HomeNEWSSaint Rose to Hold a Tribute to Maya Angelou

Saint Rose to Hold a Tribute to Maya Angelou

By Vanessa Langdon
News Editor

As Social Justice Month begins here at the College, a production under the direction of Saint Rose professor Donald Hyman, 59, features community members as well as Saint Rose students to create a historical, theatrical documentary to teach of the struggles that women of color have endured and overcome throughout history. The production, a tribute to the late Dr. Maya Angelou, is this Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Saint Joseph’s Auditorium.
Preparation for the production, titled, “I Search The Heart, I Try The Reins,” began over a year ago and has culminated in a moving two hours in which cast members have worked to bring their characters to life.
“Each one is totally different. They have a distinct flavor of their own – the key to developing characters is who and what you are,” said Hyman of the preparation of each individual character.
The 15 actors in the production researched their own roles and “have to know what they’re acting out of,” said Hyman, not just what emotion they have to portray.
Imani Carrasquillo, who plays Leontyne Price, a world-famous opera diva, has been working on developing her character since July.
“I’ve been able to go at my own pace to develop and build the experience,” said Carrasquillo.
Hyman met individually with actors for 40 to 60 minutes weekly to help them hone their characters. The group came back together on March 7 to rehearse after work on the individual aspects of the production was complete. Hyman believes in this method of work because it “flows smoother, with less wasted time.”
Similar to the unique rehearsal philosophy, the production does not follow the “typical” layout of a play.
“All the women interact with each other because the stories are connected,” said Hyman.
The production has a “black church flavor,” utilizing testimonials from the characters during monologues with reactions from other characters. All actors will remain on stage for the duration of the production in a timeline format.
The event is part of the proceedings for Social Justice Month, and according to Hyman, it is about women and should be viewed by all.
“It’s an opportunity for students, not just students of color, it’s a women’s movement and African American movement but it’s all part of American history. Everyone needs to see the history that the country was founded on,” Carrasquillo said. “You can sit through a lecture and get this info, but it won’t resonate like though music and theater.”
The tribute is just one of the many events planned for Social Justice Month.
“All of the activities for this month are aimed at challenge and inspiration. This play inspires us with amazing women who have made history and encouraged us along on their journeys. March is also women’s history month, so this play honors these women as parts of their story comes to life,” said Joan Horgan, coordinator of Social Justice Month.
Horgan wants people to take the time to let the message of the production into their lives.
“That people, in the sea of all the things there are to do, will make some time to be inspired. We all need that, and sometimes don’t realize our inner light needs to be re-sparked,” said Horgan.
“An artist’s duty is to reflect the times. They’re doing a great job representing the time,” said Simone Arrington, president of Spectrum who is giving a welcome speech prior to the start of the production.
Hyman chose to include “Journey from Slavery to Shirley Chishom” in his title because he believes that Chishom embodies the growth that women, specifically black women, have experienced.
Hyman first met Chishom at his fifth-grade graduation, where she was the guest speaker.
“Her speech was overshadowed by my recollection of her voice- confident and proud and distinct. As an assemblywoman in the NYS Legislature, she had what it takes,” said Hyman.
Chishom lived four blocks away from Hyman when he was growing up and she was the first black congresswoman. She went on to run for president before crossing paths with Hyman a second time.
“I sat next to her at the 25th anniversary of Medgar Evers College in the 90s and we talked about her coming to graduation and she remembered and laughed and I realized that today she not only took a step for women but for humanity,” said Hyman.
In addition to highlighting Chishom through this production, it is in tribute to Maya Angelou, who passed away in May. Sandy Route-Powell, 65, called Angelou “Auntie Maya.”
“The term comes form the African Ghana tradition and means a woman who is closer to you, that is as close to you as family but not family,” said Route-Powell of her close ties to Angelou.
The two met in 1973, and while not related by blood they are related by heart.
Route-Powell, who has known Hyman for many years, received a copy of the production that she planned to share with Angelou on a visit they had scheduled, but unfortunately the writer passed away before that could happen.
“I was impressed with the fact that he didn’t go for the obvious. He honed in on her involvement with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Route-Powell of Hyman’s choices of what to include in his portrayal of Angelou.
Route-Powell is attending the production on Saturday.
“They were kind enough to invite me to a private reception where I’ll be able to speak with students and be able to answer questions that they might have,” said Route-Powell.
She believes that this question and answer session embodies what Angelou loved.
“She loved students, that’s why she was on the faculty at Wake Forest…she would turn down opportunities that would interfere with her teaching schedule,” said Route-Powell of Angelou’s dedication to students.
According to Route-Powell, Angelou was fond of saying, “I am a teacher who writes rather than a writer who teachers.”
Route-Powell believes that this production is important for college students to witness.
“I think a lot of our history of the century has been lost, part of it is because we’re full of sound bites. I think 24 hours news has not helped society – the reporters are forced to report on nothing. Llamas are treated as if there is World War III happening. When you live in a world when that’s the way that you get news, people don’t have a background. We don’t take time to think through anything, we aren’t taught to think anymore we’re taught to react and memorize,” said Route-Powell.
The production is an opportunity for thought.
“Donald brought something forward that would have been glossed over in history books or biographies—there is so much pressure on college students. When I see the volumes of material that they are forced to absorb, people don’t have the time to sit and ponder,” said Route-Powell of the production Hyman has put together.
Hyman hopes people take away a message of strength from the production.
“The title comes from Jeremiah in the Bible. If you look at life from that perspective, it says that yes, these women have had some struggles, but there must have been a force greater than themselves to help sustain themselves,” Hyman said.
“It’s a spiritual journey that carried people through. It’s a universal journey, suffering is universal, pain is universal, but everything is temporary.”

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