Interview: Artist and Performer Markeisha Ensley

Markeisha Ensley is a composer-lyricist and performer currently writing the story, music and lyrics for the original musical Beneath the Surface, which tells the story of Seneca Village. She’s currently a member of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and loves her role in facilitating songwriting workshops with veterans and teens to promote collaboration and community building through arts education.

We spoke with Markeisha and her mother, Sylvia—who was in the crowd during her performance—about their shared experience, the significance of Seneca Village, and the role storytelling plays in interpreting history.

Please introduce yourself.

I am a musician, writer, and performer based in New York City with a focus on creating theatre that amplifies marginalized voices. I also have a passion for community engagement through arts education. I’m a foodie and a huge movie buff!

What significance does Seneca Village hold for you?

Since I was a teenager, I’ve always been into studying African American history, particularly the history of the Black middle-class, so I was fascinated when I learned two years ago of a self-sustaining Black community that existed pre-Central Park. For me, Seneca Village is a representation of the ingenuity, foresight, strength and resilience that African Americans have always shown and how they contributed to the building of this country, which is often a side of history that we don’t get to hear as much about. The end of Seneca Village is also representative of a cycle that still repeats today. I wanted to understand more about what happened to the descendants of Seneca Village and explore the effects that losing their community had on their legacies.

What is the importance of using storytelling and creative means to interpret this history?

While we have more information on the residents of Seneca Village now, much of their relationships and day-to-day life we must fill in using our imagination. As a storyteller, it is very important to me to convey the richness of life that the Seneca Villagers had and not just tell the story of the trauma they faced in losing their homes and community. Also, I hope that creating a story of life in Seneca Village will encourage empathy and understanding from audiences today that we all have a shared humanity.

What did it mean to perform a scene from Beneath the Surface, your original musical telling the story of Seneca Village, at the 2026 Juneteenth Celebration?

It was such an honor and an incredible experience! To perform this material on the actual land where Seneca Village existed made me feel so connected to the people whose stories I’m trying to tell. They didn’t have the opportunity to tell their stories when they were alive, so I feel it’s our responsibility to voice them now, and it brought me a lot of joy! Plus, to have ideas and music in my head, see them come to fruition, and share it with an audience was totally thrilling!

What was it like to collaborate with DeWitt Fleming, Jr., and the cast of intergenerational performers? What did this collaboration mean to you?

Collaborating with DeWitt and the other performers was very inspiring and made me feel even more connected to what I’m working on. All the performers were so talented and dedicated—it was fantastic to be a part of this group.

One of the best things I’ve experienced in researching Beneath the Surface is meeting and collaborating with others who are also passionate about telling the story of Seneca Village. Whether it’s actors, archaeologists, historians or community advocates, it’s been amazing to see how many people of all ethnicities and ages want to share this story.

Your mother was in the audience for this celebration. What was it like having her share that moment with you?

Having my mom there to share in the celebration was epic and brought things full circle for me. She has been there since the beginning when writing a musical about Seneca Village was just an idea, and she is often the first person I play a new song for. She’s my biggest supporter, so to have her there and for her to experience the celebration with a community of Central Park folks meant the world.

Interview With Sylvia Ensley, Markeisha Ensley’s mom

Please introduce yourself.

Hi, I’m Sylvia Ensley, a former lT professional and high school Mathematics teacher, who is living her best life, enjoying Broadway shows, plays, and the NY Philharmonic Orchestra.  Sketching and painting are again in my life as I enjoy visualizing flowers and landscapes.  Yoga, reading, walking, watching Korean dramas, and exploring and cooking new dishes motivate me to maintain a healthy lifestyle by keeping both my mind and body active and in good condition. 

What significance does Seneca Village hold for you?

Living in the Midwest, I never heard about Seneca Village.  When my daughter told me she was going to write a musical about Seneca Village, her passion and enthusiasm caused me to want to know the story.  I discovered that it’s a story that needs to be told as it demonstrates the resilience and spirit of our people and peels away and destroys another layer of the myth that we are and have always been a race of people less than others.  

What was it like for you to witness your daughter perform her original works apart from the 2026 Juneteenth Celebration?

Watching the performance unfold was both fantastic, inspiring, and heartwarming.  My daughter shares thoughts and ideas of her creations with me, and to see that creativity come to life filled me with joy and admiration.  Seeing the response of the Juneteenth crowd confirmed even more for me that she is a memory voice for the people of Seneca Village.

What did you learn, or gain from the 2026 Juneteenth Celebration?

It was a stimulating, joyful, thoughtful celebration that demonstrated the efforts of a varied and wide range of people who desire to uncover and tell the true history behind the creation of a park used daily by many people.  We, who use Central Park, owe the people of Seneca Village thanks for the involuntary sacrifice of their community of homes, churches, school, businesses, and friendships for the park’s location.