d stu y gui y d arena’s page e Contents Guess Who’s Coming The Play Meet the Playwright to Dinner From Screen to Stage Interracial Marriage: Loving v. Now Playing in the Fichandler Stage Virginia November 29, 2013 - January 5, 2014 Race Relations By Todd Kreidler African-American Physicians Based on the screenplay by William Rose Three Big Questions Additional Resources Directed by David Esbjornson

The Play “There’s lots of good It’s 1967 and Matt and Christina reasons not to trust white Drayton are enjoying their Wednesday afternoon in a white, folks. Good reasons not upper-class San Francisco to trust black folks too.” neighborhood, when they are surprised by the arrival of their –Tillie daughter Joanna. Johanna has returned from overseas with a guest, Dr. John Prentice.

Johanna has another surprise: she and John are engaged! Joanna’s parents are suddenly faced with an issue that they never saw coming: John is African American.

Tensions flare as the table is set for an evening where race, class, and family values are served as the main dish.

Major support for this program is provided by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

Funded in part by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Meet the Playwright From Screen to Stage he film Guess Who’s Coming In 2007 Kenny Leon and the True Colors to Dinner was written by Theatre Company commissioned Todd Kreidler TWilliam Rose, an American to adapt the 1967 film into a play. While screenwriter. It starred Sidney adapting the film Mr. Kreidler said, “What’s Poitier, Spencer Tracy and more current than a story set in a society riven Katharine Hepburn. Rose by intolerance and fear? We forget: only a wrote the film to break African generation ago America American stereotypes: Dr. John drank from separate Sidney Poitier Prentice is a perfect character so fountains. This love that the only objection could be his race. story offers a way to Todd Kreidler expose the fear and Released on December 12, 1967, the film intolerance and see odd Kreidler is a caused great controversy because it what happens when a couple attempts to playwright, dramaturg was illegal to marry interracially within share the water in even and director. His 17 states at the time. It was a box office T the most apparently adaptation of the film success and nominated for 10 Academy liberal of homes.” l Guess Who’s Coming Awards, winning for Best Actress to Dinner premiered at (Katharine Hepburn) and Best the True Colors Theatre Original Screenplay. Company in Atlanta in 2012. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is adapted As an accomplished Activity from a film of the same title. As you watch the film, Broadway dramaturg, take notes. Discuss the similarities or differences Kreidler has worked on that you notice between the play and film. Bethany Anne Lind and August Wilson’s Radio Malcolm-Jamal Warner Golf, Gem of the Ocean, in the stage version and associate directed the Tony Award-winning revival of Fences. His work on these shows Interracial Marriage: Loving v. Virginia led him to co-found n October 1958, two resi- were sentenced to one year the August Wilson dents of Virginia, Mildred in jail. However, the judge Monologue Competition, IJeter (a black woman) and suspended the sentence on a national program Richard Loving (a white man) the condition that the Lovings aimed at integrating were charged with violating leave Virginia and not return August Wilson’s work into the Racial Integrity Act of 1924. together for 25 years. high school curriculum. This act prohibited marriage between races. This is an exam- On June 12, 1967, six months Kreidler is currently ple of an anti-miscegenation after the film Guess Who’s writing a musical law: a law that enforces seg- Coming to Dinner premiered, adaptation of the film regation by criminalizing inter- the Supreme Court ruled racial marriages and intimate anti-miscegenation laws Drumline. He is also relationships. unconstitutional, ending all working on Holler if Ya race-based legal restrictions Hear Me, an original story Richard and Mildred Loving On January 6, 1959, the Lovings on marriage in the that includes the lyrics of pled guilty to the charge, and United States. l rap artist Tupac Shakur. l dramaturg – a 1960s Civil Rights Timeline ● 1960 - Civil Rights researcher, adaptor and Act of 1960 advances editor of plays Outside the Drayton family home, key the voting rights of moments in the Civil Rights Movement minorities, penalizing any who try to obstruct are happening. Tensions are high and voting rights. change is happening. Marriage Equality Today Race Relations “The data shows we’re becoming more of an integrated, multi-racial society,” - demographer, William H. Frey, the Brookings Institution

Interracial Marriages in the United States: 1960 – 2010 Census

Year Total U.S. Married Total Black/White Couples Interracial Couples 1960 40,491,000 51,000 (.13%) Protestors march in Washington, D.C. for same-sex marriage equality. 1970 ● 44,597,000 65,000 (.14%) he Civil Rights Movement dealt with 1980 ● 49,514,000 167,000 (.33%) the inequalities imposed on African TAmericans. Many believe that today’s 1990 ● 53,256,000 211,000 (.40%) civil rights movement includes the fight for 2000 56,497,000 363,000 (.64%) same-sex marriage equality. ● 2010 60, 384,000 558,000 (.92%) In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional to deny federal benefits The number of interracial marriages in the U.S. has increased dramatically since of marriage to married same-sex couples. the 1960s Source: U.S. Census, Fertility and Family Statistics Branch. Interracially However, same-sex couples can legally Married Couples: 1960 to 2010. marry in only 14 states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Approval of Interracial Marriage Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New In July 2013 Gallup conducted its Minority Rights & Relations poll, which shows a Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode dramatic change in approval for interracial marriage in America over the last 55 years. Island, Vermont, and Washington) and the Today, 87 percent of people polled approve of black-white marriage versus 4 percent District of Columbia. in 1958. See the data in the chart below and the full report at www.gallup.com.

On the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Loving v. Virginia, Mildred Loving issued a statement commenting on the comparison between interracial marriage and same-sex marriage;

“I believe all Americans, no matter their race, no matter their sex, no matter their sexual orientation, should have that same freedom to marry... I am proud that Richard’s and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about.” l

Activity Choose a recent event in the local or national Activity Where is there diversity (race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.) news. Explain how it fits into the in your family tree? Find out what challenges these family members struggle for civil rights and list five things might have faced. that you can do to further that cause.

● 1963 – At the ● 1964 - Civil ● 1967 – With the Loving ● 1968 - Civil Rights March on Washington Rights Act of 1964 v. Virginia decision the Act of 1968, commonly Martin Luther King, Jr. outlaws racial United States Supreme known as the Fair Housing delivers the “I Have a segregation in the Court declares all state Act, provides equal Dream” speech. United States. laws prohibiting interracial housing opportunities marriage unconstitutional. regardless of race, religion or national origin. Helpful Hints for Theater Audiences

As an audience member at the theater, YOU are part of the show! Just as you African-American Physicians see and hear the actors onstage, they “Why do you think I work overseas? Most major research labs here can see and hear you in the audience. To help the performers do their best, would only let me inside to push a broom.” – Dr. John Prentice please remember the following: ike Dr. John Prentice, many African- Progress for African- Arrive at least 30 minutes early. American doctors were forced to move to Visit the restroom before the show starts. Ldifferent states and overseas to find work American Doctors because of prejudice in the United States. Before the show begins, turn off your • 1960 - 12 out of 26 medical cell phone, watch alarms, pagers In most cases they were equally or more schools in the South are closed and other electronic devices. If qualified than their white counterparts. anything rings by accident, shut it off to African-American students. immediately. Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, the • 1963 - 20 black and white Save food and drinks for the lobby. National Medical Association (established There is no eating or drinking inside in 1895 for the advancement of African- physicians picket the American the theater. American medical professionals) Medical Association’s (AMA) Walk to and from your seat - no coordinated sit-ins, marches and picket annual meeting. running in the theater! lines to advocate for African-American civil Do not talk, whisper, sing or hum. rights. Such protests helped to open more • 1964 - The Civil Rights Act Do not use cell phones for calls, text doors for African-American doctors. By 1968 of 1964 makes discrimination messages, pictures or games. there was an increase in the number of illegal in hospitals that receive Keep your feet on the floor, not on l African Americans in medicine. federal funds. the seat in front of you. An African-American Doctor’s Avoid getting up during a show • 1965 - Medicare and Medicaid because it distracts your neighbors Contributions to Medicine legislation mandates hospital and the performers. If you must leave, Dr. Charles Richard Drew integration. wait for a scene change, then exit quietly and quickly. (1904 – 1950) was an educator, surgeon and • 1968 – The American Medical Performers appreciate enthusiastic blood bank pioneer. The applause rather than whistling or Association implements a shouting. most prominent African policy to end discriminatory American in medicine of Cameras and videotape are racial exclusion or practices prohibited because they are his time, Drew protested by any medical society and distracting to the performers. the practice of racial segregation in the seeks ways to increase African- Enjoy the show! donation of blood. American membership.

1. What is the tension 2. What are 3. How do Three Big between how people your stance and families react feel about an issue your family’s when confronted Questions in theory versus how stance on civil with conflict? people respond when rights issues that issue presents today? itself in real life?

Additional Resources 1101 Sixth Street, SW Film Washington, DC 20024 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: Columbia Pictures, 1967 Phone: (202) 554-9066 Fax: (202) 488-4056 On the Web USA Today: “Interracial Marriage: More accepted or still growing?” Written by Sean-Maurice Lynch http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/wellness/marriage/story/2011-11-07/ Edited by Rebecca Campana Interracial-marriage-More-accepted-still-growing/51115322/1 CNN: Defining America: “Neither black nor white: Three multiracial generations, one family” Visit www.arenastage.org http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/18/multiracial.census/index.html for more information on PBS: Eyes on the Prize Arena Stage productions http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eyesontheprize/story/16_vietnam.html and educational opportunities.