Jason White is the creator of “The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy”. He received a BFA in Acting from CalArts, where he began the research that would eventually become “The Dance”. Along with Aaron White, Jason has performed “The Dance” around the country at theaters, festivals, schools, etc.
Interviewed by Kipley Wentz, originally posted March 8, 2007
You created the show, “The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy”. Can you briefly describe the show?
The Dance is an award winning educational play that teaches the history of American Minstrelsy, as a modern day minstrel show! Using past and present day images, and with a text based upon six years of facts and research, the audiences end up making comparisons between 17th century minstrelsy, and the lingering perceptions that still exist today!
What is the danger of omitting the history of minstrel shows from current education? Why is it important to revisit this painful chapter in our history?
The educational absence of the minstrel age has caused many of those same perceptions to permeate throughout all of America. This is particularly true, when you look at the way that the minstrel images and perceptions of old are being sold to our children, through the media and entertainment industries. This is why revisiting this buried past is so important! After all, how can you fight something that you don’t know about?
On the surface, the images and stereotypes from the minstrel shows of the last century seem like ancient history. Is there a connection between current cultural images of African-Americans, and those of the minstrel shows?
There is a great connection between the minstrels, not only for African Americans, but also for Whites, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans and other races of people! You see, this is part of the problem with Americans fearing these images. We only like to reference this history as black history. We do not like to accept the responsibility of these images, and therefore, we omit it from our children’s textbooks.
You see, American Minstrelsy is just that…American! It was the first great form of American theatrical entertainment with no outside influences! Minstrel shows toured the world, using not only African American stereotypes, but also Irish, Jewish, Asian and other stereotypes as well.
You perform this show in traditional black face makeup. How does the makeup affect you personally, and what impact does it have on your performance?
Every time I apply the blackface makeup, I am overwhelmed by a great sense of responsibility. I look myself in the mirror, and remind myself that if I don’t do this, no one will. That is because, I believe that the artist must be responsible for the work that he puts out at all times. That’s why we do a Q and A after every show with the audience. I need to make sure that theater for social change takes place, and that you go throughout the years of your life thinking about what you saw. It’s my responsibility as an artist to ask questions. That is why I do what I do, because God has given me that purpose.
In your opinion, why were minstrel shows such a popular form of entertainment? What need did those shows fulfill for their audience?
When you talking about the audience of the minstrel shows, you’re talking about the white public audience of the 17th-19th century. Your also talking about white actors in blackface makeup, performing African American stereotypes that THEY had made up about black people, for that all white audience.
I reference “THEY” because the songs and skits of the minstrel show era were tailored to the preference of its audiences. This is why the actors on stage would be in blackface make-up, yet singing beloved Irish love ballads in the shows. The songs and skits of the minstrel shows were principally European in nature, because, that’s what the audiences wanted to see and hear. No one really cared to hear the authentic music of the slaves.
What is the meaning behind the title: “The Dance”?
The Dance is something we all have to do to get to where we want to be. It’s day to day where the actor has to buffoon himself to achieve his dreams. It’s the tears of the professional dancer that ends up in the strip clubs. It’s getting up everyday at the crack of dawn, going to work to support your kids. It’s the broken backs of the ancestors who have struggled every day to give you hope, and what you do with it.
But the truth is that no matter the race, we all wear masks! So the real question is, are you dancing for yourself, or for someone else?
Minstrel shows were originally performed for white audiences exclusively. Who is the intended audience of “The Dance”, and what are the most common reactions you get from audience members?
The Dance is appropriate for anyone ages 12 and up. Sometimes we get quiet audiences, and sometimes we get an extreme amount of laughter during performance. Neither of these responses are bad! In fact, we encourage the audience to participate and enjoy themselves. Our weapon is satire, and we educate you through that laughter! People react to it differently, based upon the awareness of The Dance within their own lives.
I take great pleasure in meeting with my audience after the shows. I mean, it’s incredible if you really think about it. This is because my audiences are regularly full of people from all different races and cultures. People of all races and cultures, both white and black, approaching me with hails of “ Thank you for doing this…I never knew.” Awareness is power, and I believe that by exposing these images, I am empowering the young and old of today to learn about them.
The show is based in part on actual sketches and characters from minstrel shows. How does it feel to get laughter from material that comes from such a reviled source? How do you allow the audience to laugh at these stereotypes without diminishing the impact of your message?
Once again, we encourage the audience to laugh! This is what the minstrel shows did! This is what the current perceptions continue to do! This is what we do! Besides, our number one weapon is satire, and we use that laughter to cut down your guard, and expose the images for what they are. Because we do not share America’s fear of these images, we are empowered to educate others about them in the best way possible.
A bit about the process of creating the show: The creation of this show has been a long process. What was the original moment of inspiration? When did you realize you were going to create a show about the history of blackface minstrelsy?
Initially, the show developed out of a poem that I had written as an extension of my feelings. At that time, I was a young actor being exposed to the truths of the Hollywood dream that so many of us wish for. With some help from CalArts professors Travis Preston and Arthur Horowitz, I was allowed to explore and build a project on exploitation in my final year at CalArts.
In my search to build that project, I was lead to the buried history of American Minstrelsy. The exploration of blackface minstrelsy was a wonderful match, and it seemed as if my answers lay in that direction. I am very grateful for that direction, because as you can see, it was the right one.
What are your major goals for this show?
The show was built to travel to high schools and to colleges. It’s a two-man suitcase experience, much like that of Williams and Walker, the famous African American minstrel show performers. We continue this tradition, and we regularly tour the show to every high school and college, nationwide! Our goal is to expand our network, and bring educational theater for social change to every high school, detention center, and college in this nation! We regularly receive e-mails from teens and universities, thanking us for the work, and welcoming us back every year!
Did you originally envision the show as it is, performing it where you have, or has it been a “go with the flow” process guided by events and moments of inspiration along the way?
What many people don’t know is that this piece was originally workshopped at CalArts with 4 actors! What you are watching now is part of a history that goes back almost 6 years. I had a tremendous amount of help directing and developing this piece in its early stages.
Without the help of my fellow alums, Joel Warren, Nathifa Cox, Anitra Evans and my co-partner Aaron White, I don’t believe it would have turned out as well as it has. It’s a dark subject that these alums didn’t fear, and that has continued to give the piece strength. I truly thank them for trusting me with this vision and movement.
A lot of actors would like to create their own shows but are overwhelmed or intimidated. How did you translate the idea for the show into consistent action to create the script? For example, in writing the script, did you sit down and write it front to back, or did the script develop out of a “workshop” process?
I wrote The Dance in one night to Nina Simone’s timeless Jazz classic “Don’t Explain”. I truly believe it was burst of creativity, an idea sent down from heaven above into my spirit. You see, I had already researched minstrelsy, and found great comparisons to its past and present day influences. The goal was to write something educational, yet entertaining enough to be accepted by all Americans.
How has the script/show changed and developed as you’ve performed it around the country?
It’s the same show, but it’s different every night. This is because every audience is different, and with this piece, we feed off of the audience’s responses! That’s the beauty of live theater!
Any creative process has inherent challenges. What was the most difficult part of creating “The Dance”, and what has motivated you to keep going?
The most challenging part of this piece has been battling the fear associated with the images. There is a tremendous amount of fear attached to blackface, and truthfully, it’s been hard to carry this piece. It’s been a long and lonely walk, but thankfully, I’ve had Aaron White by my side the whole time.
In the beginning, many people, both black and white, told me to quit! They told me to move on, that a piece like this would never be successful. They told me to get a 9-5, that building a company would be very bad for me. They told me that the chances of seeing my dreams come true where very slim. I say…
“People succeed in life because they outlast you.”
Who has inspired you? Do you have any role models?
God is my greatest inspiration. He is my father and his son, Christ, is my best friend. In him I put all my trust. Besides, he has given me the power to imagine. The imagination gives us the ability to bring our dreams into reality. The Dance is great evidence of that!
In a world of myriad entertainment options, why is theater important? What is the power of live theater?
The power of live theater is a weapon which humanity has been using since the dawn of time. It has been used to start wars and to end them. It is a mirror into our personal and public lives and a window into our spirits.
But today, live theater is often overshadowed by the influence of film and popular entertainment. This is particularly true within many inner city communities, where theater is non-existent. Many plays are viewed as entertaining, but do little more then that, and provide no aspect of thought or discourse. It is my goal to change that, and to bring theater for social change into every high school and college in America. At the closure of The Dance, you can be sure of one thing…
“You will go home and think about it.”
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