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Community Performance Inc.

May 28, 2008

5/19/2008
What is this divide across which we cannot communicate with integrity? All the black participants in the scenes are in one extended family, with the exception of Barbara. This afternoon the adult leader of this whole group was, I thought, in solidarity with me in service to these stories and Franklin County. Then tonight every single scene was missed--six separate failures to come to rehearsal. After we had agreed to meet this afternoon.

We can easily absorb the absence of these actors from that many scenes of the play. There are enough other participation to get by in scenes like Who Fried the Rooster, Ahead of the Times, Growing Out the Hogs. If black cast members don't come for the name roles in March in the Rain, a piece about the civil rights march that took place here, then committed participants will play the roles, and they'll be white. That doesn't work. But, to gut the play and rewrite the ending because people didn't show up isn't fair to the rest of the endeavor. At what point does someone care enough about the play to put it first? This is a lesson to be learned by me and the actors.

I haven't so far been able to find out what we're doing that is keeping black folks out. I don't feel the trouble beneath the surface that I've felt in so many places, race trouble. I just haven't encountered it. I believe I'm fairly tuned to it.

And I believe the intention from the "March" actors is to do the scenes and have it work. But the work that can bring that manifestation about, isn't taking place. And I've worked outside my white culture before, and I know the way things get done is different.

Tomorrow night we work through the first act. I'm pretty sure we'll have enough folks to carry on. It isn't the act with "March." Another day, another chance. I remember what Wilma said, head to the choir at New Light, "I'll see you at rehearsal. Now we won't be with you at every rehearsal, but we're with you."

Okay, it is the night after. The next night's rehearsal, the workthrough of act one has taken place. Lo, and behold, we had six blacks show up that I didn't expect. They are coming late in the rehearsal process, and (not but) AND they are coming. Barbara, Mary, Thomas, Sheila, Maih, Zadie. I have no idea why they came, except to contribute to the totality of the show. They want to be in it.

Folks, I've haven't got it right. This isn't anywhere as simple as a matter of black and white. Vivian tells me, "We've known these folks all their lives. They ain't worried about what we think of them, one way or the other."

There are dependable folks and undependable folks--white or green. There is a cultural divide, black and white. I went to New Light and six people were there at 11:25. The service started at 11:30 on the clock, but the people came in and were pretty much there by 12:00 noon. Even the choir was mostly late. And the service flowed. I was right there watching that flow, and I couldn't figure it out, subtle signals that said who sang next, how long the song was, when it ended, what key it was in, and so forth.

So there are dependable and undependable folks. And there is cultural difference. And there is stuff that I'm not seeing.

Tonight we were beginning to be an ensemble. The singing is leading the way in the formation of the play. The first lunge in the direction of greatness was by Mary Ann who reared back on her hind legs and kicked the damn ball out of the stadium when she sang, "AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, IN THIS LAND OF SPIRIT," then the everyone sang. It sent shivers. The commitment was ABSOLUTE, the volume fortissimo, the intensity bending steel. The rest of the chorus bounded up to her heights to close the song, "Those were, those were
These are THE LAST HARD TIMES."

"That," I yelled, "That is the play! That's the intensity of the rest of the play. Let's follow Mary Ann!"

Everyone was really pleased.

I'm just a beginner.

   

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