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Regarding This Adventure: The Development and
Production of a Special Detroit Black Theater Edition for Black Masks
Magazine
 By David Rambeau, Guest Editor, Black Masks
Magazine
When I discussed what we plan to do and are doing with this
special Detroit Black Theater edition for Black Masks magazine published and
edited by Beth Turner with Nehemiah Pitts, a Detroit theater producer, we
immediately agreed that other cities/states with a black theater movement
could and should develop a special annual theater edition for themselves.
We thought Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los
Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, Dallas/Fort Worth, St. Louis, Boston,
Pittsburgh, Houston, Baltimore, Washington, D. C. and several more cities
could do what we're
doing. Cities outside the U. S. like Toronto or Montreal could also get
involved. Even African cities might participate. (A special edition on
black theater in black colleges is another possibility, as well a special
edition on black theater at the high school level. We clearly need to
explore the creative through-line from high school to college to community.)
Maybe other cities could produce even more editions per year
and better. Two or more cities could split an issue. If this were done,
this publication could easily expand from a bi-monthly to a monthly, could
double the page count from 16 pages to 32 per copy, could increase the
number of copies printed and sold, (Can we sell 100 copies or 1,000 copies
in Detroit, to whom, and through what outlets?), could increase the
advertising, could employ more workers.
I realize that expansion of this sort is far more than a
notion. It will require new energy and a lot of work, but the need, if not
the necessity, is there. This, of course, is speculation on my part, but if
we in Detroit can do it, I know that others could as well.
This would also change the business model and cultural concept for this
magazine, as well as for black theater nationally. What I'm proposing is
merely what should be part of an on-going re-evaluation and analysis, both
of which are critical to survival and growth, not only of this magazine and
black theater, but of black life and culture.
When I brought an earlier draft of this article to our
Project BAIT Writers Workshop and had it reviewed by members of our group,
their criticism opened up my thinking to changes that needed to be made. So
too, with Black Masks and black theater. Both need review and critical
analysis and change.
This magazine and black theater have always focused on New
York. I've always felt that was a mistake for the development of black
theater specifically, and black culture generally, as well as black folks.
We need to recognize and develop talent on a local basis, if for no other
reason than the fact that most creative artists will remain at home, will
need to bloom where they are planted. A magazine like Black Masks is the
vehicle to accomplish this goal. This is clearer now to me than ever.
We need a national, if not global, urban perspective. That
perspective should be urban-centered because that is the focal point for
black people and within the urban environment, theater and other art forms
have a chance to grow. In Detroit the chance for growth is fading as
Detroit declines as an urban environment friendly to the arts. Detroit over
the past fifty years has lost about half of its population, most of its
industry, and much of the black middle class, so the question of a viable
theater movement in a declining urban environment is a serious one. The
same challenge has been and is being faced by jazz musicians and art
galleries.
We need a national or urban-centered theater movement, not
one focused solely on New York. This would enhance the process for
everybody, including the folks in New York. So this is my productive
statement of that concept, a statement that is twenty years overdue with
respect to this publication, and forty years overdue in communication since
I was on to this a very long time ago, back in the 60s when Concept East
Theater was alive and well in Detroit.
The proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree is twenty
years ago; the second best time is today". We could have edited a special
Detroit Black Theater edition for Black Masks in 1986. We missed that
opportunity. We're
going to take advantage this year.
This will be our first time, our first special edition with
Black Masks, and while we'll make a good effort, anything we do will show
some inexperience. We'll miss some people we should have included; we'll
make some mistakes.
But that's ok. We anticipate doing this project on an annual basis since
doing it just once would create more enemies than friends. There are a lot
of haters out there. Planning for at least three years or three editions
will mean that those who aren't included in this first special edition can
look forward to the next year, or the year after that. If you're too late
for this edition, you'll be early for the next one.
We hope to focus on the theater group or institution rather
than on individuals (actors, directors, producers or playwrights). It is
through the group that we produce the play, train its participants and
develop an audience. The whole is greater than any one of its parts.
We may also deal with ex-Detroiters for what they do here or
have done here. When they are elsewhere, other venues in other
communities, they should be a part of that city's feature edition of Black
Masks.
Originally I merely proposed a single, special project, a
Detroit black theater edition to the editor/publisher, Beth Turner. But
after minimal thought I have projected a different business model for the
magazine and for that matter for black theater nationally. Again, black
theater should be decentralized from its bi-polar disorder which focuses
currently on New York (the stage) and L.A. (Hollywood) (the film).
Black Masks, as a national publication with two decades of
experience and contacts could play a leading role in this seismic change,
this paradigm shift. We hope this special edition will lead the way and
that others will follow.
We started on this journey in March, 2006. We'll see when
and where it bears fruit.
For more information about David Rambeau, access the website:
projectbait.blakgold.net
or call 313-871-3333
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Founded By Peggy A.
Moore in 1984