News of the Black Rep’s eviction from Grandel Theater traveled fast. The Black Rep has known for months that Grand Center was interested in selling the building, but the actual git-yo-stuff-out-in-two-weeks-or-else notice came as a real shocker. Tenants received the notice by email.
As usual, white power brokers missed the opportunity to change the racist narrative so pervasive in St . Louis. Instead of a headline that reads “Black Rep evicted from mainly white Grand Center,” it could have read “City leaders rally to find permanent home for premier black theater company.” There seems to be no care that our racist underpants are showing once again.
The Black Rep was founded by Ron Himes in 1976 while still an idealistic business student at Washington University. Nearly 37 years later, the Black Rep is now one of the country’s oldest and largest black theater companies.
I remember back in the day when the Black Rep performed at the theater on 25th and St. Louis Avenue. Those were the days of rent-free operations, thanks to the Greeley Community Center.
Richard Gaddes, then board president of Grand Center, was heading up the newly established arts district that he envisioned would be vibrant and diverse. Gaddes recruited the Black Rep with a commitment of financial support, and the theater became one of the original tenants in 1992 when the historic Grandel Theater opened its doors.
Most people in the black community weren’t thrilled when former St. Louis Mayor Vince Schoemehl took over the helm at Grand Center. The relationship between Schoemehl and our community soured when Schoemehl reneged on his campaign promise to re-open Homer G. Phillips Hospital. Although the black community swept him into office in 1981, it was downhill from there.
Now, selling the theater building right out from under its black tenant was seen as a typical “Shame-mehl” tactic.
Last week a beleaguered Himes made his media rounds to talk about Schoemehl’s latest blow to a black institution. Himes scrambled behind the scenes to identify potential venues for the upcoming season, to meet with key supporters, and to cobble together the 2013-14 schedule for company.
On top of all of this, Himes also had the pressing task of getting all of the Black Rep’s property out of Grandel Square this week before it gets sold by the liquidation company hired by Grand Center.
It is no secret that the Black Rep was been struggling financially for the last few years, but being a part of the Grand Center arts community is supposed to have its advantages. When Circus Flora was having similar issues, Schoemehl joined its board, added some heavyweights to it, raised monies, etc. Circus Flora now appears to be a stable arts institution.
The arts are highly respected in most European countries and thereby generously subsidized with public dollars. The U.S. has yet to adopt the policy, practices and attitudes towards the individuals and institutions who contribute to restoring and promoting culture and history through the creative lens of the arts.
At press time, the Black Rep is still homeless but in negotiations with the Edison Theater, New Jewish Theater, the Missouri History Museum, the St. Louis community College (Mildred Bastian Theater) and others.
The Black Rep is not rolling over, but it will need lots community support on several levels. I ask you to join me in expressing our collective outrage to Schoemehl and the Board of Directors at the disrespect Grand Center has shown towards the Black Rep. It needs be held accountable.
