“No one composes plays exclusively for their own sake,” remarks Ron Himes, BS ’78, sporting a subtle grin. “You aim to present the work to an audience. You wish to showcase it to a community that needs to experience that narrative.”

Himes, the Henry E. Hampton, Jr. Artist-in-Residence in Arts & Sciences, serves as the producing director for The Black Rep, one of the oldest and most acclaimed regional theater companies in the country, which he established in 1976 while still an undergraduate at WashU. Throughout the years, Himes has collaborated with numerous playwrights to produce hundreds of performances — including many world premieres.

This spring, Himes and The Black Rep are set to unveil two new plays by a duo of distinguished writers. Melda Beaty’s Coconut Cake, presently showing in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre, depicts a group of older men from Chicago who gather weekly at a McDonald’s on the South Side. Kelundra Smith’s The Wash, debuting at COCA on March 12, is based on the 1881 Atlanta Washerwomen Strike, recognized as one of the largest and most triumphant labor movements by Black individuals during the Reconstruction Era.

According to Himes, there are numerous routes from script to performance. He also earned an honorary doctorate of arts from WashU in 1998. Nonetheless, whether a piece is commissioned by the organization, created in collaboration with other theaters, or received unexpectedly via email, the objective remains unchanged.

“The manuscript is the property of the playwright,” Himes insists. “It’s their narrative. It’s their concept. We provide them with a platform and an environment to cultivate their work.”

Duane Foster rehearsing for the role of Eddie in Melda Beaty’s Coconut Cake. The Black Rep is currently showcasing the performance in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre until March 2. (Photo: Danny Reise/WashU)

‘Sit around and fib’

Beaty, originally from Chicago, completed her first draft of Coconut Cake in 2017. “Much of it was inspired by the men in my family,” she shares. “My grandfather, my uncles … It reflects their manner of speaking. It captures how they discuss others, how they perceive women. It encompasses their discussions on politics, their neighborhoods and themselves.”

She reminisces about a visit with her grandfather, a retired steel mill worker residing in nearby Gary, Indiana.

“My mom inquired, ‘What are you up to these days?’” Beaty recalls. “He nonchalantly replied, ‘Oh, you know. The guys gather at McDonald’s. Sit around. Chat. Drink coffee.’ And from another room, his wife shouted, ‘They don’t do anything but sit around and fib!’”

And just like that, the inspiration struck. Research ensued: weeks followed by months of exploring restaurants, conversing with patrons, listening to tales, jokes, and wisdom. “That’s the part of writing I love the most,” Beaty explains. “It’s akin to ethnography. I strive to make it as authentic as possible.”

In certain respects, the script flowed quickly, crafted during an intense month at Beaty’s dining room table. However, theater is a collaborative craft. Initial readings prompted revisions. A line may not resonate perfectly. A laugh might arrive too early or too late. A talented actor may provide fresh perspectives.

In 2021, amidst the peak of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Eileen Morris, artistic director of the Ensemble Theater in Houston, who had previously directed Beaty’s first play, organized a public reading via Zoom. Veteran actor and playwright Ted Lange, famously known as Isaac on The Love Boat, portrayed Marty. Himes took on the role of Eddie, a suave, womanizing contractor whose marital dilemmas serve as a significant topic of discussion.

“It was both humorous and deeply moving,” Himes reflects. “The characters were vividly portrayed. Melda truly captures their voices.”

Ron Himes and playwright Kelundra Smith discuss The Wash, which The Black Rep is scheduled to present in March. (Photo: Danny Reise/WashU)

A narrative that won’t be forgotten

Smith, an experienced journalist and theater reviewer, first heard about the Atlanta Washerwomen Strike — during which approximately 3,000 women demanded better wages and more control over setting rates — while covering the 2017 inauguration of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

“I was born and raised in Georgia,” Smith shares. “In the eighth grade, every Georgia student studies what we used to call Georgia history. We never learned about this.” At times, she adds, “a narrative just won’t let you go.”

A friend at the Atlanta History Center connected Smith with historical news articles and the book To ‘Joy My Freedom (1998) by Princeton history scholar Tera W. Hunter. “I was astounded,” Smith states. “It received international attention. An Indianapolis newspaper reported that Black women had ‘declared a war against soap!’

“When I can discover humor in a subject,” she adds with a chuckle, “I find it easier to write about.”

In the early days of the COVID-19 crisis, Smith gathered local actors for a casual Zoom reading. In 2022, a sold-out reading involving play development experts Hush Harbor Lab ignited interest from two companies in Atlanta. One of those, Synchronicity Theater, is a crucial member of the National New Play Network and submitted The Wash for the network’s Rolling World Premiere initiative.

“The early drafts were probably more journalistic in style,” Smith explains. However, as the piece has progressed, “it has become much more focused on its characters. If you can evoke empathy for who someone is, you can also evoke concern for what they do and the outcomes they face.”

“This narrative is captivating but also incredibly relevant,” Himes adds. “It addresses who earns recognition, who qualifies as a citizen, and who deserves compensation for their efforts.”

Lawrence Evans (left) as Gotdamnit and Joe Hanrahan as Hank in Coconut Cake. (Photo: Danny Reise/WashU)

and Joe Hanrahan portraying Hank in Coconut Cake. (Photo: Danny Reise/WashU)

Springboard

Similar to Synchronicity, The Black Rep is a fundamental participant in the National New Play Network. The group’s hallmark endeavor, Rolling World Premieres, allows organizations to collaborate and share resources while presenting works that have not been previously staged. However, unlike a touring Broadway production, these shows are inherently unique, featuring varied ensembles and crews.

This model, initiated in 2004, has since been embraced (with the network’s endorsement) by other entities, including the International Black Theatre Festival. In 2022, Coconut Cake received the festival’s Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin Award, which enabled rolling premieres with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota, Florida; NC Black Repertory in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee. Following its engagement in St. Louis, Coconut Cake is set to return to Houston’s Ensemble Theatre.

Launching a new play is always an achievement. “It’s beneficial for the playwright. That inaugural production serves as a springboard.”

Ron Himes

At the same time, Synchronicity partnered with Impact Theatre to present The Wash in Atlanta. Following The Black Rep’s debut, another collaborative performance will be produced by Prop Thtr and Perceptions Theatre in Chicago. More shows are planned for Boston, New York, and Atlanta.

Starting a new play is always an accomplishment. Nevertheless, Smith points out that, particularly for emerging playwrights, obtaining a second, third, or fourth production can pose a challenge. Having multiple productions scheduled at various professional theaters, she explains, “helps to bridge the gap.”

“It’s advantageous for the playwright,” Himes concurs. “That initial production serves as a springboard. You get to see it performed. Now you can refine it further. You can create a new draft or completely revise it. You can steer it in whatever direction it requires.”

Himes reminisces about a discussion with Leslie Lee, the late Obie Award-winning playwright, who premiered several works with The Black Rep.

“He mentioned, ‘I enjoy collaborating here because you allow me to keep developing my work,’” Himes recalls with amusement. “’You’re not attempting to rewrite my play.’”

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