WHY THE MEETING?

"The man dies and all who keep silent in the face of tyranny."
-Wole Soyinka

In April of 2008, precisely forty years after the death of Martin Luther King Jr., I staged Jeff Stetson’s play The Meeting for the first time at the Modlin Center for the Arts. The production seemed highly appropriate. Mounting acts of racism on the campus, systemically and amongst the student body, dictated a need for addressing issues of inclusivity more creatively. In considering the common good over and above that of the individual, my choice of the play was intended to provoke major dialogue on race and entitlement. In an environment that routinely staged plays from the occidental traditions, a presentation that called for communal introspection presented its own challenges. For my efforts I was rewarded with a black doll hanging from the rafters of the theatre I taught classes in. I was reliably informed that the culprits were a group of theatre students who felt “excluded” because there were no roles for them in this all-Black cast play. Never mind that the basement hallway of our department was littered with photographs that reflected decades of productions that rarely if ever, had any people of color. This became a teaching moment for the institution. Professors gathered and discussed how, regardless of disciplines, issues of race and privilege could be addressed in our classrooms. Several implemented these plans. 

ICE is terrorizing our communities of color and military boots are on ground in a few states.  Our judicial system at the highest level is moribund. If you are not a cisgendered wealthy white male – you do not exist. While racism, homophobia and misogyny are very apparent in our leadership, one should not make the mistake of overlooking the fundamental objective of this current administration: to loot the coffers and enrich themselves beyond compare. 

None of this, of course, is new. From the decimation of First Nations People to the enslavement of Africans, White America has proven time and time again that it is prepared to scorch the earth to satisfy its greed and remain supreme. Until White America and its sycophants of color acknowledge that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice “nothing positive will occur for anyone else in this country. 

As we know, Malcolm and Martin had vibrantly different backgrounds, religious affiliations and philosophical leanings. A meeting between them serves as a powerful indicator that dialogue is the first step in the processes of change. Of more significance is the history that surrounds their lives and how it reminds us that actualizing an atmosphere of tolerance requires great sacrifices from all of us. The battle for equity and inclusivity is an extension of the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Revisiting this history and examining it against our present reality is not always palatable, but it is necessary if honest and fruitful dialogue on non-discriminatory practices is going to occur. 

When I think back on those times, they pale in comparison to what is happening today. Not only are we being discouraged to have these conversations we are being punished if we do. High school teachers are fined or dismissed for mentioning DEI or Critical Race Theories. Tenured professors have been fired for public reflections on dearly departed Maga heroes. 

Embracing civil rights has been a difficult pill for White America to swallow and she gags from time to time in the attempt. Today she vomits at its smell. There is no quick-fix solution to the American dilemma but recognizing the enormity of her problems is invaluable towards understanding the need to view civil rights and the march towards equality as a shared responsibility amongst all Americans. Civil rights are not a privilege; they are undeniable to every citizen. African American civil rights cannot be secured if others are not. The civil rights of women and gay people are unsafe if others are not. When one group gains civil rights, the army for protecting all civil rights becomes more empowered. Pertinent to collective action is the conviction of one person to make a change. Julian Bond put it best when he said, “The lessons of the civil rights movement of yesterday, and the ongoing civil rights movement of today, is that sometimes the simplest of ordinary acts – taking a seat on a bus or a lunch counter, registering to vote, applying for a marriage license – can have extraordinary consequences. They can change the way we act and think. They can change our world.” 

So can producing a play. 

I chose this play again and now, because the voices of Malcolm and Martin do not exist today. It is my hope that what they have to say is not only heard – but felt, and in so doing motivates one to take action that reverberates a humane and just society. 

Enjoy the show 
cm