By Sasha Schechter

oberlin.edu

From March 11-13, Little Theater was home to Black and Blues, an original artistic collaboration created and directed by Visiting Assistant Professor of Theater Justin Emeka.  The piece includes dance, song, and scene revolving around Black History and the transition of “Africans” to “Black Americans.”

Black and Blues has an immensely talented cast of artists and takes its audiences on a journey through the African American experience, starting at slavery and leading up to today.  The combination of movement, music, and dialogue from the actors had a powerful impact; where words failed to portray the necessary emotions, there was a song or a dance that compensated beautifully.

The choreography, by Jessica Judson ’10 and James Pressley ’12, held aspects of Capoeira, contact improvisation, and modern dance.  Dance was a central aspect of the piece and was essential when the audience attempted to fully comprehend the stories and their emotions.

Halfway through the show, the lights dimmed, and the omnipresent projectors played a clip of an old minstrel act.  The men of the ensemble played a scene over the projections that was the simultaneously shocking and striking; they applied blackface and danced stereotypically in place, gluing smiles onto their faces underneath their bright red lipstick.

Black and Blues was filled with these kinds of moments; the show was book ended with the main acting ensemble chanting about their blues–their struggles with the world at large and how it conflicts with their identities–and the way they still have to deal with them every day.  They shouted about how they laugh to keep from crying.  The message was heartfelt and hit the audience in a way that was unsettling and personal.

This production’s artistic unification was its high point; this show managed to combine all aspects of theater, music, and dance to create a historical, cultural environment. The emotions presented to the audience ranged from desperate and uncomfortable to joyous and passionate.  The show encouraged audience response, and it received plenty of it from audience members of all backgrounds.

But the conversations dominating the audience that I heard as I left gradually shifted from this show’s artistic brilliance to another topic: Why did the director and performers think a show such as this one was necessary at Oberlin?  There has been a marked divide in theatrical productions here recently between “neutral” shows and shows specifically intended to bring racial issues forward.

Many shows here have attempted to spark discussion about racial issues at Oberlin and in the world at large, while others have often been perceived as ignoring or hiding the race of their performers.  Seldom has there been a show that attempts to acknowledge race, while also exploring other issues.  Do you think this division exists in Oberlin Theater?  If so, what are the ramifications? Post a comment with what you think. What needs to change?