Black Voices: On race, theater, art and acting.  

"When I become aware of a role I'd like to play or a director with whom I want to work, it's at that time I am driven to seek out the opportunity, and usually that's in a 'color-blind ' way. Sure, I am a Black African American. However, I've been around long enough to have had quite a positive experience in this -- not Black and White -- but TECHNICOLOR world. It's a beautiful world. And we the people, be it in Russia or America, we are the human beings living in it." - Joan J., "Charlotta" in The Cherry Orchard

"I think that most directors (hopefully) look for who is best in the role and then it just so happens that maybe they are a minority. I never really think about whether my race is considered. I just want directors to see that I 'm a good actor that also happens to be Black." - Donnis Collins, "Anya" in The Cherry Orchard

"The most work, as a mature black female, that I ever receive is during Black History Month. …the other 11 months of the year I am always fighting against the black female typecast to try to get interesting female roles that are usually cast with white females. Now there have been a few wonderful roles such as Ariel in 'The Tempest ' and Most recently 'Brooms: a play about saying yes ', that I feel that I was cast simply because they felt I could do the role, regardless of my color -- and thank GOD for theater companies such as those that see beyond race." - Jackie Marriott, "Lyubov" in The Cherry Orchard

"Characters in African American plays are often familiar: I know someone like that in my family or in my circle of friends... I can identify with the experiences. In mainstream plays it seems less familiar, though as humans we all share the same emotions so I guess it shouldn't be so difficult." - Chaunesti Lyon

"I have actually played fewer roles written by or as an African American. I have always learned to make the traditional white characters my own. I struggled with playing the Lady in Yellow in 'For Colored Girls... ' because of the language. It was hard for me to say things like "dat" instead of "that" and make it sound natural." - Donnis Collins

"When I was doing color-blind acting, I was always told not to be black: "He's not really black." OK, what is he? Martian? Who's the blond woman? Is she white? She can bring who she is into the role, but you're asking me to act with my hands tied behind my back? I call it Cyclops casting: It's color-blind in one eye." - Marion McClinton, noted for his direction of August Wilson plays at the Pittsburgh Public Theater

"My phone was always ringing when it was time for color-blind casting, because I did a lot of Shakespeare, and who was I going to play? The murderer! Or the servant. In 'Merchant of Venice, ' I was Morocco or Lorenzo, but never Bassanio. If you want to desexualize me, cast me as a sidekick. I played Lorenzo in college and we had a great time until Jessica's mother and father came, and that night she said, 'Can we cut out the kiss?' Hel-lo!" - Keith Glover, African American actor and playwright

"The misguided notion of color-blind casting--as if anyone could be unaware of ethnicity (audiences certainly aren't) denies ethnicity rather than embracing its prevalence, now and historically. The amount of mental gymnastics such thinking requires is staggering, and yet our stages too often offer this bland, nonspecific, color-blind approach." - Norman Gee, Artistic Director, Oakland Public Theater

"I thought I could do something for the Negro race in films, show the truth about them and other people, too. I used to do my part and go away feeling satisfied, thought everything was O.K. Well it wasn 't. The industry was not prepared to permit me to portray the life or express the living interests, hopes and aspirations of the struggling people from whom I come. You bet they will never let me play a part in a film in which a Negro is on top." - Paul Robeson, former Black American actor, singer, all-American athlete, lawyer and political activist

"If I were Betty Grable, I could capture the world." - Dorothy Dandridge, the first African American woman nominated for an Academy Award

"We explore important dynamics between the varied relationships of family and their servants. We do not focus on race yet we don 't completely ignore it. We have talked about what we felt was the most important story for us to tell (this family and their relationships) not… Look! we are Black Russians in a classic play." - Jackie Marriott

"It has been one of the scariest endeavors in which I've partaken, but also graciously rewarding. By the end, we'll truly have created a community of performers who are willing to do anything and everything for each other. The support has been amazing, and the environment in which to create has been totally freeing." - Thomas King

"This has been quite a ride! Learning to make the language our own and understanding that though it was not written with Black actors in mind, learning how to connect to the emotion and experiences of the characters… we've learned to identify. Knowing this, Chekhov doesn't seem so foreign anymore. And that is what has made this experience so beautiful: To see that we've been able to make it our own. And it has become real for us." - Chaunesti Lyon

"Working as an ensemble in a professional theater company for this production has been "mystical magic" of the divine sort. Sure we have an all Black cast, and that makes it extra special, however, the combination of all the cast members, artistic/tech staff, and especially our director has been TOPS." - Joan J.

"We all have such good chemistry in the short time that we have been together and I feel like its only going to get better. I am working with people that I have worked with before and meeting new people as well and that balance is great. I am just very honored to be a part of this cast and I have to thank Jay for letting me be a part of it." - Donnis Collins