“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
-Marianne Williamson
Extremities. The Oxford dictionary defines this word extremity as the furthest point or limit of something or the extreme degree or nature of something. Meaning—as an example—it would be extreme for faculty members to marginalize an individual from a creative opportunity on the campus of Fitchburg State University based on the color of their skin. Or another example: it would be extreme for these same faculty members to demoralize an individual to the point of not only isolating and making the individual feel less than or to create a hostile environment on the FSU campus or to take away the dignity of said individual to the point of embarrassment, hate, and shame for being Black. The extreme level these faculty members went to try and silence an individual’s right to use their voice to say only for that individual to stand up and declare, “I’m not going to sit quietly in the darkness of abyss but will shout – in the light – the wrong that must be redeemed!” I’m just saying it’s all very extreme.
This week, the Communications Media Department of Fitchburg State University is presenting its Spring theater production, “Extremities”, a play directed by award-winning director and actor, Mary Vreeland about a victim taking back their power while challenging the audience to examine their own fears around prejudices.
INTERESTING.
I was approached about an idea to make a behind the scenes documentary about the making of this play, which tackles some important issues around sexual assault, hatred, and fear. As a sexual assault survivor, I was interested in helping other students use their voice and talent to bring to light the feelings of shame, fear, and isolation often associated with rape victims. I jumped at an opportunity to use my production company, Hull Bay Productions, to craft this story in association with this production.
What I witnessed on the three occasions I was present for rehearsal, was a cast having to navigate some unfamiliar roles in the two main characters. I was also present when Kelly Morgan reiterated the importance of the actors in the play to be able to express their comfort level at any time during the production. I felt this was important to not only establish an open communication with the actors, but to ensure that actors would feel safe and valued during this production. I was wrong.
At the last rehearsal I attended for the documentary, one actor was not present at this rehearsal, and I listened as a derogatory term was used during one of the scenes.
The next time I saw the actor absent from that rehearsal on March 21, 2023, I asked how she was doing. She informed me she left the play after being told she would no longer have a leading role because there were some issues with the lighting, meaning the two black actors would be on the stage together, and the two white actors would be on the stage together. Meaning, as I am now putting into my own words, the actor was being demoted to an understudy position because the lights were insufficient to light a Black actor when a white actor was on stage. Meaning the University is allowing a system to exist where students are being marginalized, demoted, or excluded from participating in a production, funded by the University, where Black students don’t matter. Meaning, despite the welcoming faces plastered on the University’s website, the reality in some spaces on campus, Black students don’t matter.
I directly shared my concerns with the directors and producers of the play, the Communications Chair, Dean, and Human resources alerting them to the problem where an environment created by the actions of those in charge of this production were harmful and not indicative of the institution’s work to assure students are treated fairly in higher education and elsewhere. I explained my personal and professional obligation to the university to see that the leadership of this production be held responsible for fostering an environment where people have been marginalized due to skin color. Meaning, Black students don’t matter.
I went on to explain that if the Theater Department of Fitchburg State University
stands by the idea that the lighting is/was an issue;
knew about the challenges of the lighting prior to the beginning of production of “Extremities” and that because of the lighting challenges that they claimed to exist, did nothing to remedy the issue but rather disenfranchised a student from an opportunity to participate in a production based on skin color,
then the University should be required to shut down the production of Extremities until such lighting issues are fixed.
By not doing so, the theater department’s leadership, the Communications Department, and Fitchburg State University is allowing a system that marginalizes people of color from participating in any FSU production to exist. Meaning, Black students don’t matter.
Extremities is opening its doors on April 18, 2023.
I ceased production of the documentary and alerted all involved (Rachelle Dermer, Kelly Morgan, Mary Vreeland, Jeff Warmouth, Dr. Sara Levine, and Dr. William Cummings) of the reason for not making the production:
It is with regret that I am making the decision to cease production on the documentary, "The Making of Extremities." I can no longer present a documentary about the important themes we had hoped to share around sexual assault on college campuses. A few weeks ago, I learned about an incident which resulted in an actor feeling marginalized and ultimately demoted because of the color of their skin. This actor has left the production, and another who witnessed the incident has also left the production. This incident has presented a moral dilemma for me as a filmmaker and journalist, and I am compelled to address and speak out against the incident that occurred.
As the lights go up on this play through April 23, 2023, know that simultaneously I will continue to force the issue through all my avenues to ensure that Black students will never have to endure the humiliation, marginalization, and outright systemic racial policies that have been allowed to go forth by this University and the faculty members involved.
Why couldn’t the University step in and halt production until such substantiated evidence was presented? It would have taken courage for the University to step in and stop the production of Extremities based on the experience of one Black student. That same courage would have sent a message to the University, its students and faculty that FSU is “committed to a policy of non-discrimination, equal opportunity, diversity, and affirmative action.” That lack of courage sent a statement that Black students don’t matter.
Why couldn’t the producers and directors be interviewed and present their facts and then the University decide whether discriminatory practices were indeed acted upon? It would have taken courage to sit the producers and directors down and ask them to respond to this Black student’s claim that discriminatory practices were indeed acted upon during the making of this production. This Black student must live with the embarrassment and hurt of being asked to leave the stage she was just previously told to stand on because she was too dark for the lighting being supplied by the University. That lack of courage sent a message that Black students don’t matter.
And finally, why was it NOT the priority of the University to ensure that a student’s experience was taken seriously, as seriously as the need to present this play? It would have taken courage to make the Black student the priority in ensuring that she felt heard, understood, and would be taken seriously when she explained to many FSU faculty and staff that the actions of those in charge of this production were extremely hurtful. That lack of courage sent a message that Black students don’t matter.
Let me make my point clear: I never asked that the play be canceled all together. I asked that the play be put on pause to correct the lighting issue that the producers claimed existed which resulted in the demotion of a Black student. I asked that time and attention be taken to determine what happened, what needed to be rectified, and how do we make this Black student whole. Void of all this was the clear message that Black students don’t matter.
And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson
Comentários