Breaking the Chains pt. 1

The story of Central Ave:

In the 2021-22 season, I was invited to Stageworks as a Playwright to write an updated version of their existing script African-American greats. It was to highlight figures from Tampa’s Black Business District Central Avenue, covering their accomplishments and their impact on the community. I didn’t know that this writing process was shaping me for the work I would be doing for the rest of my life. It began to humble me; teaching me how to listen to the text, to hear the voice of my subjects. I would walk throughout Curtis Hixon park, especially Legacy Walk using the placards and artwork available for inspiration.

https://youtu.be/i0fBwhdH0MI?si=GTXltblSsCl51bxS

I would look at these pictures of cars bustling through Ybor City and the Central Avenue Business District, looking at art and history converging, standing on top of what used to be known as Central Avenue.

The irony of this symbol of upward mobility with I-4 as it's backdrop stirred a comforting epiphany. I soon recognized many of the

Robert Saunders, with a stern look of expectation and hope.

the cultural traditions this legacy has contributed to across generations I happened to be a recipient of. Blake and Middleton’s longstanding rivalry, the variations of Tampanian dances that might've come from the twist (dances like K-Wang with it, City Boy With it etc.) and the inherent hustle culture that’s embedded in the psyche of a Tampa native. We titled this project Central Avenue Leadership Legacies (CALL). And once I was done writing it, I felt really settled with what I'd written. Not because I'd gotten it right, but I felt deeply that I'd gotten it true.

I began to hear the thoughts of these leaders and to feel their dedication to make change for their people deeply. Perry Harvey says, “What these children need is a head start.” This opportunities were novel for their time period: education for Black citizens, unions to protect Black and brown workers and community developers working to create spaces for these citizens to live comfortably and thrive economically.

Blanche Armwood, standing regally looking to a bright future.

I felt their stories in my core. I resonated deeply with black revolutionaries of their time such as Blanche Armwood graduating from Selma summa cum laude by the age of 16 years old, emblazoned to provide educational opportunities for those around her who didn’t have immediate access to them. I felt humbled by these leaders who were committed to their missions. Of course I will write your story!

Not because I have the ability but because I’m willing to do whatever it takes to capture the essence of what it means to be you! You've done this much for me, it's the least I can do to contribute to the legacy of social justice and change.

I believe this mindset contributed to CALL being a huge success its first two years. We would pull up to these schools and would receive some of the most intriguing questions from these students. “Why do you think the times were so hard back then?” And in so many ways, “Why did you decide to do this?”. Of course they’d ask, “Have you been in any movies? Where can I find them?” But it was fascinating to be able to provide context and life for these figures who were words on a piece of paper in class. The show had proven to be a success.

We were riding high on this success, even after state legislation issued Bill 1467 March 2022, which would later deem one of the monologues unsuitable to present to middle school students because it discusses the Civil Rights Movement. In the middle of the production, we were asked to stop our show because one of the actors presented pieces of this monologue. Another soul crushing moment in this journey. And that’s when I realised every moment like this is to define my story moving forward, it’s God’s way of saying, “You don’t need that layer/version of yourself, let’s see who you become now.”

My Next Lick:

I knew I was only as hot as my last release or publication. I developed this mindset from years of being a rapper. During the height of CALL, I went straight to Karla (Producing Artistic Director of Stageworks) and I want to be apart of more of opportunities like this how can I make that happen? I was feeling like I was the worst my rapping had ever been, and since I was seeing promise as a Playwright and Spoken-Word artist I might as well get as much done as I can. This hurt me deep down, but I knew I wanted to solidify my name as a writer, and this was my best bet. 

Karla suggested a concept centred on the Game of Life. One of the staff members went to a play titled Adaptation written by Elaine May, and in the staff member’s words was “a cookie cutter look” at the board game. The staff member suggested something that was more true to life and resembled the reality that not everyone was privileged to have the same starting point.

Elaine May's play Adaptation produced by Rogers Park Theater

Karla asked if I could oversee the development of this project because it could immediately be seen as disrespectful or toeing a line, if it wasn’t developed properly. I was excited to sign on to the project speaking directly to the issue at hand, like let’s not run away from the discussion highlighting that there are privileges afforded to some and not others based on race, gender and class backgrounds.

 “I want this script to address that everyone isn’t given the same circumstance or privileges.”

We began meeting with educators, doctors, finance specialists and more. I wanted to make sure that everything we added to the discussion was founded with evidence from professionals. I wanted an understanding of why people have different qualities of life across the sectors of education, health, career and legacy. I felt prideful, I truly wanted to know this story for myself; it was a burning question I truly had: why were some people afforded certain privileges when others were not.

I wrote the play in the form of a game show, still including a live action board-game adding a host and four players each a specific race and class. There were two black contestants and two white contestants; each race having someone from a privileged background and another from a lower economic standing. As the game continued forward, there was a twist: each group had a different deck of cards they’d pull from. Whenever someone landed on a Circumstance square, based on their socio-economic standing they would receive a different outcome/situation. I was excited to complete it, but I would go on to submit only one draft of this piece.

I still don’t think I got the answer to this question. This was another challenging writing process, and I wasn’t writing any more to answer this question but fulfill an order. I was stressed attempting to connect so many different intentions into one play proved to be impossible. I was writing for Karla, I was writing for the staff member and now a new board member angry that I had been offered a stipend to complete this piece - an unproven rapper claiming to be a playwright.

Myself and Angela Bernard-Lucien in "In the Blood" by Katori Hall.

(To be continued)