'Fairview' at UNCSA: Black shows for white audiences, NC Black Rep, and Black southern theatre
I have four pages of notes from the production of ‘Fairview’ at UNCSA.
‘Fairview,’ from a creative standpoint, is all about choices.
a choice was made to write a piece about a Black family, specifically for white audiences.
(though one could truly argue that all shows about Black families with a Broadway or commercial trajectory fall into this category)
a choice is made in producing this show, to hire a white (or predominantly white/white presenting/publicly facing) tech crew to run the show.
a choice is made to have/hire a white stage manager.
to perform for predominantly whwite audiences.
to perpetuate servitude in the Black theatrical community, by having Black actors get onstage and lecture/to do the heavy lifting— to inform white audiences of what they already know:
the stage, the theatre, it’s all for them.
the show does not escape this fate with a Black director. though I’m sure this piece is a fun challenge directorally, I wonder why we don’t take advantage of the other fun directoral challenges. like the ones that aren’t catering to white audiences.
“Damn. this is the kind of work Black rep should be doing regularly.”
I left ‘Fairview’ like “damn. this is the kind of work Black Rep should be doing regularly.”
but it isn’t.
in fact, Jackie Sibblies Drury herself does not think this is a piece to be performed in front of predominantly Black audiences. and perhaps that’s why NC Black Rep Artistic Director Jackie Alexander selected it for his directoral debut at UNCSA.
I was genuinely surprised UNCSA had enough Black students to stage the work. I remember a time when the high school senior drama ten student cohort would only take two Black students.
I understand Alexander’s selection. particularly for a lily white campus. I understand why the choice was made to do this piece, at this venue.
“SUSPECT DOESN’t BELIEVE AUDIENCE CAN KEEP UP OR COMPREHEND NUANCED DRAMATIC WORKS”
my sentiment about NC Black Rep doing this kind of work is more about quality of content than anything else. there is a lack of trust in the relationship between Black Rep and their audience. they do not believe that Black audiences can handle complex plots and content outside of their traditional religious, “urban” selections.
if you are aware that plays like ‘Fairview’ exist/if you are keeping up with contemporary theatre/your season of shows should reflect that.
as a Black theatrical institution, you should be ushering in a new era of drama, encouraging experimental works that push the boundaries of theatre is and can be.
“suspect doesn’t believe audience can keep up or comprehend nuanced dramatic works”
NC Black Rep? guilty.
NCAT? guilty.
NCCU? guilty.
and as a result, we all suffer.