Theater for African Americans in Chicago

There are around 200 hundreds theater in Chicago and only four cater directly to African Americans. Yesterday I got to visit the only one I had'nt ever been to which is called Congo Square. http://www.congosquaretheatre.org/ The play "Brothers of the Dust" was phenomenal I was really live in the sense of transforming the audience into another world. I got to meet with one of the board members after the show and I told her I really enjoyed the show and Im an actor she told me to give her my information. I was too estatic!! I was lucky enough to get to see the show for free because Marie (mpaact member) told me if her and I agree to strike the show afterwards we could see the show for free. The curtains open and I am enthralled. The cast was truly on point, each member played their role phenomenally and delivered especially the lead actor James T Alfred whom I met at MPAACT he trained at MOSCOW AND HARVARD!!! He is so humble and cool. http://www.jamestalfred.com/James_T._Alfred/Home.html Here is a copy of the review of the play http://www.jamestalfred.com/James_T._Alfred/News/Entries/2011/6/2_Brothers_of_the_Dust_is_a_hit!.html 

I am so grateful to be in contact with people like this. Networking cannot be put in words how important it is. All my opportunity I have ever gained in life is based on the people I know especially God.

Panel Discussion

Following the performance we had a panel discussion with the (exective director of MPAACT) Reggie, (my scene director) Marie as well as my scene partner Andre and our scene narrator Terry. The woman leading our discussion repeatedly quizzed us on the background of the august wilson and other fences characters. Which Marie and Reggie answered. I haven't read the book since high school so I myself was speechless. The woman leading the panel began reciting from August Wilson past discussion asking us our thoughts about African American man hood and family relationships. Many of us on the panel felt like we were competing with our experiences versus what August Wilson said to be our experience. To explain more we had and understanding the August Wilson wrote based on his cultural experiences times have change and are quite different from the world in which he lived in. The audience was made up off old white women and no other minorities. One woman asked me am I a angry black young adult. The question was something hard for me to answer the mass racial inequities I see today really angers me and the more and more I learn about institutional racism and white privelege I am angered. I myself never seen myself as a angry black man so as I was explaining the way I see the world I was completely different within my context of race and poverty. Never though would I consider myself to be an angry black man. Passionate? yes angry or bitter not at all. Maybe angered but not angry. Reggie told me that there is no point of me thinking it is my duty to teach free diversity classes to every white person who comes to me and ask questions regarding my culture. I do not hold all the answers nor am I the spokeperson for my race. I like to think of myself as a positive reflection of my culture however I must not stress over trying to educate someone who wants to learn about my culture it is not my duty or burden depending on how you view it. Another woman asked us do we feel comfortable around white people and it was a little awkward so Reggie replied you all are everywhere so... It was kind of a silly question to me but some white people want to know these things. I believe African Americans are still viewed in a lot of people eyes as exotic and mystique. I went on to talk to them about my cultural schock attending Monmouth coming from the urban all black Chicago to majority white country Monmouth. They all seem to enjoy me and my personal stories which was great. On the Other hand the panel discussion leader was quite rude to the audience members she disrespected one woman who said we are all flowers of different colors but we come from the same garden. She demeaned her and it was quite shocking to me, to see an adult demean another woman just because of thinking differences. Its not that she said she disagreed but she bluntly told her its not realistic and not everyone thinks that way. Honesty can burn. As the discussion progressed Reggie and the panel leader continued to battle over what August Wilson said and meant. Reggie as an African American playwright would be more certified to understand why August did something and what point he writes from. While the woman kept referring to a text of what he said. Reggie informed her that as a playwright you may never know what an audience member walks away from and how they interpreted not everything is done intentionally it can be written and expressed subconsciously. That writing my have some symbolism that speaks to you completely differently than it does to me. One other woman asked expressed that she enjoyed post discussion after plays to help her grasp a deeper understanding of the show and it is necessary for her to know the playing or weeks later she will still be boggled by some things. I always believed that was theater you walk away with a different experience than the next and yo may not be able to decipher everything but since weeks later it boggled you then maybe the playwright did his job correctly. Leave you the audience meditating over it even weeks after the show is over. However she demanded she knew everything and she wanted all the symbolism at face value. I wonder why would you want everything handed over too you? That lead to a discussion about culture and how film preview reveal everything about the show letting the audience now exactly what will happen, giving away the ending and trashy any element of surprise. I myself can tell based on a preview of a film whether or not it will be something memorable or flimsy. Reggie gave the example of "cast away" and how he would'nt waste his money on such film because the commercial explained everything. Now when anyone ask him what his play will be about he replies about 90 minutes no intermission enjoy the show. Joking manner but truthful one. After the panel I shooked hands and spoke to many who complimented me on my strength and great performance. Then we left the building Reggie explained to me issues with race baiting and how issues of race discussion turns into a push and pull. We then went out for ice cream and to an authentic Indian food to celebrate our victories.

Reading Performance

I felt so relieved to get my performance over with. The day before we performed for oakton community college we were told that our reading was suppose to be scenes and we expected to be off book all along. I had never felt so pressured in so long. Our original director who was in charge of passing on the correct information had to had over the ranks to Marie who is the house manager depaul theater conservatory alumni. We were originally scheduled to have 4 rehearsals 6 3 hours long located at Depaul college student theater building. However when we got to meet up our original director had a pressing family emergency which pushed our rehearsal dates back. So we only had one full rehearsal which was the day before our performance. One that very day we found out that we not only were expected to be off book which we thought it was just a reading but actually complete scenes off book and we performed at 9:30 am. We decided to incorporate a bat for our fences scene and I was responsible for retrieving one asap. The morning of our performance I arrive I wake up at 5:am because it takes me nearly two hours to get to our meet up spot so we can carpool. I had not memorized my lines so I keep telling myself just wing it, you can do it. Nerves in my body were just jumping jelly beans. I called my mother to ask her can she take me to train station and bring me a bat (shes a softball player) and as I was calling her she decided not to answer her phone. So when I finally got in touch with her it was around 6:30am and I had to meet up with the rest of the mpaact members at 8:30 so I was in such a rush to get in touch with my mother to not only grab a bat but to get to the train station. She told me that there was already a bat at my house which I never thought to look. I ask her to take me as far north as possible. We jump in my grandmothers truck and zoom down lake shore drive and she takes me through traffic swerving through cars like a quiditch player. She drops me off on north and clybourn and I get to meet up with the rest of the gang right on time. God is good. When we arrive to the directors house expecting to get a ride he tells us he was never notified that he would be driving us and he had other plans during the morning. Communication is key and miscommunication always lead to complication. We then call the college in which we were performing at to tell us again what time were we scheduled to perform and to all of or relief not until 10:45. Phewww. So we grab some Mcdonalds on our way there and I recite my lines in the back seat with our scene narrator. We finally arrive and Im told just to relax we have no choice but use our scripts. Luckily for us the audience in which we would be performing for didn't know the script well enough to catch any ad libs. We decided moments before to come up with some pre show music going through Reggie (executive director of MPAACT)  music library. We found four tracks that helped establish the mood well for each scene. The performance was amazing!!! I myself went on stage and in the word of my scene director Marie Go Denzel on 'em! I dug deep emotionally I focused on my characters deep and difficult relationship with his father and took from my own experience and just gave it my all. The final scene is a shouting match between the son and father and I was felt myself really being hurt by my characters father. acting: living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. I was truly my character full mind and body. However there was no separation from me and the character as much as it should've been. I really transformed into my character and I saw myself as Cory like I put on some glasses and I was back in the country during the 50's. I did however guide the character and not let him guide me. I was so relieved to get it over with. We got around of applause and it was so gratifying. It reassured me that this is what I suppose to be doing.

Actors are Athletes

It took roughly 8 hours to strike!! Can you say actors are athletes. Many members of the cast as well as the MPAACT board family came out to help and boy was it needed. I had never striked before and I was ill prepared for the physical feat of transporting large boards of wood back and forth to truck to lobby to street to storage. It was fun though, we got to let loose our aggravation on the wood in a healthy form of stomping and beating with hammers and drills. I never deconstructed a home ever in my life. We manage to save most of the set's wood for future use. What is worth mentioning is the white door that is right next to the sink is the company's first real door!! It is literally twenty years old, the same age as I am. It has been used in every MPAACT production since conception. The doors say alot about the company, its resilience and strength to still be around not only as a small theater company in Chicago but as one that is dedicated to providing raw theatrical performances for African American audiences. If noone writes your story who will? It has been one great myriad of experiences after another working for MPAACT. Besides gaining understanding of what it means to be FUBU theater, which is an acronym for For Us By Us. Many African American plays may have to change their art to appeal to a white audiences. Through that process of crossing over the authenticity of the work loses it value and it no longer becomes African American Art for African Americans by Africans but African Americans arts for white audiences. MPAACT prides itself in maintaining its authenticity and originality because it only produce original work as well as work written about the black experience presented for a black audience. Many people don't understand how rare it is for African American work to be produced for African American audiences. When one thinks of African American plays that instantly think of "For Colored Girls" by Ntozake Shange and August Wilson Fences. These few plays were fubu plays. Speaking of Fences, to complete my internship I will be playing Cory the son of Troy in fences. I am so excited this will be my first time performing in Chicago and my first time to act in a theater internship which is unheard of in a theater internship. http://www.oakton.edu/conted/audience_nav/emeritus/index.php

STRIKE!!

First Quarter

Just completing the first quarter of my internship the insight I have gain is priceless. Every thurs-sun I am working the theater passing out flyers ushering collecting tickets, setting up props. The current show that is running is called The Last Saint on Sugar Hill it has been Jeff Recommend http://www.jeffawards.org/jeffplays/detailn.cfm?production_id=5329
Some of the things I have learned as of date is to understand that it takes a lot of dedication to keep a theater company owned. Every friday and saturday we host a solo jam which is experience into the one person performance. This past weekend a poet/actress from Depaul performed and her show was unforgettable. The scenes were written by her and were about her journey into woman hood. I was beyond impressed just based on her skills to portray he mother, former college roommate and her childhood self. I got to help her set up the stage before she performed she didn't have many props which made my job easy that night. In the near future I will be taught sound design and how to chop different songs to get the perfect music clip. The cast of people all have so much experience in theater and they truly are an ensemble outside of the play. Everyone is family and they have greeted me with open arms. Every week I have dinner with the executive director Shepsu Aakhu who is the founding member of MPAACT and professor at DePaul Theater School.
http://www.mpaact.org/about/artists/company-members/aakhu-shepsu/
He discuss with me how many people don't appreciate real theater anymore, issues with contemporary black theaters as well as the changing demographics in Chicago as it relates to theater. I gain so much knowledge from him. He also taught me the problem with colorblind theater and how its hard for Black Theater troupes to make fubu (For Us By Us) theater. Many Black theater companies sell out to appeal to a majority audience which will most likely be white audience then the show no longer is about speaking to the black experience but more about being water down to get them to understand.  I have learned the importance of cultural theater to preserve you art form so that it speaks for you. If a group of people fail to express themselves in theater that is artistic oppression.