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Preparing Birds to Fly: Lloyd Richards and the Actor

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Preparing Birds to Fly: Lloyd Richards and the Actor PREPARING BIRDS TO FLY: LLOYD RICHARDS AND THE ACTOR _______________________________________ A Dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School at the University of Missouri-Columbia _______________________________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy _____________________________________________________ by CARLIA CLAUDINE FRANCIS Cheryl Black, Ph.D., Dissertation Supervisor JULY 2013 © copyright by Carlia Claudine Francis All Rights Reserved The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the Dissertation entitled PREPARING BIRDS TO FLY: LLOYD RICHARDS AND THE ACTOR Presented by Carlia Claudine Francis, A Candidate for the degree of doctor of philosophy and hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Dr. Cheryl Black Dr. Suzanne Burgoyne Dr. Heather Carver Prof. Clyde Ruffin Dr. Jeni Hart DEDICATION To My Mother Olive Ione Barrett-Hyde whose courageous choices provided me with options she never had. And My Father Clifford George Francis, who, when I needed one was my shelter for the storm. Don’t cry baby, don’t cry. and I stopped. And My Great-Mother Inez Francis Edwards, whose lap protected me from all the dangers in the world. Thank you, Chickie. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Documenting the participants’ stories regarding the significance Lloyd Richards had in their lives and careers reminded me that I have been similarly fortunate. During my times at the University of Missouri I received the support and mentoring that fulfilled my needs, not only during the dissertation process but throughout my entire academic career in the theatre department. The members of my committee are accomplished scholars and artists; I could go on about the magnificence of their scholarly and creative work, but I will not. Instead I would suggest you read it for yourself while I use this space to acknowledge the mentoring I have received from them. I would like to thank: My committee chair, Cheryl Black, Ph.D., for her support throughout my time at Mizzou, and particularly for her unflagging support during the last year of the dissertation process. Dr. Black’s faith in me and her unstinting support of my curiosity and independence has made all things seem possible. It is empowering knowing your proposals will be met with “I don’t see why not?” and comforting knowing should you falter Cheryl will be by your side beating her favorite tattoo, “it can be done, it can be done, it can be done” until you make it across the finish line. I would like to thank Dr. Suzanne Burgoyne for allaying my suspicions about theatre practices that work directly to build community and bring about social change and thereby leading me to a path that has truly broadened my horizons; Prof. Clyde Ruffin for his guidance through things unwritten and unvoiced, for his open door, and his perceptive advice passim; Dr. Jeni Hart for her crash tutorial in methodology that had the uncanny ii ability to cut a clear path to understanding; and Dr. Heather Carver for her ability to make the system work. I would like to thank the participants for being generous with their memories of Prof. Richards; J. Michael Miller who was the first to say yes and provided the final piece of information I needed to complete the process; Stephen Henderson, whose generosity at times left me black and blue from pinching myself at my good fortune of finding a shiny man; Ron Van Lieu, Roz Coleman, Dean Irby, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Michele Shay and Roger Robinson for filling their narratives with rich details. I would like to acknowledge the student-participants in Stephen Henderson’s Acting Workshop whose work enabled me to see what had only been described before. And Kimberly Aileen Scott, Lee Blessing and Richard Wesley whose contribution to a previous project helped guide me to this one. I would also like to thank Aleta E. Staton of New Haven, Connecticut, and the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscripts and its librarians for their help on this project. I would like to thank the following organizations whose tangible support made my development as a scholar and the completion of the project possible: University of Missouri – George Washington Carver Fellowship University of Missouri Graduate School – Dissertation Research Fellowship The University of Missouri, Black Studies Program The Slavery Atonement Funds University of Missouri — Graduate and Professional Council Texas State University — San Marcos, Predoctoral Fellowship Program iii Miami University — Heanon Wilkins Fellowship In addition, I would also like to thank Dr. Sandra Mayo of Texas State University and Dr. Liz Mullenix of Miami University for their support during my fellowship terms at their respective universities. For support essential but intangible: The Stone Soup Collective: Constance Bailey, Lynette Nickleberry, Amanda Muhammad, Jennifer Correa and Gloria Dossett and the Carlia Columbia Cooperative: Laura Eggeman, Phil Groschel Mary Barile, and Chris Montgomery. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. ii List of Photographs ............................................................................................xii Abstract ........................................................................................................... xiii Chapter Page 1. Introduction and Methodology ......................................................................... 1 1.1 Introducing Richards ..................................................................................1 1.1.1 Richards’s Importance to the Theatre from Playwrights’ Perspectives 5 1.1.2 Richards’s Importance to the Theatre from Actors’ Perspectives.........6 1.1.3 Richards and African-American Presence in the American Theatre .....8 1.1.4 Richards on his approach to working with actors................................9 1.2 Methodology ...........................................................................................11 1.2.1 The Study .........................................................................................11 1.2.2 Design of the Study ..........................................................................14 1.2.3 The Third Context—A Master Class in Scene Study ...........................16 1.2.4 Selection of participants ...................................................................18 1.2.5 Data Collection .................................................................................19 1.2.6 Data Analysis ...................................................................................20 1.2.7 Organization ....................................................................................21 1.2.8 Validity and Reliability ......................................................................22 v 1.2.9 Literature Review .............................................................................25 2. A Biography of Lloyd Richards ...................................................................... 28 2.1 The Seed ..................................................................................................31 2.1.1 Birth and Migration ..........................................................................31 2.1.2 A Father’s Death ..............................................................................31 2.1.3 A Mother’s Blindness .......................................................................33 2.1.4 Childhood ........................................................................................34 2.1.5 Wayne University-Expectations Fulfilled ...........................................35 2.1.6 A Change of Mind ............................................................................37 2.1.7 A Calculated Decision: World War II and The Tuskegee Airmen ........39 2.1.8 A Return to Detroit ...........................................................................41 2.2 The Flowering ..........................................................................................45 2.2.1 An Invitation from a Friend—James Lipton ......................................45 2.2.2 Paul Mann and an Opportunity ........................................................47 2.2.3 A Friend’s Promise ............................................................................48 2.2.4 Broadway-A Qualified Acceptance....................................................48 2.3 The Fruit ..................................................................................................50 2.3.1 A Raisin in the Sun ............................................................................50 2.3.2 In the Academy: New York University and Hunter College ................53 2.3.3 The Playwrights’ Champion: Eugene O’Neill’s Playwrights Conference ..................................................54 vi 2.3.4 A New Platform: Yale University .......................................................58 2.3.5 August Wilson and the Pittsburgh Cycle ...........................................63 2.3.6 Retirement Followed by More Work .................................................68 2.3.7 His Family .........................................................................................70 2.3.8 Racism, Politics, and Richards ...........................................................72 2.3.9 The Man Inside the Story ..................................................................77 2.3.10 Richards Exits Causing Lights to Dim ...............................................80
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