City on a Hill - February 19, 2004
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men Recounts Racial Struggle
By Maggie Gomez, Art's Desk Writer
Set in a Harlem barbershop, it is the story of an African American family living in New York in the early 1970's. The play recounts the struggles of the Parker family and their efforts to overcome obstacles such as racial. stereotyping.
"The conflicts they face are the same ones that a lot of people of color face today in 2004. It's a story many can relate to," said Mr. Donald Williams, Research Assistant and Director of Rainbow Theater/African American Theater Arts Troupe.
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men was the play that led to the formation of AATAT
13 years ago.
Williams remembers students approaching him when he first started working
at UCSC. "They had a strong desire to perform, but no outlet," said
Williams.
The group ended up working afterhours and on weekends to make their first performance of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men a reality.
"I remember getting steps, walls and various pieces of furniture that were getting ready to be tossed out," said Williams. "We put them together and put on the show with no budget."
The performance ran for one weekend at Stevenson College. Every night after the show people gave donations, which built up the AATAT financial foundation to create the African' American Student Scholarship Fund at UCSC. The fund now gives five $1,000 scholarships a year and has given over $60,000 since the troupe's pioneer production in 1992.
Rodney Ridgel, a UCSC student playing the part of Mr. Parker in Ceremonies In Dark Old Men, received one of the scholarships this year.
"Mr. Parker illuminates some of the feelings on living and trying to
work for the man during this time," said Ridgel. The play deals with
the upbringing of black men said UCSC student Allyson Evans, Assistant during
the civil rights movement. Ridgel ' Director of AATAT. describes his character,
the owner of the
barbershop, as a proud man, who is drawn into illegal business to support
his family after the death of his wife. "Mr. Parker illuminates some
of the feelings on living and trying to work for the man during this time,"
said Ridgel.
Lonne Elder W first wrote and presented Ceremonies in Dark Old Men in 1969 at Wagner College, Staten Island, New York.
Elder entered the New' Jersey State Teachers College in the' 1940's, but. left before the end of his first year, moved to - New York at 19 and continued his education there. He became active in movements for black equality, which motivated him to write short stories and poetry. He later became associated with the Harlem Writers Guild, a community of writers of African descent whose mission is to preserve the experience of black people in the written word.
"He wrote this in a time where- history was changing. It was performed shortly after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated,"
Evans encourages all students to come see this performance and believes everyone could benefit from seeing it because it is a reflection on real life.
"As one of the characters says in the play, you bite, climb, scratch and you still' die anyway," said Evans. "This family deals with. many things building up based on their skin color." The question, she says is "How is it that they are going to be able to break down those barriers and become something stronger?"