On this Second Federal Holiday Recognition of Juneteenth, Theatre Lovers and Supporters, I have to take a moment to acknowledge the huge wealth of black theatre performing artists, producers, directors and companies in The Greater Chicago Professional Arts Community who faced the challenge of presenting works that have addressed the devastation caused by slavery, systemic racism, social injustice and unfair oppression that is not only woven into the history of these United States of America, but indeed, nations around the world.
Since the 1980s with such local companies as the late Producer Val Gray Ward's Kuumba Theatre Company ( as a performer in 'The Little Dreamer: Aka Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues' and 'Deadwood Dick, The Legend of the West' ) and the late Producer Abena Joan Brown's ETA Theatre Company ( as a principal actor in the midwest premiere in playwright Ray Arahna's 'Sons and Fathers of Sons' ), and ongoing into the 1990s in the supporting role of The Professor in Director Jonathan Wilson's 1998 world premiere staging of 1999 Jeff Citation Award-Winning Playwright Robert Myers' 'The Lynching of Leo Frank' staged by The Pegasus Players, the issue of racial injustice in this country, and in this world, was on your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson's mind whether the work was a play or a musical.
And when given the opportunity as The Founder, Artistic Director, Producer and Principal Performer of the multiracial, non-Equity professional chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago was available to address these issues, your humble servant in The Theatre was pleased and proud to mount a trio of great stage works that reflected his views on these matters.
These plays included Athol Fugard's 'Master Harold And The Boys', staged at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in Chicago in 1997, Athol Fugard's 'The Blood Knot' staged at The Heartland Cafe Studio Theatre in Chicago in 1999, and Immamu Amiri Baraka's ( aka LeRoi Jones' ) 'The Dutchman' staged at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre in Oak Park in 2001.
All three of these stage works dealing with racial injustice are considered dramatic masterpieces ( on the written page ) and, happily, can be found at most public libraries despite any complaints ( after decades of worldwide public performances ) that they represent anything to do with Critical Race Theory ( which for a fact is not taught in public, K-12 schools, and is only taught in universities and law schools ).
I highly recommend local theatre artists read these works and consider these works for revival stagings. Between 1997 and 2001, your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson earned four Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Award nominations for his work in staging these powerful and important plays.
Cheers.
Darryl Maximilian Robinson has become noted as the very first black actor in American Theatre History to portray on stage a trio of classic dramatic roles including: Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" ( in a 1984 revival presented by The University Players of The University of Missouri-St. Louis and directed by AEA Member John Grassilli at The Benton Hall Theater ); King Henry II in a 1992 multiracial cast revival of James Goldman's "The Lion In Winter ( directed by Mr. Robinson for his chamber theatre Excaliber Productions, Ltd in St. Louis and staged at The Wabash Triangle Cafe ); and Andrew Wyke ( opposite the talented actor Sean Nix as Milo Tindle ) in a 2000, 30th Anniversary, all-black cast revival of Anthony Shaffer's "Sleuth" presented under Mr. Robinson's direction by his chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago at The Harrison Street Galleries Studio Theatre of Oak Park, Illinois.
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