For the St. Louis American
The number 12 turns out to have magical and sacred significance almost every which way we turn in the world.
There are 12 months in the year. There are 12 signs in the zodiac. How about those 12 inches that make up a foot? Jesus Christ enlisted 12 apostles, and they spread his spiritual energy over time and space, transforming the very essence of what it means to be human.
On a more mundane tip, it usually takes 12 years to complete basic schooling. Thus, we can associate the number with our first real encounter with regimentation – we gotta go almost every day for 12 years – and the eventual liberation that becomes our reward at the conclusion of the hard 12 (if we graduate). I could get crazy with it and conjure the athletic conference that represents the major universities in the Midwest and Southwest; ever heard of the Big 12?
There are only 10 Commandments, but, where I grew up, we added two more. Number 11: Ain’t no way to get it done ‘cept to do it (Nike stole that one from my favorite blood uncle, Jimmy Anderson). Number 12: Don’t look back, sump’m could be gainin’ on ya (we took that one from Satchel Page).
These two additional commandments were in full play Sunday evening at the St. Louis Black Repertory Company’s set in the Grandel Theatre, the 12th annual Woodie Awards, named in honor of founder and producing director of New Federal Theatre (NFT) in New York City, Woodie King.
Why Woodie King? Well, his organization has presented over 150 productions in its 30-year history. King himself has produced and directed Off-Broadway, in regional theatres and in universities. In the 1996-7 season, King received an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement, the most prestigious award one can garner from New York’s theatre critics.
The NFT, which specializes in minority drama, grew out of a theatre program at Mobilization for Youth, a neighborhood-based professional theatre. Its first season was launched in the basement of St. Augustine’s Church on Henry Street in New York.
Thirty-five years later, it’s almost impossible to turn on a television and not see a former student from NFT. Check the role call: Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Esther Rolle, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashaad, Lawrence Fishburne, Robert Downey Jr. Wheeeewww! If one adds playwrights, Ntozake Shange and David Henry Hwang, you get the full force of the legacy of NFT.
That’s why Woodie! He followed, religiously, the first of the additional two commandments to accomplish all this: No way to do it ‘cept to do it.
Sunday evening, as he accepted praise and thanks from the audience and from the many artists whose careers he helped to launch, you could feel that he was personally acknowledging Commandment Number 12: Don’t look back, sump’n could be gainin’ on ya. In no way did the shower of plaudits make him rest on his laurels. He was ready to go – forward, that is.
In the house Sunday night was a younger man, who has taken Woodie King’s direction and flooded the field of regional and national black theatre with deep news and good tidings. He’s done it for 28 years, and he’s followed those two added commandments as if they were an artistic battle plan. His name is Ron Himes, the founder and producing director of The Black Rep.
Bill Harris, renowned playwright and Wayne State University professor, gave Woodie King a wonderful introduction, listing his accomplishments, but also embracing the human connection, as only a friend and brother can, and jokingly adding that Woodie still owed him some money. Well, I think Ron still owes me some money. Just kiddin’.
But what Ron does owe us all is (as I think he said) 28 more years of powerful, gut-wrenching and beautiful theatre. He’s set his own standard very high. Now, like Woodie, we expect him to live up to it.
There were other things happening Sunday night. There were male and female black actors who came from all over the country to celebrate the magical Woodie number 12. Antonio Fargas, Ken Page, Wren Brown (who ministered most ably to his flock), Richard Gant, Starletta Dupois, Thyais Walsh, Erik Kilpatrick and Glynn Turman were seen mingling among the crowd.
Critic Joe Pollack received a Lifetime Achievement Award. The Outstanding Philanthropy Award went to The Whitaker Foundation, and the Outstanding Corporate Support Award went to a deserving Rodgers Townsend. Charles Bevel won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Dramatic Role Male for Stories About the Old Days. Other than that, it was all Intimate Apparel, all the time.
Every other award, including Outstanding Production, went to Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel: Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role, Male (Allan Knoll); Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role, Female (Thyais Walsh); Outstanding Director (Himes); Outstanding Scenic Designer (Felix Cochren); Outstanding Lighting Designer (Kathy Perkins); Outstanding Costume Designer (Reggie Ray); and, as an appropriate finale to the awards show, Linda Kennedy for Best Female Actor.
