Our theatrical journey
Ohio Premiere of RESISTANCE featuring Rochelle Jackson-Days at Cleveland's 2019 Borderlight Theatre Festival
Staging premieres: A legacy of innovation
At Powerful Long Ladder, we are proud of our tradition of bringing new and exciting works to the stage. Our commitment to staging premieres, social justice works and plays-in-development has allowed us to contribute significantly to the theatrical landscape, offering audiences fresh perspectives and unforgettable experiences.
The Ultimate Reach
The Ultimate Reach is the arts outreach anchor for Powerful Long Ladder. The program has provided theatre, improvisations, creative writing and mime workshops for after-schools, mental health, and substance use recovery programs throughout Northeast Ohio, including Maple Heights, Life Exchange Center, and Cuyahoga County Public Library. Some of the mental health patients and youth have participated in full length productions.
RESISTANCE rehearsal workshop with Golden Globe winner, Regina Taylor (Crowns), actress Rochelle Jackson-Days and cast.
Stay Ready
From our humble beginnings to our most recent triumphs, showcases the breadth and depth of Powerful Long Ladder's theatrical journey. Explore the evolution of our productions such as Golden Globe winner, Regina Taylor's Ohio premiere of Resistance that have graced our stage. Ms. Taylor reached out to founder, Terrence Spivey, about her play. That collaboration is a testament to our dedication to the performing arts and, most importantly, the voice of the playwright.
Creative Writing
TERRENCE SPIVEY, Founding Artistic Director, Director, Playwright, Member of SDC
Terrence Spivey is an award-winning director, playwright, actor, and arts educator whose work has significantly shaped Black theatre in the United States. Born in Kountze, Texas and raised in Houston, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Prairie View A&M University and began his professional career as an actor in New York City, performing in Off-Off-Broadway productions and appearing in film and television.
Spivey is widely recognized for his leadership as the former Artistic Director of Karamu House in Cleveland, the oldest African American producing theatre in the nation. During his 12-year tenure, he revitalized the historic institution and directed numerous acclaimed productions, bringing renewed national attention to the theatre’s legacy and impact.
He is also the founder of Powerful Long Ladder, a theatre company dedicated to amplifying Black voices and telling powerful stories that explore history, culture, and social justice. As a playwright, Spivey gained national recognition for his historical drama An Ocean in My Bones, which tells the story of the survivors of the Clotilda slave ship voyage.
Throughout his career, Spivey has collaborated with legendary artists including Ruby Dee, Ntozake Shange, Leslie Uggams, and Regina Taylor. His work continues to inspire audiences and artists across the country through storytelling that preserves and elevates Black history and culture.
SHARRON.MCPHERSON FOXX, Executive & Production Assistant
Sharron is a multi‑faceted artist and arts educator whose work spans performance, direction, and community-centered creation. As a director, this native Clevelander, has led several productions such as “The Lynching of Effie Childs “by Gwen Wright and August Wilson’s "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” She is a Karamu Theater Award winner for her ensemble work in Tazwell Thomas’ “Constant Star” Directed by Margaret Ford Taylor. She was also in "Love and Ecstasy" by Gail Nyoka and "Objectively Reasonable- A Community Response to the Shooting of Tamir Rice" Featuring Actress and Activist, Phyliss Yvonne Stickney. Both plays were directed by Terrence Spivey.
Her first play, “Remember December” was featured in Cleveland’s BorderLight Theatre Festival in 2025.
As a co-founder of “Maiden Voyage Theatre Ensemble”, a collective dedicated to uplifting the voices and stories of women of color, she continues to champion representation in the arts.
A passionate collaborator, Sharron finds delight in creating alongside other artists. She is also a session vocalist and the lead singer of her band, “Foxx & Company” bringing her musicality to stages and studios alike. Currently serving as an Executive and Production Assistant, with Powerful Long Ladder since its inception, she remains deeply rooted in the creative process. She is a major contributor to the theatre’s youth program, “The Ultimate Reach”
Her creative mission is simple and profound — to celebrate life and illuminate its joys and pains through performance.