Illustration by Ryan Spahr
“His life was a triumph over all expectations,” says J. Clark Nicholson, artistic director of Gamut Theatre Group.
Nicholson is referring to Ira Aldridge, whose life story forms the basis of “Red Velvet,” a new play that he is directing.
“Red Velvet” tells the true story of Aldridge, a Civil War-era African-American actor whose life is unknown to most of us groundlings, but commonly known in the theater community. The play progresses as Aldridge looks back on his life in the early 19th century, when he had the chance to play the iconic Shakespeare role, Othello.
Aldridge gave a performance that shocked the country so much the production was forced to close after two nights.
To clarify, Othello, the character, is a Moor and therefore written by Shakespeare as black. Yet, until Aldridge’s performance, only white men in black face had played the role. It is no wonder then that a black man in the role would be so shocking to audiences, as Aldridge played Othello in a way that had never been seen before.
Aldridge belonged to some of the first black theater companies in the United States and was one of the first members of The African Grove Theatre, which had a company that included fugitive slaves. To continue his career, he decided he had to leave for England, where he became one of the most sought-after actors in Europe.
Today, he is one of just 33 actors recognized with a bronze plaque at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon and the only African American so honored.
Anthony Golden Jr., the actor cast to play Aldridge in Gamut’s production, discovered the play in college.
“I was the only black guy in my theater class,” he says, “and that made me connect with Ira in a spiritual way. I felt like I understood him.”
Learning about Aldridge—his story, experience, and tribulations—gave Golden the driving force to teach audiences another way to view the world. This is what live theater is supposed to do, he believes— it allows us to enter a life that is not our own and find ways to connect with it.
Giving Voice
It took nearly 200 years for Aldridge’s story to be told on stage. “Red Velvet,” written by playwright Lolita Chakrabarti, opened in 2012 at the Tricycle Theatre in London.
Gamut was one of the first theaters in the United States to get the rights to perform the play, bringing this important work to Harrisburg, a majority-black city. Clark hopes that the story will inspire more actors, regardless of race, to realize that they can achieve success despite hardships they may have.
For Anthony, playing this role means giving voice to a hidden history, while helping to foster the local community. He wants people to enjoy the show, but would prefer even more for them to go home and have a discussion about what it meant.
“At the end of the day,” he said, “I hope to be able to say that I changed at least one person’s life, and I want to help the world by using the tools that Ira wished he had.”
Gamut Theatre is located at 15 N. 4th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.gamuttheatre.org or call 717-238-4111.
JANUARY
THEATRE EVENTS
At Harrisburg’s Professional
Downtown Theatres
Jan. 6 & 8, 6-9 p.m.
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR “THE SEAGULL”
by Anton Chekhov
at Gamut Theatre
Schedule auditions at 717-238-4111
Jan. 13 & 16
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR “SNOW WHITE”
Ages 8-18, Jan. 13 & 16, 6-8 p.m.
Ages 6 & 7, Jan. 16, 3-4:30 p.m.
presented by Popcorn Hat Players Young Acting Company
at Gamut Theatre
Schedule auditions at 717-238-4111
Jan. 13 to 30
POPCORN HAT PLAYERS PRESENT “SLEEPING BEAUTY”
at Gamut Theatre
Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m.
Saturdays at 1 p.m.
Tickets $8
Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
TMI IMPROV COMEDY 3rd IN THE BURG SHOW
at Gamut Theatre Reception Stage
Bar opens at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets BYOP (bring your own price)
Jan. 23 to Feb. 7
“RED VELVET”
by Lolita Chakrabarti
at Gamut Theatre
Tickets $30 at GamutTheatre.org
Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
