Children’s Theatre embraces Black History Month

“It’s very popular to be a black actor in January and February,” says Deondra Kamau Means, the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s artistic coordinator of education and outreach.

He’s referring, of course, to the public’s seemingly insatiable appetite for tales about African-American history during that period from mid-January’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to the end of February – Black History Month.

Black History Month has been controversial ever since it was formally recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976. On the positive side, it has encouraged the American public to broaden its definition of “American History.” On the flip side, it sometimes feels like African-American history has been relegated to a six-week ghetto.

Since mid-January, for instance, Means has been touring in a one-man show called “Martin’s Dream.” The production, a part of the Children’s Theatre’s TCT on Tour program, will keep the actor on the road until Feb. 28. Then, it’s back to his desk. Black History Month is done. And so, apparently, is interest in Dr. King.

To be fair, Means has seen interest in the show grow in recent years. But schools, which sponsor the majority of the performances, tend to move on to other subjects when March begins.

“It’s frustrating,” says Means. “But I don’t think it’s limited to African-American subjects. I think it’s history in general. Before this, I was in a production of ‘Young Abe Lincoln.’ That’s about a white President of the United States. And that was hard to book, too. People have started to lack an interest in history.”

More: Daniil Trifonov, Joshua Bell highlight Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's 2018-2019 season

More: Black History Month events

So it’s probably no surprise that interest in TCT on Tour’s production of “Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat” will continue long after Means and his show have ended their 2018 performances. The Dr. Seuss title assures that it will have enormous audience recognition. And for sponsors, that means larger audiences. Presenting theater may be a passion, but it is also a business.

Before you throw up your hands in frustration about the public’s apathy for history, consider this. TCT On Tour’s third offering, “Maya Angelou: A Writer’s Legacy,” is about another African-American icon. And it has bookings that run all the way through the end of May.

Why the difference?

“Her story is not just about black history,” says Brandi Langford-Sherrill, who plays Angelou in the production. “Her story is about overcoming obstacles that are in your way. It’s about creating your own path in life. She talked about following your heart and your interests – those are universal.”

Angelou, who died in 2014, was a remarkable and multi-talented person. She was an actor, author, singer and composer, among other things. But she probably reached her broadest-ever audience in 1993 when she read her poem, "On the Pulse of Morning," during Bill Clinton’s inauguration. Its message was optimistic, its reach was inclusive. It set a positive tone for the first days of Clinton’s presidency. And it sealed Angelou and her poetry in the minds of millions of people who might never have come across her words.

More: Salazar opens for brunch, but there will be fewer lunch hours

More: Local Indie band The National wins Grammy for best alternative album

More:News from the Things To Do team

“I knew about her long ago,” says Langford-Sherrill. “But it wasn’t until I got this role that I started to delve into the history about her. I didn’t realize she had been active for so long.”

Angelou was a Renaissance person long before most people would have bestowed such a description on a woman, let alone a black woman. She also had sometimes tawdry background, though the play’s script – by Mary Tensing and edited by Means – touches more on the injustices she suffered and her convoluted path to success.

“When I started researching her, what struck me the most is what an advocate for history she was,” says Langford-Sherrill. “She wanted everyone to know about their history. But she was especially strong in encouraging African-Americans to learn about African history. She talked about how important it was to know your history and to know where you’ve come from. That really inspired me. And every time we do this play, I hope we’re inspiring other people in the same way.”

Most performances of these shows are closed to the public. But some are hosted by museums or libraries that welcome the general public. To learn more about those, go to bit.ly/2DCasK3.