Black Theatre in Chicago: A Candid Conversation

"Raise The Curtain On Black Theater In Chicago" took place this past week at the AKArama Foundation as part of its series of arts conversations. The panelists included Pemon Rami, internationally known film producer, director, arts administrator, historian, and pioneer of Black theatre; Ron O.J. Parson, award-winning director who has worked with a number of productions at various theatres in the Chicagoland area and abroad; Jackie Taylor, founder of Black Ensemble Theater, teacher, actress, director, producer, playwright, and recipient of numerous awards; Runako Jahi, actor, director, artist, writer, and former artistic director of eta Creative Arts Foundation; and Kai El’ Zabar, newly appointed Executive Director of eta Creative Arts Foundation with experience as an executive, a journalist, a producer, and an editor.

After introducing the panelists, Program Moderator Delia Gray shared a history of “the development of the African-American community in Chicago and the positive effects Black businesses had within Chicago’s early days of the Black Metropolis.” This was a self-contained community that was able to thrive on its own due to its social, political, economic, and cultural richness. The Pekin Theatre, a cultural hub that opened in 1905 as the first black owned and operated theatre in the United States, was one of a number of successful establishments in the community, which was further strengthened and expanded by the birth of the Great Migration years later. Black Chicago had experienced a renaissance of its own, “promoting racial pride and a new black consciousness” long before the Harlem Renaissance. Unfortunately, the Black Metropolis was unable to survive the Great Depression of the 1930's and eventually met its demise. In 1935, President Roosevelt formed the Works Progress Administration (WPA), breathing new life into the arts community by creating employment opportunities for artists. It is believed that American Black theatre got its start during this time.

Pemon Rami, who also served as facilitator for the evening, started off by gracing us with a poem by Langston Hughes titled “Note on Commercial Theater,” which was written in protest against the theatre work Mr. Hughes was expected to produce, which he felt did not accurately represent the Black experience. Mr. Rami then posed the question as to how we define theatre today. "Is it that caricature of the creation that was done during that period (referring to the days of vaudeville), or do we trace it back to Africa and connection between rituals and reenactments?" he asked, suggesting that Black theatre today is missing that spiritual oneness with art that is evident in African history.

Mr. Rami gave a history lesson on Black arts in Chicago, starting with the establishment of the first Black film company in 1910 by William Foster. The countless list of Black theatres, theatre companies, organizations, arts consortiums, and venues like the Regal Theater, which have enabled the development of Black creativity in Chicago during the span of over 100 years, is a testament to the rich history of the arts in the city’s African-American community. Mr. Rami credited Oscar Brown, Jr. for paving the way for today's Black theatre professionals. The list of those who are carrying on the legacy of Black arts includes the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM); eta Creative Arts Foundation; Black Ensemble Theater; and the South Side Community Art Center, which is the “longest standing African-American independent institution of art in this country” and will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2020. 

Being exposed to the Negro Ensemble Company in New York at a young age instilled in Ron O.J. Parson the necessity to produce theatre that tells the African-American story, and that is where his focus has been ever since. Also, having met playwright August Wilson in the 1980’s and watching him in action gave Mr. Parson a chance to immerse himself in the spirit of Mr. Wilson’s Century Cycle plays and channel that experience while directing those plays. 

After walking away from a film contract that required her to accept roles that were degrading to African-Americans, Jackie Taylor returned to Chicago and started Black Ensemble Theater with the sole purpose “to eradicate racism and its devastating effects on society.” Ms. Taylor never allowed herself to be influenced to stray away from that mission. Instead, she stood firm in her belief that she could use her background in theatre to eliminate a systemic problem. When asked about her experience with starting and running an institution, Ms. Taylor emphasized that you must understand both the artistic and business sides in order for it to be viable.

Runako Jahi shared that he was inspired to get involved in theatre after attending a field trip at the age of 8 and being convinced that he could do what he saw on stage. Because of his experience, he understands the positive impact of theatre and would like to see more young Black artists get involved as a way to counter the negativity and violence they are subjected to and learn better ways of communicating.
 
Being aware of her responsibility to her community is what brought Kai El’ Zabar back home to Chicago to accept her new role. She shared a story of sitting in on a post-show discussion, during her days as a college journalism student, and being moved by the words of eta founder Abena Joan Brown who spoke emphatically about African-Americans having the right to tell our own stories without restrictions. As an experienced journalist who was able to make that happen, Ms. El’ Zabar  "recognizes the value and importance of the African-American voice." In light of the absence of major Black publications, she believes that we must use theatre as a platform to tell our stories while, at the same time, creating opportunities to develop skills in all aspects of theatre.

During a conversation about the expectations of new writers, Jackie Taylor stated, “A writer can only write from their essence. That’s what makes a writer a good writer. When they try to write from a different cultural point of view or something that they’re not familiar with or trying to write for someone else, it doesn’t work.” It is impossible for a writer to truly capture the African-American experience unless they have lived it. Ms. El’ Zabar added, “What we are doing right now, which is one of the most tragic things that is happening to African-American people, is we are losing our culture because we don’t respect it...There is so much to be proud of, and there is so much to embrace.” We must use theatre to teach people to appreciate what is beautiful about us.

Upon revisiting the issue of defining Black theatre, Mr. Rami stated, ”We must be consistent in terms of how we perceive it and what it means to us.” There are so many differences within the African-American culture that cannot be ignored, yet some assume that we are all the same. Ms. El’ Zabar mentioned that she encourages young writers and actors to be themselves and embrace what distinguishes them from one another without being concerned about the opinions of others.

Getting mainstream to accept the work of African-American writers, as it is, without questioning its credibility or attempting to water it down or force it to be altered in some way is a major issue. Non-traditional casting has become more and more prevalent, with the implication that it is more acceptable to see people of mixed race on stage than it is to have an all-black cast. An attendee asked, "How do we push for more Black roles and experiences to get produced and put out there in front of us?" Mr. Rami interjected that we as Black people need to stop depending on mainstream and invest our resources in works that are written from our perspective. Another attendee stated, “We have to pass down what we know and not be ashamed of it.” African-American history is extremely rich and diverse, and there is a wealth of information yet to be received from countless points of view. We should never grow weary of hearing our stories.

Mr. Rami concluded, “We must do a better job of communicating what we do” in order to receive exposure for our work and obtain support. He urged the audience to support Black theatre and convince others to do so. Earlier in the conversation, Mr. Rami had mentioned that receiving major support is a challenge for African-American cultural institutions. “At some point, we have to be responsible for making sure these institutions continue,” he affirmed. One final thought, which I believe we all can agree with, is that It is imperative to consistently expose young people to Black theatre in order to carry on the legacy and help keep it alive.