Call Center Company in New Haven, CT

NBC Connecticut is the proud sponsor of the Black Wall Street Festival that’s set for Aug. 16 in New Haven.

The one-day festival highlights Black and Brown business owners, and helps aspiring entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground.

Ahead of the event, we’re featuring businesses that have had success through the festival.

“I used to drive around the whole state of Connecticut, even tri-state area, just going to pop-up shop to pop-up shop, hosting different events, selling clothes out of my truck until I was able to gather up enough capital, save enough money, and here I am today. Went to a trunk from a storefront,” Rashaan Boyd said.

Boyd, a New Haven native, is a clothing designer. His luxury streetwear brand ‘A Hustlers Vibe’ opened on Edgewood Avenue two years ago.

“I’ve had people that I’ve met at Black Wall Street come right to my store after. Following week, an overflow of business pouring into my establishment. ‘Hey, I met you at Black Wall Street!’”

He’s learned how to cut costs, like teaching himself how to run a sewing machine instead of outsourcing that work.

“I went on YouTube, learned how to thread a sewing machine, and the rest was history.”

Making his own clothes is something Boyd said he’s been doing since he was a kid.

“I grew up in a single-parent home, times were hard, and my mom always had to put clothes on layaway,” he said. “I was thinking one day, I want these things, but my mom can’t afford them. Let me go try to press up shirt together.”

He wore that shirt to school, and got so many compliments, that he decided to make more.

“I originally started the idea with just 12 t-shirts, and 12 t-shirts sold out in one day, that turned into 12 sweat suits, and 24 sweat suits, and it just kept going up and up and up,” Boyd said. “After that, was no looking back.”

He now welcomes customers to his storefront and online store where he ships items around the world.

“I’ve had orders come as far away as Australia, South Africa, places like that. When I see orders come in, I’m like, ‘how did you guys find me?’”

A few doors down from his shop on Edgewood Avenue is where Boyd grew up. He said it’s been a full-circle moment to open up his store in this neighborhood.

“[It’s] a full circle moment where I’m actually able to pour back into the community that poured into me as a child, and just make a change. There weren’t too many people like myself, Black, brown, colored people, with businesses growing up,” Boyd said.

He credits the Black Wall Street Festival for much of his success.

“The first year I attended Black Wall Street, I was alongside 25 vendors. It was a great event, I sold out all of my products. The following year, I went back, and they moved the event to the New Haven Green. This time, I was alongside 200+ vendors and there were 2,000+ people. Not only was I able to showcase my product, my talent, and everything I worked hard for in front of thousands of people, the event itself helped me generate thousands of dollars.”

He returns year after year, and not only has it brought him customers, but its taught him how to get his shop off the ground through grants and loans.

“Not only did it put me in the position to make money, it also put me in a position to learn the things I didn’t know as a small business owner growing up here in New Haven,” he said. “A lot of people get into business about the money, not knowing that you can use other people’s money to fund your business.”

Boyd said for him, it’s not about the money.

“Every day, kids walk by, they just can’t believe this is my place. ‘You sure this is yours? How’d you get this?’ Now I have the opportunity to hire these kids, have little mentorship sessions and just provide different opportunities for them,” Boyd explained. “It’s not just about the money, it’s about the impact I have on my community. Showing kids that there’s other options, showing kids that – never let people tell you what you can’t do, show them what you can do. You have to go against the odds, beat the odds, remain humble and stay consistent.”

He encourages other business owners to attend the festival and take advantage of all it has to offer.

“To all the business owners out there, people who are trying to start a business, if you do have a small business, if you’re trying to find a way to gain that clientele, or get that thing rolling, get that spark going, Black Wall Street is the place.”

View All Jobs

Long Wharf TheatreNew Haven, CT

DESCRIPTION

Notice: Audition Call Type: EPA

AUDITION DATE

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (E)

Lunch 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

APPOINTMENTS

To schedule an audition appointment, please go to: https://www.signupgenius.com/g.... Once you have secured your audition appointment, please fill out the following audition form: https://airtable.com/app5ceO06....

CONTRACT

LORT Non-Rep

$839 weekly minimum (LORT D)

SEEKING

Equity actors for roles in Long Wharf Theatre's 2025-26 Season (See breakdown).

No roles will be understudied.

PREPARATION

Please prepare one Side, which will be available on the morning of the audition. Bring 2 copies of your headshot and resume, stapled together.

LOCATION

The Sandbox

70 Audubon Street

2nd Floor

New Haven, CT 06510

THIS SPACE'S VENTILATION HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED BY ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION.

PERSONNEL

Expected to attend:

Associate Producer: Kate Moore Heaney

Chief of Staff: Jessica Durdock Moreno

Company Manager: Vanessa Soto

See breakdown for production-specific personnel.

OTHER DATES

See breakdown for production-specific dates.

OTHER

www.longwharf.org

An Equity Monitor will not be provided. The producer will run all aspects of this audition.

Equity’s contracts prohibit discrimination. Equity is committed to diversity and encourages all its employers to engage in a policy of equal employment opportunity designed to promote a positive model of inclusion. As such, Equity encourages performers of all ethnicities, gender identities, and ages, as well as performers with disabilities, to attend every audition.

Always bring your Equity Membership card to auditions.

BREAKDOWN

Long Wharf Theatre 2025-26 Season

ENGLISH

Written by Sanaz Toossi

Directed by Arya Shahi

Co-production with TheaterWorks Hartford

TheaterWorks Dates:

First Rehearsal (TheaterWorks Hartford, Hartford, CT) – September 9, 2025

First Preview (Hartford, CT) – Friday, October 3, 2025

Opening (Hartford, CT) – Friday, October 10, 2025

Closing (Hartford, CT) – Sunday, November 2, 2025

Possible Extension Closing (Hartford, CT) – Sunday, November 9, 2025

Long Wharf Theatre Dates:

First Rehearsal (New Haven, CT) – Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Tech Rehearsal begins (New Haven, CT) – Tuesday, January 13, 2026

First Preview (New Haven, CT) - Friday, January 16, 2026

Opening (New Haven, CT) – Thursday, January 22, 2026

Closing (New Haven, CT) – Sunday, February 1, 2026

Possible extension closing (New Haven, CT) – Sunday, February 8, 2026

SEEKING:

Marjan: Female, early 40s - early 50s, Iranian; teacher of English as a second language; a welcoming and composed educator who became fluent in English while living in the UK for 9 years; loves speaking English, feels it is a beautiful way to communicate and connect, though since returning to Iran she feels her fluency is eroding and is beginning to question her right and ability to teach it, as well as her sense of self as a result; speaks with a light Iranian accent

Elham: Female, late 20s - early 30s, Iranian; an intelligent, driven and competitive student; frustrated with herself and her (lack of) progress in the class, as her admittance to medical school is contingent upon her successfully passing; her frustration leads to frequent conflict with others and disruptions in the class; speaks with a very thick Iranian accent

Roya: Female, 50s - early 70s, Iranian; a dignified, refined, proud student learning English at her English-speaking son's insistence; deeply loves her family and is willing to go through the class to be closer to them, but prefers the beauty and elegance of her mother tongue; speaks with a thick Iranian accent

Goli: Female, age 18, Iranian; bright, enthusiastic and sweet; a determined and diligent student whose positive outlook and effervescence often annoy her classmates; loves pop culture; her dogged optimism almost always wins the day; speaks with a light, sweet Iranian accent

Omid: Male, late 20s - early 40s, Iranian; a confident, charismatic and somewhat mysterious student who quickly demonstrates astute skill with and proficiency in the English language; though amiable with his fellow students, he is guarded with his personal life; lives in Iran but was born in the US and wrestles with feeling that he belongs to neither world; speaks with a very light Iranian accent

August Wilson’s GEM OF THE OCEAN

Written by August Wilson

Directed by TBD

Performance location: Canal Dock Boathouse, New Haven, CT

First Rehearsal (CT – location TBD) – Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Tech Rehearsal begins – Saturday, February 21, 2026

First Preview – Friday, February 27, 2026

Opening Night – Thursday, March 5, 2026

Closing – Sunday, March 15, 2026

Possible Extension Closing – Sunday, March 22, 2026

SEEKING:

ELI – Aunt Ester’s gatekeeper and longtime friend of Solly.

CITIZEN BARLOW – A young man from Alabama who is in spiritual turmoil. Late twenties/early thirties.

AUNT ESTER TYLER – A very old, yet vital spiritual advisor for the community.

BLACK MARY – Aunt Ester’s protégé and housekeeper. Late twenties.

RUTHERFORD SELIG – A traveling peddler who is a frequent visitor of the house.

SOLLY TWO KINGS – Suitor to Aunt Ester, former Underground Railroad conductor. Sixty-seven.

CAESAR WILKS – Black Mary’s brother and local constable. About fifty-two.

LAST CALL

Written by Barsha and Jo Lampert

Directed by Sivan Battat

Tentative dates:

First rehearsal - NYC: April 7, 2026

Tech rehearsal begins - New Haven (location tbd): April 14, 2026

Opening – New Haven (location tbd): April 17, 2026

Closing – New Haven (location tbd): April 26, 2026

ALL ROLES HAVE BEEN CAST.

SALARY

LORT Non-Rep $839 weekly minimum (LORT D)

UNION

AEA

Over one year ago, Governor Ned Lamont proclaimed Connecticut "The Home of America's Best Pizza" and New Haven "The Pizza Capital of America." To some, including a popular food magazine, Connecticut is home to some of the best pizza across the nation.

On Wednesday, Food & Wine magazine released a list of "the 10 must-visit pizzerias in the United States," and it included Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, specifically its New Haven location.

"Nobody does New Haven apizza like Frank Pepe," the list reads. "In addition to the tomato pie, don’t miss the sweet and briny white clam pizza – this is where the style originated."

The list also included pizzerias in New York City, Chicago, Detroit, New Jersey, California and Oregon.

New Haven-style apizza is a thin-crust, coal-fired Neapolitan style pie. Frank Pepe is one of the pizzerias credited with establishing New Haven as a pizza city. The pizzeria has attracted locals and celebrities alike — including "The Sopranos" actor Steve Schirripa, chef Gordon Ramsay, musician Paul McCartney and NBA legend Ray Allen — many who are familiar with its family-run business.

"Grandfather Frank immigrated from near Naples and fired up the ovens in 1925, introducing the now iconic, sweet and simple tomato pies, anchovies optional. The family still relies on cavernous coal-fired brick ovens, resulting in dramatically charred crusts with leopard spots," Food & Wine wrote.

On June 21, Frank Pepe will celebrate 100 years of operation with an anniversary celebration at its New Haven location. The pizzeria has locations across Connecticut in New Haven, Danbury, Fairfield, Manchester, Mohegan Sun, Waterbury and West Hartford.

In 2023, Food & Wine listed the pizzeria on its list of "28 of the best pizza places in the U.S." The pizzeria has been featured in other media coverage such as in a segment of CBS Saturday Morning this past January.

In early June, the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing & Tourism launched a campaign featuring billboards declaring Connecticut has "the nation's best pizza." They're placed in prominent locations around New York City including Times Square and Mott Street.

The University of New Haven got a celebrity visitor during its latest commencement ceremony.

Tracy Morgan Jr. graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in music and sound recording, the university posted on its Instagram account. After he received his diploma, he walked to his father, famous comedian Tracy Morgan. Tracy Morgan gave his son a hug, a kiss on the forehead and they walked away with their arms around each other.

Doug the Pug commented, "This is awesome!!" on the Instagram post. During the commencement ceremony, Doug received an honorary bachelor's degree from the University of New Haven in "furensic science."

Tracy Morgan Jr. has made appearances in episodes of "The Tracy Morgan Show," which ran from 2003 to 2004, and "Tanked," which ran from 2012 to 2018.

Tracy Morgan lives in New Jersey in a $14 million mansion, according to Realtor.com. He has come to the Nutmeg State to perform on occasion, including at the Ridgefield Playhouse in 2024 and the Foxwoods Resort Casino in 2025

The famous comedian isn’t the only celebrity with a child linked to a school in New Haven County. In April, Heather Dubrow congratulated her daughter, Katarina, for choosing to go to Yale University in New Haven. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's daughter, Violet Affleck, and Brad Falchuk's son, Brody Falchuk, were spotted during move-in day at Yale last year.

As temperatures are expected to soar to near 90 degrees Thursday, beaches in multiple Connecticut towns are closed to swimmers because of water quality problems, as are a few swimming spots elsewhere in the state.

Two beaches in Norwalk are closed to swimmers because of water quality problems, as are swimming spots in Westport, Milford and West Haven.

Swimming is not allowed at Calf Pasture and Shady beaches Thursday because of elevated levels of bacteria, the City of Norwalk said on Facebook Wednesday.

The beaches remain open to visitors, however, the city said.

Norwalk officials apologized for the temporary inconvenience.

Compo Beach and the beach at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport are closed for the same reason, city officials said.

Silver Sands State Park in Milford also is closed to swimming, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

And beaches in West Haven also are closed to swimmers until further notice, city health officials announced Wednesday.

Due to heavy rain, swimming is prohibited at Oak Street A; Oak Street B; Morse Avenue; South Street; Lake Street; Seaview Avenue; Dawson Avenue and Sea Bluff will be closed until further notice, West Haven said on Facebook.

All swimming spots and beaches in Bridgeport were also closed until further notice, the city said in a Facebook post Thursday.

For more information or any questions, residents may reach out to the Customer Service Center at 203-854-3200 or customerservice@norwalkct.gov #CityofNorwalk