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Community Performance Inc.

March 12, 2008

I was putting the finishing touches on the first draft for Franklin County’s play until 7 minutes before the first Public reading.

I had a scene. A pretty powerful scene. But something was bugging me. I felt like, because I’d received the stories, I could use it. But then again, I reminded myself, well, in other projects, stories such as this can become problematic. All good plays have tension. And all of our good projects grow along the edge of tension we walk together—and we’re constantly expanding that edge. But I pulled back. I rewrote the final scene, about a moment in time when the community was dealing with some civil rights issues. “This is their first play, Jules. This is their first project. Do they trust you enough to do this, or will there be huge resistance?” That kept going through my head on the (extremely bumpy) flight into Atlanta after opening the Swamp Gravy show on Thursday.

So, I pulled back. I rewrote. I remembered the resistance we faced in other projects. After we landed and arrived in town, the others went and ate dinner while I stayed home, re-writing. And I finished 7 minutes before we were to be reading the play.

There were more than 50 people in the room for the first public reading. A Huge turn out. Their response was quite positive. And while I was asking questions afterward (to which they gave some great information) they, on their own, began talking about some moments from that Civil Rights Era. White folks started it, actually. And the discussion went something like this. “This is what it was like for me to be served at the back door of a restaurant, because I wasn’t allowed inside” And another woman, who said “There is a piece of furniture at the store, and I won’t let it be sold. It is a piece of history. A painful history. One in which I participated. I had to serve you over that counter. I keep it as a reminder to my kids—this happened, and it should never happen again.” And she told this as tears choked her speech.

We talked. I told them that I did have another story which I didn’t use. But I wanted to make sure there was enough trust extended between us before we went there. I asked them, “So, together, shall we go there?” And the room, black and white, said, “Yes.” It was a powerful moment. A good moment. And a very good reference point. If tensions should happen to rise, we can point to this very moment in time, when we, as co-producers, decided to go further. I said, “I’ll bring this back, we’ll read it together, and go from there.”

Then, the composer cooked Richard and me a delicious dinner of baby leaf salad, pasta with three different sauces, ooooh, wonderful. Then she played us a song—which goes directly into the original, first, hard scene I had written and removed. About the night march on the city. It was truly stunning. This composer is absolutely amazing, anyway, we’re so lucky to have been introduced. Her work is sophisticated, fabulous. At that moment, I knew it is the right decision to use the slightly stronger story. And the next day at rehearsal, we found the people who could play these roles.

First readings are an interesting occasion. It would be easy to become discomboombulated—if you didn’t love doing this stuff. But I love holding these, working with the community, dishing back and forth, finding the edge together. A lot of writers don’t like this step. In all honesty, it is a stressful occasion. After all, it’s my baby we’re looking at, taking apart and examining. And, it’s their baby too. We both bring something to this. And as we work through the draft, I become more versed in the world of the community, and they become more aware of what it is I’m doing with their stories. Really, it’s the best job in the world. Especially as the community remains in communication with me. I try really hard to make sure the doors of communication remain open. The results can be disastrous if those doors close. Truth can be replaced with suspicion. Dictates replace dialogue. Artistic team and community team become oppositional rather than harmonious, and even as we work toward the same goal, it often times no longer appears that way. With Franklin County, we’re in dialogue and communication with each other. It’s my intention to remain in communication- in partnership and full co-production with the community. And this dialogue, and these reference points along the way, are very important in the journey we’re taking together.

It’s not just a job I get to do in the communities I work. It’s an honor. And also, a responsibility. That talk we had is priceless as we moved forward together, and I am honored that they trust me enough to take them through these wonderful, touching, difficult, funny stories. I said before these folks were different. Fiercely independent, strong, and fabulous. They are that. And more.

   

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