Carrie J. Preston, "Complicit Participation: The Liberal Audience for Theater of Racial Justice" (Oxford UP, 2024)

Nov 19, 2024

Carrie J. Preston, a professor at Boston University and expert in theater and racial justice, discusses the concept of 'complicit participation' in performances addressing racial issues. She critiques how white liberal audiences engage with antiracist theater, revealing the gaps between performative allyship and genuine action. Preston shares insights from notable works like 'Hamilton' and 'The Blacks,' exploring audience dynamics and the emotional complexities of allyship. She emphasizes the need for authentic engagement to foster meaningful change.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

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Complicit Participation: Theater and Racial Justice

01:53 • 16min

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Challenging Audience Complacency in Theater

17:52 • 5min

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Theatrical Reflections on Race and Audience Dynamics

22:54 • 18min

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Blending Personal Narrative with Academic Critique in Performance Studies

40:29 • 4min

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Intersecting Justice: Race and Activism

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Complicit Participation

The Liberal Audience for Theater of Racial Justice

Carrie J. Preston

Carrie J. Preston's "Complicit Participation" delves into the complexities of allyship in antiracist theater and institutional DEI initiatives. The book examines how white liberals engage with these efforts, often performing allyship without relinquishing privilege or demanding radical change. Preston analyzes various plays and performances, highlighting the contradictions and complicities inherent in such participation. She uses her own experiences as a data point, weaving personal narratives with academic analysis to provide a nuanced understanding of complicit participation. The book ultimately aims to reveal the path towards full and radical participation in antiracist efforts.

An octoroon

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's "An Octoroon" is a provocative and complex play that reimagines a 19th-century melodrama. It tackles themes of race, slavery, and performance, using satire and unsettling imagery to challenge audience expectations. The play's staging of a slave auction often elicits strong reactions from viewers, highlighting the uncomfortable realities of the past. Its meta-theatrical elements and its exploration of the legacy of slavery make it a significant work in contemporary American theater. The play's enduring power lies in its ability to spark dialogue and confront audiences with difficult truths.

Shuffle Along

A play by George C. Wolfe

George C. Wolfe

George C. Wolfe's "Shuffle Along" is a significant musical that explores the history of Black performers on Broadway. The show's original production was groundbreaking, showcasing the talents of Black artists and celebrating their contributions to American culture. Its revival also sparked discussions about race and representation in the theater. The play's exploration of historical context and its celebration of Black artistry make it a valuable contribution to American theater history. Its enduring legacy lies in its ability to inspire and challenge audiences.

The Blacks

A play by Jean Genet

Jean Genet

Jean Genet's "The Blacks" is a controversial and experimental play that explores themes of race, colonialism, and identity. The play features a cast of Black actors playing roles that challenge conventional representations of race and power dynamics. Its use of audience participation is a key element, often leading to confrontations and uncomfortable interactions. The play's radical nature and its exploration of complex social issues have made it a significant work in the history of theater. Its enduring relevance lies in its continued ability to provoke discussion and challenge audiences.

Notes from the Field

Anna Deavere Smith

Anna Deavere Smith's "Notes from the Field" is a powerful and moving work of verbatim theater that explores the experiences of marginalized communities in America. Smith uses interviews and monologues to give voice to individuals affected by police brutality, racial injustice, and other social issues. The play's use of direct quotes and its focus on personal stories create a deeply affecting and thought-provoking experience for audiences. Its exploration of complex social issues and its commitment to amplifying marginalized voices make it a significant work in contemporary American theater. The play's enduring relevance lies in its continued ability to spark dialogue and challenge audiences.

This book provides an unprecedented view into the development of *Hamilton*, from its conception to its landmark opening night on Broadway. It includes the full libretto of the musical, photographs, interviews with key figures involved in the production, and over 200 footnotes by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The book also features contributions from Questlove, Stephen Sondheim, and President Obama, among others, and offers insights into the artistic process and the historical context of the musical.

In this incisive critique of the ways performances of allyship can further entrench white privilege, author Carrie J. Preston analyses her own complicit participation and that of other audience members and theater professionals, deftly examining the prevailing framework through which white liberals participate in antiracist theater and institutional “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives.

Complicit Participation: The Liberal Audience for Theater of Racial Justice (Oxford UP, 2024) addresses immersive, documentary, site-specific, experimental, street, and popular theatre in chapters on Jean Genet’s The Blacks, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s An Octoroon, George C. Wolfe’s Shuffle Along, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, Anna Deavere Smith’s Notes from the Field, and Claudia Rankine’s The White Card. Far from abandoning the work to dismantle institutionalized racism, Preston seeks to reveal the contradictions and complicities at the heart of allyship as a crucial step toward full and radical participation in antiracist efforts.

In this episode, Ibrahim Fawzy interviews Carrie J. Preston about the intersections of theater, racial justice, and social activism, the concept of “complicit participation,” and allyship.

Ibrahim Fawzy is a literary translator and writer based in Boston. His interests include translation studies, Arabic literature, ecocriticism, disability studies, and migration literature.

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