A SPECIAL THANKS FROM OUR DIRECTOR

“Caesar didn’t see it, so he ceased to exist so the n***a that killed him had keys to his sh*t.” - Jay-Z

Being black doesn’t make me oppressed; the oppression stems from the system of white supremacy that has been created to keep black people from fully thriving in this country. The psychological effect of white supremacy will make you do anything you can to ensure your survival. If you want to create a better life for yourself where does your loyalty lie? Is your blackness more important than your survival? Is the favor of white people worth assimilation at the expense of your community? The cast and I were discussing the crabs in a barrel mentality in the black community as described by Booker T. Washington, and one of our actors responded, “How did the crabs get in the barrel in the first place?" Another replied, "Crabs don’t belong in a barrel!” I’m not here to give you a 30-page thesis on critical race theory. My role is to guide us through Eugene Lee’s Pulitzer Prizenominated masterpiece through a modern lens. Producing this show in 2023 allows us to analyze how our community navigated white supremacy in the 50s compared to now. Do we come together as a community or do we fend for ourselves?

-Charles Jackson Jr.