The American Theater Canon is 80% White. How Can That Be Changed?
Brennyn Lark as “Effie” in the West End production of Dreamgirls
BY TIARA STARKS
A letter to the greater and non-commercial theater industry entitled “We See You White American Theater” was published on the internet in June of 2020. The letter, composed by a group of prominent BIPOC theater artists, was addressed to white decision makers and creatives within the industry and highlighted examples of mistreatment imposed upon these creatives. “We have watched you program play after play, written, directed, cast, choreographed, designed, acted, dramaturged, produced by your roster of white theater makers for white audiences, while relegating a token, if any, slot for a BIPOC play. We see you.”
This letter is a part of a bigger initiative to always advocate for BIPOC as well as uplift and recognize the contributions that BIPOC, and more specifically, black people, have made to the American theatrical canon.
I interviewed two much-accomplished theater artists who were open to sharing their thoughts and testimonials on how black actors have been perceived in theater from their own lens. Black representation in the arts should not just revolve around the notion that black people are a monolith. These two artists come from different backgrounds but it's the similarities within their interactions with white creators that are meant to spark a seemingly tough conversation. I interviewed Queade Norah, a New York-based actor who received a B.A in Music Business and M.A in Global Entertainment and Music Business from the Berklee College of Music. Norah spoke about an experience she had with one of the biggest musical theater casting companies. She was contacted by her agent who sent her off in hopes of helping her land a role in a very popular African American show.
“I’ll be completely transparent - the role I was called in to sing was not the right fit and I should have questioned my agent about it. Especially since my resume showed that I had already done the show and the role I played.”
Norah continues by speaking about her interactions during her audition with an exclusively white production team.
“The room only had three other people: the casting director, the accompanist, and the reader (the person who reads as the other characters when the auditioner has to perform a scene). After introducing myself, I performed the song. When I finished, the casting director looked at me and said “Try acting next time instead of riffing. It’s why people come to the theatre. Do you understand?” I responded with an autopilot smile. “Yes, I understand. Thank you.” And then I left. That’s when it hit me all at once. First and foremost, I felt defeated. It’s one thing to receive constructive criticism about what to fix, but the response she gave me was trivial and remedial in my opinion. As if I was a theatre novice.”
That being said, a theatre novice she is not. Norah just got off of a national tour for Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom, and has performed lead roles such as Aida in the musical Aida, Sarah in Ragtime, and played Young Harriet in 125th & FREEdom at the National Black Theatre in Harlem, NY.
Queade Norah as Lynda Blackmon Lowery in Turning 15 On The Road to Freedom, a show based on her memoir
“Her [the casting director’s] assumption was that people attend the theatre to just see acting. For someone like me who did not grow up seeing every Broadway show, I learned about the theatre and wanted to see shows because of the music. I am a music lover. I am drawn to the harmonious and soul saving sounds created by musicians and singers. For me and my Black experience, I was introduced to the theatre through the pop artists who I knew because my mom let me listen to their music.”
Norah expressed that she was introduced to theatre through musicals. Shows such as Ragtime, Aida, Once on This Island, and The Color Purple serve as her musical sources of inspiration. All works that feature the talent of black artists and have culturally impacted the black community for decades.
“Her [the casting director’s] assumption was that people attend the theatre to just see acting. For someone like me who did not grow up seeing every Broadway show, I learned about the theatre and wanted to see shows because of the music. I am a music lover. I am drawn to the harmonious and soul saving sounds created by musicians and singers. For me and my Black experience, I was introduced to the theatre through the pop artists who I knew because my mom let me listen to their music. ”
Queade Norah in Turning 15 On The Road to Freedom
Brennyn Lark, a graduate of AMDA, has appeared in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime but her most notable roles are as Eponine in Les Mis on Broadway and “Effie” in the West End production of Dreamgirls
“Dreamgirls is such a well flushed out storyline about the black experience. Sheryl Lee Ralph originated the character of Dena and Jennifer Holliday was the original Effie. Incredible women. It was an amazing opportunity for people of color to have such strong characters, especially women who were headlining those shows with great character arches. It’s beautiful to see that be mainstream. Though, the very real truth was that it was produced and formulated by white men. It’s not necessarily the most diverse band of people. From my experience, I never questioned it, until people started coming out and saying “Hey, we need to get a more diverse group of people. I think, for this art form, we should be championing all walks of life, all genders, all ethnicities, all backgrounds. We should just accept that notion because art has come in different forms. It would’ve been wonderful to see some more color in the room.”
Lark continued and spoke about how recognizing how long it took for her to see herself in certain roles, specifically in Les Mis and how that opened her eyes to only now seeing more black representation in other aspects of life and culture.
“Dreamgirls is such a well flushed out storyline about the black experience. Sheryl Lee Ralph originated the character of Dena and Jennifer Holliday was the original Effie. Incredible women. It was an amazing opportunity for people of color to have such strong characters, especially women who were headlining those shows with great character arches. It’s beautiful to see that be mainstream. Though, the very real truth was that it was produced and formulated by white men.”
“Being one of three black Eponines, growing up, I never saw myself in Les Mis. I thought, ‘I’m gonna be in the Wiz. I’m gonna be in Dreamgirls.’ This was my preconceived notion, given the world we live in. I don't see myself as that. It’s a lot of cognitive dissonance because on one hand, I’m grateful to have sat in that seat but on the other hand, in the 2000s, it’s still considered a milestone. Brittney Johnson was the first black Glinda [in Wicked on Broadway] and that was just last year. Even when we think of Kamala Harris. That took so long or seeing Amanda Gorman, who’s killing it. She’s brilliant, articulate, and profound but, boy did that take a long time. We make a lot of headway but we have to stay persistent.”
Brennyn Lark as Eponine in Les Mis on Broadway
Brennyn Lark as Eponine in Les Mis on Broadway
“Being one of three black Eponines, growing up, I never saw myself in Les Mis. I thought, ‘I’m gonna be in the Wiz. I’m gonna be in Dreamgirls.’ This was my preconceived notion, given the world we live in. I don’t see myself as that. It’s a lot of cognitive dissonance because on one hand, I’m grateful to have sat in that seat but on the other hand, in the 2000s, it’s still considered a milestone. Brittney Johnson was the first black Glinda [in Wicked on Broadway] and that was just last year.”
In her interview, Lark wanted to give a message of support to the non-binary community.
“If you’re out there and you are non binary, you inspire me to own myself when you own who you are. Not who somebody else wants you to be within society’s “blueprint”. I’m inspired by people who are so solid when you could easily just not be who you are. You are so magical and so perfectly made. It’s a beautiful thing and you are truly a gift. I say that from the bottom of my heart.”
Some of the shows she spoke to as inspirational included Ain't Too Proud To Beg, Raisin in the Sun, Fences, and “anything August Wilson”, the revered playwright whose multitude of work has been produced on Broadway and has been referred to as "theater's poet of Black America".
For black women in theatre, there’s a deep rich history of creatives. These two actresses share many of the same inspirations such as Dorothy Dandrige and Diahann Carroll, both of whom were able to transition to careers on the screen. Think about historical women like Vinette Carrol, the first African American woman to direct a Broadway production which earned her a Tony nomination for her work and Josephine Baker, a black bisexual international entertainer who served as a spy for the French Resistance in WWII and became a well known civil rights activist. They act as sources of inspiration for the contemporary artist who is trying to challenge gender and cultural norms to impart their own work into the canon. Now, we are seeing a renaissance of black women working behind the scenes to tell stories that were once hidden. From Lynn Nottage (“Ruined”) to Dominique Morriseau (“Detroit ‘67”) to Jackie Sibblies Drury (“Fairview”), they are helping propel black storytelling and black thought to the forefront of culture and conversation so that both BIPOC and white audiences are able to view a different perspective of living in America instead of the default, which is usually from a upper-middle class white perspective.
“Think about historical women like Vinette Carrol, the first African American woman to direct a Broadway production which earned her a Tony nomination for her work and Josephine Baker, a black bisexual international entertainer who served as a spy for the French Resistance in WWII and became a well known civil rights activist. They act as sources of inspiration for the contemporary artist who is trying to challenge gender and cultural norms to impart their own work into the canon.”
Though, the work doesn’t stop there. Just hearing and being aware of black storytelling is not enough. We must engage in this work, feel inspired to make a difference within our own communities. Hearing stories from established black theater artists, made me wonder how much more work has to be done. We must see change occur quickly. The next generation of theater goers, lovers, and creators are blossoming. Regardless of race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender identity, you have agency over yourself and your work. To move forward, we must never forget the history of trailblazers who have taught us to question white authority. To the future generations of black creatives, remain steadfast in your activism and in your work. Be proud of who you are and don’t hesitate to create opportunities for yourself and others. To the countless generations of White American Theater, we’ve seen you. To the future generations of Black American Theater, now it’s your turn to be seen.
tiara starks
Tiara Starks is a writer who primarily focuses on the topics of race, culture, humor, and politics with an interest in understanding the history and current impact of BIPOC representation in media. She is an editorial intern for SHEER and a third-year student at the University of New Haven studying Communication with a concentration in Film Production.