The Power of Theater, Through Our Eyes,In Our Voices

Two different stories, one that shows the empathetic nature of theater and one that portrays the impact of theater and being on stage for a high school student.

1. The Arts in My Life
 My grandfather was a milkman. Salt of the earth.  Working class.  From Cleveland, Ohio.  So proud that a Witter was in every war.  Outspoken. Patriotic. And he was a racist. My grandfather used the "N word" so often, it was part of the vernacular of his household. I knew that it was not a nice word.  That there was a subtext to this word that as a child I could not begin to comprehend. My grandfather's racism was fear-based and ignorance-fueled.  

Sadly, racism was passed on from my grandfather to my father. I remember hearing my father say "that word" around our house, not understanding why that word was used to describe some people, but there was no other word in our house used to describe other people. I knew I did not like this word and would never say it and not even allow myself to think it. Through the 60s and into the 70s, my father, a career Army officer, use of the word diminished, but the underlying fear and ignorance of black people persisted.  

I was blessed to stage manage the premiere of August Wilson's FENCES at the Yale Repertory Theatre in April of 1985 and the subsequent Broadway production, that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards including Best Play, Best Director (Lloyd Richards), Best Actor (James Earl Jones) and Best Actress (Mary Alice).  My father saw this play both at the Yale Rep and on Broadway. Both times he was moved to tears. The power of theatre and the arts to transform lives and provoke thought was palpable and hit so close to home with this amazing production. On a personal level, the fact that my father was so profoundly moved and could identify with a play about an African American family in the late 1950s, is a testament to the artistry of August Wilson and the importance of the arts in our lives. 


Terrence J. Witter, New York City 


2.Janai … before I found the stage – and who I became because I found a place where I was safe…

If I stop to think about who I am now. I would have to stay here awhile to tell you who I was and how I got here..today..now I never wanted to hurt you or anyone else for that matter. Actually, looking back I didn't think I was hurting anyone. I know I felt pain. But I never thought I was inflicting pain. Is that mean? Well, I guess you all thought so. I was lost and I didn't know it. I was sad and I didn't believe it. I wasn't alone and I was afraid to admit it.

    There was a little girl I knew who had a brilliant smile. She was happy, she was so happy. They say she disappeared. They say she disappeared but they really lost her. I say she was always there, they just couldn't find her.

    The anger was so controlling. I wore this anger as a costume to hide my tortured skin. All you say was anger. All I felt was confusion. I remember the day that I began to run. I ran so fast I didn't have time to look back. I ran from you and I ran from the world. I saw you there, I knew you were watching but I didn't stop to talk to you. I hated that you were watching. I hate that you cared, I hated you. I told you to get away. So I did. I stayed in this world but I disappeared. No one would ever find me. I hid behind angry words and angry thoughts. I hid behind an attitude and harsh words. Then I hid behind a crowd. A crowd of angry and lost children-so as to take the attention away.

    I found an escape. It was perfect-it was amazing. It made me laugh. It made me popular-it took me away. I hid and I stole, I took hearts and I broke them. I found love-what I thought was love. Instead it was betrayal. It was a lie just to get my soul all tangled up. To make me do things I would regret. I took the magic pills, I swallowed the hope that I would ever, ever amount to anything.

    I remember the day I ran away. I was asleep. You found me sleeping in my own self pity. I slept the nights away until the day was gone too. You found me naked without any words. With no more escapes, no more tricks, no more hope.

    When you picked me up, I was angry at you for wanting me to live. I was angry that you smiled when you looked at my sad and pathetic face.

Angels fly above us- sometimes they land. They see a soul that needs wings to fly. They see a damaged spirit-they see hope for a brighter tomorrow. You lifted me up even after I told you to leave. You told me they would still love me and that they believed in me, still.

    I have wings to fly today. My spirit is lifted. My eyes are wide and I am no longer shaking. The fear has gone, my tears are now for what I have missed. I am not afraid of tomorrow, I am not afraid to hurt you. I am not afraid to tell you I’m sorry and I love you. I know when I am wrong and I am not afraid to admit it. I don't need to be hurt any longer. There is no need for mean words. If I see a damaged soul, I fly down to lift them up. I know the difference the angels made in my life. I want to make you feel better and stronger. I was broken but you had faith in me. I was lost-but you found me. I am here now and I have found myself.

There was a little girl I used to know who had a brilliant smile…Thanks...