Why Did A Cadre of Actors Assemble Just Days Ahead of the Historic 2020 Presidential Election?

Why Did A Cadre of Actors Assemble Just Days Ahead of the Historic 2020 Presidential Election? To Sound the Final Clarion Call for Democracy.

By

Kat King

We already know that this year’s election is already turning out voters like never before. Literally, never before. If you think I’m making it up, just check the latest voting stats for yourself. Since we know this to be true, why is this the time to put on a play about the importance of voting in the election?

Well, here’s the thing: theatre and entertainment are morphing into something familiar, yet new. We’re never going to give up live performances. People simply need to have that communal, shared experience. Zoom helps theatres stay afloat right now, as do many other platforms, of course. It’s remarkable how easy it can seem to bring the stage into the homes of more viewers. I am sure there are tremendous innovations on the horizon for entertainment technology, but there’s really nothing that can replace the stage.

It’s not a play, is it? It’s a conversation, staged beneath lights, commanding the attention of the audience. All eyes are on them, the players. A vitally important, almost spiritual phenomenon occurs when human beings gather together in darkness. If only our entire nation could listen with the same intensity as the cast of “We the People” listen to one another. Really listen.

“West Wing” alums Melissa Fitzgerland and Joe Spano, along with actress and Blkboard Collective creator & co-host Kacie Rogers graciously took time out of their hectic schedules to provide some more insight into this awesome project.

You see, in that moment when the lights dim, and the silence slips in to fill the air around us, anything is possible. The audience is anticipating what will happen.

The stage is set for the next four years in American History, and we must all play our part-to the hilt. It’s about the preservation of democracy and how to communicate with our fellow Americans, especially when we disagree. I believe that, no matter what comes next on 4 November or even into January, there will always be “ghostlights” that bind us together. In the theatre, there are many superstitions and traditions that most people are familiar with, right? Such as: never tell an actor good luck because that’s actually bad luck, or never say “Macbeth” aloud—especially during the run of the show. Or in the building. Ever.

One such tradition calls for there to always be a light kept on backstage for safety throughout a show, and in every theatre I’ve ever been or worked, we’ve often kept the ghostlight on until the very last person has left the building. If it had been possible, I would have left my ghostlight on forever.

We reached out to pull a few members of the cast for a brief chat to find out more about the show, which aired Thursday, and the first one to respond was Melissa Fitzgerald. We exchanged pleasantries as people do, of course. If I could describe her in one word? Warm. Even through the screen, she emanates a warmth about her that’s hard to miss. This is someone who is committed to seeking understanding, not just being heard herself. At every point in our discussion, she kept pointing the accountability cursor right back at herself, using “I” language to signify a sense of personal responsibility for our national discourse, but without a lick of self-aggrandizement. She means it. They all do, and it shows.

The most important takeaway from our time together was how important she believes it is to listen, and I couldn’t agree more. “We the People” was billed as a conversation, after all, that should include all of us. She went further, acknowledging her privilege as a white woman and doubling down on her commitment to listen to those who’ve truly been disenfranchised.

Another esteemed member of the project, Joe Spano? Well, he’s been doing Skylight a long, long time and has many wonderful things to say about the iconic troupe, which is considered a staple of LA theatre for decades now.. He shared with me a little more about how he came to be involved in this production, explaining that Skylight’s done some other “Zoom plays”, and he’d gotten to work with JoBeth before because a long time ago, he was being considered for “Poltergeist”. Unfortunately, he lamented, he wasn’t able to accept a role due to the strike that was on at the time.

I asked Joe what he would say to anyone who has not and will not see “We the People: A Conversation About Our Country At A Crossroads”, particularly to Millennials and Gen Z who already think their votes don’t matter or count. His response was forthright:

“Even if you don’t have a strong feeling about policy, if you don’t vote you don’t have a stake. Even if you don’t know what should happen. That’s an invaluable thing. Voting is a right and a duty.

While he may be most widely recognised for his key roles on “West Wing” and “NCIS”, as well as a host of other terrific movies (“Primal Fear”, “Hart’s War” just to name a few), Joe has been working on Skylight productions for the past 20 years. It was Dan who had invited recurring talent to actually pen their own pieces for past projects, and he did the same thing for this one as well, but with a bit of a twist—He specifically asked Joe to read part of a poem called “Let America Be America” by Langston Hughes. Joe recounts the experience here:

“I had made one, and I set that to Gary and he in response, ‘Would you read part of a Langston Hughes poem Let America Be America. It’s not just about great. But it’s about what we were led to believe was a magical city upon a hill. At the same time recognizing that’s not true for everyone. Dan asked actors to write and record their pieces.

I told the story about when I went to UC Berkeley, and switched from Pre-med to Dramatic Arts the first class we were asked to bring in something to perform.

Not knowing anything about cultural appropriation in those days, Spano admits he chose “God’s Trombones: 12 Negro Sermons in Verse”, explaining further:

“He’d written several and I chose ‘The Creation’ because it really spoke to me, and all I ever wanted to do was to express and embody the words from people who are loving, and true, and smart, and have this passion for truth and justice…”

You can just imagine a day with Joe Spano, can’t you? Sipping wine and talking of things like transcendalism and spirituality. Joe’s definitely got the poet in him, and I really admire his musing over the opening of “God’s Trombones” as he began to recite before trailing off.

Blkboard Collective’s Kacie Rogers, also a frequent collaborator with and ardent cheerleader for Skylight described the creative process of writing her own piece as being fairly “quick and easy”. She provided a lot of really powerful insights. According to Rogers:

“With everything that’s going on in the world. I’ve been talking about voting a lot, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot. Thinking of all the injustice about people’s right being taken away. ‘We the People’ doesn’t represent me. I think it’s really important to acknowledge the pain and history, but also highlight the importance of using the powers that we have now especially because of where we’ve been. Vote in someone’s name, vote for someone who couldn’t vote, who died fighting for the right to have a say. I get it, I get why you would feel discouraged. The best way to lose a fight is to sit on your hands. Even if there’s a chance

Kacie had a lot of great suggestions for how we can continue the national conversation as well:

“Getting into those conversations in the community. It’s about how to have a conversation when we disagree. The BlkBoard Collective. We recently launched a podcast so that we could show what those conversations would or should sound like. People need to listen to people who don’t come from the same place. Social media can heighten it because of the echo chamber. Also, making sure that art is getting out into the communities that it needs to be going to so those voices and faces can be seen and heard.”

If you want to find out more about Kacie’s incredible podcast and other upcoming media projects, head over to their Instagram @theBLKBOARDCollective, or check their official website for news, updates, resources for supporting BIPOC across the United States.

Earlier on in this article, I mentioned “ghostlights”, but I didn’t quite complete the analogy before. Here’s the punchline: I truly believe our nation is not going to descend into chaos and oblivion when this election ends, and projects like “We the People”, which are completely nonpartisan and apolitical by nature, are the living and breathing embodiments of those ghostlights: common shared truths. The key is that we must yearn to understand and actively listen to each other. These are the only keys to reshaping our nation’s future in the healthiest, and most democratic ways possible. The only way out is through it, together.

I just want to say thank you to Cam Watson, Gary Grossman, Melissa Fitzgerald, Joe Spano, Kacie Rogers and Judith at Borne Identities for arranging this interview.

For anyone still thinking about not voting, I’ll leave you with these poignant final thoughts from Kacie: “The future of the environment depends on your vote. We can’t save the place we call home if we don’t vote to protect it!”

Be sure to check out The Blkboard Collective Presents... The Justice & Juice Pod, available on Apple Podcasts now!

Official Website: www.theblkboardcollective.com

More links: https://linktr.ee/theblkboardcollective