By DANIEL SHOCK
A Seat on the Aisle
I had exactly two black professors when I attended Indiana University in the early 1990s. Both women. Both had high expectations for their students and would not accept less than your best. Both taught lessons that have stayed with me ever since I sat in their classrooms.
One taught me about African musical influences on music in the Americas. The other taught about how cultural differences affect the approach speech therapists take when designing therapy. She also changed how I introduced myself, from Danny to Daniel, just by how she said my name.
Both professors were on my mind as I sat at the Fonseca Theatre and watched Blackademics by Idris Goodwin. The play tells the tale of two black women, Ann (AshLee Baskin) and Rachelle (Chandra Lynch), who are professors at two different institutions – one at a prestigious liberal arts college and the other at a state university. The two friends are meeting for a meal at a mysterious café with no tables or seating. The café aims to provide an experience you can’t get at other places. When the white waitress, Georgia (Caroline Sanchez), is questioned about why she didn’t bring a fork with the salad, her response is, “Applebee’s has forks.”
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As the decidedly weird experience progresses, Ann and Rachelle catch each other up on the events of their lives, and we learn that while things are going well for Ann, things have turned out differently for Rachelle. We see two different perspectives on the challenges black women in higher education face. All through this heart-wrenching conversation between friends, the increasingly off-putting experience turns into a trial that pits the two women against each other as they compete for a seat – and food – at the table.
The vibe of this play reminded me of the recent horror films Get Out and Us by Jordan Peele. Like those excellent films, this play places the audience in the point of view of the black protagonists.
Director Ansley Valentine has assembled a riveting cast of three women. AshLee Baskin as Ann is vibrant and real. You feel her excitement at the good news she has to share with her friend. Equally good is Chandra Lynch as Rachelle. Her Rachelle is tired of having to prove herself constantly and frustrated with the battles she has had to fight. As Georgia, the waitress, Caroline Sanchez is pleasant and confident as she tries to reassure her customers that they are really in for something special. Her descent into the disturbing is well-played. The cast is uniformly good in both the funny and heavy moments.
Technically, the play is simple and well-executed. The set by Bernard Killian is sharp. The lights designed by Ben Dobler are bright, and the sound (also designed by Ben Dobler) is clear. The entire production is to be congratulated.
I am a straight white man. My experience of this play will be different from other demographics. I strongly recommend this show for people who like something different with strong performances. There are conversations I would like to have with the cast and director. What do they think about the fact that the play was written by a man? That their director is a man? Mostly, I would like to reconnect with my professors and ask them about their experiences in higher education.
Blackademics, produced by The Fonseca Theatre Company and performed at the Fonseca Theatre at 2508 W. Michigan St., Indianapolis. Performances run through March 31: Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Visit fonsecatheatre.org to obtain tickets to the show.
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