Texas Star Phylicia Rashad Hosts Festival Masterclass

Phylicia Rashad is coming home- and she’s bringing a masterclass in more ways than one. The Tony-winning actress and Houston native is set to headline this year’s Fade to Black Arts Festival in Texas, where she’ll lead a rare acting workshop for the next generation of performers.

Known nationwide as one of America's favorite TV moms from her time as the iconic Clair Huxtable, Rashad’s return isn’t just a star-powered appearance- it’s a full-circle moment rooted in her family’s decades-long commitment to the arts and education in Texas.

Fade to Black Arts Festival in Houston

Rashad will join a lineup of acclaimed artists leading master workshops at the Fade to Black Arts Festival, running June 8–14 in Houston. Now in its 12th year, the festival has become a cornerstone of Texas’ cultural scene, spotlighting emerging Black playwrights, performers, and directors from across the country. With over 400 Black writers featured since its inception, the festival continues to be a platform for bold voices and unforgettable performances- and this year’s schedule promises not only powerful productions but rare mentorship opportunities with legends like Rashad.

For Rashad, this festival appearance is more than a professional engagement- it’s personal. She grew up in Houston immersed in the arts, thanks in large part to her mother, Vivian Ayers Allen, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet and pioneering academic. Allen championed arts education at a time when segregation was still law in Texas, launching programs like “Workshops in Open Fields” to introduce preschoolers to creative expression.

“The arts are fundamental human expression,” Rashad told CW39. “Before a child can write a word, they can draw. As soon as they can stand, they dance. When they speak, they sing.” That early foundation, shaped by her mother’s vision and her own lived experience, has fueled Rashad’s lifelong passion for the transformative power of the arts.

Rashad’s presence at this year’s festival serves as a powerful reminder: when the arts are prioritized, lives are changed. Her return to the stage- not just to perform, but to teach- isn’t just a full-circle moment for a hometown legend. It’s a call to action for the next generation to find their voice, take up space, and keep creating. You can find out more about the festival here.