Here you will find information about a musical play I wrote that is coming to Mixed Magic Theatre in Pawtucket.
First, I want to help readers better understand, and perhaps appreciate, the challenges artists face when balancing the factual truth of history with the need to create an entertaining and, hopefully, enlightening experience for an audience.
After more than 50 years in the performing arts, I have learned that people do not go to plays or movies for a history lesson or therapy; they go to escape the rules of reality for a few hours. The artist’s difficult task is to weave new knowledge, thought-provoking ideas, and emotionally stirring moments into the entertainment experience. Above all, I believe art connects us to our humanity.
As a Black American reflecting on 250 years of the American experiment, I cannot celebrate the nation’s many accomplishments without honoring the lived experiences of those whose struggles are an indelible part of its history.
I know I cannot relive that history, but as an American and an artist, I feel responsible for using every tool available to ensure that the true stories of Black Americans are not erased simply to make others more comfortable. I am not in the business of making anyone feel bad; quite frankly, that is a waste of time and energy.
However, I am deeply committed to celebrating the power and greatness of the human spirit in all people who seek to live freely and fully.
On a final note, I recently lost my mother. She would have turned 100 on Aug. 23. She raised 10 children and became a revered mother figure to four generations in the small Michigan town where I grew up.
Mama taught me countless lessons about life. More than ever, I admire the grace with which she lived and the absence of hate in her heart. How she had an unlimited capacity to love. She loved her large family, her community, her church, and a circle of friends.
I will spend the rest of my days trying to deserve the honor of being a son of Mary Dean Wiley.
