In 1962, Alice Childress wrote “Wedding Band – A Love/Hate Story in Black and White.” The play is centered around an interracial relationship taking place in South Carolina in 1918. The laws that made it impossible for the couple at the heart of her story to marry and live happily ever after in the first decades of the 20th century were still in place more than forty years later when Childress created her drama. She was unapologetically willful about maintaining the integrity of the words that reflect the ugly truths about America – and bravely presented them early on in the fight for civil rights. It was a time when exposing racism– even through art – could put one’s career, and life, at risk. She paid a price for it. To say that “Wedding Band” is underproduced is an understatement.
Starting this week, the Black Rep will stage “Wedding Band” for the first time as part of their 47th season at the Berges Theatre at COCA. The production continues through March 31.
“‘Wedding Band’ is one of the seminal pieces of not only the black theatrical canon, but the American canon,” said Geovonday Jones, who directs the Black Rep’s production. “It reflects America then in 1918 – it reflects America in the 1960s, when she wrote the play about 1918. It also reflects America today.”
Jones was stunned with the parallels of the play and present-day America – and Childress’ ability to weave together so many issues in a way that addressing them doesn’t come at the expense of bogging down her brilliant story.
“There is a mismanaged world pandemic in this play,” Jones said. “There are systems still in place that make interracial relationships difficult. We have The Supreme Court reversing decisions to let women govern their own bodies. We have politicians who play with the lives of Black and brown folks – almost like they are playing chess with each other about our lives.”
In addition to racism, Childress tackles women’s rights, the irony of Black soldiers going to war to fight for a country that denies them liberty – and how microaggressions and biases can exist even within romances.
“What I’m still working through is that Alice Childress calls this a love story in black and white, but we know that Herman has blind spots,” Jones said. “We know that he is not actively anti racist. And yet Julia takes him with all of his flaws.”
Jones admitted that “Wedding Band” is the hardest play he’s ever worked on.
“I had to throw my hands up in faith,” Jones said. “Knowing I was doing it at the right institution, The Black Rep, that brought me comfort. And then there was the wonderful cast – starting with our leading lady Jacqueline Thompson as Julia.”
The large ensemble also features Velma Austin, Christina Yancy, Christian Kitchens, Ellie Schwetye, Isaiah DiLorenzo, Jeff Cummings, Vivian Himes, Lucy Miller, Kari Ely and Tamara Crawford-Thomas.
“This is a woman who – even though she is naïve about certain things and she is isolated –when she speaks her mind, she speaks her mind boldly and unapologetically, and she stands on it,” Thompson said of her character. “For me that is a very radical place for this woman to embody. I don’t know that there is any character that I can compare that has this level of boldness for plays set in that era.”
It’s a period piece, but Thompson feels the dialogue is written for contemporary audiences.
“It’s so present and rich,” Thompson said. “It’s something you might see at somebody’s family reunion when things go left.”
Jones wanted to ensure he honored Childress’ story by not glossing over the hard or uncomfortable moments within the play.
“Sitting and living in those moments – and having them resonate throughout the audience – was important to me,” Jones said.
Thompson offered a trigger alert.
“Audiences have to be ready to engage with this work in a very gritty way,” Thompson said “This is intense. The characters are beautifully nuanced, so you find some hope and light in those characters. But you see the darkness too. As far as how the story is told, if they can buckle in and go on the ride, they will see the truth in it – but it is not an easy watch. It shouldn’t be an easy watch.”
The goal is to expose uncomfortable truths to inspire change.
“My hope is that people can lean into thinking about what has changed and what about this story still rings true,” Thompson said. “What areas of this story do we collectively still need to grow and learn from?”
“Wedding Band” will have Jones pondering for the foreseeable future.
“This play has boggled my mind,” Jones said. “I have more questions about this play than when I started. And that is a beautiful thing. I will have questions after it closes – that’s what living art does.”
Thompson agrees with Jones that The Black Rep is the ideal company to present the play – and that staging works like “Wedding Band” aligns with The Black Rep’s mission.
“That is the legacy of the Black Rep – that is the call for the Black Rep – to illuminate these plays and these voices that have been hidden,” Thompson said. “I think it is the responsibility of The Black Rep – and I think that is something that Ron [Himes] must be celebrated for…for boldly telling these stories.”
The Black Rep’s presentation of “Wedding Band” by Alice Childress will run through March 31 at COCA’s Berges Theatre, 6880 Washington Avenue. For tickets, showtimes and additional information, visit www.theblackrep.org or call 314.534.3807.
