By Jennifer Mustoe
I love the story and the format that Another Theater Company has brought to their Something to Cry About, a virtual piece about racism. This just over a half-hour production is a lovely and realistic piece that switches between interview between off camera Interviewer Carol (Madeline Smith) and co-writer Dorsey Williams. He with director/co-writer Shelby Noelle Gist have created a message that is authentic and interesting. We are watching Williams tell his story as a black young person/black man, but we don’t actually feel like we are being prurient. We are interested in what he has to say.
Williams tells his story by repeating conversations with family members and others, both sides of the conversation, and then going back to narrator. I personally like this flip from on stage and breaking the fourth wall. It gives Something to Cry About an intimate feel, like I’m sharing not just theater, but I’m his friend and he’s telling me real things about his real life. The videography by Tyler Fox is great–clear and clean.
One of the themes in this piece is basketball, but it’s a metaphor–it’s a great sports story that means something more. Williams is a great mover, using the whole stage. It is great to watch–exciting, crushing, meaningful.
From AOTC’s website: We are also incorporating the following policies:
In addition to our current mandates involving LGBTQ representation and works by and about women, season selection guidelines will now include a requirement to have at minimum one show per season written by a person of color.
The Artistic and Executive Directors will work together to develop and incorporate a diversity outreach policy for the company to ensure BIPOC, disabled, deaf, and neurodivergent artists are given opportunities beyond what is strictly required by the scripts chosen for the season.
AOTC’s company members will undergo an annual race and diversity sensitivity training led by an outside expert in the field.
Unless explicitly necessary for the plot of a script, all roles will be proactively open to actors of any race or ethnicity.
Only actors of color will be cast in roles written for or have a legacy of being played by actors of color.
Race and diversity sensitivity guidelines will be incorporated into the onboarding of all members of every production.
An Other Theater Company will add at least one person of color to its board of directors which oversees AOTC’s actions as a non-profit organization.
These are all first steps. They are not comprehensive solutions. We will strive to continue to improve through constant and consistent work.
Something to Cry About will be available to stream on An Other Theater Company’s website from November 13 – 30, 2020. Stream will be available from 6:00 PM – 11:59 PM (MST) each night, and a link to the stream and a password for the night of your ticket will be included in your confirmation. Tickets are pick-your-price each night, and free tickets are available throughout the run for those who cannot afford them through AOTC’s Play-It-Forward program. For details on this program, or to buy tickets, visit anothertheater.org.
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