By Emilie Cassan
Broadway actor Charles Holt will perform a one-man show depicting the story of Richard Wright''s novel 'Black Boy' Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Varsity Theatre.
Holt, an actor and recording artist from Nashville, Tenn., who has performed in other Broadway productions such as 'The Lion King' and 'The Rocky Horror Show,' will perform 'Black Boy' as part of this year''s Black History Month activities sponsored by the Black Student Union and Multicultural Students Services to educate students and the community about black culture and history.
Darron Smith, 36, a part-time BYU professor of sociology and education from Nashville, Tenn., and Holt''s cousin, suggested to Multicultural Student Services that 'Black Boy' be part of the month''s activities.
'I am very much interested in BYU doing culture-themed activities that portray people of color in a positive light,' Smith said. 'We don''t have much, and it''s important that we have variety.'
'Black Boy' is known for its contributions to American history and to African American culture.
According to the teacher''s resource guide from the American Place Theatre, 'Black Boy' is the story of a young black boy growing up in a society where 'one group of people forces another group of people to be anonymous due to racism and prejudice.'
The story is a representation of Wright''s life and portrays the struggles of growing up without a father, moving from place to place, trying to find work and trying to find a place in a white-dominated society.
The teacher''s resource guide from the American Place Theatre states, '''Black Boy'' is considered an American tragedy because it depicts both a personal struggle and cry of anguish for the entire human condition.'
Smith said Holt performs the show and articulates well the 20 characters in the story because as an African American, he has an understanding what they are going through.
'He has an intimate relationship with the characters and feels the pain they feel,' Smith said.
Although 'Black Boy' is a part of black history, Smith said it has to with the present.
'It has something to say about black rights and white supremacy,' he said. 'It shows how black people deal with racism.'
Quiana Gough, 19, a sophomore from Baltimore, Md., majoring in pre-nursing and a coordinator of Black History Month said 'Black Boy' is an important performance because it is more modern.
'It''s modern black history and shows that black history hasn''t stopped, but that it''s going to keep on progressing.'
Tiffany Morgan, 20, a junior from Chicago, Ill., majoring in sociology and a coordinator of Black History Month, said the show is important because of the themes it portrays from Wright''s time and also from today.
'It''s important because it shows how far we have come as a society and also shows how much further we have to go.'
Morgan said this is the second year Holt has performed 'Black Boy' at BYU, and BSU members hope it will become an annual event.