Unkle Tomm’s Kabin
by Rick Rankin, with additional text by J.T. Stewart and the ensemble
Alice B. Theatre and Seattle Group Theatre
Production photos: Alice B. Theatre and Seattle Group Theatre
This is a deconstruction of Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel about the horrors of black slavery in America. The first act centers on an all-white touring troupe attempting to employ black servants in their production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in Seattle, 1871. The black performers were forced to paint on"white faces," in hope that the audience would not find out and crucify them. The second act is a montage of scenes set in the present and attempts to examine the taboo subjects of slavery, racism, and interracial sex in America.
Research for this production involves many trips to the library to dig up photo archives of black history, racial violence against African Americans, and black minstrel shows.
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