Guess what's coming to LI? Shows spotlighting Black talents, issues

Directing was never on Sheila Barksdale’s wish list. "I’m happy on stage," said the African-American actress from West Babylon.

But when EastLine Theatre asked Barksdale to codirect its production of "Intimate Apparel," which runs from Saturday through Feb. 27 at the BACCA Arts Center in Lindenhurst, she just couldn't say no.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement made her realize she needed to become more outspoken and active in pushing Long Island theaters to present stories that showcase the talents of African Americans. "This is something I’ve been asking for," she says. "For me to turn it down kind of makes me a hypocrite."

Co-director and board member Matt Rosenberg said EastLine is leading the charge to diversify Long Island theater, adding he hopes others will follow.

There are positive signs. Running through Feb. 20, Manes Studio Theatre’s Bayway Arts Center in East Islip is dishing up the local debut of "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner," the stage version of the iconic 1967 film co-starring Sidney Poitier that put issues of interracial marriage in the spotlight. And in May, Plaza Broadway Long Island will present the Long Island premiere of "The Color Purple," the hit musical about the trials and ultimate triumph of a young Black woman, at the Elmont Memorial Library.

'PURPLE' PASSION

While Plaza’s founder and executive director Kevin Harrington says he was drawn to "The Color Purple" because it’s a universal story "that touched my heart," he believes the show speaks to what’s happening now on and off-Broadway, where a number of recent and upcoming plays by Black writers are exploring a multitude of racial issues.

While exploring those issues is an important factor for doing "The Color Purple," it isn't the only reason Harrington is doing the show. "I think I would have chosen it anyway because it’s a beautiful story and I’ve always wanted to do it. I was shocked to find out this was the Long Island premiere."

After seeing the 1985 Steven Spielberg movie, Harrington says he was taken with the story, based on the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning Alice Walker novel about an impoverished Southern girl who is abused by her father. Harrington saw the first Broadway production (2005 to 2008), which "I liked, didn’t love." He became passionate about the piece after seeing the 2015 Tony Award-winning revival (the version Plaza has licensed).

"I was so moved and drawn into the characters of the revival," he says, attracted to the smaller cast, the simplicity of the set with a dozen or so chairs creating all the locations, and the richness of the score that features jazz, ragtime, blues, gospel, and African music.

"It was not overproduced," he says, "it’s a beautiful story of a woman who’s able to overcome such adversity in her life through the power of love and the power of forgiveness."

And it’s of the moment, he adds. "We’re living in such a divided world, it’s such a strong and powerful message for today’s challenging times … it’s a human story that everyone can relate to."

'DINNER' IS SERVED

At Bayway, "Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner" was selected in large part because it spoke to the theater’s commitment "to do plays that address social issues," says executive artistic director Rick Grossman. And it met his personal goal to do plays not previously presented on Long Island.

"We were able to check a couple of boxes with this show," notes Grossman, but most important is that the play is set in the ‘60s, when the civil rights movement was "becoming so meaningful." The message of searching for racial tolerance addressed in the film (also co-starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn) and the relatively recent 2012 theatrical adaptation by Todd Kreidler is one that needs to be communicated over and over, says Grossman.

"The movie is brilliant," says Prince Parker, the Brooklyn actor who’s playing what amounts to the title role — the man who came to dinner, made famous by Poitier. It’s the story of two families (one Black, one white) struggling to accept the idea of their children marrying. Parker says he appreciates that the film touches on topics people didn’t want to talk about when it was made.

"For them to do that movie in that time was really huge," he says. "It was groundbreaking," but he quickly clarifies that "it still holds weight today." Parker says he hopes audiences at Bayway will "see how far we’ve come, but also how much work still needs to be done."

Parker was offered the role on Jan. 6, the day Poitier died at age 94, though he maintains he did not panic at the pressure of taking on a character made famous by the iconic actor. Or something along those lines.. Parker calmly says "we’re only given what we can handle. At least that’s what I keep telling myself." The actor, who says he hopes to originate his own role some day, considers the Academy Award-winning Poitier an inspiration. "He opened many doors with the work he took on," Parker says.

But Parker says he's not trying to emulate Poiter's performance but stay true to the character.

'INTIMATE' DETAILS

EastLine also was inspired by a groundbreaking artist. The group decided on Lynn Nottage's "Intimate Apparel" to mark Black History Month after the theater’s book club read the play and fell in love with it. The story of an African-American seamstress in turn-of-the-20th century New York City is inspired in part by Nottage’s great-grandmother. It deals with her love for an Orthodox Jewish man whose religion prevents marriage and a man from Barbados whom she eventually marries.

Every character, says Rosenberg, "is searching for intimacy … longing to be loved in some way. That’s why it resonated with us."

It’s universal, adds Barksdale. Take the Black actors away and it’s still a good story."

Plus, "we love Lynn Nottage," adds Rosenberg.

Rightfully so — at one point in January the Pulitzer and Tony-winning Nottage had three plays running in Manhattan, "Clyde’s," which closed Jan. 16, "MJ the Musical" (about Michael Jackson) on Broadway, and an operatic version of "Intimate Apparel" at Lincoln Center.

As for Barksdale, she says she’s happy she accepted the directing job, but wants to think beyond this show. "To put up a play in February during Black History Month, I’m grateful," she says. "But what about January and March and April … it needs to be integrated throughout the season."

Noting EastLine’s goal of putting on more plays by diverse playwrights for audiences, Barksdale says, "The more they’re exposed, the more receptive they will be."

Rosenberg agrees that audiences are becoming more savvy and developing broader interests. It’s not "one and done," he says, adding that EastLine has the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Anna in the Tropics" by Nilo Cruz on its September schedule for Hispanic Heritage Month.

"We are beginning the expansion of our community and getting the theater community to realize there’s more than just four musicals with Black people in them," he says. "There’s a wealth of authors and playwrights and artists whose stories are not being told. This is just a first step."