Darryl Maximilian Robinson On 25th Anniversary of ESC's 1999 Multiracial Cast Revival of Tennessee Williams' "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof"

Now Celebrating His 50th Anniversary As An American Stage Performer, Darryl Maximilian Robinson Notes The Upcoming 25th Anniversary of The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Multiracial Revival Production of Tennessee Williams' "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" at Pulaski Park Studio Theatre in The Wicker Park Neighborhood of The Windy City!
Notes On Presenting Tennessee Williams At A Chicago Park.
"This troupe's always provocative color-blind casting aside, director Darryl Maximilian Robinson plays Williams' quintessential tale of family dysfunction and emotional impotence fairly straight." -- Nick Green, The Chicago Reader, Sept. 16, 1999.
Believing That Great Scripts Can And Should Be Performed And Staged By All Races Of Actors, Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago Founder Darryl Maximilian Robinson Directed and Starred as Big Daddy In A September 1999 ESC Revival of Tennessee Williams' Cat On A Hot Tin Roof With A Multiracial Cast at The Pulaski Park Studio Theatre In The Windy City!
All of the Pollitts appeared onstage in one form or another ( although the "no-neck monster children" were reduced to off-stage voices created by adult members of the cast ). Big Daddy and Big Mama were of course there. As were Mae and Gooper. And Brick..oh, he was there. And, most of all, Maggie the Cat was most definitely there.
And the playing area of the bedroom of Brick and Maggie ( where the majority of Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning dysfunctional family drama plays out ) was intimate.
So intimate, in fact, that members of the audience were seated on the curtained stage of The Pulaski Park Studio Theatre of Chicago only a few feet away from the performers and occasionally violent stage action.
The only real difference between this September 1999 Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof from any other was that ESC's Founder, Artistic Director, Producer and Joseph Jefferson Citation Award-winning Principal Actor Darryl Maximilian Robinson (who appeared as Big Daddy Pollitt ) based his casting choices solely upon the talent, skill and imagination of the actors as they presented themselves at the show's auditions with a total and complete disregard of color or race.
One of the long-time goals of the ESC was to promote racial harmony amongst performing artists in a city that has a long history of racial strife which does not suddenly disappear when performers show up at The Stage Door. Director-Producer Robinson firmly believed then ( and still believes now! ) that The Art of Theatre has healing powers and opens minds.
And Tennessee Williams' classic deep-south tale of the battling Pollitts is a great script to bring artists of multiple backgrounds to work together upon!
Joining Mr. Robinson onstage as Big Daddy was a gifted and giving cast that included Drew Nye as Brick, Carrie Coorigan and Michelle Perry alternating in the role of Margaret, Khristian Leslie and Brad Sandefur alternating in the role of Gooper, Ericka Ayche'le and Kimberly Corney alternating in the role of Mae, and critically-praised, Special Guest Artist Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Best Actress Award Nominee ( and future Chicago Joseph Jefferson Non-Equity Best Supporting Actress Award Winner ) Felisha Mcneal appeared as Big Mama.
Production Stage Manager L. C. Satterfield skillfully doubled as The Reverend Tooker and Dr. Baugh, and talented young actor Lonell Razae Smith served as a non-performing Stand-by for the role of Brick.
All members of the company were focused and committed, and ably assisted by talented fellow actor, theatre artist and ESC Associate Producer Darryl Manuel ( who provided the much-needed funding and technical expertise to complete the set painting and lighting design), this production proved to be one of ESC Founder and Director Darryl Maximilian Robinson's all-time favorites.
Your humble servant in The Theatre, Darryl Maximilian Robinson, is grateful for the fine work of all those involved ( cast and crew ) and hopes all those involved will remember the best things about this multiracial cast revival staged nearly 25 years ago.
Most recently, Darryl Maximilian Robinson was named a winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award for his numerous online theatre-related offerings during the early years of The Covid-19 pandemic.

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