American Theater interviewed Ty Jones the American Theater’s Artistic Director:
What sets your theatre apart from others in your region?
What essentially sets us apart is our mission. It is to maintain a professional theatre company dedicated to returning the classics to the stages of Harlem; to create employment and educational outreach opportunities in the theatre arts; to create and nurture a new, young, and culturally diverse audience for the classics; and to heighten the awareness of theatre and of great art in Harlem.
How do you pick the plays you put on your stage?
In choosing plays we try to take the pulse on what is happening in the world. For example, in 2016 we chose to do Macbeth because I think it is one of Shakespeare’s most politically significant plays—and 2016 was a politically significant year. That same season we did a play called Fit for a Queen, by our current Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence, Betty Shamieh, which explores the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, a woman who ruled the ancient world, claiming the male title of pharaoh. I chose this play in anticipation of a woman taking the reins in the United States in the election cycle. The following year we did Three Musketeers, which explores the theme of being from different backgrounds working together toward a common goal. In 2018, we took on a 2,000-year-old piece by Euripides called Antigone, a play about the conflict between family responsibility and government policy, which was a topic that headlined major media that year and continues until this day. We stuck with the Greeks the next year with The Bacchae, a cautionary tale about hyper-individualism, as our use of devices and social media has quarantined critical thinking. The arts have always commented on human existence, and my job is to create occasions for us to explore a deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us.
What’s your annual budget, and how many artists do you employ each season?
Our annual budget is $2.5 million. CTH employs upwards of 200 people. This is a mix of full-time, part-time, and paid internships.
How has your theatre responded to calls for racial justice and more equitable working conditions put forward in documents like We See You, White American Theater, among others?
This is a great question and frankly a very tough one. Under my leadership, the Classical Theatre of Harlem exists to respond to voices, policies, and perspectives that have been omitted and silenced. If we as Black artists choose white American theatre as “the” superlative, I suspect disappointment will soon follow—simply because the expectation that people will displace themselves in the name of diversity, equity, or inclusion is unreasonable. Self-preservation is a fundamental human trait. It’s a reality that persuades me to support the idea that creating one’s own space is a better option. However, I recognize the irony that many of us in the performing arts have graduated from institutions that are pipelines to these well-resourced flagship theatres. Therein lies the rub. How can one be faulted for actively seeking employment in spaces whose pay is far more remunerative and whose profile is seen as preferable? I understand the desire to have a seat at the table, yet I’m equally aware that I may not like the meal.
What show are you working on now? Anything else in your season that you’re especially looking forward to?
Malvolio, which premieres this July, stars Allen Gilmore as the titular character, while also featuring Tony nominee John-Andrew Morrison in this production written by our Mellon Foundation Playwright in Residence, Betty Shamieh.
To read the full interview, click HERE.
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