For the past four years, Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) in D.C. and Howard University’s Theatre Arts Department in the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts have collaborated to retain and expose audiences to America’s legacy of classical Black theatre history. “Black Stage: Classical Canon” is the resulting production that will broaden interest in this legacy.
The first American production of a play was sometime during the middle of the 17th century. During those early days, the roles for Black men were not authentic. Roles depicted a profane clown presence. There were two options for Black actors. They could accept the comic role or create a proper stage environment of their own. The second option was logically taken.
“A few years ago, Howard University President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D. and [Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director] Simon Godwin discussed their vision to celebrate Shakespeare and Black creatives,” said LeeAnét Noble, STC senior staff and a Howard alumna.
Between the 1700s and the mid-1800s, early Black theatre companies like African Grove Theatre in lower Manhattan and The Crescent in Harlem inspired “Black Stage: Classical Canon,” a platform to discuss and act in classical theatre productions. This program is now airing on Howard’s PBS station WHUT-TV until March 19.
To get a full production going, Noble reached out to actors from stage and screen, including Keith David, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. John Kani, currently in the STC production “Kunene and the King,” directed by Santiago-Hudson, joined the other actors. Angie Ange, the content director at WHUT-TV, the university’s public broadcast station (PBS), also came on board.
Noble also engaged Howard students she had previously directed for a reading.
Though executing the concept took some time, the result is eye-opening for viewing audiences.
“In a one-day shoot, we were able to make it happen,” said Noble. “It was a conversation we’ve had over the years at Shakespeare Theatre Company.”
Watch the full airing of “Black Stage: Classical Canon” on WHUT-TV in collaboration with Shakespeare Theatre Company.