American Players Theatre looks to engage diverse audiences; community dialog set for Friday

Robert Chappell, Madison365

Washington, DC. 1980s. A local music icon is dead. A barber grapples with his shop’s future as his relationship with his adult son evolves and his once-Black neighborhood gentrifies.

That’s the broad strokes of “The Death of Chuck Brown,” a new play written and directed by Gavin Lawrence that will have its world premier at American Players Theatre on June 24 and run through September 25 in the indoor Touchstone Theater.

Lawrence, the cast, assistant director Jyreika Guest and voice coach Jacqueline Springfield will be in Madison on Friday evening from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Black Business Hub, 2352 South Park Street, for a community dialog. It is free to attend for anyone interested.

“This is a Black community play, so the event is geared toward the Black community in Madison,” but all are welcome, said APT community engagement coordinator Anna Gonzalez. “It’s not just, ‘Hey, there are Black actors here.’ The story in this play is really going to connect with your experience.”

Lawrence, a core company member who’s acted in and worked on APT productions for 10 years, developed the play through workshops, readings and collaboration with APT artistic director Brenda DeVita over the last two years. It’s emblematic of the theater company’s effort in recent years to engage broader audiences.

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