Me with Gideon Glick and Adrienne Warren at the 2019 Sleep Out—one example of "the doing" I mention below. 

(As you scroll, you'll see just a few Black artists: Capathia Jenkins, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Allyson Tucker-Mitchell, Leslie Odom Jr. If you consider yourself a fan, if you've enjoyed a performance of theirs, and you haven't stood up for their lives, think about that.)

Dear Family and Friends,

     If I’m being honest, I’ve been completely unsure how to start this month’s letter. It seems that just as we were all getting a handle on life in this pandemic, our world has been thrown for another loop with the news of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmad Aubrey, and the Central Park Amy Cooper incident. But that would be a false conclusion. The killing of Black people is, tragically, not new to this moment. What’s new is our response—and thank heavens. My heart has physically felt heavy these past few weeks; I think I now understand the meaning of heartsick.

     But as sad as this moment is, I still find hope. Numerous leaders have said this moment not only feels different than other peaks in the Civil Rights movement,  but it is different. 2020 has been a hell of a year to live through so far, but I think about a few years from now or a few decades from now when—if we do this right—we will get to say that we were there when it all changed and that we made the change. That idea revs the engine of optimism. That idea propels me to action. "The Doing" makes the sadness ebb.

   I've been signing petitions (to arrest George Floyd’s murderers, to arrest Breonna Taylor’s murderers), amplifying Black voices, and making calls for and donating to political campaigns to elect representatives who believe in equality, justice, and collaboration in government. I launched my annual fundraising campaign for my 2020 Covenant House Sleep Out to eradicate youth homelessness—which, of course, affects youth of color. I encourage you, if you are so moved, to find your way to "do."

     The BLM movement has sent ripples through all of our lives and innumerable industries—and it should. The movement has empowered Black members of the theatre community to speak out against racism in the workplace. Let’s be honest, theatre as an industry was born of rich, white men—and inertia is a powerful force. But Black theatremakers and allies have called for structural change. Through my work at Playbill, I’ve been privileged to cover the statements from Black artists like Billy Porter, Griffin Matthews, Schele Williams, Mykal Kilgore, Jelani Alladin, and more in an effort to raise awareness and help take steps towards equity in our community and our business. I was fortunate enough to speak with the founder of the new Broadway for Racial Justice and spotlight their goals. I never take my platform for granted, and this is the best use of it.

     As much turmoil as there is right now, there is also a lot to celebrate. June 19 marks the first-ever Antonyo Awards, celebrating Black Broadway and Off-Broadway. Thanks to Broadway Black, it will be one joyful evening. June is also, of course, Pride Month. I’ve been working my patootie off to make it one hell of a month-long showcase for our LGBTQIA+ siblings of all races.

     Playbill partnered with Pride Plays, a festival founded last year to promote the work of queer artists and tell more queer stories. This includes old, buried plays that hadn’t been produced because they were “too gay” as well as new works. This year, we go digital. We presented our first fully live performance of Donja R. Love’s one in two, centered on the Black, queer, HIV-positive experience. You can stream it through June 15 at 11:59pm ET. (For mature audiences only.)

     We have three more plays coming up: Brave Smiles…Another Lesbian Tragedy by The Five Lesbian Brothers (one of whom is Fun Home’s Lisa Kron), Masculinity Max by MJ Kaufman, and The Men From the Boys (the sequel to the Broadway smash The Boys in the Band) directed by Zachary Quinto. All streams are free at Playbill.com/PridePlays. (Check the schedule there.) We save the best for last with the Pride Spectacular Concert that I’m executive producing! Mark your calendars for June 28 at 8pm ET (watch here). We’ve got Harvey Fierstein, Brandon Victor Dixon, Mj Rodriguez, Jenn Colella, and TONS more performing in our 90-minute one-night-only cannot-stream-it-again event. 

     Pride isn’t solely a celebration or a parade. It’s a reminder. LGBTQIA+ history and oppression were not taught in any history class I ever took. It’s been 51 years since The Stonewall Riots when, in 1969, police raided The Stonewall Inn (a gay bar in The Village) and the queer patrons fought back. Lest we forget that before 1966 gay people could legally be refused service anywhere and, in 1969, engaging in public “gay behavior” was still illegal. We must tell this history to prevent its recurrence. Recent legislation rolls back anti-discriminatory healthcare protections (a.k.a. sanctions discrimination) and threatens the lives of, LGTBQIA+ folx. As we learn so much more about Black history, we must challenge our brains to hold multiple narratives, recognize multiple oppressions, champion multiple communities. We are smart and compassionate enough to do it.

     How do we do it? We fill out the Census to make sure we’re accounted for—and encourage others to do so. Government serves the people, but only the people who government knows exist. Confirm you are registered to vote. Request your absentee ballot so that you can vote safely. In New York, the deadline is June 16!!! Request one here (NY) and check the box for “temporary illness or physical disability” as this now covers risk of COVID-19, no diagnosis needed. Fill out your ballot and mail it in!! Vote for your local representatives; it’s just as important as voting for Presidential candidates. Our actions today can prevent tears tomorrow.

     I hope you are all taking care of yourselves. We can only advocate for one another if we have strength, and that begins with self-care. Hug your loved ones extra tight. I saw my girlfriends in the park for a social-distance visit for the first time in three months and hosted a Zoom Family Reunion/95th Birthday Celebration for my Grandma! Give yourself a moment to watch or read or listen to something for pure joy (recs below). Exercise because endorphings make you happy. Remind yourself of the good things in your life; those are your roots from which positivity will grow. As always, thank you for reading, for your love, for your support. Love, Ruthie

 Broadway Advocacy Coalition held a three-day seminar addressing racism in the industry, but the teachings apply more widely. I invite you to learn if you are interested. Come with an open mind.

Recommendations: 

*If these recommendations inspire you to check out something new, I’d love to know! Tag your post about it with #ruthierecommends.

1. The Present. The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles has figured out a way to do live interactive theatre. If you need a moment of joy and escape, try and get a ticket. A Zoom room of 25 households convenes for a live show where the illusionist makes magic happen in YOUR HOUSE. Each ticket comes with a package mailed to your home with items to guide you through the experience. But the best part was actually hearing audience-mates clap and laugh and "What the—" and "how did he do that?" all together. They keep extending, so it's worth putting yourself on the waitlist.

2. Da 5 Bloods. Broadway’s Norm Lewis stars in this new Spike Lee film, so I was fortunate enough to watch it before it hit Netflix June 12. I swear, Spike Lee could not have delivered us a more necessary and timely movie; the man’s a soothsayer. Though, arguably, the need for another revolution has been brewing. The film launches with a clip of Muhammad Ali refusing to fight in Vietnam—particularly when there are lynchings and unrest at home. Clips of speeches from the 1960s follow and, if I had my eyes closed, I wouldn’t know if the words were said 50 years ago or yesterday. The film is intense, I must preface. I’m not really one for gore or guns, but if you like that (or if you can tolerate it for a larger message), I urge you to watch this. Four military men return to present-day Ho Chi Minh City to rescue the remains of their fifth comrade (played by Wakanda’s Chadwick Boseman in flashbacks) and a little something extra. Da 5 Bloods is about brotherhood. It’s about the pain of Black men who fought for a country that doesn’t give a hoot about them. It’s about the consequences of war. You’ll be on the edge of your seat.

3. Always a Bridesmaid. I was looking for 27 Dresses and when I searched on Netflix it supplied this instead. It was exactly the movie I wanted—a sweet, more real romance than the cheese (though loveable cheese) of 27 Dresses. Corina works for her father’s company, the “largest minority-owned publishing house in the Midwest,” but is finally getting out from under this thumb to carve a career of her own; she is our titular perpetual bridesmaid, whose friends set her up and put her online, hoping she'll settle down. When she meets Mark at a wedding, he could be the man she’s been looking for, but is she ready for him? The movie stars an all-Black cast and, because of the way marketing works, it was likely marketed to a "Black audience" so I never heard of it. But I’m done with that nonsense. This was a great, feel-good movie. And it’s not about being colorblind, it’s about appreciating nuances of a Black story. Just like My Big Fat Greek Wedding let us inside said Greek life and legacy, this movie offers glimpses of Black culture and tradition.

4. Between the World and Me. The book by Ta-Nehisi Coates came out in 2015 and was a gift to me from my brother. It sits on my bedside table and I’ve been reading it since 2020 began, more slowly than I read most books because I really want to absorb it. Coates’ prose and the ideas he captures are complex—in a brilliant way. In this revitalization of Black Lives Matter and amplifying Black voices, the book has once again come to the fore. I recommend it to anyone who wants an intellectual read to broaden your perspective.

5. The Library of Legends by Janie Chang. I chose this novel as my Book of the Month. While there are many posts and articles out there about work by Black artists and authors (as there should be), I have always loved reading books outside my own culture. Stories about families from cultures different than my own, stories simply set in other places in the world, stories by authors with different heritages and nationalities (whether they write about those heritages or not)—stories are how we learn. Stories are how we gain understanding and empathy—especially books, because books put you inside a character’s head. You’re not just watching them, you are them. Library of Legends is an historical fantasy; it begins in Nanking, China, 1937 when the Japanese dropped bombs on the city. (That is historical fact, look up the Nanking Massacre.) Chang’s story follows the students of Minghua University as they walk the 1,036 miles from Nanking to Chengtu, transporting irreplaceable volumes, poems, fables—the Library of Legends. As they travel under the constant threat of the Japanese, the fantasy part comes in as one myth comes to life and the Library’s transport awakens spirits across the countryside that could change China’s fate.

6. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. Turned into a movie that I refuse to see because I don’t want to ruin this book that I devoured in a single day. I read this years ago, but I put it here because a) it was incredible and b) as we invest in Black stories and works by Black artists, there is a place for young adult novels. There are many recent lists of literature to help us understand racism and anti-Blackness and how to undo both—and you should read those titles. But, it’s also important to consume stories centered around people to learn about identity and tradition as inherent ingredients in these people’s lives. Daniel and Natasha meet in New York City. Daniel comes from a Korean family; Natasha from a Jamaican family. I could easily qualify this book simply as a love story, but that would be a disservice. Though the star-crossed lovers rise above Romeo and Juliet, it’s a book about self-assuredness, about real-life magic, about immigrant status, about family history, and it reads more beautifully than poetry.

7. The Ensemblist. Mo Brady co-founded The Ensemblist as one of the original theatre podcasts over five years ago. Today, he’s still going (now on the Broadway Podcast Network). He always has his finger on the pulse of representation as he shares candid interviews with the workhorses/underdogs of Broadway. Recently, he released episodes with Black ensemblists tied to Black Lives Matter and the shake-up in the theatre industry.

8. Sweet Magnolias. Heather. Freaking. Headley. Need I say more? In case I do: Think of Stars Hollow, but instead of the comedy of Gilmore Girls, think of a drama slash harlequin slash hometown Southern tale of friendship in this new Netflix series. Serenity is the name of this fictional town, chock full of Southern hospitality and Southern manners, and liberal politics and people of all colors. (We can dream, can’t we?) Maddie, Helen, and Dana Sue are the Magnolias, best friends since childhood. Maddie is a mother of three just finalizing her divorce from the doctor husband who cheated on her and impregnated his nurse—which means she can date the sexy new baseball coach; Helen (Headley) is the high power attorney and the town problem-solver whose true love comes back to Serenity to fight for her; and Dana Sue is a single mom of one, chef, and restaurant owner, with a complicated ex and a love for farmers. The show is about these three women and their unbreakable friendship. Add the complicated relationships between their kids and a dollop of sexy and you’ve got yourself a feel-good, can’t-look-away series.

My Philosophy

I believe in art's power to create change. Art—particularly theatre—can help us reflect, determine, and, sometimes, change our beliefs. I hope that you all continue to engage with the storytelling and art around you—wherever you are and whatever level—and that you entertain different points of view. Advocate for your principles while always leaving room to hear others and evolve. Let's stay engaged, thoughtful, and active. 

As always, if you need show recommendations or if you have theatre questions, please get in touch! I LOVE to answer. Keep tabs on Playbill.com and RuthieFierberg.com, and thank you for your enduring support.