Young Selma playwright asks city council to help her 'bring arts back to Selma' by financing her play

A young Selma playwright asked the Selma City Council to help her “bring arts back to Selma.”

Zachenzie Milhouse asked the city council at their Sept. 9 meeting for discretionary funds to finance a presentation of her play Legacy & Lyrics in February 2026. The play, which Milhouse wrote and directed, premiered in February 2024 at the Selma Performing Arts Center.  

The city council gave some discretionary funds for the play in 2024, and the cast also held several fundraisers to put on the show. Milhouse presented a budget of $12,000 to put on a performance in 2026.

Milhouse said her goal is to bring “arts back to Selma by creating opportunities for young people to learn, perform and express themselves through theater.” This vison statement of her Legacy & Lyrics LLC is “bringing Black history to life through the powerful mediums of storytelling, music, and historical exploration.”

Council President Warren “Billy” Young told Milhouse that her request would be reviewed and considered at a future meeting.

“Back in 2024, I founded, directed and produced Legacy & Lyrics, a movement that was borne from my vision as a young playwright,” Milhouse said. “This project not only brought arts back into the heart of Selma, but it also provided youth with opportunities to perform, receive a stipend for their work and access transportation to fully participate.”

Milhouse said, “Through student-led fundraising, we successfully produced the play and gave young people valuable exposure to theater, culture and history.”