Theater StudiesFocused on all that comes with mounting a show—plus the added work that COVID-19 brings—JaMeeka Holloway-Burrell graciously found time to sit in the Director's Chair to answer a few questions.
Why did you select Citizen for the fall mainstage?
When I was approached about directing the mainstage, I knew immediately that I wanted to direct a piece by a Black woman, and I wanted that piece to be in dialogue with our current national conversation on white supremacy and race. Acts of violence continue to be committed against Black and Brown lives through systemic racism, racially unbalanced power structures, and white privilege. I wanted to magnify the realities of Black life in America—on stage at Duke—and Claudia’s work explores these topics in very moving ways. Oftentimes, conversations on race and identity in predominantly white spaces cater to the white comfortability level, and I was really excited by the voice this piece would give to Black students on campus who might be struggling to tell their stories. Working together with the students on “Citizen” will allow us to engage in challenging discussions and to mark the many ways covert and non-physical acts of violence are committed against Black bodies through microaggressions, lack of visibility, and erasure.
How do you describe your directing style?
With the help of a group agreement crafted by participants and myself, I like to foster a collaborative and welcoming environment where everyone feels safe and is valued and encouraged to bring voices and lived experiences to the table to enrich the project. Actors shouldn’t feel that they are only there to perform, and I never assume to have the best ideas in the room. I am there to listen, to be a resource, and to guide the direction of our piece—not to dictate it. When working with undergraduates, I aim to inspire and evoke their own sense of agency in a rehearsal room.
How did you embark on your career path?
It began with my education at the Durham School of Arts—and believe it or not, I didn’t attend because I already had experience or crystallized curiosity for the arts. I went because my older sister was enrolled in the dance program, and it was easier for our Mom to have both daughters at the same school. I came up around storytelling, from the colorful folks in my family to the highly dramatized experiences I had at church, so it was rather a natural thing for me to look into theater courses. In those classes, I was introduced to August Wilson’s work by my teacher, and former Duke student, Carl Martin—that changed everything.
As I learned more about Wilson’s life, I was shocked by the magnitude of the man. He was a prolific writer, as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. I had no idea of the depths Black people had in contributing to theater’s landscape. My teacher recognized my interest and suggested works by Black playwrights to build my library: “The Colored Museum” by George C. Wolfe; “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry; “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf” by Ntozake Shange. I knew I wanted to study Black theater.
Has there been an opportunity during your college career that was especially impactful to where you are now?
I spent my final semester at NCCU as an (unpaid) arts administration intern at The Lark Play Development Center in New York, which had a major role in my development as an artist and administrator. The Lark is an international theater laboratory, and the work I was part of centered around nurturing playwrights—but working there also exposed me to the complexities of the non-profit industry. It was an amazing opportunity to educate myself, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to read about 10 plays a week. My artistic palette was certainly developed and diversified at The Lark.
What types of work and stories are you most drawn to?
Idiosyncratic, provocative, new work with nuanced insight into the subterranean of the human heart and mind delight me most. However, I am no stranger to the "canon.” In fact, Henrik Ibsen wrote my favorite play, “A Doll’s House.” Nevertheless, I find myself most drawn to and passionate about stories that center the lived experiences of melanin-skinned folks and women.
What do you hope students and audiences take away from this process?
So many things! My overarching desire is that “Citizen” will help us better see ourselves as a society. I hope engaging in silence and complicity becomes less of an institutional norm and for those who need to, they can take stock of their roles in upholding toxic systems and behavior. I hope this piece offers more insight into the many ways racism, bias, and prejudice manifest and is actively and casually used to harm Black bodies and reaffirm white supremacy. I hope the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) population feels seen and heard by their peers as well as the leadership of Duke. I hope theatre studies puts more BIPOC stories on the stages and allows BIPOC artists to helm them. My goal is that this work will make us so uncomfortable and that we learn to sit in that discomfort for the sake of learning, listening, and cultivating safer, more equitable environments. If this play provokes deep and meaningful introspection within the Duke community that leads to more efficient and transformative dialogue of race, visibility, and identity, for me, this work will have been a success.
Fall Mainstage “Citizen: An American Lyric” Meet Guest Director: JaMeeka Holloway-Burrell