist in Residence and the presentation of Broken Mirror & The Ballad of Dog God Theatrical Cycle. Sponsorship opportunities include formal Producer recognition and direct support of the residency’s public presentation and engagement activities.
Tickets and Sponsorship Information: BMDG2026.eventbrite.com, TheHarlemBombShelter@gmail.comm, 347-907-1087
Photo credit: Voza Rivers and The Artist Anubis.
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