Power Play
Theater arts troupe offers a glimpse into black America
By Christa Martin
At
the City on a Hill, there's a small educational group full of big potential:
The African American Theater Arts Troupe. As a perfect offering during Black
History month, the university drama group will perform the play, "Ceremonies
in Dark Old Men," during the weekend of Feb. 20-22 at the UC Santa Cruz
Second Stage.
The story, set in Harlem 1965, is about a man named Mr. Parker who has two jobless sons and a daughter. When Parker's first career as a vaudeville dancer and singer went sour with leg problems, he opened up a barbershop in the basement of his brownstone home. His wife has passed away and his daughter returns from college with a mission to get the three men "on the right track."
'"The moral of the story is it gives you a snippet of a look at African-American life, not sugar coated, not Cosby," says director and UCSC theater arts staff member, Don Williams.
That's exactly the reason this troupe exists: Williams launched it 13 years ago when he recognized a hole in the theater arts offerings to students, especially to those of color. Unfortunately, there aren't too many black students on campus-maybe a few hundred men and the same for women. Yet in the theater department, Williams says, there are about seven black men and six black women. That's part of the reason why he chose this play, written by Lonne Elder III. It especially gives young male thespians roles they can really bite into.
Thespians like Wes Adkins, an 18-year-old freshman studying film and theater. He stars as the 56-year-old Mr. Jenkins, the comedy relief character in the story who plays checkers with Mr. Parker.
"There's a lot more to this play ... than meets the eye," Adkins says. "At first it seems the black men in the house are being lazy and then you realize there's emotion behind it.... Society won't let them have decent jobs. It's a play about strong men and [strong] people in general."
There are only two female roles in the script, but they too are independent and stalwart. Adelle is the daughter who comes home, puts her foot down and tells it like it is, most definitely making a statement. "That's a true depiction .. of AfricanAmerican women," Williams says. "There's a mighty strength in them."
In exposing the power of black women, yet also the hardships of black families living in New York, this play goes deep into the trenches of honesty. It's far from any Hollywood production that slaps a smile on hardships. After 13 years of doing this-offering plays written by and often starring African-American students--Williams plans to keep exposing Santa Cruz to what life in black America really looks like.
